G, noun
The seventh letter of the alphabet, placed before numbers to designate locally-designed and manufactured howitzers, developed after an arms embargo came into effect in 1977.
a. G5: A 155 mm howitzer. Also attributive.
1979 Cape Times 26 Apr. 1Two brand-new South African weapons, the G5 artillery piece and the R4 service rifle, were yesterday taken out of wraps at a press conference in Cape Town.
1991 G. Evans et al. in Weekly Mail 1 Feb. 10Military sources said yesterday it was very probable that some of the 200 G5 mobile howitzers bought from Armscor by Iraq have already been put to use in this week’s land battles.
b. G6: A version of the G5, mounted on a self-propelled vehicle. Also attributive.
1987 [see sense a].
1991 G. Evans et al. in Weekly Mail 1 Feb. 10South Africa has now supplied both sides in the Gulf War, as it has recently sold 70 G6 heavy artillery systems to the United Arab Emirates.
Visualise Quotations
Quotation summarySenses
Copyright © 2023 Dictionary Unit for South African English.