IMBEL
Encyclopedia
IMBEL is an acronym
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...

 for Indústria de Material Bélico do Brasil (Military Material Industry) a Brazilian state company, founded in 1975 as a quango
Quango
Quango or qango is an acronym used notably in the United Kingdom, Ireland and elsewhere to label an organisation to which government has devolved power...

 of the Ministry of Defence.

Its missions are: to cooperate in the planning and production of war material through the transfer of technology, encouraging the creation of new industries and provide financial and technical assistance to them; administer their own industrial and commercial park of war material, and promote development for other activities related to their goals.

History

IMBEL was founded on July 16, 1934, in the city of Itajubá, Minas Gerais state), Brazil. The original factory was designated Fábrica de Canos e Sabres para Armas Portáteis (Arms Factory for Barrels and Sabres for Portable Arms) and later as Fabrica de Itajuba (FI) which directly involved the Brazilian Army
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...

 in the production of military material.

On July 14, 1975 Law no. 6227 created Industria Material Bélico do Brasil - IMBEL, linked to the Ministry of the Army and with defined policies to promote based on private initiative, deployment and development of the war material industry of interest to the Army. Later the concept and policies were expanded to promote the military material industry in Brazil.

The military material industry has expanded and specialized to the point of receiving international recognition, with research work, design and implementation done by the Itajubá plant.

It was initially involved in manufacturing Mauser rifles
Mauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...

.

Products

  • IA-2, a new rifle design being evaluated by the Brazilian Army as a complete replacement for their FALs. It uses many polymer parts and a redesigned bolt.

  • MD-2
    IMBEL MD2
    The IMBEL MD series of assault rifles are the standard-issue rifles of the Brazilian Army.-History:...

     and MD-3 Rifles - A licensed copy of the FN FAL
    FN FAL
    The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...

     called the Fuzil Automático Leve (FAL
    FN FAL
    The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...

    ) manufactured by FI. Brazil took delivery of a small number of FN-made FAL rifles for evaluation as early as 1954. Troop field testing was performed with FN-made FALs between 1958 and 1962. In 1964, Brazil officially adopted the rifle, designating the rifle M964 for the year. Licensed production started shortly afterwards at IMBEL in the Itajubá
    Itajubá
    Itajubá is a city and municipality in southeastern Minas Gerais state of the Federative Republic of Brazil.It lies in a valley by the Sapucaí river and has terrain elevations ranging from 827 to 1500 metres, occupying an area of 290.45 km2 , with a population of approximately 86,000 people...

     plant. The folding-stock version was designated M969A1. By the late 1980s to early 1990s IMBEL had manufactured some 200,000 M964 rifles. Most Brazilian-made FALs are characterized by their 'slab-sided' late-type receivers with external lightening cuts omitted, a feature which simplifies production and lowers cost. Early FN-made FALs for Brazil are typical FN 1964 models with Type 1 or Type 2 receivers (with lightening cuts), plastic stock, handguard, and pistol grip, 22 mm cylindrical flashhider for grenade launching, and plastic model "D" carrying handle. A heavy-barrel version, known as the FAP (Fuzil Automático Pesado, heavy automatic rifle) was also produced for the armed forces, to be used as a squad automatic weapon.
    • FAL Variants - Brazil also makes its own FAL variants, known as the MD-2 and MD-3 assault rifles, manufactured by IMBEL. The first prototype, the MD-1, appeared around 1983. In 1985, the MD-2 was presented and adopted by the Brazilian Armed Forces. The MD-2/MD-3 is very similar to the FAL, the main design differences being the locking system, which was replaced by an M16-type rotating bolt, and its chambering for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. The MD-2 and MD-3 use M16-compatible magazines; the MD-2 features a side-folding stock, and the MD-3 uses the same fixed polymer stock as the FAL.
    • SAR 48 - IMBEL produced a semi-automatic version of the FAL for Springfield Armory, Inc.
      Springfield Armory, Inc.
      Springfield Armory, Inc. is a firearms manufacturer and importer based in Geneseo, Illinois, founded in 1974. It is one of the largest firearms marketers of imported firearms in the United States and is a four-time recipient of the National Rifle Association Gun of the Year Award.-Formation:After...

       (not to be confused with the US military Springfield Armory
      Springfield Armory
      The Springfield Armory, located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts - from 1777 until its closing in 1968 - was the primary center for the manufacture of U.S. military firearms. After its controversial closing during the Vietnam War, the Springfield Armory was declared Western Massachusetts'...

      ), which was marketed in the US as the SAR-48 and SAR-4800, starting in the mid-1980s. IMBEL-made receivers have been much in demand among American gunsmiths building FALs from "parts kits." Early SAR-48s were simply selective-fire M964 FALs which were modified to semi-auto-only by replacing the safety sear with a thick washer soldered in its place.

    • IMBEL MD2A1
      IMBEL MD2A1
      The MD2A1 is a submachine gun manufactured by IMBEL of Brazil. The weapon is basically an FN FAL rifle converted to fire 9x19mm rounds.-References:**-External links:...

      , a 9mm submachine gun adaptation of the MD-2 rifle.

  • Itajuba Model 954 Mosquetao
    Itajubá Model 954 Mosquetão
    The Itajubá Model 954 Mosquetão is a battle rifle of Brazilian origin. The weapon is a derivative of the Gewehr 43 but chambered in the .30-06 round.-See also:*Beretta BM59*MAS-49 rifle*Vz. 52 rifle...

    , a derivative of the Gewehr 43.

  • The IMBEL MD97
    IMBEL MD97
    THe IMBEL MD97 is an assault rifle intended for use in Brazil's Army, Special Forces, and domestic police forces.- History :The MD97 is a Brazilian selective-fire or semi-automatic assault rifle that has been produced by IMBEL in Brazil since 1997...

     assault rifle family was developed to replace IMBEL MD-2 and MD-3 rifles that were in use with the Brazilian military. The MD-97 is based on the MD-2, but has a number of improvements. The IMBEL MD-97 assault rifle family consists of three models with different dimensions and weight. The MD-97 family can be fed from standard STANAG
    STANAG
    STANAG is the NATO abbreviation for Standardization Agreement, which sets up processes, procedures, terms, and conditions for common military or technical procedures or equipment between the member countries of the alliance. Each NATO state ratifies a STANAG and implements it within their own...

     magazines. Assault rifles are available with fixed or folding buttstocks. Rifles can be equipped with accessories such as sound suppressors and optical sights. The barrel life is a relatively short 6 000 rounds. The MD-97 also has a brass deflector.
    • The MD-97L is intended for the Brazilian Armed Forces, a similar design to the IMBEL MD-2 with a gas-operated action with rotating bolt. The "L" stands for "Leve" or "Light". This assault rifle is chambered for standard NATO 5.56 x 45 mm rounds. It has a selective-fire mode-changer and fires in single-, burst- and full-auto modes. Its can penetrate 3.5 mm of ballistic plate at a distance of 600 meters. It is the only MD-97 family rifle, that can be fitted with an under-barrel grenade launcher.
    • MD-97LC carbine is a shortened single-shot-mode-only version of the MD-97L, intended for police forces. The "LC" stands for "Leve/Curto" or "Light/Short". It has reduced weight and length. It can penetrate 3.5 mm ballistic plate at a distance of 300 meters.
    • MD-97LM carbine is a single- and fully automatic model probably intended for the Brazilian Army special forces. It is an assault rifle with a sound suppressor and grenade launcher, with a Picatinny rail
      Picatinny rail
      The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...

       for various sights and accessories.
    • The ALAC (Arma Leve Anticarro)
      ALAC (Arma Leve Anticarro)
      ALAC is a Brazilian light anti-tank weapon. It has a disposable launch tube designed to destroy or disable armored vehicles.Light Antitank Weapon is 84 mm single use, disposable shot, designed to combat anti-tank and an approximate maximum range of use of 500 meters. The shooting is done with the...


  • M1911
    M1911
    The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, and recoil-operated handgun chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. John M. Browning designed the firearm which was the standard-issue side arm for the United States armed forces from 1911 to 1985. The M1911 is still carried by some U.S....

     pistols: Project Colt - IMBEL acquired a manufacturing license for the M1911 pistol, and has exported pistols to the United States of America through Springfield Armory, Inc.
    Springfield Armory, Inc.
    Springfield Armory, Inc. is a firearms manufacturer and importer based in Geneseo, Illinois, founded in 1974. It is one of the largest firearms marketers of imported firearms in the United States and is a four-time recipient of the National Rifle Association Gun of the Year Award.-Formation:After...

     (sold under the Springfield Armory brand) since 1985. It produces .380 ACP
    .380 ACP
    The .380 ACP pistol cartridge is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case. It was introduced in 1908 by Colt, and has been a popular self-defense cartridge ever since...

    , 9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W
    .40 S&W
    The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...

     and .45 ACP
    .45 ACP
    The .45 ACP , also known as the .45 Auto by C.I.P., is a cartridge designed by John Browning in 1904, for use in his prototype Colt semi-automatic .45 pistol and eventually the M1911 pistol adopted by the United States Army in 1911.-Design and history:The U.S...

    models. All Springfield Armory, Inc. pistols start on IMBEL's production lines.
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