The Mexican Army-run Military Industries General Directorate (DGIM) has developed and manufactures six prototypes of a remote controlled weapons station. Development of the Sistema de Accionamiento Remoto de Armas de Fuego SARAF-BALAM1 (Remote Controlled Firearms System) began in 2013 and trials took place in six infantry battalions during 2014.
The SARAF-BALAM is required to allow personnel to fire from protected location either fixed or mobile, has now entered into its next development phase. Although not specified, the SARAF-BALAM RCWS is likely to be used on the DN-XI light armoured tactical patrol vehicle, which is being built also by DGIM for a requirement of 1,000 vehciles by 2018.
DGIM is also undertaking the development of a low-velocity 40 x 46 mm grenade launcher. The indigenous grenade launcher will be installed in the 5.56mm FX05 Xicoatl assault rifle being produced by the DGIM and the 7.62 mm H&K G3 currently in service. Minimum range is 30 m and maximum is 400 m. The first phase comprised the development of four competing prototypes with different characteristics which were merged into a single prototype for the second phase.
The main obstacle encountered was local development of the canon through traditional means, which gave way to the development of a titanium-based component. The third phase led to successful trials and development of a series production version. There is no indication of the number of grenade launchers to be built, but they will form part of the FX05 family for several decades to come. DGIM has so far built 56,000 FX05 assault rifles and intends to produce 121,000 by 2018.
