These aircrew survival weapons have ensured US airmen stayed alive in rough situations

The aircrew survival weapon is a pilot’s last-ditch tool after ejection. It’s primarily intended to give the pilot a tool to stay alive in a rough situation.

Aircrew survival weapons are primarily meant to shoot game or even to signal for help and only in the worst-case scenario be used as defensive weapons. Today we are going to explore the historical options alongside the current high-speed aircrew survival weapon.

The earliest pilot survival weapons

In the midst of World War I, the best you could expect to get was a handgun which could be a tiny .32 ACP. It could be an issued M1911 or possibly an M1917 .45 ACP revolver.

Handguns were natural options for pilots during World War I and in the interwar years as they are small and light. (Most pilots still carry a handgun to this day for the same reasons.)

The M-15 revolver was also used. This S&W .38 Special revolver was notably issued with mini flares that could launch from the weapon to send a signal.

However, long guns proved to be a much more valuable option for survival needs.

Savage Model 24 

Before seeking out a dedicated aircrew survival weapon, the military went with a commercial off-the-shelf option. The Savage Model 24 was initially designed for small game hunting but was a great option as a survival tool. This small and light weapon has an over/under design that has both a .22LR barrel and a .410 shotgun barrel. 

The Savage Model 24 filled an immediate gap, and the Army Air Corps purchased 15,000 of them for World War II. Savage still produces a modern version of this gun known as the “Model 42 Takedown.”

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The bizarre M4 Survival Rifle

This isn’t the M4 we all know. This version of the weapon looks like someone was building a gun and just stopped midway. The result was the very lightweight and compact M4 Survival Rifle from Harrington and Richards.

The weapon was originally an M265 that was adopted for the role of aircrew survival. Its barrel was trimmed to 14 inches and a minimalist collapsing wire stock was added.

The weapon utilized a bolt action and fired the .22 Hornet round; able to only carry four rounds, it was the definition of handy.

Interestingly enough, the M4 was issued with soft point ammo, which carried a warning on the box that stated:

“Under no circumstances is the ammunition to be used for offensive or defensive measures against enemy personnel. This ammunition is provided for use with your emergency survival rifle for the killing of game for food under emergency survival conditions only.”

The famous M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon

The M6 Aircrew Survival weapon was adopted in 1952 and took cues from both the M4 and Model 24. Like the Model 24, it was a double-barrel gun with both a rifle and shotgun barrel. Like the M4, it was minimalist in design and used the .22 Hornet round. Its bottom barrel was a .410 shotgun.

The simple design ensured that the weapon weighed only 4.5 pounds and could fold in half to minimize its size. The stock held nine extra rounds of .22 Hornet and four rounds of .410 shot. Replicas of this famous weapon exist to this day.

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The extra-light Armalite AR-5

The Armalite AR-5 was officially adopted but never fielded. The Air Force needed new survival weapons for their XB70 bombers, and there were no M4 or M6s available. Armalite, who would later create the AR-15, produced the bolt AR-5 aircrew survival weapon in .22 Hornet. The company made the rifle from lightweight aluminum and plastics to save weight, and it reportedly only weighed 2.5 pounds.

The weapon was designed as a takedown rifle, and the action, stock, and magazine could be stowed in the polymer stock. This stock was floatable and kept the rifle’s action, magazine, and ammo well protected. However, the XB-70 was canceled, and the Air Force never acquired more than a dozen of these rifles.

The best aircrew survival weapon

The weapon that the U.S. Air Force uses today is the GAU-5A ASDW. The GAU-5A is an M4-style carbine heavily modified to fit under an ejection seat. This modification includes a 12.5-inch barrel, a Cry Havoc Tactical Quick Release Barrel kit, a folding pistol grip, and folding sights. This mini rifle is a much more potent option than pilots have ever had before.

It’s pint-sized but could still hit a target at 200 meters. Further, a look at the kit reveals that the weapon will have two mags, so at least 60 rounds. Additional spare rounds could also potentially be carried to reload the magazines. It’s high-tech, high-speed, and probably the best aircrew survival weapon we’ve ever seen.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in February 2023.

Feature Image: Diagram of the M6 survival weapon. (Creative Commons)

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