A tripod is provided for mounting a machine gun between a front pintle and a traverse-and-elevation (T&E) device, being mechanically alterable between stowage and deployment configurations by means of a curved traverse bar. The tripod includes a head member for receiving the front pintle, a fore leg, first and second rear legs, and the traverse bar. The fore leg connects to the head member at a fore pitch hinge, and extends in the deployment configuration and folds aft beneath the head member in the stowage configuration. The first and second rear legs connect to the head member by corresponding rear lateral hinges. Each rear leg has a rail member that slides longitudinally therealong. The rear legs splay outward from the head member in the deployment configuration and contract substantially parallel in the stowage configuration. The traverse bar includes an elongated member for mounting the T&E device, first and second terminals at opposite ends of the elongated member, and a sprocket. The elongated member has an arc curvature that enables the T&E device to travel along the elongated member with constant elevation of the machine gun. The terminals respectively attach to the first and second legs by respective orifices. The first terminal includes a circular serrated cavity to receive the sprocket that has the first pivot orifice being offset from its axial center. The sprocket is removable to rotate the first pivot orifice for subsequent reinsertion into the serrated cavity.

A modular weapon station includes a rotatable frame adapted to be mounted on a platform and is configured to have a removable cradle with a weapon mounted thereon. The rotatable frame may also include a removable ammunition feed chute, an optical sighting unit, and azimuth and elevation drives. The modular weapon station may also include a rotatable drum and ammunition loading assembly coupled with the rotatable frame assembly. The rotatable drum and ammunition loading assembly may be located in an under armor position such that an operator may replenish ammunition from an under armor position and not be subjected to hostile fire while replenishing ammunition. Belted ammunition rounds may travel along an ammunition feed path stemming from the loading assembly within the rotatable drum to a selected weapon.

A tripod is provided for mounting a machine gun between a front pintle and a traverse-and-elevation (T&E) device, being mechanically alterable between stowage and deployment configurations by means of a curved traverse bar. The tripod includes a head member for receiving the front pintle, a fore leg, first and second rear legs, and the traverse bar. The fore leg connects to the head member at a fore pitch hinge, and extends in the deployment configuration and folds aft beneath the head member in the stowage configuration. The first and second rear legs connect to the head member by corresponding rear lateral hinges. Each rear leg has a rail member that slides longitudinally therealong. The rear legs splay outward from the head member in the deployment configuration and contract substantially parallel in the stowage configuration. The traverse bar includes an elongated member for mounting the T&E device, first and second terminals at opposite ends of the elongated member, and a sprocket. The elongated member has an arc curvature that enables the T&E device to travel along the elongated member with constant elevation of the machine gun. The terminals respectively attach to the first and second legs by respective orifices. The first terminal includes a circular serrated cavity to receive the sprocket that has the first pivot orifice being offset from its axial center. The sprocket is removable to rotate the first pivot orifice for subsequent reinsertion into the serrated cavity.

A tripod is provided for mounting a machine gun between a front pintle and a traverse-and-elevation (T&E) device, being mechanically alterable between stowage and deployment configurations by means of a curved traverse bar. The tripod includes a head member for receiving the front pintle, a fore leg, first and second rear legs, and the traverse bar. The fore leg connects to the head member at a fore pitch hinge, and extends in the deployment configuration and folds aft beneath the head member in the stowage configuration. The first and second rear legs connect to the head member by corresponding rear lateral hinges. Each rear leg has a rail member that slides longitudinally therealong. The rear legs splay outward from the head member in the deployment configuration and contract substantially parallel in the stowage configuration. The traverse bar includes an elongated member for mounting the T&E device, first and second terminals at opposite ends of the elongated member, and a sprocket. The elongated member has an arc curvature that enables the T&E device to travel along the elongated member with constant elevation of the machine gun. The terminals respectively attach to the first and second legs by respective orifices. The first terminal includes a circular serrated cavity to receive the sprocket that has the first pivot orifice being offset from its axial center. The sprocket is removable to rotate the first pivot orifice for subsequent reinsertion into the serrated cavity.