There's nothing wrong with this HMG except it doesn't come from the right building (tier). I don't know about you, but I don't want another maxim. Nobody mentioned how quickly it supresses. Far quicker than Mg42 and I think it supresses faster than maxim too, that's why it doesn't need any buff. Hell, it even kills fast enough so its cost is also justified.
I feel you greatly exaggerate the potential for such a fragile unit to become another maxim (and US has rifles anyway).
Regardless, a t0 m2 would be a good counter to the kubel and aggressive cqc infantry play. That used to be what rear echelon were for, but apparently it's illegal to make cooks effective in combat.