Heckler & Koch MG4

The MG4 is a belt-fed 5.56 mm light machine gun designed and developed by the German company Heckler & Koch. The weapon was developed in the late 1990s and was first seen publicly in September 2001. It has been selected to replace the 7.62 mm MG3 general purpose machine gun in the Bundeswehr at the squad support level; it will complement the MG3 in other roles. The MG4 will also be the secondary armament of the new Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Overall, it is designed to be light, provide maximum safety to the user and function reliably under adverse conditions using a wide range of ammunition from different manufacturers, without the need to adjust the gas system. The machine gun was initially known as the MG43 prior to its adoption by the Bundeswehr.

Design details

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The MG4 is an air-cooled, belt-fed gas-operated weapon with a positively locked rotary bolt and is somewhat similar in concept to the Belgian Minimi light machine gun. Firing in fully automatic mode only. Safety mechanisms on the MG4 includes a manual safety incorporated into fire mode selector toggle; setting the fire selector lever on the "safe" position blocks the trigger mechanically and locks the bolt in the cocked position. When the bolt is not pulled back completely, accidental firing is prevented by an integral, automatic mechanism that prevents the bolt from traveling forward. In addition, the firing pin cannot reach the cartridge primer until the cartridge has been fully chambered.
The machine gun is fed from a disintegrating belt and is carried out in two stages from the top left using an enhanced pawl mechanism. Spent cases are ejected downwards, although ejection to the right is an option.
The MG4 has a hammer-forged quick-change barrel that can be safely exchanged when hot without the need for protective gloves; the carrying handle serves as the barrel change grip. To reduce the overall length of the weapon for transport, the butt stock can be folded to the left side of the receiver. With the buttstock folded the MG4 remains fully operable. A field cleaning kit is housed within the stock.
A folding bipod is provided. Supporting interfaces are integrated into the receiver to allow the MG4 to be mounted on the standard American M112A1 tripod for increased accuracy and stability.
In its standard form the MG4 is equipped with closed type iron sights with range settings up to 1,000 m in increments of 100 m. Optical or night sights or laser pointers can be mounted on a length of MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail located on the receiver feed tray cover. Models of the Bundeswehr are equipped with telescopic sights with 3x magnification.

MG4
The MG4
Type	Light machine gun
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	2005–present
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	Heckler & Koch
Designed	1990s
Manufacturer	Heckler & Koch
Produced	2001–present
Variants	MG4E, MG4KE
Specifications
Weight	8.15 kg (17.97 lb) (MG4) 7.90 kg (17.4 lb) (MG4E) 7.70 kg (17.0 lb) (MG4KE)
Length	1,030 mm (40.6 in) stock extended / 830 mm (32.7 in) stock folded (MG4, MG4E) 950 mm (37.4 in) stock extended / 750 mm (29.5 in) stock folded (MG4KE)
Barrel length	482 mm (19.0 in) (MG4, MG4E) 402 mm (15.8 in) (MG4KE)
Width	96 mm (3.8 in)
Height	228 mm (9.0 in)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	775–885 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	920 m/s (3,018 ft/s) (MG4, MG4E) 880 m/s (2,887.1 ft/s) (MG4KE)
Effective range	Approx. 1,000 m (MG4, MG4E) Approx. 900 m (MG4KE)
Feed system	Disintegrating link belt
Sights	Iron sights; MIL-STD-1913 rail provided for optics, German Army models are equipped with telescopic sights with 3x magnification.

Pecheneg machine gun

PKP "Pecheneg" (Russian : Печенег) is a Russian machine gun chambered for the 7.62 x 54 mm round.PK machine gun. The Pecheneg is said to be more accurate than all its predecessors due to a heavier, non-removable forced air cooling barrel with radial cooling ribs and a handle which eliminates the haze effect from hot gases and keeps the barrel cooler, making the weapon more reliable.Furthermore, the weapon is capable of mounting a telescopic sight or other sights which additionally increase accuracy. The military designation of the Pecheneg is 6P41 / 6P41N (with night vision sight). The Pecheneg is currently in use by Russian Army Spetsnaz and other troops in small numbers. 
The Pecheneg (Pecheneg is an ancient aggressive tribe who lived in what later became Russia; also its name is sometimes transcribed as Petcheneg) light machine gun was born from experience of Afghanistan and recent local conflicts.^{[citation needed]} The Pecheneg is a standard 7.62x54R PKM machine gun without the rapid barrel-change option, and intended for use from an integral bipod as a squad support weapon. It can provide more sustained firepower than the standard-issue RPK-74, and the 7.62x54R cartridge offers a longer effective range and better penetration of light structures and improvised covers in urban and forest environments.

Design

The “Pecheneg” LMG can be considered as a modification of the PKM machine gun, but it is built for only one tactical role; that is, as a true squad-level light machine gun for mobile infantry and Spetsnaz troops. Its key difference from the parent design is the barrel, which is not intended to be replaced in the field (although it can be removed for inspection and maintenance). The barrel is somewhat heavier than that of the PKM, and has radial cooling ribs. This is enclosed in a steel jacket, which runs up to the muzzle to provide forced air cooling a-la Lewis machine gun of WW1 era. Cooling air enters the jacket through oval windows at the rear of the jacket, and exits at the muzzle. Early versions of the Pecheneg had standard PKM-type flash hider, which resulted in a significant muzzle blast once the gun is warmed up; current production guns have a special flash hider that eliminates this issue. At the rear of the jacket there is a carrying handle permanently attached to it. This handle has a characteristic elongated profile, as it is also intended to protect the line of sight from mirages generated by the hot barrel. The manufacturer says that the Pecheneg can fire 600 rounds in continuous sustained fire without any danger to the barrel.
Another change from the parent design is the location of the integral, non-removable folding bipod which is placed near the muzzle. This feature is said to improve stability and long-range accuracy when firing from the bipod; but it also limits the arc of fire available without moving the position of bipod or shooter. Another consequence of such placement is that the Petcheneg is less comfortable to fire from the shoulder or the hip, as it does not have a handguard and the bipod is located too far forward to be used to hold the gun. However, the Petcheneg has sling swivels and can be fired from the hip using a sling and carrying handle to hold the gun.In all other respects (action, feed, sights, stock) the Pecheneg is similar to modern PKM machine guns. It also retains the standard PKM mounting interface and therefore can be used from the same tripod, but it is always issued as an light machine gun (without tripod mount).

PKP "Pecheneg"
Type	Light Machine Gun
Place of origin	Russian Federation
Service history
In service	2003
Used by	Russian Federation
Wars	Second Chechen War
Production history
Designer	TsNIITochMash
Specifications
Weight	8.7 kg on bipod; 12.7 kg on infantry tripod mount
Length	1155 mm; barrel: 658 mm
Cartridge	7.62x54mmR
Action	Gas-operated
Rate of fire	650-800 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	850 m/s (2,789 ft/s)
Maximum range	1500 m
Feed system	Belt. 100, 200 or 250-round detachable box magazine

IMI Negev

 

The Negev is an Israeli 5.56 mm light machine gun, developed by Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI) of Ramat HaSharon (now Israel Weapon Industries), as a replacement for the 5.56 mm Galil ARM light machine gun, whose barrel would overheat easily during sustained fire. Design work on this new indigenous firearm began in 1985, and it was officially adopted by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in 1997.

Design details

The Negev is a gas-operated automatic firearm that uses propellant gases from the barrel to cycle a short-stroke gas piston operating system under the barrel and a rotary bolt locking mechanism. The bolt itself features 4 radial locking lugs that engage the barrel extension and its rotation is controlled by a pin on the bolt body, which rides inside a camming guide machined into the bolt carrier. The bolt contains a spring-powered casing extractor unit, while a lever ejector is housed inside the receiver (it is rotated by the recoiling bolt carrier).

Gas Regulator

The Negev’s adjustable gas regulator has three settings: “1” – used exclusively when feeding from a magazine (the weapon’s rate of fire in this mode is 850–1,150 rounds/min), setting “2” is used in normal operating conditions when feeding from a belt (rate of fire: 850–1,150 rounds/min) and setting “3” which is used under adverse operating conditions, such as in the presence of dust, dirt or heavy fouling (cyclic rate of fire is 950-1,150 rounds/min). Early prototypes used a different 3-position gas adjustment system: setting “1” – normal operation, setting “2” – for adverse environmental conditions and setting “3” – isolates the gas system, used to launch rifle grenades with the use of a grenade-launching blank cartridge drawn from a special 12-round magazine (from the Galil rifle).

 Striker

The Negev is striker-fired, where the bolt carrier assembly acts as the striker. The light machine gun fires from an open bolt position. A lever-type fire control selector switch is provided (“A” – full-automatic fire, “R” – semi-automatic fire), installed on the left side of the pistol grip, which doubles as a manual safety against accidental firing. The safe “S” position disables the sear mechanism (which makes it impossible to cock the bolt carrier), by lifting the lever responsible for holding the bolt carrier in the forward position and disconnects the trigger mechanism from the sear. The weapon can be secured safe regardless of the position of the bolt carrier group. The cocking handle is equipped with a ratcheting mechanism that immobilizes the partially-cocked bolt carrier.

 Ammunition

The Negev feeds from an M27 disintegrating, open-link ammunition belt, carried in a 150-round fabric container that clips into the magazine well or alternately from a 35-round box magazine from the Galil assault rifle or a 30-round STANAG magazine from the M16 rifle (with the use of an adapter). 200-round ammunition belt containers are also available. Belted ammunition is introduced into the feed tray port from the left side, while the magazine is inserted vertically into the magazine well at the base of the receiver. The feed system uses a pawl feeding mechanism, driven by the recoiling bolt carrier, but the belt is moved only during the rearward movement of the bolt carrier. The non-reciprocating charging handle is located on the right side of the weapon.

 Barrel

The Negev has a quick-change chrome-lined barrel that is manufactured using a cold hammer forging process. The barrel is fitted with a slotted flash suppressor and a fixed carry handle, which is used to transport the weapon and change-out an overheated barrel. The barrel can be changed only after lifting open the feed tray cover.
During the weapon’s initial development a barrel with a 1 in 305 mm (1:12 in) rifling twist rate was also planned, adapted for the lightweight M193 cartridge. Additionally, a multifunction muzzle device was designed, used to launch rifle grenades.

 Sight

The Negev’s iron sights (closed-type) consist of a front post (adjustable for both windage and elevation) and a rear aperture sight with an elevation adjustment drum, with 300 to 1,000 m range settings. For night-time operation the weapon is equipped with gaseous tritium-illuminated vials (supplied by Betalight): one installed in the front sight post, and two — on a notch sight under the standard aperture sight arm (before use, the rear sight leaf is pivoted forward to expose the night notch sight). A rail is integrated into the receiver top cover that allows optical day and night-time sights to be mounted to the weapon. The barrel can also be optionally fitted with mounting hardware that would allow the Negev to mount a laser pointer or reflex sight.
The machine gun has a metal side-folding (right side) stock and a removable bipod, installed to the forward end of the handguard and folded under the handguard when stowed. The receiver also has slots and hooks used to secure the weapon to vehicle mounting hardware.

 Cartridges

The Negev uses the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge and is optimized for the SS109 bullet. Field maintenance involves stripping the weapon down to six main groups: the barrel, stock, bolt carrier, bolt, bipod and return mechanism. All parts, including the quick-change barrels, are fully interchangeable.

 Variants

The Negev Commando is a shorter and lighter version of the standard Negev light machine gun, known also as the Assault Negev. On this model the barrel is shortened to 330 mm (13.0 in), there is no bipod and the stock folds to the side, so that the overall length with the butt folded is only 680 mm (26.8 in). For the assault role a side-mounted forward grip is provided for the user's left hand, allowing the weapon to be fired from the hip. Weight of the Negev Commando with a 150-round drum is 9.55 kg (21.1 lb). Vehicle, AFV and helicopter mountings are available. This variant underwent trials with IDF special forces during late 1998.

Negev
The IMI Negev LMG
Type	Light machine gun
Place of origin	Israel
Service history
In service	1997–present [1]
Used by	See Users
Wars	Al-Aqsa Intifada, 2006 Lebanon War, Gaza War
Production history
Designer	Israel Military Industries Ltd (IMI)
Designed	1985–1990
Manufacturer	Israel Military Industries Ltd (currently Israel Weapon Industries Ltd)
Produced	1995-Present
Variants	Negev Commando
Specifications
Weight	7.40 kg (16.31 lb) (standard version) 7.00 kg (15.4 lb) (Negev Commando)
Length	1,020 mm (40.2 in) stock extended / 890 mm (35.0 in) stock folded (standard version) 780 mm (30.7 in) stock deployed / 680 mm (26.8 in) stock folded (Negev Commando)
Barrel length	460 mm (18.1 in) (standard version) 330 mm (13.0 in) (Negev Commando)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	850–1,150 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	915 m/s (3,002 ft/s) (standard version) 850 m/s (2,788.7 ft/s) (Negev Commando)
Effective range	300–1000 m sight adjustments (standard version) 300-800 m sight adjustments (Negev Commando)
Feed system	150-round M27 ammunition belt or 35-round box magazine
Sights	Aperture, with elevation drum and adjustable front post, folding tritium night sights, various optional optics via picatinny rail

Vektor SS-77

The Vektor SS-77 is a general purpose machine gun designed and manufactured by Lyttleton Engineering Works (LIW) - now Denel Land Systems - of South Africa.

SS-77
Type	General Purpose Machine Gun
Place of origin	South Africa
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	South African Border War
Production history
Designed	1977
Manufacturer	Denel Land Systems
Variants	Variants
Specifications
Weight	9.6 kg (21 lb 3 oz) (SS-77) 8.26 kg (18 lb 3 oz) (Mini SS)
Length	1155 mm (SS-77) 1000 mm (Mini SS)
Barrel length	550 mm (SS-77) 500 mm (Mini SS)
Cartridge	7.62x51mm NATO (SS-77) 5.56x45mm NATO (Mini-SS)
Action	Gas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	600-900 rounds/min
Feed system	Belt-fed

Ultimax 100

The Ultimax 100 is a Singaporean 5.56mm light machine gun, developed by the Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS, now ST Kinetics) by a team of engineers under the guidance of American firearms designer L. James Sullivan.
Work on a new light support weapon for the Singapore Army began in 1978.^[2] The weapon is produced by CIS (presently STK—Singapore Technologies Kinetics), initially in the Mark 1 version, later—the Mark 2, and currently, in the Mark 3 and Mark 4 variant. The Ultimax 100 (also called the U 100) is used in significant numbers by the armed forces of Singapore, Croatia and the Philippines.

Design details

The Ultimax 100, also known as the "Section Machine Gun" is a gas-operated automatic weapon (capable of fully automatic fire only) with a short-stroke gas piston operating system powered by ignited powder gases diverted from the barrel through a port in the gas block. The Ultimax 100 is a locked breech weapon with a rotating bolt that contains 7 locking lugs. It fires from an open bolt position. The bolt contains both a spring extractor and a casing ejector. The weapon's non-reciprocating cocking handle is located on the left side of the receiver and occupies the forward position during firing. The Ultimax 100 is striker-fired. The feature that grants the weapon its low recoil (compared to similar light machine guns) is the "constant recoil" principle. The overall design allows the bolt carrier group to travel all the way back without ever impacting the rear, instead stopping gradually along the axis of movement against the resistance of the return springs.^[3] The magazine catch consists of two tapered pins on a bar, controlled by the magazine release button. The machine gun feeds from a proprietary 100-round synthetic drum magazine (early models also used 60-round drum magazines), or from a modified 20 or 30-round STANAG 4179 magazine (from the M16 rifle).
The Ultimax 100 uses a manual safety mechanism that consists of a lever installed on the left side of the receiver (just behind the trigger) with two possible settings: "S" – indicating the weapon is safe and "F" – continuous fire. An internal safety achieved through the proper arrangement of parts and mechanisms secures against premature detonation. The light machine gun was also designed to mount an M16-type bayonet and either day or night-time optics. The Ultimax 100's ergonomics are similar to that of the Thompson submachine gun, specifically the forward grip.

 Variants

• Mark 1: Model with a quick-change barrel (pre-production).
• Mark 2: Equipped with a fixed barrel.
• Mark 3: Quick-change barrel.^[2] Currently the Mark 3 variant is available in two different barrel lengths, a standard and short. The short barrel is designed for use with paratroopers and special forces. There is also an optional 10.5 inch VIP protection barrel. The barrel on all versions has a slotted flash suppressor and a carrying handle used to transport the weapon and assist in barrel removal. The Ultimax Mark 3 has a three-position gas regulator (early models had a 5-position gas adjustment valve) that allows the rate of fire to be controlled and enables reliable operation in various environmental conditions.^[4][2] The gas regulator is usually pre-adjusted prior to operations. Where there is sluggish operation due to fouling, the gas setting may be increased by two clicks using the provided C-tool. The weapon features a standard pistol grip, a vertical forward grip integrated into the forend and a detachable buttstock. The mild felt recoil allows the weapon to be used effectively without the buttstock, using only the pistol and forward grips to support and aim the firearm. The adjustable bipodpolymer.^[5][6][4] The Mark 3 can fire both the American 5.56x45mm M193 cartridge (with 1:12 (305 mm) twist barrel fitted) or the heavier Belgian^[ has a height adjustment mechanism and is secured to the weapon's forend, providing stability in a sustained-fire role. The bipod is quick-detachable and can be mounted or removed without the use of tools. The Ultimax 100 features an aperture type rear sight (with range settings for distances up to 1,200 m, graduated every 100 m) placed on a sliding scale and a forward vertical post housed in the front sight base and protected by two metal tabs. The weapon incorporates sheet metal stamping and the use of synthetic components in its design. The drum magazine, buttstock, pistol grip and forend with vertical grip are all made of a impact-resistant SS109/M855 cartridge (178 mm (1:7 in) twist rate barrel.
• Mark 4: Developed for the United States Marine Corps Infantry Automatic Rifle program, with the addition of a new fire selector module.^[5] The Marine Corps did not select the Ultimax.
• Mark 5: Updated variant of the Mark 4 with a folding stock, Picatinny rails and M16 STANAG 4179Beta C-Mag. magazine well that will accept 30-round box magazines and the 100-round.   

  Ultimax 100
  Type	Assault rifle Light machine gun
  Place of origin	Singapore
  Service history
  In service	1982–present
  Used by	See users
  Wars	1990s conflicts in the former Yugoslavia Anti-guerrilla operations in Indonesia and the Philippines, 2006 Fijian coup d'état Solomon Islands Afghanistan Sri Lankan Civil War
  Production history
  Designer	L. James Sullivan
  Designed	1977
  Manufacturer	Chartered Industries of Singapore (now ST Kinetics)
  Produced	1982[1][2]–present
  Number built	~80,000
  Variants	See variants
  Specifications
  Weight	4.75 kg (10.47 lb) (Mark 2) 4.90 kg (10.8 lb) (Mark 3)
  Length	1,030 mm (40.6 in) with buttstock / 800 mm (31.5 in) buttstock detached (Mark 2) 1,024 mm (40.3 in) with buttstock / 810 mm (31.9 in) buttstock detached (Mark 3)
  Barrel length	508 mm (20.0 in) (standard) 330 mm (13.0 in) (Ultimax 100 Para)
  Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
  Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
  Rate of fire	400–600 rounds/min
  Muzzle velocity	970 m/s (3,182 ft/s) (M193 cartridge) 945 m/s (3,100.4 ft/s) (SS109/M855 cartridge)
  Effective range	100–1,200 m sight adjustments
  Maximum range	460 m (M193 cartridge) 1,300 m (SS109/M855 cartridge)
  Feed system	100-round drum or 30-round STANAG M16 box magazine
  Sights	Rear aperture sight and front post 472 mm (18.6 in) sight radius

CETME Ameli

The Ameli (abbreviated from the Spanish Ametralladora ligera or "light machine gun") is a 5.56mm light machine gun designed for the Spanish Army (Ejército de Tierra) by the nationally owned and operated Centro de Estudios Técnicos de Materiales Especiales (CETME) small arms research institute (founded by the Spanish government in 1950).
Development of the weapon began in 1974 under the supervision of the Colonel José María Jiménez Alfaro (who would later become the director of CETME). The Ameli was officially unveiled in 1981 and after undergoing exhaustive military trials—adopted into service in 1982 as the standard squad-level support weapon of the Spanish Army under the designation MG82. The Ameli is manufactured at the Empresa Nacional Santa Bárbara factory.

Design details

Operating mechanism

The Ameli is an automatic weapon and externally resembles the 7.92mm MG 42 machine gun of World War II and its post-war variant—the West German MG 3. However, unlike the MG 42's roller-locked short recoildelayed blowback method of operation with a fixed barrel and a pair of rollers which retard the rearward movement of the bolt.^[1] This mechanism was employed in CETME's Model A, B, C and Model LG3 battle rifle, HK33 assault rifle and MP5 series of submachine guns. Similarities with the 7.62mm Model C and 5.56mm Model L rifles extend to the interchangeability of certain parts. operating principle (where the barrel and bolt recoil together a short distance before they unlock), the Ameli uses the series of rifles, and also in the Heckler & Koch
The heart of the operating system is the bolt assembly, which consists of a bolt head, locking piece and two cylindrical rollers, which upon chambering a round, are displaced outwards by angled surfaces in the forward pressing locking piece and into notches in the barrel extension. The geometry of the walls in the barrel extension and the locking piece ensure that once a shot is fired, the bolt head absorbs the recoil impulse from the ignited cartridge through the base of the empty casing and transmits this rearward pressure onto the rollers forcing them out of their sockets and inward at a mechanical disadvantage. The rollers then come into contact with inclined surfaces on the locking piece and propel it backwards at a speed that is approximately 1.5x greater than that of the bolt head, thereby increasing the bolt's inertia and providing a delay in the blowback sequence.The relatively short initial rear displacement of the bolt head immediately after firing and the calculated delay eliminate the probability of a premature case extraction from the chamber (beyond the thick-walled base of the chamber) that would result in the spent casing bursting as the breech is opened only after the bullet has exited the barrel and gas pressures inside the bore have dropped to within safe limits.

 Features

The Ameli fires from an open boltand uses a striker firing mechanism (in which the bolt and internally-channeled firing pin perform the role of a striker). The trigger mechanism permits fully-automatic fire only^[1][2] The weapon features a cross-bolt type safety that disables the sear but the rate of fire can be adjusted by using bolts of varying weight, like in the MG 3. The lighter bolts will produce the maximum rate of fire (1,200 rounds/min) while a heavier bolt results in a rate of fire of approximately 850–900 rounds/min. when pressed into the "safe" position.
The machine gun is fed from an open-link disintegrating M27 ammunition belt that can be strung loosely from the feed tray or placed inside a 100 or 200-round disposable plastic container,which is then clipped to the left side of the receiver. This ammunition container has a transparent rear wall that allows the gunner to monitor ammunition levels visually. Belt movement is carried out by a pawl-type feeding mechanism, which was modeled on the MG 42's feed system. Spent cartridge casings are ejected downward through a chute in the receiver.
The quick-change type air-cooled barrel is equipped with a slotted flash suppressor. The barrel has a chrome-lined bore with 6 right-hand grooves and a 178 mm (1:7 in) rifling twist rate that is optimized for use with heavier SS109 5.56x45mm NATO rounds. A barrel with a 305 mm (1:12 in) twist rate designed specifically to stabilize the lightweight M193 cartridge is also available. The chamber portion of the barrel has flutes that assist in the extraction sequence; once gas pressure in the bore drops to a safe level, recycled gases fill the flutes surrounding the cartridge casing, loosening the case from the chamber walls while residual pressure in the barrel forces it back to be ejected downward and forward. A fixed carrying handle is positioned above the barrel near the chamber, and aids in barrel changes when the barrel becomes too hot; the barrel can be removed and replaced in 5 seconds.
The Ameli is fitted with a molded polymer stock, bipod and iron sights that consist of a forward post and a rear aperture sight contained in the carry handle assembly with 300, 600, 800 and 1,000 m range settings. The weapon's design makes extensive use of sheet metal stampings; both the receiver, barrel shroud and trigger housing are fabricated from steel pressings and then welded. The quick-detach bipod has a height adjustment feature and is mounted to the perforated barrel heat shroud at the muzzle end. The light machine gun can be deployed with the bipod, on a vehicle mount or on a static tripod mount.

Ameli
Type	Light machine gun
Place of origin	Spain
Service history
In service	1982–present
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	CETME
Designed	1974–1981
Manufacturer	General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas
Produced	1982–present
Specifications
Weight	5.3 kg (11.68 lb)
Length	970 mm (38.2 in)
Barrel length	400 mm (15.7 in)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Roller-delayed blowback
Rate of fire	800–1,200 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	875 m/s (2,871 ft/s) (SS109 cartridge)
Effective range	300—1,000 m sight adjustments
Maximum range	1,650 m
Feed system	100 or 200-round M27 belt
Sights	Rear aperture sight and front post 340 mm (13.4 in) sight radius

Mk 48 machine gun

The Mk 48 is a lightweight belt-fed machine gun, firing 7.62 × 51 mm NATO cartridges from a disintegrating belt of ammunition.
It is manufactured by Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing, Inc., a division of FN Herstal based in the United States. The Mk 48 has been developed in conjunction with the U.S. Special Operations Commandspecial operations units (USSOCOM), which has adopted the weapon and started its fielding process, starting with special unit.

History

On 21 March 2001, the USSOCOM approved the MNS/ORD (Mission Need Statement/Operational Requirements Document) for a new 7.62 × 51 mm NATO lightweight machine gun (LWMG) to replace the M60E4/Mk 43 Mod 0 in use by United States Naval Special Warfare Command (NSW), which proved to be "less than reliable"^{[citation needed]}.
The LWMG program was patterned after the Mk 46 Mod 0—a variant of the M249 SAW currently in use by the USSOCOM—and developed from the M240 series, the current-issue medium machine gun of the United States military.
Fabrique Nationale's division at Columbia, South Carolina (which also produces the M16, M249 and M240 series of weapons for the U.S. military) was charged with production of the Mk 48 Mod 0. The program achieved full-rate production on 21 March 2003.

 Design

The Mk 48 Mod 0 is a gas-operated, air-cooled, fully-automatic, belt-fed machine gun. The design is based on an early 7.62 × 51 mm NATO prototype of the Minimi, modified to be a scaled-up version of the 5.56 mm Mk 46 Mod 0.
Being heavily based on the Mk 46 Mod 0, the Mk 48 Mod 0 features five MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny railsforearm/handguard, one under the handguard, and one on top of the barrel), an integral folding bipod, and a tripod-mounting lug. The weapon is fitted with the same fixed, polymer buttstock as the M249, although the metallic, collapsible buttstock from the "Para" model can be found in some models. The carrying handle, which had been removed from the Mk 46, was reintegrated on the Mk 48 to assist the replacement of hot barrels without use of other equipment, such as heat-resistant gloves; the handle can be folded down when not in use. As with the Mk 46, the Mk 48 Mod 0 does not have an M249-type magazine feed port, in order to save weight. The weapon can be fed from a loose belt, separate belt boxes, or clip-on ammunition pouches for 100 rounds. (one on top of the receiver, one on each side of the
The 70% commonality with the Mk 46, M240 and M249 provides the Mk 48 with easily interchangeable parts in the need of replacements.Furthermore, the Picatinny rails can be fitted with various accessories from the SOPMOD kit, such as the ECOS-N (Enhanced Combat Optical Sight) red dot sight. The Mk 48 can also be fitted with a vertical foregrip for increased controllability during sustained fire. While heavier than the 5.56 × 45 mm NATO versions of the M249 SAW due to its larger chambering and heavier barrel, the Mk 48 Mod 0 is still 17% lighter and 8.4% shorter than the M240.
The Mk 48 Mod 0 is currently in service with certain USSOCOM units, such as the U.S. Navy SEALs and Army Rangers.

 Variants

Mk 48 Mod 0

This is a 7.62x51 mm NATO version of the Mk 46, used by USSOCOM, when a heavier cartridge is required. It is officially classified as an LWMG (Light Weight Machine Gun) and was developed as a replacement for the Mk 43 Mod 0/1. The M60 based machine guns are a great deal more portable than the heavier M240 based designs used elsewhere in the US military in the infantry medium machine gun role. However the M60 based designs have a long history of insufficient reliability. Trials conducted through the mid-1990s led the US Army to replace its M60 with M240B GPMGs. The M240B however, weighs in at ~27.5 lb and is about 49" long with the standard barrel. NAVSPECWAR was reluctant to give up the increased portability of the M60 (~22.5 lb, 37.7" OAL with the shortest "Assault Barrel") designs in spite of the M240's increased reliability. A request was put in for a new machine gun in 2001, and FN responded with a scaled up version of the M249 weighing in at ~18.5 lb with an OAL of ~39.5". The new design achieved much better reliability than the M60-based weapons while bettering its light weight and maintaining the same manual of arms as the already in-use M249. USSOCOM was slated to begin receiving deliveries of the new gun in August of 2003.

Mk 48 Mod 1

The Mk 48 Mod 1 is an update of the Mk 48 Mod 0. Like the Mod 0, it is essentially an M249 scaled up to fire the 7.62x51 mm NATO round. The Mod 1 utilizes a 19.75" barrel and weighs in at 18.37 lb unloaded, and has a rate of fire of 500–625 rpm.

Mk 48
Type	Machine gun
Place of origin	Belgium  United States
Service history
Used by	USSOCOM
Production history
Manufacturer	FN Herstal
Produced	2003—
Specifications
Weight	8.2 kg (18.26 lb) empty; 11.2 kg (24.7 lb) w/ 100 rounds
Length	1,000 mm (39.75 in)
Barrel length	502 mm (19.75 in)
Cartridge	7.62 × 51 mm NATO (STANAG 2310)
Caliber	7.62 mm (.308 in)
Action	Gas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	710 (± 50) rounds/min
Effective range	800 m (~875 yd), area target
Maximum range	3,600 m (~3,940 yd)
Feed system	Disintegrating belt

M249 light machine gun

The M249 light machine gun (LMG), previously designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is an American version of the Belgian FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by the Belgian company FN Herstal (FN). The M249 is manufactured in the United States and is widely used by the U.S. Armed Forces. The weapon was introduced in 1984 after being judged the most effective of a number of candidate weapons to address the lack of automatic firepower in small units. The gun provides infantry squads with the heavy volume of fire of a machine gun combined with accuracy and portability approaching that of a rifle.
The M249 is gas operated and air cooled. It has a quick-change barrel, allowing the gunner to rapidly replace an overheated or jammed barrel. A folding bipod is attached near the front of the gun, though an M192 LGM tripod is also available. It can be fed from both linked ammunition and STANAG magazines, like those used in the M16 and M4. This allows the SAW gunner to use rifleman's magazines as an emergency source of ammunition in the event that he runs out of linked rounds. However, this will often cause malfunctions because the magazine spring has difficulty feeding rounds quickly enough to match the SAW's high cyclic rate.
M249s have seen action in every major conflict involving the United States since the 1989 invasion of Panama. Soldiers are generally satisfied with the weapon's performance, though there have been reports of clogging with dirt and sand. Due to the weight and age of the weapon, the United States Marine Corps is testing the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle with plans to partially replace the M249 in Marine Corps service.

Development

A U.S. Marine Corps first-generation M249 SAW is fired from its bipod.

In 1965, the U.S. Army and Marine Corps' primary machine guns were the M2 Browning and M60. The M2 was a large-caliber heavy machine gun, usually mounted on vehicles or in fixed emplacements. The M60 was a more mobile medium machine gun intended to be carried with the troops to provide heavy automatic fire. Both were very heavy weapons and usually required a crew of at least two to operate efficiently.Browning automatic rifle, the army's main individual machine gun since its introduction in World War I, was phased out in 1957 with the introduction of the M14 rifle, which had a fully automatic mode.^[7][8] Because the M14 and M16 rifles had not been designed with sustained automatic fire in mind, they often overheated or jammed.The 30-round and 20-round magazines of these weapons also limited their sustained automatic effectiveness when compared to belt-fed weapons.The "Designated riflemen" in every squad were ordered to use their weapons on the fully automatic setting, while other troops were required to use their rifle's semi-automatic mode on most occasions to increase accuracy and conserve ammunition.
The Army decided that an individual machine gun, lighter than the M60, but with more firepower than the M16, would be advantageous; troops would no longer have to rely on rifles for automatic fire. Through the 1960s, the introduction of a machine gun into the infantry squad was examined in various studies.^[10] While there was a brief flirtation with the concept of a flechette- or dart-firing Universal Machine Gun during one study, most light machine gun experiments concentrated on the Stoner 63 light machine gun, a modular weapon which could be easily modified for different purposes.^[11][12] The Stoner 63 LMG saw combat for a brief period in Vietnam with the USMC, and later on a wider scale with the U.S. Navy SEALs.
In 1968, the Army Small Arms Program developed plans for a new 5.56 mm caliber LMG, though no funds were allocated (5.56 mm ammunition was viewed as underpowered by many in the armed forces). Studies of improved 5.56 mm ammunition, with better performance characteristics, began. The earliest reference to studies of other caliber cartridges for the LMG did not appear until 1969.^[14] In July 1970, the U.S. Army finally approved development of an LMG, with no specified calibre. At this time, the nomenclature "Squad Automatic Weapon" (SAW) was introduced. Actual design of alternative cartridges for the LMG did not begin until July 1971. A month later, Frankford Arsenal decided upon two cartridge designs for the new LMG: a 6 mm cartridge and a new 5.56 mm cartridge with a much larger case. Neither design was finalized by March 1972, when the Army published the specifications document for the planned SAW.^[16][17] Prior to July 1972, SAW development contracts were awarded to Maremont, Philco Ford, and the Rodman Laboratory at Rock Island Arsenal. These companies produced designs with Army designations XM233, XM234 and XM235 respectively—X denoting "experimental". Designs were required to have a weight of less than 9.07 kg (20 lb) including 200 rounds of ammunition, and a range of at least 800 meters (2,600 ft). The 6 mm cartridge design was eventually approved in May that year.
When the time came for developmental and operational testing of the SAW candidates, three 5.56 mm candidate weapons were included with the 6 mm candidates: the M16 HBAR, a heavy-barrel variant of the M16 designed for prolonged firing; the Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) Minimi; and the HK 23A1. The initial round of tests ended in December 1974.^[18] In February 1976, the Minimi and Rodman XM235 SAW were selected for further development. At this time, opinions of the 6 mm cartridge were beginning to sour due to the logistical implications of providing yet another ammunition type to the infantry. In June, it was requested that the SAW specifications document be revised to emphasize standard 5.56 mm ammunition. In October, the requested revisions were approved, and bids were solicited for the conversion of the Rodman XM235 to 5.56 mm. Production of the converted XM235 was awarded to Ford Aerospace, and its designation was changed to XM248. A new M16 HBAR variant, the XM106, was developed in 1978, and soon after, Heckler & Koch lobbied to include a 5.56 mm conversion of its HK 21A1 (instead of the standard 7.62 mm NATO ammunition it was built for) in future SAW testing. The latter model was designated the XM262. At this time, the Minimi received the designation XM249. Testing of the four candidates resumed in April 1979.
In May 1980, the FN XM249 was selected as the best choice for future development on the grounds of performance and cost, while the HK XM262 reportedly came a close second. In September, FN was awarded a "maturity phase" contract for further development of the XM249, and testing of the new weapon began in June 1981. The official adoption took place on February 1, 1982.
The new gun entered U.S. Army service as the M249 squad automatic weapon in 1984, and was adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps a year later. The U.S. production model has a different butt from that of the regular Minimi.It is manufactured in the FN factory in Columbia, South Carolina.
Although found to be reliable and accurate, the M249 was considered to present unacceptable hazards in the form of an exposed hot barrel and sharp edges. There were also complaints that the front sight required special adjustment tools. On August 23, 1985, Undersecretary of the U.S. Army James R. Ambrose Congress deleted funds for the M249 from the Fiscal Year 1986 defense budget, then retroactively set aside the program's prior year's funds from the M249 program for other purposes, including retirement and pay raises. Over 1,100 M249s already issued were to remain in use, but be retrofitted with the PIP kit when it became available. Over 7,000 remaining M249s were to stay in storage at depots until corrective changes could be made. The PIP kit was eventually developed and implemented, and production of the M249 resumed. In 1994 the M249 squad automatic weapon was re-designated the M249 light machine gun.suspended M249 production pending the development of the product improvement program (PIP) intended to fix these problems.

 Design details

A U.S. Marine firing an M249 from an M122A1 at a training range.

The M249 is a belt-fed light machine gun. It fires the 5.56x45 mm NATO cartridge, usually a combination of one M856 tracer and four M855 ball cartridges fed from M27 linked belts. Belts are typically held in a hard plastic or soft canvas box attached to the underside of the weapon.
It fires from an open bolt and is gas operated. When the trigger is pulled, the bolt and bolt carrier move forward under the power of the recoil spring. A cartridge is stripped from the belt, chambered, and discharged, sending a bullet down the bore. Expanding propellant gases are diverted through a hole in the barrel into a chamber. This pressure moves a piston providing the energy to extract and eject the spent casing as well as advance the belt and compress the recoil spring, thus preparing for subsequent shots. At 1,041 mm (41 in) long and 7.5 kg (17 lb) in weight (10 kg (22 lb) including a 200-round belt and plastic ammo box), the M249 is a cumbersome weapon.
The barrel has a rifling twist rate of one turn in 180 mm (7 in). Because firing heats up the bore, the air-cooled barrel is equipped with a mechanism to remove and replace the barrel assembly with a spare.A folding bipod with adjustable legs is attached near the front of the weapon, though there are provisions for hard-mounting to a M192 Lightweight Ground Mount tripod or vehicle mount. The M249 provides accuracy approaching that of a rifle, combined with the sustained volume of fire of a machine gun. Its original gas regulator offered two different gas port sizes, allowing cyclic rates of fire of 750 rounds per minute (r/min) or 1,000 r/min. The latter setting was intended for adverse conditions such as an excessively dirty firearm or cold weather. The two-position gas regulator was discarded as part of a product improvement program. Sustained rate of fire, the rate of fire at which the gunner can fire continuously without overheating, is approximately 85 r/min.

Comparable weapons in U.S. and foreign service

	M1918 BAR Retired U.S. LMG	M249 U.S. LMG	M249 Para U.S. LMG	M16A2 U.S. Service Rifle	M240B U.S. MMG	RPK-74 Russian LMG	Negev[30] Israeli LMG	Ultimax 100 Singaporean LMG
Weight loaded	9.5 kg (21 lb)	10 kg (22 lb)	9.1 kg (20 lb)	4 kg (9 lb)	15.8 kg (35 lb)	5.56 kg (12 lb)	9.7 kg (21 lb)	6.8 kg (15 lb)
Length	1,194 mm (47 in)	1,041 mm (41 in)	893 mm (35 in)	1,000 mm (39 in)	1,245 mm (49 in)	1,060 mm (42 in)	1,020 mm (40 in)	1,030 mm (41 in)
Cartridge	30-06 Springfield	5.56x45mm NATO	5.56x45 mm NATO	5.56x45 mm NATO	7.62x51 mm NATO	5.45x39 mm	5.56x45 mm NATO	5.56x45 mm NATO
Ammunition feed	20-round box mag	200-round belt	200-round belt	30-round box mag	100-round belt	45-round box mag	150-round belt	100-round drum
Muzzle velocity	860 m/s (2,820 ft/s)	915 m/s (3,000 ft/s)	915 m/s (3,000 ft/s)	930 m/s (3,050 ft/s)	905 m/s (2,970 ft/s)	960 m/s (3,150 ft/s)	915 m/s (3,000 ft/s)	970 m/s (3,180 ft/s)

 Variants

U.S. Army soldier holds an M249 in Iraq. Visible in this image is the new telescoping buttstock similar in design to that of the M4 carbine

M249 PIP

The product improvement program kit replaced the original steel tubular stock with a plastic stock based upon the shape of the heavier M240 machine gun. The change in stocks allowed for the addition of a hydraulic buffer system to reduce recoil. In addition, the dual gas port settings were reduced to only one; variants with the product improvement kit can no longer fire at a higher cyclic speed. A handguard was added above the barrel to prevent burns, and the formerly fixed carrying handle was swapped for a folding unit. Certain parts were beveled or chamfered to prevent cutting soldiers' hands and arms. Other changes involved the bipod, pistol grip, flash suppressor, and sights. Over the years, additional modifications have been introduced as part of the Soldier Enhancement Program and Rapid Fielding Initiative. These include an improved bipod, 100 and 200 round fabric "soft pack" magazines (to replace the original plastic ammunition boxes), and picatinny rails for the feed tray cover and forearm so that optics and other accessories may be added.

M249 Para

The M249 Para is a compact version of the gun with a shorter barrel and sliding aluminum buttstock, so called because of its intended use by airborne troops. It is much shorter and considerably lighter than the regular M249 at 893 mm (35 in) long and 7.1 kg (16 lb) in weight. The Army's Rapid Fielding Initiative is in the process of replacing the original collapsible buttstock with an adjustable model based loosely on the design of the M4 carbine buttstock.

A U.S. Army Ranger equipped with a Mk 46 provides overwatch security on an objective during a mission in Iraq, 2006.

M249 Special purpose weapon

This lightweight and shorter version of the M249 is designed to meet USSOCOM special operations forces requirements. The carrying handle, magazine insertion well, and vehicle mounting lug all have been removed to reduce weight. As a result, the SPW cannot be mounted in vehicles or use M16 magazines. Picatinny rails were added to the feed cover and forearm for the mounting of optics, lasers, vertical foregrips, and other M4 SOPMOD kit accessories. The SPW also has a detachable bipod. The SPW's lightweight barrel is longer than that of the Para model, giving it a total length of 908 mm (36 in) and a weight of 5.7 kg (13 lb).

Mk 46 Mod 0

This is a variant of the special purpose weapon adopted by USSOCOM. The program, which led to both the Mk 46 and Mk 48, was headed by the US Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWAR). Like the SPW, the carrying handle, magazine insertion well, and vehicle mounting lugs have been removed to save weight. However, the Mk 46 retains the standard M249 plastic buttstock instead of the collapsible buttstock used on the SPW. The Picatinny rail forearm also differs slightly from the SPW. The Mk 46 has the option of using the lighter SPW barrel or a thicker, fluted barrel of the same length.

Mk 48

Main article: Mk 48 machine gun

This is a 7.62x51 mm NATO version of the Mk 46, used by USSOCOM, when a heavier cartridge is required.^[35] It is officially classified as an LWMG (Light Weight Machine Gun) and was developed as a replacement for the Mk 43 Mod 0/1. The M60 based machine guns are a great deal more portable than the heavier M240 based designs used elsewhere in the US military in the infantry medium machine gun role. However the M60 based designs have a long history of insufficient reliability. Trials conducted through the mid-1990s led the US Army to replace its M60 with M240B GPMGs. The M240B however, weighs in at ~27.5 lb and is about 49" long with the standard barrel. NAVSPECWAR was reluctant to give up the increased portability of the M60 (~22.5 lb, 37.7" OAL with the shortest "Assault Barrel") designs in spite of the M240's increased reliability. A request was put in for a new machine gun in 2001, and FN responded with a scaled up version of the M249 weighing in at ~18.5 lb with an OAL of ~39.5". The new design achieved much better reliability than the M60-based weapons while bettering its light weight and maintaining the same manual of arms as the already in-use M249. USSOCOM was slated to begin receiving deliveries of the new gun in August of 2003.

Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249
M249 Para
Type	Squad automatic weapon/Light machine gun
Place of origin	Belgium (FN Minimi)   United States (M249 derivative)
Service history
In service	1984–present
Used by	United States Armed Forces, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and Lebanon[1]
Wars	Invasion of Panama Persian Gulf War Unified Task Force Bosnian War Kosovo War Afghan War Iraq War
Production history
Designed	1976
Manufacturer	Fabrique Nationale de Herstal
Unit cost	US$4,087[2]
Produced	late 1970s–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	7.5 kg (17 lb) empty, 10 kg (22 lb) loaded
Length	1,041 mm (41 in)
Barrel length	521 mm (21 in)
Cartridge	5.56x45 mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	750–1,000 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	915 m/s (3,000 ft/s)
Effective range	1,000 yd (910 m)
Feed system	M27 linked belt, STANAG magazine