153:
303:
335:
453:
370:
785:
479:
36:
808:. It would have to fire tracer ammunition out to a visible range of 800 meters or more, be capable of accurate high-volume sustained fire, and be lighter and more reliable than the M60. Initially the contenders were built around a new intermediate cartridge, but the problems with approval for a new third American-backed standard NATO cartridge forced its abandonment. The program then selected between the control group weapons: the
620:
721:
519:
133:
768:, replacing it at section level. Teething problems, low quality parts, poor ergonomic design and an inability to be wielded left-handed made the SA80 suite unpopular. The magazine-fed L86 was found to not be as capable of sustained fire as a belt-fed system so it was initially supplemented by the
732:
program was designed to create a family of light assault weapons that had a commonality of parts, could use the same ammunition and magazines, and would replace the UK military's collection of submachine guns, rifles, and light machine guns. Originally designed around a lighter experimental
362:, as the importance of having a source of mobile automatic fire increased, the number of BARs in a unit also increased, until in some units it represented 1 in 4 of the weapons present in a squad. During its long service in the US military, it was pivotal in the evolution of U.S.
322:; sustained rapid fire with these weapons could be maintained only for very short periods of time. The Madsen was capable of fully automatic fire; despite having only limited magazine capacity, this was still more than that of the infantry rifle, and it was of the quick change
558:
family was created from a proof-of-concept prototype rechambered to fire the 5.56mm NATO cartridge. It is composed of an assault rifle (G36), light machine gun (MG36), assault carbine (G36K), and PDW (G36C). Though produced, presented and ordered, the
645:). The SKS and RPD were dropped as being less effective than hoped. The RPK, with its magazine and parts commonality with the base AK-47, was more effective. It replaced the RPD as soon as manufacturing techniques allowed it to be mass-produced.
816:(XM262) chambered for the improved 5.56mm SS109 round. The FN Minimi was adopted as the M249 because it could optionally fire from magazines from an integral magazine port rather than requiring an exchange of parts in the field like the HK23.
409:, the SAW is simply the standard rifle with a few parts replaced. However, the Austrian Army, though issuing the Steyr AUG rifle, does not issue the HBAR (heavy barrel) variant. Instead, the 7.62mm caliber MG74, a derivative of WW2-era German
330:
type. Used by the
British, Germans, and the Russians, these weapons were bulky, heavy, tripod-based, and water-cooled, they required a team of four men and, although excellent in the defence, were not suited to manoeuvre warfare.
799:
In the 1970s the United States began realizing that it might have to fight a conflict in the deserts and mountains of the Middle East or Near East rather than the jungles of Asia or forests of Europe and
Eurasia. The
827:
in 2005. Its task was to find a replacement for the heavy and cumbersome M249 SAW that was serving as the Squad
Automatic weapon in a fireteam at the time. Two of the weapons in the competition were the
401:) that may have increased ammunition capacity and heavier barrels to withstand continued fire and will almost always have a bipod. In the case of some assault rifles, such as the
262:
requirements by making it only necessary to supply one type of service ammunition to a unit. These weapons are light enough to be carried and operated by one infantryman, unlike
872:
1026:
When it comes to machine guns, FNH USA is turning out copies of the M249 Squad
Assault Weapon (SAW) that has been in the US military inventory for several decades.
563:
was never adopted by the German Army as the differences and benefits to the G36 were seen as marginal, resulting in the order being cancelled. The 5.56mm NATO
972:. Vol. 3, no. 31. Eagle Base, Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1st Infantry Division (Task Force Eagle) Public Affairs Office. p. 6. Archived from
579:
In the 1980s the
Italian military considered the idea of adopting a heavy-barrelled magazine-fed 5.56mm automatic rifle. It was to accompany the 5.56mm
863:
889:
876:
100:
989:
Sitting atop the platoon leader's HMMWV, the 20-year-old soldier mans a Squad
Assault Weapon and monitors traffic at the crossroads.
72:
697:: The RPK-16 squad automatic weapon is a new light support weapon which is expected to take over the role of its predecessor, the
53:
962:
79:
1012:
431:-derived L7. The most common squad automatic weapons in use today are derived from two basic patterns: the Kalashnikov-based
326:
type. Though over 100 years old, the Madsen is still in limited use today. The standard machine guns of this era were of the
852:
86:
937:"TASS: Military & Defense - Kalashnikov signs contract to supply Defense Ministry with newest RPK-16 machine guns"
119:
1044:
68:
587:
general purpose machine gun. A rethinking of the concept led to their adoption of the belt-fed FN Minimi instead.
323:
314:. Although limited in today's terms, the Madsen was introduced in an era when the standard infantry rifle was a
343:
152:
57:
936:
841:
394:
765:
487:
420:
824:
604:
600:
161:
499:
773:
93:
820:
596:
758:
737:
cartridge, they were forced to redesign the weapon to take the 5.56mm NATO cartridge. The L85 IW (
571:
resembles the MG4 and is the new general-purpose machine gun of the German Army, adopted in 2015.
567:
is the standard platoon-level support weapon of the German Army, adopted in 2005. The 7.62mm NATO
813:
746:
208:
46:
793:
24:
1002:
911:
560:
555:
543:
535:
527:
402:
551:
531:
302:
243:
157:
8:
495:
916:
901:
845:
311:
271:
263:
259:
1008:
906:
416:
275:
216:
197:
856:
494:
as the primary light machine gun to replace all of its obsolete WW2 LMGs. After the
973:
584:
419:, either belt-fed or magazine-fed, may be used as squad automatic weapons, as may
881:
805:
642:
580:
491:
398:
291:
232:
804:
program was designed to create an intermediate weapon between the M16 rifle and
750:
358:" in the advance, the BAR came to be used in the light machine gun role. During
708:
354:. Intended originally as an automatic rifle capable of delivering suppressing "
267:
220:
1007:(7th ed.). Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. pp. 14, 74, 156, 245.
334:
1038:
386:
355:
319:
287:
251:
236:
742:
526:
West
Germany's original plan in the late 1980s was to adopt the new 5.56mm
452:
390:
359:
255:
145:
141:
829:
734:
369:
351:
347:
315:
279:
212:
506:
since the adoption of QBZ-95. However, the PLA changed back to belt-fed
503:
427:
period, the standard squad automatic weapon in the
British Army was the
224:
772:
and then replaced by it. The L86's role was then changed to that of a
809:
784:
769:
630:
608:
478:
461:
436:
406:
327:
35:
547:
424:
382:
363:
201:
844:. The M249 SAW is still in use as a squad automatic weapon by the
940:
885:
866:
with 6.8 Sig hybrid round, declared winner of the program as the
629:
The
Russian support weapon concept was designed around providing
619:
507:
466:
290:
cartridges but are also crew-served and typically also require a
757:
was the automatic rifle version and was intended to replace the
698:
762:
704:
694:
686:
680:
670:
664:
623:
568:
564:
428:
247:
19:
For the weapon known in
British Forces service as the LSW, see
796:
is commonly referred to as the squad automatic weapon or SAW.
607:) as their squad automatic weapon. All other branches use the
867:
833:
683:: An export model of the RPK-74M chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO.
638:
410:
318:
repeater with fixed magazines reloaded with single rounds or
228:
204:
741:) was the rifle version and was designed to replace the 9mm
720:
707:: The belt-fed LMG designed to fill the gap between RPK and
530:
assault rifle (a variant of the HK33) to replace the 7.62mm
837:
729:
654:
518:
283:
137:
23:. For the weapon known in American service as the SAW, see
649:
634:
554:
forced everyone to scramble for a cheap alternative. The
539:
432:
378:
169:
165:
20:
888:
AR with 6.8mm CT cased telescoped round manufactured by
689:: An export model of the RPK-74M chambered in 7.62×39mm.
366:
tactics and doctrine that continues to the present day.
132:
667:: A version chambered for the new 5.45×39mm cartridge.
855:
to find replacement for M249 SAW and replacement for
1001:
Lewis, Jack (September 12, 2007). Ken Ramage (ed.).
657:: A version with a side-folding wooden stock (S for
875:with .277 TVCM polymer cased round manufactured by
310:One of the first weapons used in this role was the
258:carried by other members of the unit. This reduces
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
614:
599:is the only part of the Dutch military to use the
1036:
502:for high mobility, which was later replaced by
342:Another pioneering weapon in this role was the
242:Squad automatic weapons usually fire the same
840:was the modified HK416, later designated the
350:, it remained in front-line service into the
377:Modern squad automatic weapons (such as the
954:
633:that could be used by the clip-fed rifle (
168:, a squad automatic weapon variant of the
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
994:
783:
719:
677:) of the RPK-74 with polymer furniture.
618:
583:assault rifle and supplement the 7.62mm
517:
477:
451:
368:
333:
301:
151:
131:
1037:
1004:The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons
215:. Weapons fulfilling this role can be
1000:
274:to operate at full effectiveness; or
859:round. There are three competitors:
853:Next Generation Squad Weapon Program
442:
58:adding citations to reliable sources
29:
960:
836:. The weapon chosen to replace the
13:
641:) and belt-fed light machine gun (
423:; for example, during most of the
14:
1056:
715:
779:
605:Colt Canada Light Support Weapon
552:reunification of Germany in 1990
338:M1918A2 Browning automatic rifle
34:
637:), magazine-fed assault rifle (
615:Soviet Union/Russian Federation
510:light machine guns since 2021.
498:, the PLA adopted the drum-fed
250:variants are preferred) as the
45:needs additional citations for
929:
701:, in the Russian Armed Forces.
590:
1:
961:Boe, David (August 1, 1997).
922:
673:: An improved version (M for
223:rifles fitted with a heavier
939:. 2018-02-08. Archived from
823:program was launched by the
792:In United States usage, the
421:general-purpose machine guns
144:squad automatic weapon from
7:
895:
766:general-purpose machine gun
603:(an updated version of the
538:carbine to replace the 9mm
534:battle rifle and the 4.7mm
297:
10:
1061:
851:In 2019, US Army launched
825:United States Marine Corps
513:
447:
346:(BAR). Introduced late in
18:
16:Portable light machine gun
873:General Dynamics RM277-AR
774:designated marksman rifle
832:and a slightly modified
821:Infantry automatic rifle
814:Heckler & Koch HK 23
597:Netherlands Marine Corps
574:
488:People's Liberation Army
473:
435:or the purpose-designed
344:Browning automatic rifle
186:section automatic weapon
69:"Squad automatic weapon"
1045:Squad automatic weapons
324:detachable box magazine
802:Squad Automatic Weapon
794:M249 light machine gun
789:
725:
631:one standard cartridge
626:
544:Heckler & Koch MP5
536:Heckler & Koch G11
528:Heckler & Koch G41
523:
483:
457:
374:
339:
307:
178:squad automatic weapon
173:
149:
25:M249 light machine gun
912:Heavy weapons platoon
787:
723:
622:
532:Heckler & Koch G3
521:
481:
455:
372:
337:
305:
211:as a source of rapid
196:), is a man-portable
155:
135:
753:Light Support Weapon
190:light support weapon
54:improve this article
963:"Mission Continues"
761:and supplement the
496:Sino-Vietnamese War
490:initially used the
264:medium machine guns
184:), also known as a
140:is an example of a
979:on August 15, 2000
943:on 8 February 2018
917:Medium machine gun
902:Crew-served weapon
790:
726:
627:
524:
484:
458:
417:Light machine guns
375:
340:
312:Madsen machine gun
308:
306:Madsen machine gun
286:) which fire more
276:heavy machine guns
217:light machine guns
174:
150:
1014:978-1-4402-2652-6
907:Heavy machine gun
739:Individual Weapon
675:modernizirovanniy
546:. The end of the
443:National examples
292:mounting platform
198:automatic firearm
130:
129:
122:
104:
1052:
1029:
1028:
1023:
1021:
998:
992:
991:
986:
984:
978:
967:
958:
952:
951:
949:
948:
933:
864:Sig Sauer MG-6.8
770:L110A1 FN Minimi
294:to be operable.
246:(though heavier-
213:direct firepower
158:Romanian soldier
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
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935:
934:
930:
925:
898:
890:Olin Winchester
806:M60 machine gun
782:
743:L2 Sterling SMG
718:
617:
611:for this role.
593:
581:Beretta AR70/90
577:
516:
476:
450:
445:
385:) are modified
300:
270:) that require
164:in clearing an
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
51:
39:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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920:
919:
914:
909:
904:
897:
894:
893:
892:
879:
870:
857:5.56×45mm NATO
781:
778:
747:L1A1 SLR Rifle
717:
716:United Kingdom
714:
713:
712:
709:PK machine gun
702:
692:
691:
690:
684:
668:
662:
652:
616:
613:
592:
589:
576:
573:
515:
512:
475:
472:
471:
470:
464:
449:
446:
444:
441:
387:assault rifles
299:
296:
268:M1919 Browning
252:assault rifles
221:selective-fire
219:, or modified
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1057:
1046:
1043:
1042:
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1027:
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1005:
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990:
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928:
918:
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913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
899:
891:
887:
883:
880:
878:
877:True Velocity
874:
871:
869:
865:
862:
861:
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854:
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843:
839:
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797:
795:
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780:United States
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440:
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
414:
413:, is issued.
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
391:battle rifles
388:
384:
380:
373:Austrian MG74
371:
367:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
345:
336:
332:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
304:
295:
293:
289:
285:
281:
278:(such as the
277:
273:
269:
266:(such as the
265:
261:
257:
256:battle rifles
253:
249:
245:
240:
239:-fed design.
238:
234:
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226:
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210:
206:
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102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
26:
22:
1025:
1020:November 27,
1018:. Retrieved
1003:
996:
988:
983:November 27,
981:. Retrieved
974:the original
969:
956:
945:. Retrieved
941:the original
931:
850:
830:FN SCAR HAMR
818:
812:(XM249) and
801:
798:
791:
752:
738:
727:
674:
658:
628:
594:
578:
525:
485:
415:
395:FN FAL 50.41
376:
360:World War II
356:walking fire
341:
309:
241:
200:attached to
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
175:
160:instructs a
146:World War II
142:British Army
116:
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
759:L4 BREN gun
745:and 7.62mm
591:Netherlands
540:IMI MP2 Uzi
500:Type 81 LMG
492:Type 56 LMG
403:H&K G36
352:Vietnam War
348:World War I
316:bolt-action
280:M2 Browning
162:U.S. marine
947:2022-04-18
923:References
260:logistical
80:newspapers
970:The Talon
810:FN Minimi
788:M249 Para
751:L86 LSW (
659:-skladnoi
609:FN Minimi
462:FN Minimi
456:FN Minimi
437:FN Minimi
407:Steyr AUG
244:cartridge
1039:Category
896:See also
585:MG 42/59
550:and the
548:Cold War
425:Cold War
364:fireteam
320:chargers
298:Overview
288:powerful
209:sections
202:infantry
110:May 2021
886:Textron
846:US Army
842:M27 IAR
687:RPK-203
681:RPK-201
671:RPK-74M
601:LOAWNLD
514:Germany
508:QJB-201
467:FN SCAR
448:Belgium
282:or the
94:scholar
1011:
763:FN MAG
749:. The
735:4.85mm
705:RPL-20
699:RPK-74
695:RPK-16
665:RPK-74
624:RPK-74
522:HK MG4
504:QJB-95
482:QJB-95
469:(HAMR)
429:FN Mag
393:(e.g.
272:a crew
248:bullet
231:and a
225:barrel
205:squads
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
977:(PDF)
966:(PDF)
868:XM250
834:HK416
724:L86A2
639:AK-47
575:Italy
474:China
411:MG 42
399:M14A1
328:Maxim
229:bipod
101:JSTOR
87:books
1022:2013
1009:ISBN
985:2013
884:and
838:M249
819:The
730:SA80
728:The
655:RPKS
595:The
561:MG36
542:and
486:The
397:and
381:and
284:DShK
237:drum
233:belt
138:Bren
136:The
73:news
882:AAI
650:RPK
643:RPD
635:SKS
569:MG5
565:MG4
556:G36
433:RPK
405:or
389:or
383:L86
379:RPK
254:or
207:or
194:LSW
188:or
182:SAW
170:AKM
166:RPK
56:by
21:L86
1041::
1024:.
987:.
968:.
848:.
776:.
661:).
439:.
227:,
176:A
156:A
950:.
755:)
711:.
235:/
192:(
180:(
172:.
148:.
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
27:.
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