M249 light machine gun

The M249 light machine gun (LMG), also known as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW),^[3][4] which continues to be the designation that FN America uses,^[5] and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian FN Minimi, a light machine gun manufactured by the Belgian company FN Herstal (FN).

Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249
M249 Para equipped with an ACOG scope
Type	Light machine gun Squad automatic weapon
Place of origin	Belgium (Minimi) United States (M249)
Service history
In service	1984–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Invasion of Panama Gulf War Unified Task Force (Somalia) Bosnian War Kosovo War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present)^[citation needed] Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) Saudi-led intervention in Yemen
Production history
Designed	1976
Manufacturer	FN Herstal
Unit cost	US $4,087^[1]
Produced	Late 1970s–present
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	7.5 kg (17 lb) empty 10 kg (22 lb) loaded with 200 rounds
Length	40.75 in (1,035 mm)
Barrel length	465 mm (18.3 in) 521 mm (20.5 in) 348 mm (13.7 in) (M249 PARA)
Cartridge	5.56×45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated long-stroke piston, opened rotating bolt
Rate of fire	Cyclic: 700–850 rounds/min Rapid: 200 rounds/min Sustained: 100 rounds/min^[2]
Muzzle velocity	915 m/s (3,000 ft/s)
Effective firing range	700 m (2,300 ft) (point target, 465 mm barrel) 800 m (2,600 ft) (point target, 521 mm barrel) 3,600 m (11,800 ft) (maximum range)
Feed system	M27 linked disintegrating belt in a 100- or 200-round soft pouch STANAG magazine
Sights	Iron sights or Picatinny rail for various optics

The M249 is manufactured in the United States by the subsidiary FN Manufacturing LLC, a company in Columbia, South Carolina, and is widely used in the U.S. Armed Forces. The weapon was introduced in 1984 after being judged most effective (compared to a number of candidate weapons) to address the lack of automatic firepower in small units. The M249 provides infantry squads with a high rate of machine gun fire, combined with the accuracy and portability 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), and a folding bipod attached to the front of the weapon (an M192 LGM tripod also being available). The SAW can be fed from both linked ammunition and STANAG magazines (such as those used in the M16 and M4), allowing the SAW operator to use them as a source of ammunition in case they run out of belts. The STANAG magazines should only be used in emergencies, due to their high malfunction rate.

M249s have seen action in major conflicts involving the United States since the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. In 2009, the United States Marine Corps selected the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, to partially replace the M249 in USMC service.^[6]

In 2022, the U.S. Army selected the Sig Sauer XM250 to replace the M249.

Development

Background

In 1965, the U.S. Army and U.S. 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.^[7] The M60 was a more mobile general-purpose machine gun, intended to be carried by troops to provide heavy automatic fire.^[8]

Both firearms were very heavy and usually required a crew of at least two in order to operate efficiently.^[9] The Browning automatic rifle (BAR), 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).^[10] "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.^[11] Because the M14 and M16 rifles had not been designed with sustained automatic fire in mind, they often overheated or jammed.^[11] The 20-round and 30-round magazines of these weapons limited their sustained automatic effectiveness when compared to belt-fed weapons.^[7]

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.^[2] Through the 1960s, the introduction of a machine gun into the infantry squad was examined in various studies.^[12] 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 that could be easily modified for different purposes.^[13][14] The Stoner 63 LMG saw combat for a brief period in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, and later on a wider scale with the U.S. Navy SEALs.^[14]

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.^[15] The earliest reference to studies of other caliber cartridges for the LMG did not appear until 1969.^[16] In July 1970, the U.S. Army finally approved development of an LMG, with no specified caliber. At this time, the nomenclature "Squad Automatic Weapon" (SAW) was introduced.^[12] Actual design of alternative cartridges for the LMG did not begin until July 1971. A month later, Frankford Arsenal decided on two cartridge designs for the new LMG: a 6 mm cartridge and a new 5.56 mm cartridge with a much larger case.^[17] Neither design was finalized by March 1972, when the Army published the specifications document for the planned SAW.^[18] The 6 mm cartridge design was eventually approved in May that year.^[19] 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).^[20][21]

Trials

 

Initial Belgian-designed Minimi prototype delivered to the U.S. Infantry Board for evaluation, before it received its XM249 designation^[22] (note the difference)

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.^[20] 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.^[23] 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.^[24] 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.^[25] Testing of the four candidates resumed in April 1979.^[26]

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.^[26] In September, FN was awarded a "maturity phase" contract for further development of the XM249,^[27] and testing of the new weapon began in June 1981.^[28] The official adoption took place in February 1982.^[29][30]

Service

 

An early model of the M249, prior to the 'Product Improvement Program'

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.^[31] It is manufactured in the FN factory in Columbia, South Carolina.^[32]

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 complaints that the front sight required special adjustment tools. On August 23, 1985, then-U.S. Under Secretary of the Army James R. Ambrose suspended M249 production pending the development of the product improvement program (PIP) intended to fix these problems.^[33] 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.^[31] In 1994 the M249 squad automatic weapon was re-designated the M249 light machine gun.^[34]

Design details

 

A U.S. Marine firing an M249 from an M122A1 tripod at a training range in November 2003

The M249 is a belt-fed light machine gun.^[2] It fires the 5.56×45mm 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.^[2] The M249 can also fire rifle grenades.^[35]

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.^[32]

The M249’s air-cooled barrel is equipped with a mechanism to remove and replace the barrel assembly with a spare, this makes it easy for the operator to easily change the barrel on the field when it gets too hot during extensive amounts of fire. The barrel has a rifling twist rate of one turn in 180 mm (7 in).^[32] 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’s original gas regulator featured two different gas port sizes; normal and adverse. The normal gas setting has a cyclic rate of fire of around 700–850 rounds per minute, while the adverse gas setting increases the cyclic rate of fire to around 950–1,150 rounds per minute and is only used in extreme environmental conditions or when heavy fouling is present in the gas tube. The two-position gas regulator was discarded as part of a product improvement program, which made the M249’s that received the product improvement kit no longer able to fire at the higher cyclic rate.^[2] The sustained rate of fire, the rate at which the gunner can fire continuously without overheating, is around 100 rounds per minute. Whilst the rapid rate of fire is around 200 rounds per minute.^[36][37]

Operational history

 

The different rounds that can be successfully loaded into the M249 SAW

The M249 LMG entered service in 1984 as the M249 SAW. Initial reactions to the gun were mixed: it fulfilled the light machine gun role well when fired from the ground, but was not as effective when fired from the shoulder or hip.^[38] It was praised for its extreme durability and massive firepower, though a number of areas for improvement were highlighted: the blank firing attachment fitted poorly, the bipod was very weak and broke easily, the sling attachment was awkward, and there were many slots and gaps that accumulated dirt.^[39] Some claimed that the heavy-barrelled version of the M16 rifle was a more effective light machine gun.^[40][41]

The M249 SAW was not used heavily before the 1991 Gulf War, though it has been used in every major U.S. conflict since. American personnel in Somalia in 1993, Bosnia in 1994, Kosovo in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq since 2003 have been issued M249s. Surplus weapons were donated to Bolivia, Colombia and Tunisia.^[42]

Tactically, SAWs are either carried with a maneuvering unit and fired while handheld, or positioned to remain stationary and provide covering fire for other units.^[9] Upon introduction, the basic load of ammunition was 600 rounds, carried in three 200-round boxes.^[43] These boxes were carried in soft pouches named Case, Small Arms, Ammunition, 200-Round Magazine.^[44] The modern load of ammunition carried for the weapon is 1,000 rounds in five 200-round belts, although up to 500 extra rounds generally gets loaded into 100-round soft pouches.^[1]

Persian Gulf War

A supply of 929 M249 SAWs was issued to personnel from the U.S. Army and Marine Corps during the Persian Gulf War. Although exposure to combat was scarce, M249 gunners who were involved in fighting mainly used their weapons to provide cover fire for friendly maneuvering troops from fixed positions, rather than maneuvering with them.^[45] There were many complaints about the weapons clogging up with sand after prolonged use in the desert environment.^[46]

War in Afghanistan

The standard squad automatic weapon in Afghanistan is the M249 with PIP kit, which serves alongside its heavier counterpart, the M240 machine gun. Most M249s were given a collapsible buttstock immediately prior to the invasion to reduce its length and make the weapons more practical for parachuting and close-quarters combat.^[47] Special Operations troops typically favor the shorter Para version of the weapon, which weighs much less.^[1]

A report entitled Lessons Learned in Afghanistan was released by Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Dean and SFC Sam Newland of the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center in 2002. They found that 54% of SAW gunners had problems maintaining their weapons, and 30% reported that the gun rusted easily. Soldiers reported ammunition boxes rattling and falling off. 80% percent of soldiers surveyed were pleased with the weapon's accuracy and lethality, yet only 64% claimed they were "confident in their weapon". Weapons clogging up with sand in the desert seems to be the main complaint.^[48]

Iraq War

 

A cloth pouch in Universal Camouflage Pattern used for holding belts of linked ammunition, this one being capable of holding 200 rounds

The PIP and Para versions of the M249 have been used in the Iraq war since the invasion. By 2004, many M249s had been in service for almost 20 years and were becoming increasingly unreliable. Soldiers were requesting replacements and new features, and there are reports of soldiers holding their weapons together with duct tape.^[46] The lethality of the 5.56 mm ammunition has been called into question by reports of enemy soldiers still firing after being hit multiple times.^[49] As in previous conflicts, the sandy environment causes the M249s and other weapons to clog up and jam if they are not cleaned frequently.^[46]

Operation Iraqi Freedom PEO Soldier Lessons Learned, a report on the performance of weapons in the Iraq War, was published by Lieutenant Colonel Jim Smith of the U.S. Army on May 15, 2003. Smith spoke positively of the M249, claiming that it "provided the requisite firepower at the squad level as intended". He praised the SPW variant, noting that its "short barrel and forward pistol grip allowed for very effective use of the SAW in urban terrain". At the National Defense Industrial Association in 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Al Kelly of the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry gave a presentation describing the M249 as having "good range, excellent reliability" and an "excellent tracer". He said that a cloth pouch was preferred over the plastic box for holding linked ammunition, and that "knock-down power is poor, but is compensated by rate of fire".^[50]

Evaluation

In December 2006, the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) released a report on U.S. small arms in combat. The CNA conducted surveys on 2,608 troops returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past 12 months. Only troops who fired their weapons at enemy targets were allowed to participate. Three hundred forty-one troops were armed with M249 SAWs, making up 13 percent of the survey. 71 percent of M249 users (242 troops) reported that they were satisfied with the weapon. 40 percent of users preferred feeding the SAW with the soft 100-round pouch, while 21 percent chose the soft and hard 200-round pouches each. 60 percent (205 troops) were satisfied with handling qualities, such as handguards, size, and weight. Of those dissatisfied, just under half thought that it was too heavy. M249 users had the lowest levels of satisfaction with weapon maintainability at 70 percent (239 troops), most due to the difficulty in removing and receiving small components and poor corrosion resistance. The SAW had the highest levels of stoppages at 30 percent (102 troops), and 41 percent of those that experienced a stoppage said it had a large impact on their ability to clear the stoppage and re-engage their target. Sixty-five percent (222 troops) did not need their machine guns repaired while in theater. Sixty-five percent (222 troops) were confident in the M249's reliability, defined as level of soldier confidence their weapon will fire without malfunction, and 64 percent (218 troops) were confident in its durability, defined as level of soldier confidence their weapon will not break or need repair. Both factors were attributed to high levels of soldiers performing their own maintenance. 60 percent of M249 users offered recommendations for improvements. Seventeen percent of requests were for making the weapon lighter, and another 17 percent were for more durable belt links and drums, as well as other modifications, such as a collapsible stock.^[51]

Future replacement

 

A "fully improved" U.S. Army-issue M249, circa July 2010

An extensive maintenance program intended to extend the service lives of M249s has been carried out to refurbish rifles, especially units that suffered from wear due to heavy use. In particular the warping of the receiver rails on the early models was a defect that occurred in heavily used first-generation M249s. This defect however has been completely eliminated on later models and is no longer present on the current-issue M249, which has reinforced rails and full-length welding rather than spot welding. A replacement of the M249's buttstock that is redesigned to be adjustable in length is also available.^[52]

In 2009, the U.S. Marine Corps selected the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, a lighter, magazine-fed rifle to supplement and partially replace the M249.^[53][54] With plans to buy up to 4,100 IARs to complement and partially replace its 10,000 M249s (of which 8,000 will remain in service) held at platoon level,^[55] it acquired 450 of the Heckler & Koch HK416–based weapons for testing.^[6] The Marines started fielding the M27 in 2010, but kept both weapons in the inventory due to the M249's greater ammunition capacity and higher sustained fire rate; rifle companies are typically issued 27 IARs and six SAWs.^[56] The Army passed on the concept of the IAR, believing automatic rifle with a magazine would lower the effectiveness and firepower of a squad. While the Marine Corps has 13-man squads, the Army organizes its soldiers into squads of nine and needs considerably more firepower from the squad machine gunners to make up the difference.^[55]

The Army recognized the limitations of the M249 however,^[55] and in early 2017, the U.S. Army posted a notice soliciting bids for the Next Generation Squad Weapon-Automatic Rifle (NGSW-AR or NGSAR) to replace the M249. In July 2018, the Army awarded contracts to six companies including Textron, head of the preceding LSAT program where they made development leaps with cased telescoped (CT) ammunition, for NGSW-AR and ammunition prototypes. The stated requirements included:^[57][58]

• Maximum weight of 5.4 kilograms (12 lb), including sling, bipod, and sound suppressor
• Maximum total length of 89 centimeters (35 in)
• Engage pinpoint targets up to 600 meters (2,000 ft), and suppress (area fire targets) to a range of 1,200 meters (3,900 ft)
• Compatible with next-generation Small Arms Fire Control systems

In April 2022, the U.S. Army selected Sig Sauer as the winner of the competition; their automatic rifle is designated the XM250.^[59]

Variants

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.^[60] In addition, the dual gas port settings were reduced to only one; M249's 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 barrel changing handle was swapped for a folding unit. Certain parts were bevelled or chamfered to prevent cutting soldiers' hands and arms. Other changes involved the bipod, pistol grip, flash suppressor, and sights.^[61] 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 pouches" (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.^[47][62]

M249 PARA

 

Early model of the M249 PARA equipped with a M145 Machine Gun Optic, October 2005, Koshk Kowl, Afghanistan

The M249 PARA, "Para" short for paratrooper intended for use by airborne troops is a compact variant of the M249 with a shorter barrel of 13.7 inch and sliding aluminum buttstock based on that of the Minimi Para. 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.^[63]

M249 SPW

The M249 SPW (Special Purpose Weapon) is a lightweight and shorter version of the M249 designed to meet USSOCOM special operations forces requirements. The barrel changing 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 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).^[32]

Mk 46

 

A Ranger with 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment armed with a Mk 46 machine gun provides overwatch security on an objective during a mission in Iraq, November 2006

The Mk 46 is the variant that the USSOCOM adopted, which is a further development of the M249 SPW with minor changes. The program that led to both the Mk 46 and Mk 48 was headed by the US Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWAR). Like the SPW, the barrel changing 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 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.^[64]

Mk 48

Main article: Mk 48 machine gun

The Mk 48 is similar to the Mk 46 but rechambered in 7.62×51mm NATO caliber, used by USSOCOM when a heavier cartridge is required.^[64] 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 the 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 2003.^[65]

M249S

The M249S is a semi-automatic only variant manufactured for the civilian sport shooting and collector's market. Derived from the fully automatic M249 light machine gun, this variant shares most of the major components of the M249 with the exception of the firing mechanism and the addition of welded internal components to prevent conversion to a fully automatic mode. Notably, this variant retains the ability to be belt fed, an uncommon feature in civilian firearms.^[66][67]

In 2017, FN America released the M249S PARA variant.

OOW249 SAW

The OOW249 SAW (Ohio Ordnance Works 249 Squad Automatic Weapon) is a selective fire variant of the FN M249 manufactured by Ohio Ordnance Works. It retains the two gas regulator settings and is offered in a 21 in (533 mm) barrel length. A PARA configuration is also available.^[68]

MGA SAW

The MGA SAW (Machine Gun Armory Squad Automatic Weapon) is a multi-caliber variant of the FN M249 manufactured by Machine Gun Armory. Available in 5.56×45mm NATO, 5.45×39mm, .300 AAC Blackout, 7.62×39mm, 6.8mm Remington SPC, .260 Remington, 7.62×51mm NATO.^[69]

Users

•   Afghanistan
•   Argentina^[70]
•   Colombia^[71]
•   Czech Republic^[72]
•   Georgia^[73]
•   Hungary^[74]
•   Iraq^[71]
•   Lebanon^[75]
•     Nepal^[76]
•   Philippines^[77]
•   Thailand^[78]
•   United States^[79]

Former users

•   Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Standard issue light machine gun of the Afghan National Army^[80]

See also

• Daewoo Precision Industries K3
• FN Minimi
• Heckler & Koch MG4
• IWI Negev
• Third Arm Weapon Interface System
• QJS-161
• RPL-20
• Ultimax 100
• PK machine gun

References

1. Military Analysis Network July 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, M249 Light Machine Gun.
2. Bonds and Miller 2002, p. 451.
3. Boe, David (August 1, 1997). "Mission Continues" (PDF). The Talon. Vol. 3, no. 31. Eagle Base, Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1st Infantry Division (Task Force Eagle) Public Affairs Office. p. 6. (PDF) from the original on December 22, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2013. Sitting atop the platoon leader's HMMWV, the 20-year-old soldier mans a Squad Automatic Weapon and monitors traffic at the crossroads.
4. Lewis, Jack (September 12, 2007). Ken Ramage (ed.). The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons (7th ed.). Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. pp. 14, 74, 156, 245. ISBN 978-1-4402-2652-6. from the original on January 3, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2013. When it comes to machine guns, FNH USA is turning out copies of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) that has been in the US military inventory for several decades.
5. "FN® M249 SAW". FN America. from the original on May 17, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
6. Lamothe, Dan (July 2, 2010). . Marine Corps Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2010.
7. Willbanks 2004, p. 179
8. Willbanks 2004, p. 131
9. U.S. Army 1992, A-1 Rifle platoon.
10. Jones 2005
11. U.S. Army 2003, 7–9 Automatic or burst fire.
12. Ezell 1983, p. 91
13. U.S. Army 1968, pp. 18–22
14. Ezell 1983, p. 89
15. U.S. Army 1968, pp. 36, 41–42
16. U.S. Army Weapons Command Future Weapons Systems Division 1969
17. Woodin Laboratory 1980, p. 1
18. Ezell 1983, pp. 92, 95
19. Woodin Laboratory 1980, pp. 5–6
20. Ezell 1983, p. 95
21. United States Army Center of Military History 1974, p. 176
22. "Infantry News". Infantry. 65 (4): 10. July–August 1975. from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
23. Ezell 1983, pp. 96–97, 100
24. Ezell 1983, p. 98
25. Ezell 1983, pp. 96, 102
26. United States Army Center of Military History 1983, p. 240
27. Ezell 1983, pp. 103–104
28. United States Army Center of Military History 1988, p. 243
29. Rottman, Gordon L. (2011). The M16. Weapon Series. Osprey Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-84908-891-6. from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
30. Cawthorne, Nigel (2008). The Mammoth Book of Inside the Elite Forces. Robinson. p. 210. ISBN 978-1-78033-731-9. from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
31. United States Army Center of Military History 1995, p. 43
32. Crawford 2003, p. 17
33. Ezell 1988, p. 415
34. U.S. Army 1994, Preface.
35. McNab 2017, p. 43.
36. "Chapter 10: Machine Gun Employment". The Ranger Handbook. Headquarters, Department of the Army. 2017. pp. 10-1–10-2. ISBN 978-1-387-24122-4. TC 3-21.76. from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
37. "Crew-Served Machine Guns: 5.56-mm and 7.62-mm" (PDF). Headquarters, Department of the Army. July 2006. pp. 1–2. FM 3-22.68. (PDF) from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
38. Eby 2001
39. Savage 2002
40. Cargile 2001
41. Grundy 2001
42. Boutwell & Klare 1999, p. 70
43. Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), M249 (Field Manual). Headquarters, Department of the Army. December 1985. p. 6. FM 23-14. from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
44. "SAW 200-Round Magazine Case". Gear Illustration. January 22, 2016. from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
45. U.S. Army Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command 1993
46. Bruning 2006, p. 61
47. Jane's Information Group 1996
48. Exum 2004, p. 170
49. Cordesman 2003, p. 383
50. Smith 2003
51. Russell, Sara M. (December 2006). (PDF). Alexandria, Virginia: CNA. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 31, 2015.
52. "Fort Benning Soldiers evaluate redesigned buttstock for M-240B, M-249". Tactical Life. July 31, 2009. from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
53. Lamothe, Dan (December 4, 2009). . Marine Corps Times. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
54. Lamothe, Dan (December 3, 2009). . Marine Corps Times. Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2009.
55. Cox 2008
56. Schogol, Jeff (April 2, 2017). "The Corps' quest for the best rifle for infantrymen". Marine Corps Times. from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
57. Woody, Christopher (June 12, 2017). "The Army wants to ditch the M249 SAW and give the infantry more firepower". Business Insider. from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
58. "Army is saying goodbye to the M249 Squad Automatic Rifle after thirty years". PopularMilitary.com. July 12, 2018. from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
59. Army chooses Sig Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon. Army Times. 19 April 2022.
60. FNH USA website March 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, M249 description.
61. Jane's Information Group 1994
62. Jane's Information Group 1998
63. Crawford 2003, p. 56
64. Pushies 2004, p. 88
65. Popenker, Maxim, , archived from the original on March 23, 2009, retrieved April 29, 2009
66. Burgreen, Todd (May 2, 2017). . Gun World. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
67. Searson, Mike (August 1, 2017). "FNH M249S SAW Light Machine Gun – Military Collector Series". Ammoland. from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
68. "OOW249 Squad Automatic Weapon (S.A.W.) | Ohio Ordnance Military / Government Firearms & Accessories". October 28, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
69. "MGA Mil Site". machinegunarmory.com. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
70. "OOW M249P, la nueva ametralladora de las tropas de operaciones especiales del Ejército Argentino". June 9, 2021. from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
71. U.S. Army Weapons Systems, 2010–2011. Skyhorse Publishing. Department Of The Army. 2010. p. 279. ISBN 978-1-60239-725-5. from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
72. "Lehký kulomet - 5,56 mm kulomet univerzální FN Minimi (M249 SAW) | Armáda ČR". acr.army.cz (in Czech). Retrieved April 1, 2022.
73. "საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები ახალი M249 ტიპის მსუბუქი ტყვიამფრქვევებით აღიჭურვა" [Georgian Defense Forces equipped with new M249 light machine guns]. mod.gov.ge. from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
74. "34. Bercsény László Különleges Műveleti Zászlóalj". ShadowSpear. June 12, 2009. Archived from the original on October 18, 2017. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
75. Al-Balaa, Nadine; Nina Akel Khalil (January 15, 2010), (in Arabic), Lebanese Armed Forces, archived from the original on June 30, 2011, retrieved January 15, 2010
76. (PDF). Nepal Armed Violence Assessment: Issue Brief. Small Arms Survey (2): 5. May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 8, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
77. "Flashback: AFP modernization – 2003 to 2006". Philippine Defense Today. from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
78. Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
79. Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 1-84065-245-4.
80. "Afghan National Security Forces Order of Battle" (PDF). Long War Journal. (PDF) from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.

Sources

• Bonds, Ray; Miller, David (2002), The Illustrated Directory of Modern American Weapons, Zenith Imprint, ISBN 0-7603-1346-6
• Boutwell, Jeffrey; Klare, Michael T. (1999), Light Weapons and Civil Conflict: Controlling the Tools of Violence, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 0-8476-9485-2
• Bruning, John R (2006), The Devil's Sandbox: With the 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry at War in Iraq, Zenith Imprint, ISBN 0-7603-2394-1
• Cargile, Cannon C (2001), "M249 SAW?", Marine Corps Times
• Cordesman, Anthony H (2003), The Iraq War: Strategy, Tactics, and Military Lessons, Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 0-275-98227-0
• Cox, Matthew (September 15, 2008), , Marine Corps Times, archived from the original on July 6, 2010, retrieved December 26, 2008
• Crawford, Steve (2003), Twenty-first Century Small Arms: The World's Great Infantry Weapons, Zenith Imprint, ISBN 0-7603-1503-5
• Eby, JL (2001), "M249 employment concepts", Marine Corps Times
• Exum, Andrew (2004), This Man's Army: A Soldier's Story from the Front Lines of the War on Terrorism, Gotham, ISBN 1-59240-063-9
• Ezell, Edward C. (1983), Small Arms of the World (12th ed.), Stackpole Books, ISBN 0-88029-601-1
• Ezell, Edward C. (1988), Small Arms Today (2nd ed.), Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, ISBN 0-8117-2280-5
• Grundy, Ray (2001), "The M249 light machinegun in the automatic rifle role", Marine Corps Times
• Jane's Information Group (February 1, 1994), , Jane's International Defence Review, archived from the original on March 13, 2009, retrieved April 4, 2009
• Jane's Information Group (January 1, 1996), , Jane's International Defence Review, archived from the original on March 14, 2009, retrieved February 10, 2009
• Jane's Information Group (1998), "United States – M249 Upgrades", Jane's International Defence Review, archived from the original on January 26, 2013
• Jones, Colonel Charles A. (December 12, 2005), "Phased out in 1960s, M14 was 'very reliable'", Army Times
• McNab, Chris (2017). The FN Minimi Light Machine Gun: M249, L108A1, L110A2, and other variants. Weapon 53. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1472816214.
• Pushies, Fred J (2004), Weapons of the Navy Seals, Zenith Imprint, ISBN 0-7603-1790-9
• Savage, David (2002), , Small Arms in the Marine Corps, archived from the original on January 29, 2009, retrieved December 7, 2008
• Willbanks, James H. (2004), Machine Guns: An Illustrated History of Their Impact, ABC-CLIO, ISBN 1-85109-480-6
• Woodin Laboratory (January–February 1980), "Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) Cartridge Development at Frankford Arsenal (1971–1972)", The International Cartridge Collector (289–290): 1–7

Government publications

• U.S. Army (2003), FM 3-22.9: Rifle Marksmanship, Army Field Manual, from the original on May 7, 2012, retrieved April 4, 2009
• U.S. Army (1992), FM 7-8: Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad, Army Field Manual, from the original on February 3, 2021, retrieved April 4, 2009
• U.S. Army (1994), FM 23-14: M249 light machine gun in the automatic rifle role, Army Field Manual, from the original on May 17, 2009, retrieved May 19, 2009
• U.S. Army (1968), (PDF), OCLC 227968366, archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2012, retrieved March 15, 2009
• U.S. Army Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command (1993), (PDF), ISBN 0-7881-0475-6, archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2012, retrieved August 7, 2010
• United States Army Center of Military History (1974), Department of the Army Historical Summary: Fiscal Year 1972, OCLC 22718661
• United States Army Center of Military History (1983), Department of the Army Historical Summary: Fiscal Year 1980
• United States Army Center of Military History (1988), Department of the Army Historical Summary: Fiscal Year 1981, OCLC 22718868
• United States Army Center of Military History (1995), Department of the Army Historical Summary: Fiscal Year 1986, OCLC 46408620
• Smith, Jim (2003), Operation Iraqi Freedom PEO Soldier Lessons Learned, U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center
• U.S. Army Weapons Command Future Weapons Systems Division (1969), A Methodology for Choosing the Best Caliber for a Light Infantry Machinegun, OCLC 227554622

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to M249 light machine guns.

• FN M249 webpage by FN America
• by the U.S. Army
• FN M249 webpage by the FAS Military Analysis Network
• FN M249 webpage at Nazarian.no