The American machine gun M249 has been in service with the U.S. Army since 1984. More about this weapon will be described in the article.
General information
Initially, a light machine gun was developed in Belgium by FN Herstal and is called FN Minimi. The designers wanted to realize the idea of a machine gun with a replaceable type of power chambered for 5.56 × 45 mm. The name Minimi perfectly matches the functionality of this weapon: it is light and elegant. To this day, this model is one of the most popular in the world market.
For the US Army, a model with the marking M249 SAW was implemented. The last three letters translate as “saw, ” which is how the gun was called in the ranks of the military. In fact, the abbreviation - Squad Automatic Weapon - stands for "automatic platoon weapon."
A bit of history
During the Second World War, cartridges appeared that exceeded the standard pistol ammunition in power, but did not reach the rifle. They are called "intermediate." Many designers have become interested in this type of ammunition. And, as a result, the first weapons began to appear. In the USSR, a Degtyarev machine gun (RPD-44) was made, which was further developed and converted, and subsequently was replaced by a RPK.
Western design bureaus thought in the same way. Heckler & Koch created the HK21 in Germany, the L86 LSW in the UK, and the Steyr AUG LMG in Belgium. The decision to create a cannon under an intermediate cartridge was quite justified: it was an opportunity to bring uniformity to the weapons in terms of equipment, the way of ammunition, the main spare parts and methods of teaching ownership.
In a combat situation, such a product makes it possible to conduct heavy fire to suppress using the minimum amount of manpower. However, most design bureaus limited themselves to the production of heavy machine guns to perform the corresponding combat missions. Armed with the lower infantry units (such as support, supply or support platoons), there were still submachine guns that were not designed to carry out tasks involving prolonged firing. But these units were not equipped with machine guns due to the specifics of the combat arms: lightweight weapon models were preferred.
However, the Belgians decided not to stop at the successes achieved and set themselves the goal of developing a lightweight machine gun for the lower army units with a removable barrel and belt power.
American direction
Very successfully, the American government in 1970 announced a competition for the creation of automatic platoon weapons (SAW). The decision was due to the insolvency and inconvenience of operating the M14 in the jungle of Vietnam.
The creation of the American machine gun M249 did not come immediately. But this idea was prompted by the opinions of war veterans who had to fight in urban conditions. It was believed that in fights in a confined space, the rate of fire plays a large role, and not accuracy. At that time, the United States considered the idea of creating a machine gun chambered for a caliber of 6 × 45 mm, but the post-war financial crisis forced to postpone the idea.
Difficult choice
Test samples of the “Belgian” began back in 1974. At that time, SAW competitors were:
- An advanced version of the M16, labeled XM106, was offered by the US Marine Corps;
- the XM248 model from the aerospace department of the Ford company, which was a revision by the Rodman Laboratory of the XM235 machine gun;
- sample XM262 from the company "Heckler-i-Koch" (Germany).
There is reason to believe that Americans were inclined to samples of their own production, based on patriotic considerations, but in view of the fact that the Belgian weapons (FN FAL and FN MAG) were increasingly in demand in the world market (while interest in American samples went to recession), supporters of European machine guns became more and more in the US government.
Belgian victory
As a result, the crisis dragged on so much that the selection of a candidate for the title of SAW was postponed until 1979. By this time, the prototype of the future FN Minimi had undergone a number of changes in accordance with the wishes of the US military: a removable type of power was sold - both from a machine-gun belt and from a box store.
The Rodman Sample safely left the race, since with each revision it was not the wishes of the customer that were taken into account, but the advice of the military, which did not always benefit the weapon. As a result, subsequent improvements completely ruined the initiative to create a purely American model of a machine gun.
But the model from the company "Hekler-i-Koch" took an honorable second place, but unfortunately, according to the results of the competition, incentive prizes are not provided.
FN Minimi was recognized as the winner and began to be produced in the states under the marking M249. The machine gun (photo below) is still in service with the US Army. But the Marine Corps at the end of the twenty-first century received a version of the German automatic rifle from Hekler-i-Koch.
Features
M249 SAW light machine gun is made in Southern California. Due to a number of difficulties identified during attempts to adapt the product to cartridges of other calibers, mass production was possible to establish only by the beginning of the nineties.
The main differences from the Belgian original are mainly related to the technological aspects of serial production. If the “Minimi” is made both with a folding butt and with a permanent one, then the American machine gun M249 SAW is produced with a folding one.
External differences machine gun M249 are the presence of a shield above the barrel, which is responsible for thermal insulation. Folding bipods were added to the design, and mounting the product on a tripod is also provided. There are mounts for mounting the sight, as well as the gun belt. Included are interchangeable barrels, a buffer, handles and sights, as well as a separate butt.
The performance characteristics
M249 light machine gun has a mass of only 6.85 kg. The total length is 1040 mm, with a barrel length of 465 mm.
As mentioned above, a replaceable type of food is used:
- machine gun belt for 100 or 200 rounds;
- 30-charge magazine designed according to the NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG).
The rate of fire of the product ranges from 700 to 1150 rounds per minute, while a bullet fired from the barrel develops a speed of up to 975 meters per second. Installation of a diopter sight is provided. The maximum firing range is very impressive - 3600 meters, while the aiming range is from 600 to 800 meters, if the bipod is laid out. The range may vary depending on firing at single or group targets, respectively. When shooting from a tripod, the numbers are higher - from 800 to 1000 meters for the same reasons - depending on the type of targets.
The principle of operation of the M249 machine gun is very trivial - the removal of pore gases and the movement of the rotary shutter.
Military conflicts
M249 was used in a number of local conflicts, for example:
- US expansion to Panama in 1989 to restore democratic order and protect American citizens.
- The well-known Persian Gulf War from 1990 to 1991.
- Bosnian conflict 1991-1995
- Kosovo conflict initiated by Albanians demanding independence for Kosovo (1998-1999).
- The conflict in Afghanistan, which lasted formally from 2001 to 2014.
- During the military clashes in Iraq from March 2003 to December 2011.
- Of course, the military conflict in Syria against the ISIS terrorist organization, which began in 2011 and continues to this day.
Operational literacy
The M249 machine gun is still in service with the U.S. Army, it is not planned to abandon it. Nevertheless, for the entire period of operation of the product, a number of “misfires” were revealed, which some explain not as factory defects, but by the inept hands of the operator.
For example, back in 1970 there was a problem in the tests, which consists in jamming the mechanism when the cartridge is fed into the chamber, when there is power through the store. Another - when using the M249 in desert conditions (Iraq and Afghanistan), consists in the rapid failure of the weapon barrel due to overheating.
Among the experienced military there is an opinion that such a problem arises among beginners who like to show off and shoot long bursts of such an “attractive” weapon.
Retired officers with a grin recall the "craftsmen" who at one time managed to fire two hundred rounds of ammunition from the barrel and thought they could replace the barrel, use up another couple of tapes and put the old barrel back. It must be remembered that if a difficult combat situation requires such firing, you should stock up on many spare barrels for the M249. Moreover, those are not issued against receipt to every soldier, are not allocated at the norm along with dry ration and uniform. In a battle, you’ll have to disassemble someone else’s machine guns in order to bring your own into proper condition.
Manufacturing countries
The FN Minimi machine gun was adopted in many countries of the world, but is manufactured under license (in addition to Belgium), only in Australia, Greece and, of course, the United States. In addition to the SAW version for America, there are options with a shortened barrel for paratroopers and special forces. However, the model does not go as a result of deep modernization of the M249 machine gun. Para is the marking for the Belgian FN Minimi.
Domestic response
In the framework of the “Soldier of the Future” project, domestic designers developed the RPK-16 machine gun project. The brainchild was presented to the general public as part of the presentation of "Army 2016". The product was conceived as a worthy response to Western "mastodons" such as FN Minimi and Ultimax 100.
RPK-16 is designed with a removable type of power supply for a caliber of 5.45 x 39 mm, it is able to use cartridges from magazines from AK-74 or RPK-74. The Kalashnikov Concern has developed a drum for 96 rounds specially for this product. The new brainchild of domestic designers has every chance to oust the FN Minimi from the world market.
And also provides for the installation of an elongated barrel, as well as aimed fire from RPK-16. The new weapon was already nicknamed the "machine gun rifle" due to its technical features. It is this highlight that is planned to compete with the Ultimax 100.
