The FN Minimi Light Machine Gun: M249, L108A1, L110A2, and other variants (Weapon Book 53)

Introduction -- Development: ultimate one-man firepower -- Use: combat and controversy -- Impact: the SAW and its future -- Conclusion.;"In 1974, renowned Belgian arms company Fabrique Nationale brought out a ground-breaking new light machine gun, the Minimi. Its success has been meteoric, arming more than 45 countries around the world. The Minimi offers the ultimate in portable firepower. Firing the high-velocity 5.56×45mm round, the Minimi is a gas-operated, lightweight, belt- or magazine-fed weapon, able to burn through cartridges at a cyclical rate of up to 1,150 rounds per minute, making it the weapon of choice for fire support at squad level. This study uses gripping first-hand accounts and striking combat photographs, following the Minimi to war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It tracks its design and development, as well as investigating what has made it so compelling a choice for armed forces around the world for more than 40 years."--Publisher's description. A fully illustrated account that explores the origins, development, and combat record of the FN Minimi, the Belgian light machine gun that has been adopted by armies around the world. In 1974, renowned Belgian arms company Fabrique Nationale brought out a ground-breaking new light machine gun, the Minimi. Its success has been meteoric, arming more than 45 countries around the world. The Minimi offers the ultimate in portable firepower. Firing the high-velocity 5.56x45mm round, the Minimi is a gas-operated, lightweight, belt- or magazine-fed weapon, able to burn through cartridges at a cyclical rate of up to 1,150 rounds per minute, making it the weapon of choice for fire support at squad level. This study uses gripping first-hand accounts and striking combat photographs, following the Minimi to war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It tracks its design and development, as well as investigating what has made it so compelling a choice for armed forces around the world for more than 40 years In 1974, renowned Belgian arms company Fabrique Nationale brought out a groundbreaking new light machine gun, the Minimi. Its success has been meteoric, arming more than forty-five countries around the world. The Minimi offers the ultimate in portable squad firepower. Firing the high-velocity 5.56-by-45-millimeter round, the Minimi is a gas-fired, lightweight, open-bolt weapon, able to burn through cartridges at a cyclical rate of up to 1,150 rounds per minute, making it the weapon of choice for tactical support at squad or platoon level. This study uses gripping firsthand accounts and striking combat photographs, following the Minimi to war zones, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. It tracks its design and development, as well as investigating what has made it so compelling a choice for armed forces around the world for more than forty years.