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Special Operations Command wants a 10-pound 5.56mm machine gun

Talyn

Talyn

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The command that oversees U.S. special operators expects the Flyweight Assault Machine Gun to begin field testing in 2028, a spokesperson said.

U.S. Special Operations Command is looking for a new machine gun that weighs about 10 pounds and fires 5.56x45mm NATO rounds, said Navy Cmdr. Joe Vermette, a spokesperson for the command.

The Flyweight Assault Machine Gun would replace the Mk 46 — a special operations variant of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon — which has been in service for about 30 years, Vermette told Task & Purpose.

“The goal is to replace the MK46 while integrating advancements in material, manufacturing, and technology to provide the operators with a technically superior weapon system that will allow an operator to effectively shoot, maneuver, and lay down suppressive fire,” Vermette said.

The command expects to award a contract for the machine gun in late next year, Vermette said. SOCOM also plans to start fielding the weapon in fiscal year 2028 after testing has been completed, he said.

taskandpurpose.com

Special Operations Command wants a 10-pound 5.56mm machine gun

The weapon is expected to have a maximum length of 39 inches, a collapsible stock, and a barrel that can be replaced within 30 seconds.
taskandpurpose.com taskandpurpose.com

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Talyn said:
The command that oversees U.S. special operators expects the Flyweight Assault Machine Gun to begin field testing in 2028, a spokesperson said.

U.S. Special Operations Command is looking for a new machine gun that weighs about 10 pounds and fires 5.56x45mm NATO rounds, said Navy Cmdr. Joe Vermette, a spokesperson for the command.

The Flyweight Assault Machine Gun would replace the Mk 46 — a special operations variant of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon — which has been in service for about 30 years, Vermette told Task & Purpose.

“The goal is to replace the MK46 while integrating advancements in material, manufacturing, and technology to provide the operators with a technically superior weapon system that will allow an operator to effectively shoot, maneuver, and lay down suppressive fire,” Vermette said.

The command expects to award a contract for the machine gun in late next year, Vermette said. SOCOM also plans to start fielding the weapon in fiscal year 2028 after testing has been completed, he said.

taskandpurpose.com

Special Operations Command wants a 10-pound 5.56mm machine gun

The weapon is expected to have a maximum length of 39 inches, a collapsible stock, and a barrel that can be replaced within 30 seconds.
taskandpurpose.com taskandpurpose.com

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They could buy a Fightlite😉

fightlite.com

MCR®

fightlite.com fightlite.com
 
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SOCOM Wants an Ultra-Light Machine Gun. What Options Do They Have?​

What are the requirements? In June, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) posted a request for information regarding a project with an interesting name: Flyweight Assault Machine Gun (FAMG). It outlines detailed requirements for a new machine gun.

www.thefirearmblog.com

SOCOM Wants an Ultra-Light Machine Gun. What Options Do They Have?

Task&Purpose reported that US Special Operations Command is looking for a new light machine gun to replace the current special forces light machine gun, the MK 46.The MK 46 was adopted in 2003 and used extensively during the Global War on Terror by various special mission units.But it seems that...
www.thefirearmblog.com www.thefirearmblog.com

  1. The most striking requirement is weight: ‘The FAMG maximum weight with standard rail interface, carry handle, bipod attached, buttstock, and barrel shall be less than or equal to 11.5 lbs, with a goal weight of 10 lbs. Sights and other accessories will not be included in the weight requirement.’
  2. The next requirement is size: ‘The FAMG shall have a maximum length of 39 inches, with a goal of reducing to 35 inches. Measurement will be taken with buttstock collapsed (not folded), to the muzzle device’. This should not be a problem for weapon manufacturers, since size requirements are similar to MK 46.
  3. The accuracy requirement for semi-auto mode is extremely generous - 10 MOA at one hundred meters. At the same time, burst dispersion requirements are quite tough: 11 MOA at the same distance. The effective range requirement seems realistic, only 500 meters, which makes sense, since a lightweight weapon will probably have a short barrel.
  4. The reliability and durability requirements are tough as well: ‘Mean Round Between Stoppages (MRBS) of 1,400 rounds, with a goal of increasing that to 2,000+ rounds’. The document also mentions ‘FAMG should have zero stoppages when weapon and ammunition are exposed to extreme temperatures ranging from -20°F to +165°F’. For durability, receiver life requirement is 100,000 rounds and barrel life is 15,000 rounds.
  5. The document specifically outlines several features: the machine gun ‘should have a quick-change barrel with the ability to swap the barrel in 30 seconds or less’, ‘side folding, collapsible buttstock’ and ‘2 position/folding charging handle’.
Is there a weapon that fits those requirements? Realistically, there are only three weapon systems available ‘off the shelf’ that fit those requirements.

The first one is the Czech PZD MK 24, which weighs 5.2 kg (11.47 lbs) when equipped with a 14-inch barrel. Technically, it meets the requirements, but it is still way above the goal weight.

The second one is Knight's Armament Company LAMG. Based on the KAC Stoner LMG, it was tested by some US SOF units.

There is a third system that actually fits the requirements quite well: MCR (Mission Configurable Rifle). It is a belt-fed machine gun that uses an AR-15 lower and is manufactured by US company FightLite Industries, a division of ARES Defense Systems located in Florida.
 
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