M249 light machine gun

Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249
Type	Squad automatic weapon/Light machine gun
Place of origin	United States (M249 derivative) Belgium
Service history
In service	1984-Present
Used by	United States armed forces Lebanon

The M249 light machine gun is a machine gun which is the U.S. vesion of the Belgian FN Minimi light machine gun, used by the United States and Lebanon. The main use of this weapon is to provide cover fire for other people in the group (the squad) The gun uses 5.56 NATO caliber ammunition.

Overview

The M249 was made because a lot of the squadrons of the U.S. Army did not have fully automatic weapons. It has seen action in every war that the United States has been in since 1989.

Replacement

The M249 is due to be replaced by the German M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle in the U.S. Marines, but the U.S. Army does not plan to buy any M27's, so it will stay in service with them.