View source for FN Minimi Belgian 5.56mm Light Machine Gun

{
    "tiers": [
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    ],
    "categories": [
        "WEG",
        "Infantry Weapons",
        "Machine Guns",
        "Light Machine Guns (LMG)",
        "Tier4",
        "Belgium",
        "Land",
        "PRO_Afghanistan",
        "PRO_Australia",
        "PRO_Belgium",
        "PRO_Brazil",
        "PRO_Burundi",
        "PRO_Canada",
        "PRO_Chile",
        "PRO_China",
        "PRO_Czech Republic",
        "PRO_Denmark",
        "PRO_Dominican Republic",
        "PRO_East Timor (Timor-Leste)",
        "PRO_Egypt",
        "PRO_France",
        "PRO_Greece",
        "PRO_Hungary",
        "PRO_Indonesia",
        "PRO_Iraq",
        "PRO_Ireland",
        "PRO_Italy",
        "PRO_Japan",
        "PRO_Latvia",
        "PRO_Libya",
        "PRO_Luxembourg",
        "PRO_Malaysia",
        "PRO_Mali",
        "PRO_Mexico",
        "PRO_Nepal",
        "PRO_Netherlands",
        "PRO_New Zealand",
        "PRO_Norway",
        "PRO_Pakistan",
        "PRO_Panama",
        "PRO_Papua New Guinea",
        "PRO_Peru",
        "PRO_Philippines",
        "PRO_Poland",
        "PRO_Portugal",
        "PRO_Senegal",
        "PRO_Serbia",
        "PRO_Singapore",
        "PRO_Slovenia",
        "PRO_Spain",
        "PRO_Sri Lanka",
        "PRO_Sweden",
        "PRO_Switzerland",
        "PRO_Syria",
        "PRO_Thailand",
        "PRO_Tunisia",
        "PRO_Turkey",
        "PRO_United Arab Emirates",
        "PRO_United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland",
        "PRO_United States of America",
        "PRO_Viet Nam",
        "PRO_Yemen"
    ],
    "notes": "The FN Minimi (short for French: Mini Mitrailleuse; \"mini machine gun\") is a Belgian 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon, or SAW developed by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in the late 1970s, it is now in service in more than 75 countries. The weapon is currently manufactured at the FN facility in Herstal and their U.S. subsidiary FN Manufacturing LLC.\n\nThe Minimi is a SAW that fires from an open bolt. It is an air-cooled weapon that is capable of fully automatic fire only. It can be belt fed or fired from a magazine. The Minimi is configured in several variants: the Standard model as a platoon or squad support weapon, the Para version for paratroopers and the Vehicle model as secondary armament for fighting vehicles.\n\nThe Minimi has a manually adjustable gas valve with two positions, normal and adverse. The adverse setting increases the cyclic rate of fire from 700–850 rounds per minute to 950–1,150 rounds per minute and is used only in extreme environmental conditions or when heavy fouling is present in the weapon's gas tube. The spring extractor is located inside the bolt, while the tilting lever ejector is contained inside the receiver housing. Spent casings are removed through a port located at the bottom of the right side of the receiver, protected from debris with a spring-loaded dust cover. The Minimi is striker-fired and the bolt carrier functions as the striker mechanism.\n\nThe Minimi has a push-button type manual safety installed in the trigger housing, above the pistol grip. In the \"weapon safe\" position, it disables the sear mechanism; pushing the button to the right side exposes a red-colored rim on the left side of the firearm and indicates the weapon is ready to fire. The black polymer pistol grip from the FAL and FNC rifles was initially used, but the Minimi is currently fitted with a modified grip with lateral grooves, installed at a smaller angle to the receiver.\n\nThe Minimi features a welded receiver made from stamped steel. Both the standard and Para variants are equipped with a fixed, folding bipod mounted to the gas tube and stowed under the handguard. The bipod can be adjusted in height and each leg has three height settings. The bipod also offers a 15° range of rotation to either side. With the bipod fully extended, the bore axis is elevated to a height of 465 mm (18.3 in). The Minimi can also be fired from the Belgian FN360° tripod or the American M122 mount using an M60 pintle. The vehicle-mounted Minimi is fitted with an electrically powered trigger that enables it to be fired remotely from within an armored fighting vehicle.\n\nThe standard light machine gun version has a 465 mm (18.3 in) barrel and a skeletonized aluminum stock with a folding wire shoulder strap. The shortened Para model has a 349 mm (13.7 in) barrel and a collapsible metal stock, while the vehicle-mounted model has a 465 mm (18.3 in) barrel but does not have a stock or iron sights. All models can alternatively be fitted with a fixed synthetic stock, the same used on the M249, which contains a hydraulic buffer that contributes to stabilizing the rate of fire and reducing recoil forces.",
    "dateOfIntroduction": 1974,
    "countryOfOrigin": "Belgium",
    "proliferation": "Afghanistan, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Viet Nam, Yemen",
    "selectedregions": [],
    "checkedregions": [],
    "checkedcountries": [
        "Afghanistan",
        "Australia",
        "Belgium",
        "Brazil",
        "Burundi",
        "Canada",
        "Chile",
        "China",
        "Czech Republic",
        "Denmark",
        "Dominican Republic",
        "East Timor (Timor-Leste)",
        "Egypt",
        "France",
        "Greece",
        "Hungary",
        "Indonesia",
        "Iraq",
        "Ireland",
        "Italy",
        "Japan",
        "Latvia",
        "Libya",
        "Luxembourg",
        "Malaysia",
        "Mali",
        "Mexico",
        "Nepal",
        "Netherlands",
        "New Zealand",
        "Norway",
        "Pakistan",
        "Panama",
        "Papua New Guinea",
        "Peru",
        "Philippines",
        "Poland",
        "Portugal",
        "Senegal",
        "Serbia",
        "Singapore",
        "Slovenia",
        "Spain",
        "Sri Lanka",
        "Sweden",
        "Switzerland",
        "Syria",
        "Thailand",
        "Tunisia",
        "Turkey",
        "United Arab Emirates",
        "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland",
        "United States of America",
        "Viet Nam",
        "Yemen"
    ],
    "dis": {
        "name": "Unknown",
        "string": "00.00.000.000.000.000.000"
    },
    "images": [
        "FNMinimi(A).jpg",
        "FNMinimi(B).jpg"
    ],
    "sections": [
        {
            "name": "System",
            "properties": [
                {
                    "name": "Alternate Designation",
                    "value": "FN Minimi"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Manufacturer",
                    "value": "FN Herstal\nFNH USA"
                },
                {
                    "name": "In Service",
                    "value": "1974-Present"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Action",
                    "value": "Gas-actuated, open bolt"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Rate of Fire",
                    "value": "Minimi 5.56: 700–1,150 rounds/min\nMaximi 7.62: 680–800 rounds/min"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Muzzle Velocity",
                    "value": "Standard model: 925 m/s (3,035 ft/s)\nMinimi Para: 866 m/s (2,841.2 ft/s)"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Effective Firing Range",
                    "value": "300–1,000 m sight adjustments"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Feed System",
                    "value": "100 or 200-round belt contained in a 100-round or 200-round soft pouch, or 200-round box or 30-round M16-type STANAG magazine"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Sights",
                    "value": "Rear aperture, front post"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "name": "Dimensions",
            "properties": [
                {
                    "name": "Length",
                    "value": "Standard model: 1,040 mm (40.9 in)\nMinimi Para: 914 mm (36.0 in) stock extended / 766 mm (30.2 in) stock collapsed\nVehicle model: 793 mm (31.2 in) no buttstock\nMinimi 7.62: 1,015 mm (40.0 in) fixed stock\nMinimi 7.62: 1,000 mm (39.4 in) stock extended / 865 mm (34.1 in) stock collapsed"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Barrel Length",
                    "value": "Standard model: 465 mm (18.3 in)\nMinimi Para: 349 mm (13.7 in)\nMinimi 7.62: 502 mm (19.8 in)"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Width",
                    "value": "110 mm (4.3 in)\nMinimi 7.62: 128 mm (5.0 in)"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Weight",
                    "value": "Standard model: 7.1 kg (15.7 lb)\nMinimi Para: 7.44 kg (16.4 lb)\nMinimi TR: 7.75 kg (17.1 lb)\nMinimi Para TR: 7.77 kg (17.1 lb)\nVehicle model: 5.32 kg (11.7 lb)\nMinimi 7.62: 8.2 kg (18 lb)\nMinimi 7.62 Para: 8.4 kg (19 lb)\nMinimi 7.62 Para TR: 8.6 kg (19 lb)\nMinimi Mk3: 8 kg (18 lb)\nMinimi Mk3 7.62: 8.8 kg (19 lb)"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "name": "Ammunition",
            "properties": [
                {
                    "name": "Type",
                    "value": "Rifle"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Caliber",
                    "value": "5.56mm"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Cartridge",
                    "value": "5.56×45mm NATO"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "variants": [
        {
            "name": "M249",
            "notes": "The M249 version of the Minimi was adopted by the US military in 1982; since 1984, production for the US military has been carried out entirely in the US by a local subsidiary, FN Manufacturing LLC in South Carolina.\n\nAs part of the US military's M249 Product Improvement Program (PIP), the M249 was updated with: a new synthetic stock and modified buffer assembly, a single-position gas regulator, a so-called birdcage type flash hider/compensator from the M16A2, a polymer barrel heat guard, and a folding carry handle. As a result, the weapon’s weight increased to 7.47 kg (16.5 lb). Many of the PIP upgrades were later incorporated by FN for the Minimi.\n\nA lightweight variant of the Para with a Picatinny top cover rail adapter is known as the Minimi Special Purpose Weapon (SPW). It had the magazine feed port removed to further reduce weight, and a railed MIL-STD-1913 handguard was used that enables the use of standard tactical accessories.\n\nAnother variant of the SPW requested by the US Special Operations Forces is the Mk 46 Mod 0 that incorporates a lightweight fluted barrel but lacks the magazine feed system, vehicle mounting lugs and carry handle. A railed forearm ensures modularity and mission-adaptability permitting the use of flashlights, vertical grips, and infrared laser designators. An improved variant known as the Mk 46 Mod 1 with an improved forward rail and lightweight titanium bipod has been adopted by the United States Navy."
        },
        {
            "name": "Minimi 7.62",
            "notes": "The Minimi prototype was originally designed in 7.62×51mm NATO, and later redesigned for the 5.56 mm cartridge. When the USSOCOM issued the requirements for the Mk 48 Mod 0, the original plans for the Minimi were retrieved and used to develop this new model. As a result of favorable reviews of the Mk 48 Mod 0 and increasing demand for a more powerful variant of the Minimi, FN Herstal introduced the Minimi 7.62, available in several different configurations. Apart from the different caliber, the Minimi 7.62 incorporates a non-adjustable, self-regulating gas system and a hydraulic recoil buffer in the buttstock assembly. The Minimi 7.62 also has a different sight setup calibrated for the larger cartridge. The rear sight is adjustable from 100 to 1,000 m by 100 m increments. The sight can also be corrected for windage. A variant of the Minimi 7.62 equipped with a railed Picatinny handguard is the Minimi 7.62 TR."
        },
        {
            "name": "Minimi Mk3",
            "notes": "In November 2013, FN Herstal unveiled the improved Mk3 version of the Minimi light machine gun. The upgrades were based on operational experience and user feedback over the past 10–15 years. It can be converted to fire either 5.56×45mm or 7.62×51mm rounds. The stock is 5-position adjustable that is also adjustable for cheek rest height with a folding shoulder rest and hydraulic buffer. The feed tray has retaining pawls to hold ammunition from the belt in place while loading. The handguard has three forward picatinny rails. A new bipod is 3-position height adjustable and seamlessly integrates into the shape of the handguard when folded back regardless of accessories that may be attached. Others features include a more ergonomic cocking handle and an optional heat shield, enabled by an added on long pin, to protect from barrel heat. Users that already have Minimi machine guns can partially or completely upgrade their existing weapons with the Mk3 features."
        },
        {
            "name": "Production in other countries",
            "notes": "The Minimi is being licence-built in Canada, Australia, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Sweden, Greece and Switzerland by Colt Canada, Lithgow Arms, Beretta, Pindad, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Bofors Carl Gustaf, EAS and Astra Arms S.A. respectively.\n\nCopies of the Minimi have been produced for export by Norinco and made by Changfeng Machinery Co., Ltd in China without license, designated as CS/LM8 [zh] in 2011, and chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO. Another clone, known as the XY 5.56, is made by Yunnan Xiyi Industry Company Limited. This was supposed to be mistaken for the CS/LM8 when news of the weapon was made in 2008.\nTaiwan also produced the Minimi without license, as the T75. In addition, Egypt also produce Minimi under license."
        },
        {
            "name": "F89",
            "notes": "Australia: Designated F89 in Australian service. It is manufactured by Lithgow Arms. Both the Standard and Para versions are used, with the Standard version usually being equipped with a 1.5x sight, and the Para variant usually equipped with a holographic sight, a removable forward grip and a detachable bipod.The 7.62 mm model is known as the Maximi, is also in limited service."
        }
    ],
    "type": "WEG",
    "version": 1
}