U.S. Army buys more medium machine guns
FN America, LLC announced last week that it has been awarded a $4.9 million contract to supply the U.S. Army with additional M240L medium machine guns.
The M240L, adopted by the Army in 2010 after a joint development effort with FN, is designed to be a lighter yet durable version of the service’s standard medium machine gun. According to FN, the M240L achieved an 18 percent weight reduction compared to its predecessor, the M240B, without compromising performance or longevity.
“The M240L continues the collaborative effort between FN, the U.S. Army and the individual soldier to provide the most effective weapon systems for the warfighter,” said Mark Cherpes, president and CEO of FN America, LLC. “The development saw the introduction of new materials along with new manufacturing techniques that have paved the way for the future generation of military equipment. We are extremely proud of this product and look forward to working with the U.S. Army to deliver against this contract.”
The weight savings were achieved by incorporating titanium into the weapon’s design, including the receiver, and introducing new manufacturing methods tailored to the material’s properties. The M240L weighs approximately five pounds less than the M240B while maintaining the same level of durability.
The M240 series, chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO, was originally derived from the FN MAG 58 and adopted by the U.S. military in the late 1970s. It has been in continual service since then and remains the general-purpose machine gun of choice for Army and Marine Corps units. FN has developed several variants of the system, including the M240 coaxial, M240B, M240D, M240H, and the lightweight M240L.
Throughout its history, FN has been one of the largest suppliers of small arms to the U.S. military. In addition to the M240 and its variants, the company currently holds contracts for the FN M249 light machine gun, as well as the MK 46, MK 48, MK 17, and MK 20 SSR for U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), among other programs.