The weapon was introduced in 1984 to address a lack of sustained automatic fire capability at the squad level. The M249 SAW combines the rate of fire of a machine gun with the accuracy and portability of …

The FN® M249 SAW has been a mainstay throughout the U.S. military since 1986 and is currently in service in more than 30 countries.

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, or SAW, is an individually portable, gas operated, magazine or disintegrating metallic link-belt fed, light machine gun with fixed headspace and quick change...

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is a light machine gun that is found throughout the US military. It fires 5.56mm45mm NATO ammunition and comes in a number of variants.

Nov 7, 2025 · The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is a belt-fed, gas-operated light machine gun designed to provide rapid, sustained firepower for infantry squads. Introduced in the 1980s, the M249 …

Nov 30, 2024 · Is the SAW a type of machine gun? Yes, the SAW is a type of light machine gun (LMG) specifically designed for squad-level deployment. It shares characteristics with other machine guns, …

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) is one of the main “small” arms weapons used by the soldiers of the United States Army. Officially designated as the M249 light machine gun (LMG), …

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) provides squad-level fire support. It lays down a base of sustained fire and is used routinely in both mounted and dismounted configurations.

With a little practice, a decent SAW gunner can indeed provide accurate and effective fire out to the maximum range of the round. To swap out barrels, the gunner locks the bolt to the rear and …

The M249 light machine gun (LMG), previously designated the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, is an American version of the Belgian FN …