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The M249 Para (Paratrooper) is a compact version of the M249 SAW intended for use in airborne infantry units. It features a sliding aluminum buttstock , a shorter 13.7 in (348 mm) barrel, a length of 893 mm (35 in) and a weight of 7.1 kg (16 lb).
In September 2011, 19 soldiers participated in a two-week assessment of the LSAT light machine gun at Fort Benning, Georgia to demonstrate its capabilities against the M249 SAW. In one test the soldiers, half armed with SAWs and half with LSATs, marched six miles in full combat gear then fired at targets to measure stress and muscle fatigue.
The M1025/M1026 and M1043/M1044 armament carriers provide mounting and firing capabilities for the M134 Minigun, the Mk 19 grenade launcher, the M2 heavy machine gun, the GAU-19A/B gatling gun, the M240G/B machine gun and M249 SAW.
The weapon chosen to replace the M249 was the modified HK416, later designated the M27 IAR. The M249 SAW is still in use as a squad automatic weapon by the US Army. In 2019, US Army launched Next Generation Squad Weapon Program to find replacement for M249 SAW and replacement for 5.56×45mm NATO round. There are three competitors:
Within the table of organization and equipment for both the United States Army and the U.S. Marine Corps, these two classes of weapons are understood to be crew-served, as the operator of the weapon has an assistant, who carries additional ammunition and associated equipment, acts as a spotter, and is also fully qualified in the operation of ...
Compared to the M249 light machine gun weighing 19.2 lb (8.7 kg) unsuppressed, with a basic combat load of 600 rounds in three 200-round pouches, weighing 20.8 lb (9.4 kg), the XM250 light machine gun weighs about 4 lb (1.8 kg) less and a gunner carries roughly a 1 lb (0.45 kg) heavier load with 200 fewer rounds.
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. A lightweight variant of the Para with a Picatinny top cover rail adapter is known as the Minimi Special Purpose Weapon (SPW).
A U.S. Army graphic detailing the competitors for the program as of December 2020. The Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) program is a United States military program created in 2017 by the U.S. Army to replace the 5.56mm M4 carbine, the M249 SAW light machine gun, and the 7.62mm M240 machine gun, with a common system of 6.8mm cartridges and to develop small arms fire-control systems for the ...