278 Small Arms–Crew Served Weapons

INVESTMENT COMPONENT Modernization MISSION shot and automatic fire and provides • Current: MK19 in Production and To enable warfighters and small units to suppressive fire for offensive and Fielding Recapitalization engage targets with lethal fire to defeat defensive purposes against personnel and vehicular targets out to a PROJECTED ACTIVITIES Maintenance or deter adversaries. maximum range of 2,000 yards. It is • FY09: Continue M240 DESCRIPTION used primarily for vehicle mounted production and fielding The M240B machine gun is the ground applications, but can also be tripod • FY09: Continue MK19 production version of the original M240 machine mounted for static defensive operations. and fielding gun. The M240H is used as a defensive • FY09: Continue M240B Production armament for the UH-60 Black Hawk The MK19, Mod 3 Grenade Machine and fielding; Release Solicitation for and CH-47 Chinook. A lighter weight Gun is self-powered and air-cooled. a new competitive indefinite delivery, M240L has been Type Classified It engages point targets up to 1,500 indefinite quantity contract for low-rate production, and will meters and provides suppressive fires • FY09: Continue M240H production replace the M240B in Special Forces/ up to 2,200 meters. It can be mounted and fielding Ranger, Light , and Airborne on various tracked and wheeled • FY09: Award M240L low-rate dismounted units. vehicles, and on the M3 tripod for production contract for initial static defensive operations. fielding quantities The M249 • FY09: Continue M249 production (SAW) is a lightweight, gas-operated, SYSTEM INTERDEPENDENCIES and fielding; release solicitation for a one-man-portable automatic weapon None new competitive Indefinite Delivery, that delivers substantial, effective Indefinite Quantity contract fire at ranges out to 1,000 meters. PROGRAM STATUS • FY09: Continue M2 production and Improved bipods, improved collapsible • Current: M240B/H in production and fielding; award new competitive buttstocks, lightweight ground mounts, fielding indefinite delivery, indefinite and improved combat optics have • Current: M240L Initial production quantity contracts increased the combat effectiveness of phase • FY09: Continue MK19 production this weapon. • Current: M249 in production and and fielding; conduct first article fielding tests under the recently awarded The M2 is a .50 caliber, -fed, • Current: M2 in production and indefinite delivery, indefinite recoil-operated, air-cooled machine fielding quantity contracts gun. The M2 is capable of single-

ACQUISITION PHASE Technology Development Engineering & Manufacturing Development Production & Deployment Operations & Support

UNITED STATES ARMY 279

Small Arms–Crew Served Weapons

FOREIGN MILITARY SALES M240B Machine Gun: Romania, Afghanistan, , Panama, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Colombia, and Kenya M249 SAW: Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq MK19 Grenade Machine Gun: Canada, Colombia, Djibouti, Hungary, Lebanon, and Poland M2: Poland

CONTRACTORS M249 SAW: Fabrique National Manufacturing, LLC (Columbia, SC) M240B Machine Gun: Fabrique National Manufacturing, LLC (Columbia, SC) MK19 Grenade Machine Gun: General Dynamics Armament and Products (GDATP) Division (Saco, ME) , Inc. (Mesa, AZ)

WEAPON SYSTEMS 2010