The British Army is to review the use of belt-fed weapons by dismounted infantry platoons, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) official responsible.
The British Army is to review whether to remove the FN Minimi light machine gun (right) from its infantry sections. (Crown Copyright)
The justification for the review is because of the existing variety of the weapon systems in use within a rifle platoon, Lieutenant Colonel Ian Moodie, responsible for the Dismounted Close Combat section within the MoD’s Capability Directorate Combat, said on 14 March. This has made the need for an integral indirect fire capability redundant, he told the SMI Soldier Equipment and Technology Advancement Forum in London.
Currently each British Army infantry fire team is equipped with one L85A2 5.56×45 mm assault rifle (SA80); one L85A2 fitted with an underslung 40 mm grenade launcher (UGL); one L129A1 7.62×54 mm sharpshooter rifle; and one FN Herstal Para Minimi 5.56×45 mm light machine gun (LMG) to provide suppressive fire.
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