The Army is preparing to replace its long-serving M240B machine gun, launching a multibillion-dollar program to field a next-generation automatic weapon for frontline troops, according to newly released budget documents.
Dubbed the Future Medium Machine Gun, or FMMG, the new weapon will mirror the M240B in function as a machine gun primarily for dismounted combat units. Service documents say it is intended to offer improved killing power and operational capability over the current platform, which has been in use since the 1970s.
“The FMMG is a belt-fed, crew-served, direct-fire weapon system that will enable the rifle platoon to organically suppress and destroy enemy personnel targets and maintain operational tempo,” the Army wrote in its fiscal plans. “The FMMG will provide increased lethality and capability to the warfighter compared to present machine gun technologies fielded to operational units.”
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The service plans to spend more than $3.6 billion on the development and acquisition of the weapon, a figure that includes research and development as well as a future contract award to a firearms manufacturer. The process is expected to unfold over the next decade or more, one service official with direct knowledge noted, which is in line with typical procurement timelines for new standard-issue arms.
Key details remain undecided, including the caliber of ammunition the FMMG will use. The M240B uses 7.62mm. Historically, the Army has fielded new infantry weapons by assigning early testing to elite or frontline units, gathering feedback across different environments and mission types before scaling production across the force.
The move comes amid a broader modernization push by the Army to update its small-arms portfolio. Last year, the Army began fielding replacements for the M4 carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon machine gun to soldiers in the 101st Airborne Division and plans for those new weapons to be the standard equipment for troops within the next two decades.
The M240B was originally introduced to the Army in 1977 and saw its first significant action in combat during the U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983. Weighing 27 pounds, the M240B is among the most versatile weapons in the Army’s arsenal, serving as the key pillar of dismounted infantry combat power and as a light alternative for mounting on armored vehicles and tanks.
The M240B replaced the M60, nicknamed “The Pig,” which was initially fielded in 1960. It was a signature weapon of the Vietnam War and saw action through the early years of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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