The U.S. Army has awarded FN America with a $4.9 million contract to supply additional FN M240L medium machine guns. The M240L was originally adopted by the branch in 2010, after a joint development effort with FN to create a lighter, yet durable, medium machine gun.
The M240L has been the cutting-edge for lightweight, medium machine guns since its introduction. It delivers the same performance and longevity as its predecessor—the FN M240B—despite weighing five pounds less. The 18-percent weight reduction was achieved by incorporating titanium into the design, including the receiver, and introducing new manufacturing methods to adjust material properties.
“The M240L continues the collaborative effort between FN, the U.S. Army and the individual Soldier to provide the most effective weapon systems for the warfighter,” said Mark Cherpes, president and CEO of FN America. “The development saw the introduction of new materials along with new manufacturing techniques that have paved the way for the future generation of military equipment. We are extremely proud of this product and look forward to working with the U.S. Army to deliver against this contract.”
The M240 general purpose machine gun, which is chambered in 7.62 NATO, was derived from the FN MAG 58 adopted by the U.S. military in the late 1970s. It has been in continual service since its introduction in various forms, including the M240, M240 coaxial, M240B, M240L, M240D and M240H models created by FN.
Throughout its history, FN has been one of the largest suppliers of small arms to the U.S. military and continues to develop innovative, future technology. In addition to the M240 and its variants, the company currently holds contracts for the FN M249 lightweight machine gun; the FN MK 46, MK 48, MK 17 and MK 20 SSR for USSOCOM and various others.
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