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Lighter machine gun headed to Afghanistan

By year’s end, light infantry units in Afghanistan will be carrying a lighter, 7.62mm machine gun while patrolling the country’s extremely mountainous terrain.

The Army has fielded about 350 of the 550 MK48 machine guns it plans to issue to infantry brigade combat teams.

The effort began last year as part of a larger plan to find ways of lightening the loads soldiers struggle to carry in Afghanistan. In some cases, units would not take their M240B machine guns behind on extended patrols because they were too heavy to carry.

The MK48 is already standard issue to Special Operations Command units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Here’s what you need to know about the lighter machine gun:

30 percent lighter

The MK48 is 18.5 pounds compared to the 27.5-pound M240B — that’s about 30 percent lighter.

“It gives them increased firepower. Why? Because we didn’t take away their M240s,” said Col. Doug Tamilio, who runs Project Manager for Soldier Weapons.

“We gave them this to supplement [their M240s] so they can move quicker and lighter at higher elevations. It gives the commander greater flexibility to tailor their loads for each mission.”

More rounds per minute

Besides being lighter, how does it compare to the M240B? The MK48 has a cyclic rate of fire of 720 rounds per minute compared to the 240, which fires about 600 rounds per minute on cyclic.

As with the M240B, the MK48 has a maximum effective range of 1,800 meters on an area target and 800 meters on a point target.

Will the MK48 replace the M240B?

No. The MK48 doesn’t have the durability of the M240B. Its receiver will last for about 50,000 rounds; the bolt lasts about 15,000 rounds. By comparison, the M240B will last for about 100,000 rounds before parts need replacing.

“That is an incredibly durable weapon system,” Tamilio said, describing how infantry units rate the M240 as “the No. 1 weapon system.”

How long has the MK48 been around?

Navy SEAL teams first adopted the MK48 in 2000. It’s made by FN Manufacturing LLC, which also makes the M240 and M249 squad automatic weapon.

Short-term fix

The MK48 is intended to serve as a temporary fix until the Army starts fielding the M240L, which weighs about 22.5 pounds. The M240L, which weapons officials plan to start fielding next summer, gets its weight-savings from a titanium receiver.

Switching to a 17.6-inch barrel from the standard 23.6-inch barrel will cut that down to 20.5 pounds.