United States Special Operations Command is hunting for a radically lighter machine gun that weighs about 10 pounds and fires standard 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition.
The proposed Flyweight Assault Machine Gun is intended to give elite operators serious suppressive fire without forcing them to haul another battlefield anchor.
Navy Cmdr. Joe Vermette, a spokesperson for the command, confirmed that the weapon would replace the Mk 46.
That special operations version of the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon has served for roughly 30 years, making the search a substantial modernization effort rather than another Pentagon science project.
“The goal is to replace the MK46 while integrating advancements in material, manufacturing, and technology to provide the operators with a technically superior weapon system that will allow an operator to effectively shoot, maneuver, and lay down suppressive fire,” Vermette said.
That combination of mobility and sustained fire is especially important for special operators, who routinely carry weapons, ammunition, communications equipment, armor, medical gear, and other mission essentials.
Shaving pounds from a primary weapon can translate directly into greater speed, endurance, or additional ammunition when the shooting starts.
SOCOM expects to award a contract for the new machine gun late next year, according to Vermette. If testing proceeds as planned, the command intends to begin fielding the Flyweight Assault Machine Gun during fiscal year 2028.
The War Zone first reported in May that SOCOM was seeking a new lightweight machine gun for special operations forces.
A Navy contract opportunity posted in June later provided a clearer picture of the performance standards the command expects industry to meet.
Under those requirements, the weapon can be no longer than 39 inches, although that ceiling could eventually shrink to 35 inches.
It must also provide an effective range of at least 500 meters against area targets, giving operators useful reach despite the compact design and lightweight frame.
The solicitation calls for a “quick-change barrel” that can be replaced within 30 seconds or less. It also requires a collapsible buttstock and “no stoppages in extreme cold and heat,” because elite troops do not get to choose pleasant weather before going to work.
Recoil must be controlled well enough for operators to engage targets at the weapon’s maximum effective range during both daytime and nighttime missions.
The gun must also work with SOCOM’s Visual Augmentation Systems and Weapon Accessories, ensuring compatibility with the specialized optics and equipment already used across the force.
Delivering all of that in a weapon weighing approximately 10 pounds will be no small engineering task. Machine guns must survive heat, vibration, sustained firing, rough handling, and filthy battlefield conditions, all while remaining reliable enough that an operator can trust the weapon when a mission turns ugly.
The Flyweight program is only one part of SOCOM’s broader effort to modernize its machine gun inventory. Vermette said the command is separately pursuing the Lightweight Machine Gun Medium, chambered in .338 Norma Magnum, and the Light Machine Gun Assault, chambered in 7.62mm NATO.
Those programs would provide special operators with multiple levels of firepower tailored to different missions.
The 5.56mm weapon emphasizes mobility, the 7.62mm platform provides greater power, and the .338 Norma Magnum option is meant to extend machine gun reach and battlefield authority.
SOCOM is also preparing to place a new rifle into operators’ hands. Vermette said in May that the command expected to begin fielding the MK24 Mid Range Gas Gun Assault during the current fiscal year as a replacement for the MK17 SCAR H Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle Heavy.
The MK24 includes a “quick-change swappable barrel” that allows the rifle to fire both 7.62mm NATO and 6.5mm Creedmoor ammunition.
That flexibility gives operators another tool for adapting weapon configuration to mission distance, ammunition requirements, and expected threats.
For troops who already count every ounce before stepping outside the wire, a capable 10 pound machine gun could be a major improvement.
If manufacturers can meet SOCOM’s demanding reliability, range, recoil, and durability standards, America’s special operators may soon carry lighter weapons without surrendering the suppressive fire their missions demand.
