The British Ministry of Defence has published a tender for the procurement of a new light machine gun as part of the Troubler project, with a budget of up to £4 million (€4.82 million). Among the known requirements, it must be chambered in 5.56 mm and weigh no more than 7.2 kg.
The latter parameter refers to the weight of the L110 machine gun - the British designation for the Belgian FN Minimi, which was in service with the British Army until 2019 when it was retired along with the L86, a lightweight magazine-fed machine gun based on the L85. All machine guns were replaced with significantly heavier FN MAGs chambered in 7.62 mm, weighing nearly 12 kg. However, it seems that the British military has now decided to reverse this decision.
The call for proposals will remain open until March 24 of this year, and deliveries are expected to start no later than July 1, 2026. Among potential candidates, the Minimi could again be considered, which in its modern Mk3 version has gained weight up to 8 kg. However, FN Herstal will likely be able to manage this. Alternatively, they may offer the FN Evolys, which weighs 5.5 kg and has a 14-inch barrel length, belt feed, and a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute.
0Currently, the FN Minimi is the most popular machine gun in the world in this caliber and is produced under license and independently across the globe, from the USA (where it is known as the M249) to China.
Moreover, the choice of a future machine gun caliber of 5.56 mm clearly answers the question of whether the UK will change the caliber of its small arms. Plans to find a replacement for the L85 (SA80) assault rifles, developed in the 1970s, are formalized in the Grayburn project from 2023. The purpose of a light machine gun is specifically to have the most common caliber within the unit.
1Therefore, it is evident that the British Army will not transition to a different caliber. Although one of the obvious options was to switch to a
6.8x51 mm cartridge, which is replacing the 5.56x45 mm in the US Armed Forces. It will be used in the XM7 assault rifles, which will replace the M4, and in the XM250
, which replaces the M249, that is, the same FN Minimi.
2In fact, the return of light machine guns could initiate the process of transitioning to new assault rifles in a new caliber. However, it is clear that the advantages of the new ammunition, specifically designed for effective penetration of existing and future body armor, as assessed in London, do not outweigh the costs.
Furthermore, there is also the issue of compatibility, but now in the medium term, not with the USA, but with allies in Europe. This also suggests that the main candidate to replace the L85 (SA80) assault rifles could be the HK416 from Heckler & Koch, which is replacing the FAMAS in France and the G36 in Germany, or another variation based on the AR-15.