FN Minimi

The FN Minimi was a combination 'belt-fed'/magazine fed' light machine gun, designed to serve in the role of "Squad Automatic Weapon". The SAW was a mobile suppressive fire platform that was light weight and single man transportable - much more so than the venerable M60 (which was always supposed to be a General Purpose Machine Gun, i.e. a crew served weapon). The U.S. Military adopted the first models of the FN Minimi in the 1980s directly as the XM249 or later as the M249 SAW (with some slight design changes in the official U.S. Adopted version). Later versions of the gun, reflected upgrades and design changes that were requested by the U.S. Military.

On a historical note: in the first months of the First Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm 1990), there were not enough M249s to supply the massive troop buildup in the Middle East, so the U.S. Army bought outright a number of unaltered FN Minimis directly from FN, to supplement the weapons. So it is not inaccurate to see first pattern FN Minimis in the hands of U.S. Soldiers who are supposedly issued M249 SAWs since the Army mixed the two versions together until the Late 1990s.

Please note that a number of movies, particularly those filmed in British Columbia, Canada, use the Daewoo K3 to stand in for the FN Minimi and M249. Visit the Daewoo K3 page to compare the two guns.

The FN Minimi and variants are used by the following actors in the following movies, television series, video games, and anime:

Specifications

(1984 - Present)

Type: Machine Gun

Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO

Capacity: 100, 200 round linked belts, or 30 round M16 Magazines

Fire Modes: Full Auto Only (650-900 RPM) (No Selector Switch, safety is a push button)

FN Minimi

FN Minimi - 5.56x45mm with 200-round ammo drum (note 90-degree carry handle and flash hider design).

M249 (first pattern U.S. adopted variant of the original FN Minimi) - 5.56x45mm. The only noticeable change from the Belgian Minimi is the rear sight design and cut outs in the buttstock. Other minor changes would result in the M249-E1 and the M249-E2.

FN Minimi Para - 5.56x45mm with 100-round camo cloth ammo bag. Note handguard design distinguishing this from the paratrooper version of the M249 SAW below.

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
The Other Guys		Rasta robbers		2010
Green Zone		U.S. Army soldiers	Substitutes the M249 SAW with an added heatshield	2010
Quantum of Solace		Gunmen	Paratrooper version	2008
Home of the Brave	Brian Presley	Specialist Tommy Yates	Paratrooper version mounted on Humvee with 200-round woodland camo cloth ammo bag	2006
Swordfish	John Travolta	Gabriel Shear		2001
Black Hawk Down	Ian Virgo	PFC John Waddell	Substitutes the M249 SAW	2001
Black Hawk Down	Tom Hardy	Specialist Lance Twombly	Substitutes the M249 SAW	2001
Proof of Life		Downtown 3	Substitutes the M249 SAW with an added heatshield	2000
Ronin	Robert De Niro	Sam	The Paratrooper version is used	1998
One That Got Away, The		One of the SAS soldiers		1996
Operation Condor	Eva Cobo de Garcia	Elsa		1991
Robocop		Detroit SWAT officer		1987

Video Games

Title	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Resident Evil Game		Can only be found in the PC version	1996
Project I.G.I			2000
Project IGI 2: Covert Strike			2003
Mercenaries 2: World In Flames			2008
Project Reality	Paratrooper version with optional SUSAT scope and 100-round DPM camo cloth ammo bag		2005
Little Busters!			2007

Anime

Film/Television Title	Character	Notation	Date
Kochikame, The Movie	Volvo Saigo		1999
Asobi ni Ikuyo!			2010
Gunsmith Cats			1995

M249-E1 / M249-E2 / M249 Paratrooper SAW

M249-E1 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) with 200-round ammo drum - First major upgrade of the SAW officially adopted by the U.S. Military (this is a real blank adapted movie gun) - 5.56x45mm

M249-E2 SAW - upgraded M249 with heat shield and full synthetic Stock - 5.56x45mm with 200 round ammo drum.

M249 SAW - 5.56x45mm paratrooper version with 200 round ammo drum

M249 Paratrooper - a real blank adapted movie gun with bipod folded and a picatinny rail on the top of the feed tray cover - 5.56x45mm

M249 SAW Paratrooper - this one features components of the Product Improvement Package (PIP), including the new telescoping stock, heat shield, and RIS handguard, and is also fitted with an ACOG scope and a 100-round woodland camo cloth ammo bag - 5.56x45mm

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Battle: Los Angeles		U.S Marines	With ACOG sight	2011
Gamer		Slayers	With barrel shroud	2009
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra	Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje	Heavy Duty	With grenade launcher	2009
District 9		MNU mercenaries		2009
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem		Special Forces soldier	With Elcan M145 MGO and suppressor	2009
In the Valley of Elah	Hans Steckley	Cpl. Steckley	Paratrooper version	2007
I Am Legend	Will Smith	Dr. Robert Nevile		2007
Stop-Loss	Joseph Gordon-Levitt	Pfc. Tommy Burgess	With Elcan M145 MGO	2007
28 Weeks Later		U.S. Army soldiers		2007
The Island		Mercenaries	Paratrooper model; mounted on fictional 'Black Wasp' airbikes	2005
War of The Worlds	???	U.S. Army soldiers		2005
Jarhead	???	U.S. Marines		2005
The Island			Mounted on the 'Black Wasp' craft	2005
Bad Boys II	???	A member of the rescue team	Paratrooper version is seen	2003
Hulk	???	Soldiers in the Secret Lab	fitted with Cobray CM203 Flare Launcher	2003
The Hunted	Carrick O'Quinn	Kohler		2003
Tears of the Sun	Nick Chinlund	Michael "Slo" Slowenski	Paratrooper version with cloth ammo pouch and accessory rail mounted on feed tray cover	2003
Die Another Day	???	U.S. Army soldiers	Paratrooper version is seen	2002

Television

Show Title / Episode	Actor	Character	Notation	Air Date
Generation Kill	Billy Lush	Lance Corporal Trombley		2008
Generation Kill	???	U.S. Marines		2008
CSI: NY/Heroes	???	U.S. Marine		May 10, 2006
Invasion	???	Hybrid National Guardsmen		2005-2006
Over There	Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones	Pvt. Maurice 'Smoke' Williams	Starts out with the standard version, then changes to paratrooper version	2005
Red Cap		Army Air Corps Gunner	Paratrooper model	2003-2004

Video Games

Title	Appear As	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Insurgency
Counter-Strike Online	M249	Red(Christmas Special)	Paratrooper version	TBD
Operation 7				???
Half-Life			Only appears in the expansion pack Opposing Force, magazine capacity is 50 rounds	1998
Armored Fist 3			Seen in title sequence, non-playable	1999
Counter-Strike	M249		Paratrooper version	2000
Delta Force: Land Warrior				2000
Parasite Eve 2	Light Machine Gun			2000
Fallout Tactics	FN M249 SAW	w/ 30-round STANAG magazines		2001
Delta Force: Task Force Dagger				2002
America's Army				2002
XIII	Sub-machinegun	No stock		2003
Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield		w/scope		2003
Counter-Strike: Condition Zero	M249		Paratrooper version	2003
Kill.Switch				2004
Full Spectrum Warrior				2004
Counter-Strike: Source	M249		Paratrooper version	2004
Far Cry	Machine gun	No stock		2004
Battlefield 2		With Minimi-style carry handle and muzzle brake	Handheld or vehicle-mounted, or in fixed positions	2005
Close Combat: First to Fight				2005
Project Reality		With paratrooper-style telescoping stock	In fixed defensive positions	2005
Project Reality		Paratrooper version with optional M145 MGO or ACOG scope, M4-style telescoping stock, RIS foregrip, and 100-round woodland camo cloth ammo bag		2005
Far Cry: Instincts				2005
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat				2006
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories	SAW			2006
America's Army: True Soldiers				2007
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare	M249 SAW			2007
ArmA: Armed Assault				2007
Soldier of Fortune: Payback				2007
Battlefield: Bad Company		Paratrooper version		2008
Far Cry 2		Metal belt box		2008
America's Army 3		With 200-round ammo drum or 100-round woodland camo ammo bag and M68 Aimpoint red dot scope		2009
ArmA II	M249 SAW		Also available in M249 Paratrooper and L110A1 models	2009
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2	M249 SAW		An M249 SAW is seen mounted on a log in the level "Whiskey Hotel"	2009
Marines: Modern Urban Combat				2010
Just Cause 2	Machine Gun			2010
Fallout: New Vegas		w/lower wooden handguards		2010
Delta Force: Xtreme 2				2010
Medal of Honor	M249 SAW	w/variety of accessories		2010
Homefront	M249			2011

Anime

Film/Television Title	Character	Notation	Date
Blood+	Red Shield personnel		2005
Flag	mounted on UNF tank	M249-E1	2006
Full Metal Panic!	Sousuke Sagara	M249-E2 SAW	2002
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex	Batou	M249 SAW	2002

FN Minimi SPW

Several times seen as a modified Daewoo K3.

FN Minimi SPW with 100-round cloth ammo bag and RIS foregrip - 5.56x45mm

Video Games

Title	Appear As	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Kane and Lynch: Dead Men				2007
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter	"MK48"	w/ carry handle		2005
Rainbow Six: Vegas	M249 SPW	With optional ACOG scope, red dot sight, and improved stock		2006
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2	M249 SPW	with a variety of accesories and wrong buttstock when used by the player		2008

Mk 48 Mod 0

Mk 48 Mod 0 light machine gun with RIS foregrip - 7.62x51mm NATO

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
XXX 2: State of the Union	Ice Cube	Darius Stone		2005
XXX 2: State of the Union	Samuel L. Jackson	August Gibbons		2005

Television

Show Title / Episode	Actor	Character	Notation	Air Date
Future Weapons/Predators	Richard Machowicz	Richard Machowicz		February 26, 2007

Video Games

Title	Appear As	Mods	Notation	Release Date
SOCOM: Combined Assault				2006
SOCOM 3: US Navy SEALS				2005
SOCOM: Confrontation	Mk. 48			2008
Combat Arms	Mk.48			2004
Soldier of Fortune: Payback	M48 SAW	custom stock and carry handle	w/ EOTEch, reflex scope or red dot scope	2007
ArmA II		M68 Aimpoint		2009
Battlefield Play4Free	"Veteran's M249 SAW"	With optional EOTech red dot sight	Depicted as upgraded version of Mk 46 Mod 0	2011

Mk 46 Mod 0

The Mk 46 Mod 0 is a short-barreled Mk 48 in 5.56x45mm NATO

File:Mk46.jpg

Mk 46 Mod 0 light machine gun - 5.56x45mm

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen		NEST soldiers	With Harris bipods, Aimpoint and Elcan M145 MGO sights	2009
Iron Man			Seen on table during weapons demonstration	2008

Television

Show Title / Episode	Actor	Character	Notation	Air Date
Future Weapons/Predators	Richard Machowicz	Richard Machowicz		February 26, 2007

Video Games

Title	Appear As	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Rainbow Six: Vegas	MK46	w/variety of accessories		2006
Rainbow Six: Vegas 2	MK46	w/variety of accessories		2008
Saints Row 2	AR-200			2008
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots	Mk. 46 Mod 1		Actually a Mod 0	2008
Operation 7				???
MAG				2010
Counter-Strike Online	Destiny gold key	w/ 1.5x M145 MGO scope		2010
Battlefield Play4Free	As the "M249 SAW"		With optional EOTech red dot sight	2011

FN C9 Light Machine Gun

The C9 is a variant of the Minimi used by the Canadian Armed Forces, identifiable by the open front sight and rounded trigger guard as opposed to the hooded front sights and squared trigger guard on other Minimi variants. The upgraded version, the C9A1, features an ELCAN scope mounted on the feed tray cover and an optional vertical grip that mounts to the stock for added stability during prone firing. The newest version, the C9A2, is a mid-life upgrade that incorporates a paratrooper-length barrel and an overall olive drab coloration and M4-style telescoping stock to match the Canadian-issue C7A2 rifle.

FN C9 light machine gun 5.56x45mm

FN C9A1 light machine gun with bipod removed, ELCAN scope, and 200-round ammo drum - 5.56x45mm

File:101-smallarm-2-c9a2-lmg.jpg

FN C9A2 light machine gun with ELCAN scope, AN/PEQ-2 IR designator, and 200-round cloth ammo bag - 5.56x45mm

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Courage Under Fire	Lou Diamond Phillips	Staff Sergeant John Monfriez	Fitted with heat shield to pass for M249 SAW	1996

Video Games

Title	Appear As	Mods	Notation	Release Date
Project Reality		C9A2, with optional ELCAN scope and 100-round cloth ammo bag	Handheld or vehicle-mounted	2005