With their widespread use, machine guns, which stuck all the plans into the trenches on the Western Front of the Great War, continue to develop.
The Portuguese Army received the first batch of 200 MINIMI Mk3 machine guns from FN Herstal. Within the scope of the agreement signed with NSPA (NATO Support and Procurement Agency) last year, the delivery of a total of 830 weapons is envisaged.
MINIMI Mk3, the third generation member of the MINIMI (Mini Mitrailleuse / Mini Machine Gun) family that has become one of the legends of the Cold War, was introduced in November 2013. The MINIMI Mk3, which has a long-stroke gas piston system and rotary bolt, is fed from the left side with the M27 disintegrating belt. The rifle, which can also be fed with NATO standard 5.56 mm magazines, has components that emphasize user ergonomics such as a five-position adjustable buttstock and cheek rest. Supported by a mechanism that reduces recoil, the rifle has MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail that allows the use of different optics, electro-optics and accessories on the receiver and sides. The MINIMI Mk3, which offers stable firing with a three-stage folding bipod, can fire 7.62×51 mm NATO cartridges in a short time thanks to its conversion kit.
