FN Herstal’s Minimi belt fed 5.56mm Light Machine Gun (LMG), has entered service on a scale of one per four-man fire team.

The Minimi has been used operationally by British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and the UK MoD is buying 2,472 weapons.

The contract which will boost the firepower within infantry sections was believed to have been completed in late 2007.

The Minimi is in service with the Australian, Canadian and New Zealand as well as the US Armed Forces.