FN MINIMI

Silhouette (Visual Identification)

Technical Specifications

Category	Light Machine Guns
Operating system	gas, automatic only
Cartridge	5.56 x 45mm / .223 Remington 7.62 x 51mm / .308 Winchester
Length	1040 mm
Feeding	disintegrating metal link belt or box magazine (M16 type)

The development of the Belgian FN Herstal MINIMI began in the early 1960s, but it did not enter into production until 1982. Since then, the MINIMI light machine gun has been in service in more than 35 countries including in the armies of the US and the UK. The gas-operated MINIMI is one of the most widely used guns in its class and caliber. It is usually belt fed and fired from a bipod, but it can also be fed by magazine and mounted on a tripod.

Global distribution map

Weapon prevalence

Country of origin

Licensed production

Production without a license

Scale dependend aggregation of production sites

The FN MINIMI is found in 49 countries according to our data.

This map is a reflection of data on global distribution and production provided primarily by the BwVC. It is not exhaustive. If you would like to add to or amend the data, please click here.

Global distribution list

The data on global distribution and production is provided primarily by the BwVC, but also from national and regional focal points on SALW control; data published by think tanks, international organizations and experts; and/or data provided by individual researchers on SALW. It is not exhaustive. If you would like to add to or amend the data, please click here.

Symbol legend

	Country of origin
	Licensed production
	Production without a licence

G	Government: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is held by Governmental agencies.
N	Non-Government: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is held by non-Governmental armed groups.
U	Unspecified: Sources indicate that this type of weapon is found in the country, but do not specify whether it is held by Governmental agencies or non-Governmental armed groups.

It is entirely possible to have a combination of tags beside each country. For example, if country X is tagged with a G and a U, it means that at least one source of data identifies Governmental agencies as holders of weapon type Y, and at least one other source confirms the presence of the weapon in country X without specifying who holds it.

Afghanistan (AFG)		G
Australia (AUS)		G
Belgium (BEL)		G
Brazil (BRA)		G
Canada (CAN)		G
Chile (CHL)		G
China (CHN)		G
Denmark (DNK)		G
Dominican Republic (DOM)		G
Egypt (EGY)		G
France (FRA)		G
Greece (GRC)		G
Hungary (HUN)		G

Indonesia (IDN)		G
Iraq (IRQ)		G
Ireland (IRL)		G
Israel (ISR)		U
Italy (ITA)		G
Japan (JPN)		G
Latvia (LVA)		G
Lithuania (LTU)		G
Luxembourg (LUX)		G
Malaysia (MYS)		G
Mexico (MEX)		G
Morocco (MAR)		G

Nepal (NPL)		G
Netherlands (NLD)		G
New Zealand (NZL)		G
Norway (NOR)		G
Pakistan (PAK)		G
Papua New Guinea (PNG)		G
Peru (PER)		G
Philippines (PHL)		G
Poland (POL)		G
Serbia (SRB)		G
Slovakia (SVK)		G
Slovenia (SVN)		G

Spain (ESP)		G
Sri Lanka (LKA)		G
Suriname (SUR)		G
Sweden (SWE)		G
Switzerland (CHE)		G
Thailand (THA)		G
Timor-Leste (TLS)		G
Turkey (TUR)		G
United Arab Emirates (ARE)		G
United Kingdom (GBR)		G
United States (USA)		G
Vietnam (VNM)		G