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FN Herstal extends the service life of its M3M .50-calibre machine gun by 50%
Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal has unveiled the FN M3M Endurance, a new version of its .50-calibre machine gun. It retains a rate of fire of 1,100 rounds per minute while extending maintenance intervals and improving operational availability.
M3 .50-calibre
© FN Herstal
FN Herstal is expanding its family of M3 .50-calibre machine guns with the FN M3M Endurance. The new version is making its world debut at Euronaval 2026. It is designed to reduce the maintenance burden on armed forces without sacrificing the firepower that has established the platform’s reputation.
The main change is an increase in the weapon’s service life from 40,000 to 60,000 rounds — a 50% improvement. Preventive-maintenance intervals will also increase from 5,000 to 15,000 rounds, cutting the frequency of interventions by a factor of three. According to the manufacturer, these changes should reduce armourers’ workloads, ease the logistical burden and increase system availability.
“Our aim was to create a fully integrated, state-of-the-art system that delivers very high firepower, an extended service life and reduced maintenance requirements,” says Rudi Collin, Vice-President Integrated Weapon Systems at FN.
Versatile platform
The FN M3M Endurance retains its rate of fire of 1,100 rounds per minute. It is entirely mechanical and requires no power supply to operate. It can therefore remain operational even if the host vehicle’s electrical system fails or its power supply is limited.
Designed for integration with FN’s weapon-mount systems, it can be installed on air, land and naval platforms. Mounted on a ground pedestal, it can also be used for perimeter defence and counter-drone missions.
“The FN M3M Endurance addresses the main challenges faced by our customers in airborne applications, where the FN M3 is widely used, as well as in land and naval applications, where maintenance requirements differ from those in the aviation sector,” Rudi Collin observes.
FN presents the new version as an integrated system combining the weapon with its mounts, ammunition, operator training and support services.
- Pascal Samama
