The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) is expecting a delivery of MFR56 5.56 mm caliber Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW) made by System Defence of Turkiye in the next few weeks. The contract for 160 units was signed last week on Monday (4 July) although its value has yet to be revealed.
In 2021, the Philippine Navy (PN) outlined its requirements for a new SAW to replace older FN Minimi and M60E3/E4 light machine guns in the PMC inventory. Notable among the required specifications are the 5.56 mm x 45 mm caliber, a dual-feed system with a 30-round standard magazine or a high capacity 200-round box magazine, a quick-change barrel, and an overall weight not exceeding 8.16 kg.
Aside from the offer by the Turkish company, the Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Negev NG5 and Singapore’s ST Kinetic Ultimax 100 were also listed among the candidates in the acquisition program. The signing of a contract for 160 MFR56 will likely be the first major export for System Defence since its establishment in 2018.
Touted by the company as “The World’s Lightest Dual-Feed Machine Gun”, System Defence’s MFR56 is a short-stroke gas piston-operated SAW. It has an empty weight of 4.2 kg or a fully-loaded weight of 4.8 kg with a standard 30-round magazine. The weapon’s upper receiver assembly is designed to be compatible with the standard M16/AR-15/M4 lower receiver. Its 412 mm length barrel is fitted with a quick-change handle so it can be replaced quickly in the field.
The MFR56 can be fired in a three-round burst or in a fully automatic mode. Featuring an M-4 style adjustable telescopic buttstock, its handguard also features MIL-STD-1913 rail assemblies to mount accessories such as a foldable height-adjustable bipod, a laser designator, or a handgrip. It also features a MIL-STD-1913 rail assembly on top of its feed cover to mount an optical or a telescopic sight.
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