Of all the infantry small arms developed during World War II, one that generated the most interest was the German 'assault rifle', the StG 44 Sturmgewehr. This innovative weapon inspired the Soviet AK-47 in 7.62x39mm calibre. In the West, the NATO countries looked hard at new weapons to upgrade their own infantry arsenals and counter the AK-47, resulting in the design of the Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL. It proved to be a successful battle rifle and was soon adopted by the military and police forces of no fewer than 93 nations. The FAL dominated the militaries of the West to such a degree that its nickname became the Right Arm of the Free World. The FAL fulfilled every role it was asked to perform and remains a viable and well-respected weapon to this day.

Of all the infantry small arms developed during World War II, one that generated the most interest was the German 'assault rifle', the StG 44 Sturmgewehr. This innovative weapon inspired the Soviet AK-47 in 7.62x39mm calibre. In the West, the NATO countries looked hard at new weapons to upgrade their own infantry arsenals and counter the AK-47, resulting in the design of the Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL. It proved to be a successful battle rifle and was soon adopted by the military and police forces of no fewer than 93 nations. The FAL dominated the militaries of the West to such a degree that its nickname became the Right Arm of the Free World. The FAL fulfilled every role it was asked to perform and remains a viable and well-respected weapon to this day.

For six decades, the 7.62mm FN MAG has been a dominant general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) in worldwide arsenals. Three qualities have guaranteed this enduring status – reliability, ease of operation, and firepower. Several nations have license-produced the weapon as their standard GPMG, including the British (as the L7) and the Americans (M240), and in total more than 80 nations have adopted the FN MAG. The machine gun has also been modified extensively for vehicular, naval, and aircraft platforms, demonstrating versatility in the air, on sea, and on land. In this book, Chris McNab charts the technical evolution of this extraordinary weapon, created by Belgian company Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal. From the jungles of South East Asia, to the deserts of the Middle East, and the icy battlefields of the Falklands, this study explores the origins, development, combat use, and legacy of the FN MAG machine gun, a dominant weapon in its field for more than a half-century.