The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has raised a requirement for the acquisition of additional new 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW)
This was to address the shortage of SAWs in PMC service, and to improve the overall firepower delivery capability of individual Marine squads.
With this, the Philippine Marine Corps, through its Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), invited manufacturers and suppliers of light machine guns to submit a bid for the Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) Acquisition Project (2024).
Project Summary:
Squad Automatic Weapon (2024) Acquisition Project:
Note: Edited as of 24 October 2024
* Project Number: WEAPON-PMCBAC-2024-01
* End User: Philippine Navy (Philippine Marine Corps)
* Quantity: 73 units
* Modernization Phase: Philippine Navy GAA Acquisition for 2024
* Project ABC: Php45,880,500.00
* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding
* Source of Funding: Philippine Navy GAA Funds for 2024
* SARO Release: N/A
* Winning Proponent: Joint Venture of System Defence (Turkey) and Topshot Guns International (Philippines)
* Product for Delivery: MRF56 light machine gun
* Contract Price: Php45,380,000.00
* Residual Difference (Savings): Php500,500.00
* First post by MaxDefense: 24 October 2024 (this post)
* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PMCSAW2024Acquisition
* Status: Public tender was opened on 20 October 2023, SOBE was scheduled on 08 November 2023. After Project reportedly awarded to System Defence of Turkey as of July 2022. Only one company submitted the required eligibility, technical and financial proposal for the bid. The PMC BAC determined that the bid by System Suvanma Sanayi Ve Ticarit Anonim Sirketi passed the requirements and was awarded the project on 18 April 2024. The Notice to Proceed was released on 04 June 2024, and the Contract signed on 05 June 2024. Delivery of firearms are expected to be completed by April 2025.
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Overview:
The Philippine Marine Corps have recently acquired a batch of 160 units of new MFR56 light squad automatic weapons made by Turkiye's System Defence, as the service starts to replaced damaged or lost squad automatic weapons over the years.
Prior to the delivery of the new MFR56 SAW, the PMC has been using the Belgian-made FN Minimi as its standard 5.56mm SAW, but only less than 80 units received in 2003 as part of a joint acquisition with the Philippine Army, and many are either lost in combat, or are damaged and needs replacement.
The Philippine Marine Corps have recently acquired a batch of 160 units of new MFR56 light squad automatic weapons made by Turkiye's System Defence, as the service starts to replaced damaged or lost squad automatic weapons over the years.
Prior to the delivery of the new MFR56 SAW, the PMC has been using the Belgian-made FN Minimi as its standard 5.56mm SAW, but only less than 80 units received in 2003 as part of a joint acquisition with the Philippine Army, and many are either lost in combat, or are damaged and needs replacement.
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| The PMC currently uses the FN Herstal Minimi as its standard 5.56mm SAW. Photo credits to Government Arsenal. |
Currently, typical Marine Squads are using the M60E3/E4 7.62mm machine guns, which are heavier than a 5.56mm SAW at more than 10.5 kilograms for the machine gun alone. In comparison, typical 5.56mm SAWs or even newer 7.62mm light machine guns weight less than 8.5 kilograms.
Providing a lighter SAW helps the automatic rifleman, as shaving a few kilos off the weight of his weapon allows for reasonable comfort and better movement.
This is proven during the bidding submission when only one company submitted a bid.
Providing a lighter SAW helps the automatic rifleman, as shaving a few kilos off the weight of his weapon allows for reasonable comfort and better movement.
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| The PMC's primary LMG is the M60E3 or M60E4 7.62mm machine guns, as seen here carried by PMC MARSOG personnel during the Battle of Marawi. Photo credits to original source. |
With the PMC moving to change its Table of Organization for Marine Squads soon with the upcoming introduction of new weapons and equipment, it was decided that a new SAW are needed to equip future Marine Squads to replace or complement the existing FN Minimi.
In the last public bidding for the acquisition of a new SAW, Filipino company Topshot Guns International teamed up with Turkiye's System Defence and offered the MFR56 light machine gun, which is being touted as the "world's lightest dual-fed machine gun" as it weighs only 4.25 kilograms.
They competed against two other Turkish arms manufacturers as well as other companies from other countries.
The joint venture between System Defence and Topshot Guns won the project, and completed the delivery of the new SAWs as of mid 2023.
It appears that the PMC has been satisfied with the MFR56 light machine guns which prompted them to procure another batch, despite indirectly through public bidding.
Technical Requirements:
Based on the technical specifications provided by the Philippine Marine Corps, the SAWs shall have the following:
Caliber: 5.56mm x 45mm NATO
Overall Length: maximum of 1,050mm
Overall Weight: maximum of 8.5kg
Barrel: maximum of 20.5 inches, quick changeable
In the last public bidding for the acquisition of a new SAW, Filipino company Topshot Guns International teamed up with Turkiye's System Defence and offered the MFR56 light machine gun, which is being touted as the "world's lightest dual-fed machine gun" as it weighs only 4.25 kilograms.
They competed against two other Turkish arms manufacturers as well as other companies from other countries.
The joint venture between System Defence and Topshot Guns won the project, and completed the delivery of the new SAWs as of mid 2023.
It appears that the PMC has been satisfied with the MFR56 light machine guns which prompted them to procure another batch, despite indirectly through public bidding.
Technical Requirements:
Based on the technical specifications provided by the Philippine Marine Corps, the SAWs shall have the following:
Caliber: 5.56mm x 45mm NATO
Overall Length: maximum of 1,050mm
Overall Weight: maximum of 8.5kg
Barrel: maximum of 20.5 inches, quick changeable
Design: air cooled
Bipod: foldable bipod, adjustable leg height
Receiver Assembly Material Composition: High-carbon alloy steel
Rail Interface: MID STD 1913
Operating System: Gas-Operated, Rotating Bolt
Rate of Fire: 700 to 850 rounds per minute
Feeding: capable of accepting STANAG M16 30-round magazine, or belt-fed with standard 200-rounds ammo box
Major Accessories:
* 2 x 30-round STANAG magazines per SAW
* 2 x 200-round ammunition box/magazine per SAW
* 1 x 2-point Tactical Sling per SAW
* 1 x Reflex Optic Sight per SAW
* 1 x Spare Barrel per SAW
Possible Options:
While the specifications appear to be similar but not the same as the previous SAW acquisition project, there is a strong possibility that the specifications are closely based on the MFR56 light machine gun.
Despite the project being a public tender, there is a very strong case for the Philippine Marine Corps to have bias towards the MFR56 SAW since it was impractical for them to acquire another model of SAW when the MFR56 has been performing well and is already in service.
Practicality and common sense calls for the additional SAWs to be the same as what the PMC already have instead of introducing another new model that would require PMC armorers and squad heavy weapon sections to re-learn to use and maintain.
Bipod: foldable bipod, adjustable leg height
Receiver Assembly Material Composition: High-carbon alloy steel
Rail Interface: MID STD 1913
Operating System: Gas-Operated, Rotating Bolt
Rate of Fire: 700 to 850 rounds per minute
Feeding: capable of accepting STANAG M16 30-round magazine, or belt-fed with standard 200-rounds ammo box
Major Accessories:
* 2 x 30-round STANAG magazines per SAW
* 2 x 200-round ammunition box/magazine per SAW
* 1 x 2-point Tactical Sling per SAW
* 1 x Reflex Optic Sight per SAW
* 1 x Spare Barrel per SAW
Possible Options:
While the specifications appear to be similar but not the same as the previous SAW acquisition project, there is a strong possibility that the specifications are closely based on the MFR56 light machine gun.
Despite the project being a public tender, there is a very strong case for the Philippine Marine Corps to have bias towards the MFR56 SAW since it was impractical for them to acquire another model of SAW when the MFR56 has been performing well and is already in service.
Practicality and common sense calls for the additional SAWs to be the same as what the PMC already have instead of introducing another new model that would require PMC armorers and squad heavy weapon sections to re-learn to use and maintain.
This is proven during the bidding submission when only one company submitted a bid.
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| The MFR56, part of the initial 160 units acquired in 2021, during testing conducted in Cavite in 2023. Photo credits to Edwin Ano of Topshot Guns. |
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U P D A T E S:
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24 October 2024:
The Philippine Marine Corps have awarded the project to System Defence of Turkey which is represented in the Philippines by Topshot Guns International last April 2024, with the NTP and Contract released on June 2024.
We are now expecting delivery to be completed by April 2025, although delivery can proceed earlier than that if the winning contractors can deliver.
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24 October 2024:
The Philippine Marine Corps have awarded the project to System Defence of Turkey which is represented in the Philippines by Topshot Guns International last April 2024, with the NTP and Contract released on June 2024.
We are now expecting delivery to be completed by April 2025, although delivery can proceed earlier than that if the winning contractors can deliver.
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| The Notice to Proceed of the project released by the PMC BAC on 04 June 2024. Photo credits to PhilGEPS. |
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First edit and release: 24 October 2024
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource
