ORD-PABAC2-046-24 Light Machine Gun, 5.56mm Acquisition Project of the Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) has raised a requirement for the acquisition of new 5.56mm Light Machine Guns using funding for their General Appropriations Act (GAA) for Fiscal Year 2024.
This was to fill in requirements to either replace existing units, and also replace lost and damaged/written off units.
With this, the Philippine Army, through its Bids and Awards Committee 2 (BAC2), invited manufacturers and suppliers of light machine guns to submit a bid for the Light Machine Gun, 5.56mm (2025) Acquisition Project. While the project was funded using 2024-sourced budget, this was opened for tender only in 2025.
Project Summary:
Squad Automatic Weapon (2025) Acquisition Project:
Note: Edited as of 03 August 2025
* Project Number: ORD-PABAC2-046-24
* End User: Philippine Army (Special Operations Command)
* Quantity: 211 units
* Modernization Phase: Philippine Army GAA Acquisition for FY2024
* Project ABC: Php161,757,000.00
* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding
* Source of Funding: Philippine Army GAA Funds for FY2024
* SARO Release: N/A
* Winning Proponent: TBA
* Product for Delivery: TBA
* Contract Price: TBA
* Residual Difference (Savings): TBA
* First post by MaxDefense: 03 August 2025 (this post)
* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PA556mmLMG2025Acquisition
* Status: Public tender was opened on 14 July 2025, with a scheduled submission and opening of bid envelopes (SOBE) scheduled on 05 August 2025. This was rescheduled to 19 August 2025 after a request from FN Herstal.
Squad Automatic Weapon (2025) Acquisition Project:
Note: Edited as of 03 August 2025
* Project Number: ORD-PABAC2-046-24
* End User: Philippine Army (Special Operations Command)
* Quantity: 211 units
* Modernization Phase: Philippine Army GAA Acquisition for FY2024
* Project ABC: Php161,757,000.00
* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding
* Source of Funding: Philippine Army GAA Funds for FY2024
* SARO Release: N/A
* Winning Proponent: TBA
* Product for Delivery: TBA
* Contract Price: TBA
* Residual Difference (Savings): TBA
* First post by MaxDefense: 03 August 2025 (this post)
* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PA556mmLMG2025Acquisition
* Status: Public tender was opened on 14 July 2025, with a scheduled submission and opening of bid envelopes (SOBE) scheduled on 05 August 2025. This was rescheduled to 19 August 2025 after a request from FN Herstal.
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Overview:
It has been years since the Philippine Army acquired new 5.56mm squad automatic weapons in significant numbers, as the last effort for such was made in the late 2000s when it acquired more the 6,500 brand new K3 light machine guns from S&T Daewoo of South Korea.
Prior to that, an earlier acquisition was made for more than 400 units of the FN Herstal Minimi squad automatic weapons.
Since then, it is expected that the Philippine Army already lost some of them to enemy action or ambushes or have been written off due to damage.
Based on the technical specifications, it is highly likely that these machine guns would be for the Special Operations units assigned with the AFP's Special Operations Command including the First Scout Ranger Regiment, Special Forces Regiment, and Light Reaction Regiment.
For this acquisition, the Philippine Army only plans to procure 211 units, although it now follows a new strategy in the procurement of firearms which is now being done using General Appropriations Act (GAA) yearly funding rather than relying on the AFP Modernization Program.
Thus, it is expected that acquisitions will be done in smaller numbers, but several procurements will be made over the next few years.
It has been years since the Philippine Army acquired new 5.56mm squad automatic weapons in significant numbers, as the last effort for such was made in the late 2000s when it acquired more the 6,500 brand new K3 light machine guns from S&T Daewoo of South Korea.
Prior to that, an earlier acquisition was made for more than 400 units of the FN Herstal Minimi squad automatic weapons.
Since then, it is expected that the Philippine Army already lost some of them to enemy action or ambushes or have been written off due to damage.
Based on the technical specifications, it is highly likely that these machine guns would be for the Special Operations units assigned with the AFP's Special Operations Command including the First Scout Ranger Regiment, Special Forces Regiment, and Light Reaction Regiment.
For this acquisition, the Philippine Army only plans to procure 211 units, although it now follows a new strategy in the procurement of firearms which is now being done using General Appropriations Act (GAA) yearly funding rather than relying on the AFP Modernization Program.
Thus, it is expected that acquisitions will be done in smaller numbers, but several procurements will be made over the next few years.
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| A Philippine Army squad automatic rifleman with a S&T Motiv K3 SAW. |
Technical Requirements:
The Philippine Army provided what it says is their standard technical specifications for 5.56mm light machine guns, with some of the important features listed below:
Firearm Specifications:
Caliber: 5.56mm x 45mm NATO
Barrel: quick changeable, made of high-grade alloy or stainless steel,1:7 rifling, 8in. RH rifling twist, chrome lined chamber and bore, with folding carrying handle
Sights: Adjustable post type iron sights at front, adjustable open aperture-type iron sight on rear.
Gas Regulator: adjustable gas control
The Philippine Army provided what it says is their standard technical specifications for 5.56mm light machine guns, with some of the important features listed below:
Firearm Specifications:
Caliber: 5.56mm x 45mm NATO
Barrel: quick changeable, made of high-grade alloy or stainless steel,1:7 rifling, 8in. RH rifling twist, chrome lined chamber and bore, with folding carrying handle
Sights: Adjustable post type iron sights at front, adjustable open aperture-type iron sight on rear.
Gas Regulator: adjustable gas control
Rate of Fire: 700 to 1,000 rounds per minute
Overall Length: 950mm maximum
Overall Length: 950mm maximum
Overall Weight w/o Accessories: 7.85 kilograms maximum
Barrel Length: 330 - 365mm
Trigger Pull: 7.5 to 16 pounds pull weight, trigger pull free from creep
Butt stock: Retractable or collapsible, with minimum of 4 positions, with hydraulic recoil buffer type system, and non-slip butt plate
Trigger Pull: 7.5 to 16 pounds pull weight, trigger pull free from creep
Butt stock: Retractable or collapsible, with minimum of 4 positions, with hydraulic recoil buffer type system, and non-slip butt plate
Receiver Assembly Material Composition: High-grade aluminum alloy and/or Carbon Alloy and/or Steel and/or Titanium
Top Mount Rail: MIL STD 1913 Picatinny rail
Operating System: Gas-Operated, Long Stroke Piston
Firing Mode: minimum of Safe and Full Automatic
Feeding: capable of accepting STANAG 4179 magazine, or disintegrating metallic link belt
Major Accessories:
* 2 x 30-round STANAG 4179 aluminum or polymer magazines per LMG
* 2 x 200-round linked capacity polymer or water resistant fabric ammunition bag
* 1 x 2-point Tactical Sling per LMG
* 1 x Spare Barrel per LMG
One of the major differences in the specifications for 5.56mm light machine guns of the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps is the operating system, as the Philippine Army specifies for a long stroke gas piston system, while the Philippine Marine Corps does not specify as long as it uses a gas operated system.
Benchmarking o the FN Minimi:
To discuss what we may expect, lets focus our dissecting the specifications to the most likely benchmark, which is the FN Herstal Minimi, specifically the current Mk.3 variant.
This is due to FN Herstal being among those that participated in the Pre-Tender Conference, as we as not asking for any changes in the technical specifications which means that they have a product that complies with it.
While FN Herstal also has the new Evolys Ultralight 5.56mm machine gun, it does not meet several requirements of the technical specifications, automatically removing it from the potential offerings.
FN Herstal currently has 5 variants of their Minimi Mk3, which includes the Standard variant and Tactical LB (Long Barrel) that uses the 465mm barrel length, and the Tactical SB (Short Barrel), SF (Special Forces) and Para which all have the shorter 379mm barrel length.
Based on barrel length, both the Standard and tactical LB variants do not meet the barrel length specs which limits it to between 330 to 365mm long.
Despite having the same barrel length, all 3 short-barrel Minimis have varying overall weights.
With the maximum weight set at 7.85 kilograms, only the Tactical SF and Para version meet the requirements while the Tactical SB variant is slightly overweight.
The final difference between the Tactical SF and Para will be on the butt stock. While both uses retractable designs, only the Tactical SF meets the requirement for a hydraulic recoil buffer system.
So it is most likely that FN Herstal will offer their Minimi Mk.3 Tactical SF variant for this requirement, which also gives us an idea that the machine guns are most likely for Special Operations units
To discuss what we may expect, lets focus our dissecting the specifications to the most likely benchmark, which is the FN Herstal Minimi, specifically the current Mk.3 variant.
This is due to FN Herstal being among those that participated in the Pre-Tender Conference, as we as not asking for any changes in the technical specifications which means that they have a product that complies with it.
While FN Herstal also has the new Evolys Ultralight 5.56mm machine gun, it does not meet several requirements of the technical specifications, automatically removing it from the potential offerings.
 |
| A summary table on the FN Minimi 5.56 Mk3 series. Credits to FN Herstal. |
FN Herstal currently has 5 variants of their Minimi Mk3, which includes the Standard variant and Tactical LB (Long Barrel) that uses the 465mm barrel length, and the Tactical SB (Short Barrel), SF (Special Forces) and Para which all have the shorter 379mm barrel length.
Based on barrel length, both the Standard and tactical LB variants do not meet the barrel length specs which limits it to between 330 to 365mm long.
Despite having the same barrel length, all 3 short-barrel Minimis have varying overall weights.
With the maximum weight set at 7.85 kilograms, only the Tactical SF and Para version meet the requirements while the Tactical SB variant is slightly overweight.
The final difference between the Tactical SF and Para will be on the butt stock. While both uses retractable designs, only the Tactical SF meets the requirement for a hydraulic recoil buffer system.
So it is most likely that FN Herstal will offer their Minimi Mk.3 Tactical SF variant for this requirement, which also gives us an idea that the machine guns are most likely for Special Operations units
 |
| Infographic on the Minimi 5.56mm Mk3 SF, credits to Ricardo Torres @ Pinterest. |
Other Potential Offers:
While it is known that both FN Herstal and System Defense showed interest in the project, it is possible that more companies may show interest in supplying these requirements.
Being one of the world's major users of the S&T Motiv (now SNT Motiv) K3, the Philippine Army may also be looking at the company's new K15 5.56mm machine gun, which is aimed at replacing the K3 and fixing issues on the old model.
So far, SNT Motiv has not provided too many details on their K15, although it appears that it only has 2 models - a Standard variant with long barrel, and a Para variant with a shorter barrel.
While the Para variant meets the weight, barrel and overall length requirements, it also probably suffering from the same issue as the Minimi Para with regards to the butt stock.
While the Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Negev NG5 SF meets many of the requirements, its gas operated short stroke gas piston fails to meet the requirements, as the technical specifications calls for a long stroke piston design,
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| Infographic on the IWI Negev NG5 SF, credits to Ricardo Torres @ Pinterest. |
With the recent selection by the Philippine Marine Corps of the Mertsav Defense Systems MMG762, which is said to be a copy of the FN Herstal Minimi 7.62, it is also possible that Mertsav Defense Systems might be interested to participate in offering their MMG556, which is a copy of the Minimi 5.56.
Their MMG556C variant appears to be a copy of the Minimi 5.56 SF, also featuring a short barrel and long stroke gas piston system, while dimensions and weight are all within the technical specifications.
It is highly possible for it to compete against the Minimi, and may have a price advantage, although it remains to be seen if there is an agreement between FN Herstal and Mertsav Defense Systems to not compete with each other.
 |
| The Mertsav MMG556C also meets the requirements of the Philippine Army. Photo credits to Mertsav Defense Systems. |
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U P D A T E S:
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30 July 2025:
Two Supplemental Bid Bulletins was released on 29 July 2025, which extended the Submission and Opening of Bid Envelopes from 05 August 2025 to 19 August 2025.
Contract delivery duration was also extended from 300 calendar days to 460 calendar days
It appears that the request for both the extension of submission date and delivery date was made by Belgian firearms manufacturer FN Herstal SA.
There was a request from Turkish arms company System Defense for considering a gas operated short stroke operating system, in contrast to the technical specifications which says gas operated long stroke operating system. The request was denied since the technical specifications was already set and further changes will not be easy.
============
30 July 2025:
Two Supplemental Bid Bulletins was released on 29 July 2025, which extended the Submission and Opening of Bid Envelopes from 05 August 2025 to 19 August 2025.
Contract delivery duration was also extended from 300 calendar days to 460 calendar days
It appears that the request for both the extension of submission date and delivery date was made by Belgian firearms manufacturer FN Herstal SA.
There was a request from Turkish arms company System Defense for considering a gas operated short stroke operating system, in contrast to the technical specifications which says gas operated long stroke operating system. The request was denied since the technical specifications was already set and further changes will not be easy.
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First edit and release: 03 August 2025
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource
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