page_title: Squad automatic weapon
hierarchical_section_title: Squad automatic weapon
caption_attribution_description: U.S. Marine Cpl. Chris P. Duane (right) receives assistance from an Romanian soldier in clearing a Russian RPK squad automatic rifle during the weapons familiarization phase of Exercise Rescue Eagle 2000 at Babadag Range, Romania, on July 15, 2000. Rescue Eagle 2000 is a Romanian-hosted joint and combined exercise designed to improve the abilities of multi-national forces to conduct peacekeeping, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions. Forces from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy Moldovia, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey and the United States are participating in the exercise. Duane, from Morristown, N.J., is attached to Golf Company, 25th Marine Regiment.
context_page_description: A squad automatic weapon is a weapon used to give infantry squads or sections automatic firepower that can easily be moved around. Weapons used for this are selective fire rifles. They usually have a bipod and a heavier barrel so that they can be used as light machine guns. SAWs usually fire the same cartridge as the assault rifles or battle rifles used by other people in the squad/section. This makes logistics easier because only one type of ammunition needs to be given to a unit. SAWs are light enough to be used by one man. However, heavy machine guns such as the Browning M2 are more powerful but need a crew to be as effective as they can be.
context_section_description: A squad automatic weapon (SAW, also known as section automatic weapon or light support weapon) is a weapon used to give infantry squads or sections automatic firepower that can easily be moved around. Weapons used for this are selective fire rifles. They usually have a bipod and a heavier barrel so that they can be used as light machine guns. SAWs usually fire the same cartridge as the assault rifles or battle rifles used by other people in the squad/section. This makes logistics easier because only one type of ammunition needs to be given to a unit. SAWs are light enough to be used by one man. However, heavy machine guns such as the Browning M2 are more powerful but need a crew to be as effective as they can be.
caption: A Romanian soldier shows a U.S. Marine how to clear an RPK, a squad automatic weapon.
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