(Herstal, Belgium) – May 06, 2021 – Belgium-based designer and manufacturer of small caliber weapons, associated weapon systems and ammunition FN Herstal has announced earlier today the entry of a brand-new machine gun with unique features, the FN EVOLYS. With this new addition to FN Herstal’s product portfolio, the Company definitely intends to write a new chapter in the history of machine guns.
Earlier today, FN Herstal has unveiled to the Defense and Security markets a completely new machine gun – the FN EVOLYS – during a global digital product launch event. It is with a great satisfaction and pride that the Company succeeded in combining its universally recognized expertise in the field of machine gun design, development and manufacture; its innovative spirit and current unmet market requirements to bring life to a new machine gun. The FN EVOLYS features an incredibly innovative and open architecture together with unique characteristics.
The FN EVOLYS is a radically different, ultralight weapon that combines the firing capabilities of a belt-fed machine gun with ergonomics and balance similar to an assault rifle. This is exactly what is needed and expected by users for current and future operations.
5.56x45mm NATO Variant
The FN EVOLYS has been developed in two calibers, 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x51mm NATO.
7.62x51mm NATO Variant
A true, ultralight machine gun…
The FN EVOLYS, with a weight between 5.5 and 6.2 kilos depending on the caliber, is much lighter than current reference machine guns. This reduced weight enables the user to move across difficult terrain quickly and to engage with a high volume of fire when needed with no difficulty.
Its reduced weight and excellent balance also mean that the weapon can be fired from any position. Transitioning from one firing position to another is made easy by the design of the sling attachment interface.
Featuring assault rifle characteristics
The FN EVOLYS ultralight machine gun fires like a machine gun, and handles like an assault rifle.
The ambidextrous fire selector has a semi-auto position to engage point targets as with a rifle while the full auto position allows suppressive fire as with a machine gun.
The buttstock is adjustable in length and height. Whatever his size, or the equipment he is wearing, the user can always find a comfortable shooting position.
Reliable, extremely comfortable and stable when firing
The latest-generation materials and technologies used on the FN EVOLYS, combined with FN Herstal’s long- standing expertise and innovative spirit, ensure that the reduction of weight has not compromised the vital factors of reliability, user safety and long life of parts.
The hydraulic buffer gives a steady rate of fire and reduces recoil.
The FN EVOLYS was designed from the start to fire intensively with a sound suppressor and therefore showed no reduction in performance when fitted with a suppressor, no excessive fouling, and no debris projected towards the user, even for left-handers.
Innovative and unique architecture
Another big innovation in the FN EVOLYS is the patented lateral feed mechanism, which has allowed the design to include several major improvements requested by users:
– The one-piece long top rail enables mounting a combination of various in-line optical sights such as day and night sights together, or magnifiers for instance, without removing the iron sights.
– Easy, instinctive and fast access to all controls by left or right-handed shooters for improved handling in the field
– All actions can be done with just one hand, including engaging the belt.
– Cartridges are automatically repositioned when the feed cover is closed if the belt is not correctly placed on the feed tray. This avoids a failure to feed the first round, which is a great reassurance for the user.
– The last link is automatically ejected, clearing the way for a faster and more reliable reload.
Missed FN Herstal’s product launch event today?
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The new FN EVOLYS ultralight machine gun will be on display on FN Herstal booth, Belgian Pavilion, North HALL, at the DSEI international trade show, London, from September 14 to 17, 2021.
Looking forward to a side-to-side comparison with the SIG MG338 and Knight’s LAMG!
Looks like they were trying to match the KAC LAMG, but couldn’t keep it away from the beer, sausages and Vlaamse Frites…
Yes it looks a bit fat for a 556 machine gun. At least it comes with Ugg boots!
Now I crave some belgian fries with special sauce and onions. Thank you Strike-hold! 😉
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I suppose they could have made it a bit sleeker if it was only 5.56… But then again, the 249 / Minimi isn’t exactly Twiggy either.
Seeing a lot of similarities with the HAMR( which apparently did really well in the IAR trials) and of course Minimi- it’s not a bad strategy to combine the two.
It’s thicker, but also significantly shorter in length than the KAC LAMG/AMG
It may be chunkier, but it’s shorter, only a pound heavier, and the sustained fire videos I’ve seen so far it doesn’t start smoking as fast as the KAC. If this gun maintains its current specs, and has better sustained fire capability than the KAC then it would seem, on paper, to be a better weapon.
I’d love to spend a day on the range with them both, and an M249 for comparison….
Where the EVOLYS really stands out is the weight of the 7.62mm version. That is seriously impressive!
Only one day on the range? It would take me at least… ten days on the range, and at least 1000 rounds per day. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
And I was surprised by the 7.62’s weight. It’s actually slightly lighter than the KAC AMG. And it’s probably convertible to SIG’s 6.8x51mm from the NGSW. That would make this a good way of hedging their bets no matter which way that goes.
Very promising development.
One spec that was not mentioned anywhere, does the EVOLYS have a quick change barrel? Or is it a fixed barrel similar to the Pecheneg?
A bit of footage of it in use getting about. Impressive. I’m wondering about stoppages tho as cant see right into the tray and chamber as easy as the minimi, especially when supported.
Footage of the guy hosing what looks like 300 of link in one is worthy of attention.