New Army "Caliber Configuration Study"

[Tony Williams]

Well, since you've ducked the question about the Bren gun (and various similar devices) what about the RPK and RPK-74 then? One-man operated, magazine-fed, fixed barrel (albeit heavier and longer than standard), bipod attached, closed bolt firing - and the Russians call it an LMG.

Or the STK Ultimax 100: magazine-fed and one-man operated, but fires from an open bolt, has a quick-change barrel and the usual magazine capacity is a healthy 100 rounds. That's more of an LMG than the RPK.

The fact is that there are various characteristics which might - or might not - distinguish the IAR from an LMG: characteristics of an LMG will include some (but not necessarily all) of:
- quick-change barrel,
- belt feed,
- open-bolt firing,
- permanently attached bipod,
- heavy barrel,
- sturdier construction than rifle to withstand constant automatic fire.

The problem is that different weapons use different combinations of those features, as illustrated by the examples I've given.