Editing Squad automatic weapon (section)

{{short description|Portable light machine gun}}
{{for multi|the weapon known in British Forces service as the LSW|L86|the weapon known in American service as the SAW|M249 light machine gun}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2021}}
[[File:Bren1.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|The [[Bren]] is an example of a [[British Army]] squad automatic weapon from [[World War II]].]]
[[Image:Familiarization with a RPK during Exercise Rescue Eagle 2000.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|A [[Romanian Land Forces|Romanian soldier]] instructs a [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. marine]] in clearing an [[RPK]], a squad automatic weapon variant of the [[AKM]].]]

A '''squad automatic weapon''' ('''SAW'''), also known as a '''section automatic weapon''' or '''light support weapon''' ('''LSW'''), is a man-portable [[automatic firearm]] attached to [[infantry]] [[squad]]s or [[section (military unit)|section]]s as a source of rapid [[direct fire]]power. Weapons fulfilling this role can be [[light machine gun]]s, or modified [[selective-fire]] rifles fitted with a heavier [[gun barrel|barrel]], [[bipod]] and a [[ammunition belt|belt]]/[[drum magazine|drum]]-fed design.

Squad automatic weapons usually fire the same [[cartridge (firearms)|cartridge]] (though heavier-[[bullet]] variants are preferred) as the [[assault rifle]]s or [[battle rifle]]s carried by other members of the unit. This reduces [[military logistics|logistical]] requirements by making it only necessary to supply one type of service ammunition to a unit. These weapons are light enough to be carried and operated by one infantryman, unlike [[medium machine gun]]s (such as the [[M1919 Browning]]) that require [[crew-served weapon|a crew]] to operate at full effectiveness; or [[heavy machine gun]]s (such as the [[M2 Browning]] or the [[DShK]]) which fire more [[muzzle energy|powerful]] cartridges but are also crew-served and typically also require a [[weapon platform|mounting platform]] to be operable.