The FNH Minimi light machine gun was initially developed to respond to the technological leap forward made by the Soviet PKM whose lightness was due to the way it was made, by stamping. Since 1974, because of its lightness and its firepower, FN Herstal's light machine gun has illustrated how sound the concept of the direct infantry support weapon is and has been selected by more than 45 user countries and used in fifteen or so conflicts including two major ones: Iraq and Afghanistan. Like the German MG34/42 which founded the concept of the polyvalent machine gun and was given the nickname Hitler's saw”, in 2010 the FNH Minimi is still the archetypal light machine gun and has earned a nickname: the "free world's saw”.