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Saco Defense Weapon Systems

Saco Defense was a U.S. small-arms and crew-served-weapons manufacturer associated with the M60 and M2 machine-gun families. Based around the Saco, Maine, production site, the company became General Dynamics Weapon Systems after General Dynamics acquired Saco Defense Corporation from New Colt Holding Corp. in 2000.

1 weapon systems

Saco Defense connects this archive to the U.S. industrial line behind the M60 family and other crew-served machine guns. A 1990 Department of Defense Inspector General audit described Saco Defense Incorporated as a Saco, Maine contractor that manufactured M-60 and M-2 machine guns used by U.S. and foreign forces.

General Dynamics completed its acquisition of Saco Defense Corporation on June 30, 2000, renaming it General Dynamics Weapon Systems under General Dynamics Armament Systems. Later public releases still referred to Saco Defense as a General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products division with production work at the Saco plant.

crew-served machine gunssmall armsgun barrelsarmament systems

Notable Systems

M60 general-purpose machine gun

Saco Defense and its Maremont lineage are tied to M60-family manufacture and upgrades, including M60 and M60E3 production and Saco's M60E4 work for Navy Special Warfare.

Sources: DoD IG Audit Report 90-077, Small Arms Defense Journal M60 history, NRA Museum M60 E3

M2 and M2HB machine-gun family

DoD and Senate sources identify Saco/General Dynamics production work for M-2 and M2HB machine guns, barrels, bolts, and related derivatives.

Sources: DoD IG Audit Report 90-077, Senator Collins Saco Defense M2HB release, General Dynamics M2 contract release copy

Builder History

  1. Commercial sales of Saco-produced machine guns audited

    A 1990 DoD Inspector General audit reviewed Saco Defense Incorporated sales of M-60, M60-E3, M2HB, and related machine-gun derivatives from 1981 through 1989.

    Sources: DoD IG Audit Report 90-077

  2. M60E4 deliveries begin for Navy Special Warfare

    Small Arms Defense Journal reports that SACO developed the M60E4 retrofit package for Navy Special Warfare and that deliveries of new guns and kits began in late 1994.

    Sources: Small Arms Defense Journal M60 history

  3. General Dynamics acquisition closes

    General Dynamics completed its acquisition of Saco Defense Corporation from New Colt Holding Corp. and said Saco Defense would become General Dynamics Weapon Systems.

    Sources: General Dynamics acquisition release copy

  4. General Dynamics Weapon Systems wins M2HB contract

    A General Dynamics release copy described General Dynamics Weapon Systems as based in Saco, Maine, previously known as Saco Defense, and awarded an M2HB machine-gun contract.

    Sources: General Dynamics M2 contract release copy

  5. Saco Defense division receives M2HB orders

    Senator Susan Collins announced U.S. Army orders for M2HB machine guns and barrels, identifying Saco Defense as a General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products division with work at the Saco plant.

    Sources: Senator Collins Saco Defense M2HB release

Predecessors
Maremont Machine Gun CompanySaco Defense Division of Maremont Co.
Successors
General Dynamics Weapon SystemsGeneral Dynamics Armament and Technical ProductsGeneral Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems
Website links
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical SystemsGD-OTS ArmamentsGeneral Dynamics acquisition release copy

Saco Defense no longer appears to operate as a standalone company. The official website field points to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, the current General Dynamics ordnance/armaments business, while historical Saco Defense claims are sourced to DoD, General Dynamics release copies, museum/reference material, and Senate public records.

Builder Sources

  • DoD IG Audit Report 90-077Publisher: U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General | Note: Supports Saco Defense Incorporated as a Saco, Maine contractor and states that Saco manufactured M-60 and M-2 machine guns used by U.S. and foreign forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • General Dynamics acquisition release copyPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Republishes General Dynamics' June 30, 2000 release stating that General Dynamics acquired Saco Defense Corporation from New Colt Holding Corp. and renamed it General Dynamics Weapon Systems. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • General Dynamics M2 contract release copyPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Republishes a General Dynamics release identifying General Dynamics Weapon Systems as based in Saco, Maine, previously known as Saco Defense, and awarded an M2HB production contract. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Senator Collins Saco Defense M2HB releasePublisher: Office of U.S. Senator Susan Collins | Note: Supports Saco Defense as a General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products division and documents M2HB machine-gun and barrel production work at the Saco plant. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • GD-OTS ArmamentsPublisher: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems | Note: Supports current successor-company armaments context, including gun systems, crew-served weapons, gun barrels, ammunition handling systems, and related platform armaments. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Small Arms Defense Journal M60 historyPublisher: Small Arms Defense Journal | Note: Supports M60-family background, Saco's M60E4 development for Navy Special Warfare, and Saco enhanced M60E3 participation in 1990s U.S. Army trials. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • NRA Museum M60 E3Publisher: NRA National Firearms Museum | Note: Supports the Saco Defense Systems Division naming and M60 E3 product context. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • Saco Machine Gun PlantPublisher: The Center for Land Use Interpretation | Note: Supports historical plant context, including the Maremont Machine Gun Company name and later General Dynamics ownership; not used as an image source because its license is noncommercial. | Accessed: 2026-06-21
  • M60 machine gun DM-ST-90-01312.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing source: identifies the photographed weapon as an M60/Maremont lightweight machine gun and marks the file as public domain because it is a U.S. military or Department of Defense work. | Accessed: 2026-06-21

Category

Infantry Weapons

Portable weapons used by soldiers and small units.

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M60 general-purpose machine gun, 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, Infantry WeaponsBoko Haram Insurgency, Colombian FARC Dissident Conflict +1 moreM60 general-purpose machine gun7.62 mm general-purpose machine gunBuilt in: United StatesThe M60 is a U.S.-origin 7.62x51 mm NATO belt-fed general-purpose machine gun built for ground, tripod, vehicle, and aircraft-mounted fire support. In the Boko Haram Insurgency, analysts have identified rare M60 machine guns in Boko Haram/JAS and ISWAP media, likely reflecting captured or diverted state weapons rather than formal insurgent procurement.