The FN M3P is FN Herstal's .50-caliber (12.7x99 mm) single-barrel high-rate-of-fire machine gun for remote firing from aircraft, ground vehicles, naval craft, and remote weapon stations. FN says the M3P entered U.S. service on the Avenger in 1989, and Army reporting later shows it reused on the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.
FN identifies the M3P as a .50-caliber gun chambered for 12.7x99 mm NATO.
| Ammunition | Ammunition type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | .50 BMG cartridge family | FN's product page identifies the M3P as a 12.7x99 mm NATO gun, so the .50 BMG / 12.7x99 mm NATO cartridge family is its standard ammunition relationship. Sources: FN® M3P |
Army and DVIDS reporting show the FN M3P mounted on the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger for qualification and live-fire checks.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Self-propelled short-range air defense system | Army reporting describes the Avenger's mounted M3P as a secondary gun, and DVIDS shows Avenger crews firing the weapon during live-fire testing and rate-of-fire checks. Sources: Avenger and Sentinel Advanced Gunnery validates SHORAD capabilities on the Korean Peninsula, U.S. Army Avenger Air Defense System Fires M3P .50-Caliber Machine Gun at Al-Tanf Garrison, Syria |
FN describes the M3P as a remotely fired gun that can move between airborne, land, and sea mounts. The same weapon family uses 28V electrical interfaces for remote firing, clearing, and safe, which helps explain why it appears in both podded aircraft and vehicle-mounted roles.
| Configuration | Documented detail | Reader takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed-wing pods | FN says the M3P is designed to be mounted in pods for fixed-wing aircraft. | The gun is compact enough for airborne carriage inside pod systems. |
| Helicopter mounts | FN says the weapon is used in fixed-forward firing mounts for helicopters. | It is built for stable remote firing rather than handheld use. |
| Remote weapon stations | FN says the M3P is suitable for remote weapon stations and can be mounted on FN's deFNder Medium. | The gun is meant to be operated from protected standoff positions. |
FN Herstal says the M3P was the improved M3 family gun chosen for the U.S. Avenger air-defense system, and notes that the 'P' stands for Machine Gun Pod.
Sources: The M2 and the M3 .50 Cal machine guns, brothers but not twins.
The Army said Avenger M3P guns were becoming the machine gun of choice for OH-58D Kiowa Warrior units, with the new mount removing the older gun cage assembly and reducing system weight by 65 pounds.
Sources: Kiowa Warrior gains firepower
DVIDS documented an AN/TWQ-1 Avenger firing the M3P at Al-Tanf Garrison, Syria, and said crews fired 50 rounds to measure rate of fire and adjust the weapon.
Sources: U.S. Army Avenger Air Defense System Fires M3P .50-Caliber Machine Gun at Al-Tanf Garrison, Syria
