Squad Automatic Weapon

Aka Section Automatic Weapon or Squad Assault Weapon. A usually light or general purpose machine guns designed to give army personnel cover while advancing and also to help keep enemy forces from returning fire. Originally designed for increased mobility from the Heavy tripod mounted machine guns of the WWI era. They were designed as an individually portable, gas operated, magazine or disintegrating metallic link-belt fed light support weapon capable of delivering sustained automatic fire for periods of time which assault rifles could not support due to overheating and lack of accuracy.