Fabriqué National M249 Para. Fires a 5.56 mm round from either a 200 round drum or from the standard M16 magazine. Designed to be an effective squad-based fully automatic weapon with a short-to-medium cone of fire and extended survivability. Notably smaller in profile, weight and caliber than the 7.62 M60, a favorite of US Armed forces. The 5.56 round has been both cursed and praised in combat situations for its high-penetration, but low damage characteristics. In Somalia, American special forces troops shouldering 5.56 mm weapons like the M16A2 and the M249 complained that the round would hit a target, but was too weak to put him or her down unless it was a hit to the kill zone.