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Kalekalıp Unveils Türkiye’s First Ultra-Light 5.56mm NATO-Qualified Machine Gun at Enforce Tac 2026.
At Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, Türkiye’s leading firearms manufacturer Kalekalıp introduced the KMG556CL, the country’s first NATO-qualified ultra-light 5.56x45mm machine gun. The system highlights Ankara’s push to expand indigenous small arms production while aligning with NATO interoperability standards.
At the Enforce Tac 2026 defense and security exhibition in Germany, Turkish defense manufacturer Kalekalıp introduced the KMG556CL, heralded as Türkiye’s first NATO-qualified ultra-light 5.56x45mm machine gun. The weapon is engineered to merge belt-fed firepower with a significantly reduced weight profile, offering enhanced mobility and maneuverability on the battlefield. Tailored for close-quarters engagements and extended dismounted missions, the KMG556CL delivers the suppressive capabilities of a conventional light machine gun within a more compact and agile configuration. Company representatives framed the unveiling as a key milestone in Türkiye’s ongoing drive to expand indigenous defense production, emphasizing the development of soldier-centric systems fully compatible with NATO ammunition and operational standards.
Kalekalıp introduced the KMG556CL at Enforce Tac 2026 in Germany, marking Türkiye’s first NATO-qualified ultra-light 5.56x45mm belt-fed machine gun designed for mobile infantry operations (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
Founded in Istanbul in 1969, Kalekalıp has grown from a precision mould producer into a key Turkish defence company, contributing to programmes such as the Euro Stinger and MPT-76 and delivering a full family of indigenous small arms, including the KMG556, Türkiye’s first 5.56x45mm NATO-qualified light machine gun in service with land, gendarmerie and police units. Enforce Tac, held at the NürnbergMesse exhibition centre in Nuremberg, is a restricted-access European reference event for police, military and security authorities, bringing together thousands of professional visitors and hundreds of exhibitors from EU and NATO countries. In this setting, the unveiling of the KMG556CL underlines both the maturity of Türkiye’s small-arms industry and its deep integration into allied supply chains.
The KMG556CL is chambered in the standard 5.56x45mm NATO calibre and is configured around a 10.5-inch barrel, giving it the compact profile normally associated with assault rifles while retaining the sustained fire capability of a belt-fed machine gun. According to Kalekalıp’s technical data, the weapon offers a selectable rate of fire between 750 and 900 rounds per minute, with a muzzle velocity of approximately 800 m/s. It is optimised for an effective range of around 400 metres on point targets and 600 metres on area targets, corresponding to typical engagement distances in urban, close-quarters and short- to medium-range infantry combat. Feeding is provided by 50-, 100- or 200-round magazines or soft ammunition containers, allowing users to adapt the system to patrol, vehicle-borne or sustained-fire roles.
In terms of mass, the KMG556CL represents a significant advancement over the earlier KMG556. While the original KMG556 light machine gun weighs approximately 7.8 kg, Kalekalıp lists the baseline weight of the KMG556CL at 5.6 kg without accessories, an impressive reduction of around 2 kg. This weight decrease delivers tangible benefits at the section level, particularly for infantry units operating on foot in challenging terrain. In operational contexts, the lighter configuration enables gunners to carry additional ammunition or mission-specific equipment, resulting in reduced fatigue and enhanced agility in demanding environments such as urban areas, mountainous regions, or confined interiors. As an ultra-light machine gun within its category, the KMG556CL sets a new benchmark for mobility and ergonomic efficiency.
The KMG556CL has been engineered specifically for situations where both weight and size are critical constraints. Kalekalıp presents it as a compact, lightweight machine gun designed for use wherever conventional belt-fed systems are too heavy or bulky, such as with special forces, vehicle crews, helicopter units, urban intervention teams or border security patrols. Visual material and product descriptions indicate a modern layout with a folding stock and a prominent vertical foregrip that also integrates a bipod, facilitating rapid transition between movement and supported firing positions. A full-length top rail and accessory interfaces enable the installation of day and night optics, laser aiming devices and illumination tools, ensuring that the weapon can be fully integrated into contemporary digitally-supported soldier systems across allied forces.
A central aspect of the KMG556CL’s positioning is its compliance with and declared exceedance of NATO MIL-STD requirements. Kalekalıp has consistently stated that its small arms are designed and manufactured using stringent engineering criteria in line with NATO military standards and that they are subjected to demanding endurance and environmental testing regimes. For the KMG556CL, the company highlights performance in heavy snow, sub-zero temperatures and severe winter conditions, underscoring that the weapon is intended to maintain 5.56mm accuracy and reliability without degradation in ice, cold and adverse weather. This emphasis speaks directly to operational needs on NATO’s northern and eastern flanks, where allied forces routinely train and deploy in sub-zero climates and where weapon reliability in extreme cold is a critical parameter.
From an operational standpoint, the ultra-light configuration offers several advantages for Türkiye and allied users. For Turkish land and gendarmerie units engaged in mountain, rural and border operations, a lighter belt-fed system reduces the physical burden while still delivering suppressive fire at the squad level. For NATO forces, the combination of standard 5.56x45mm ammunition, belt feeding and compact dimensions supports interoperability in multinational battle groups and peace support missions, while easing logistics through the use of common ammunition stocks. In urban or vehicle-borne roles, the 10.5-inch barrel simplifies handling in tight spaces and during rapid embarkation or disembarkation, without sacrificing the ability to deliver sustained bursts at ranges typical of city fighting or convoy defence.
The KMG556CL also reflects broader trends within the alliance towards modular, weight-optimised small arms. Over recent years, NATO armies have placed increasing emphasis on soldier-system integration, ergonomic improvements and reduction of carried load, while preserving or enhancing lethality. Kalekalıp’s approach, visible across its assault rifle and machine-gun families, is to combine short-stroke gas systems, cold hammer-forged barrels and modern rail interfaces with attention to weight and balance, with the aim of meeting or surpassing the expectations of Turkish security forces and export customers alike. The KMG556CL positions Türkiye as not only a user, but a supplier of cutting-edge, NATO-compliant small arms technology to partners who require compact belt-fed solutions for demanding environments.
For Türkiye, the appearance of the KMG556CL at Enforce Tac 2026 demonstrates the country’s ability to design, qualify and present indigenous small arms at a major European industry summit alongside long-established Western manufacturers. For Türkiye, which has pursued a policy of expanding national defence industrial capabilities while deepening its role within NATO, such systems represent tangible contributions to the alliance’s collective posture and resilience. For European and transatlantic partners, the availability of a Turkish-designed, NATO-qualified ultra-light machine gun in 5.56x45mm adds another option in a segment where compactness, reliability and interoperability are decisive.
Held in Germany and focused on “Connecting Minds, Protecting Europe”, Enforce Tac provides an ideal platform for such a product. In this context, the KMG556CL stands out as a symbol of how Türkiye’s defence industry is aligning its small-arms portfolio with NATO standards and requirements, offering an ultra-light machine gun that responds directly to the operational realities faced by allied forces, from the Baltic to the Mediterranean and beyond.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.