The QJY-88 is the People's Liberation Army's 5.8mm general-purpose machine gun, chambered for China's indigenous intermediate cartridge and intended to replace older 7.62mm GPMGs — a lightweight design that drew criticism for its limited range and penetration.
The PKM is the Soviet Union's workhorse 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun — a belt-fed, open-bolt design that has armed infantry squads, vehicle mounts, and tripod emplacements across more than five decades of continuous combat from Afghanistan to Ukraine.
The M240 — the US standard 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun, built from the FN MAG and fielded since 1995 — anchors infantry, vehicle, and helicopter firepower across NATO and beyond.