Automatic Weapons Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Type (Automatic Rifle, Machine Gun, Automatic Launchers, Automatic Cannon, Gatling Gun), By End Use Type (Land, Airborne, Naval), By Caliber Type (5.56mm-14mm, 15mm-30mm, Above 30mm) By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 10.12 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	8.18%
Fastest Growing Segment	Land
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 16.22 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Automatic Weapons Market will grow from USD 10.12 Billion in 2025 to USD 16.22 Billion by 2031 at a 8.18% CAGR. The Global Automatic Weapons Market consists of firearms engineered for continuous discharge upon a single trigger activation, serving as essential components in military and law enforcement arsenals. Market growth is fundamentally supported by escalating geopolitical instability and the resulting imperative for nations to modernize their infantry capabilities. These factors create a sustained demand for reliable tactical weaponry that operates independently of transient industry trends.

However, the market faces significant impediments due to rigid international export control regimes which complicate cross-border procurement and technology transfer. According to the Aerospace Industries Association, in 2024, the United States aerospace and defense industry generated $995 billion in total business activity, underscoring the massive capital scale of the sector within which automatic weapons are procured. Despite this robust economic footprint, manufacturers must navigate cumbersome regulatory compliance standards that can delay shipments and restrict market access.

Key Market Drivers

The Expansion of Defense Budgets and Military Expenditure acts as a primary catalyst for the Global Automatic Weapons Market. As nations react to escalating geopolitical tensions, they are channeling record capital into strengthening armed forces, directly fueling the procurement of infantry firearms. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), April 2024, in the 'Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2023' report, total global military expenditure reached an all-time high of $2,443 billion in 2023, representing a real-terms increase of 6.8%. This funding surge translates into immediate industrial growth for manufacturers capable of supplying high-volume tactical weaponry. For instance, according to Rheinmetall AG, August 2024, in the 'Financial Report for the First Half of 2024', sales in the company's Weapon and Ammunition division rose by 93% to €1,054 million compared to the previous year, driven significantly by demand from Germany and Ukraine.

The Implementation of Global Military Modernization Programs is reshaping the market by shifting demand from legacy platforms to advanced, modular systems. Defense forces are prioritizing enhanced lethality and digital integration, necessitating the replacement of aging standard-issue rifles and machine guns with next-generation alternatives. According to the U.S. Army, March 2024, in the 'FY 2025 President's Budget Highlights', the service allocated $367.2 million for the fiscal year 2025 to procure 39,836 Next Generation Squad Weapons, signaling a decisive move toward higher-caliber infantry solutions. This modernization trend compels manufacturers to develop adaptable automatic weapons that support sophisticated optics and suppressors, driving technological competition and sustained contract activity within the sector.

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Key Market Challenges

Rigid international export control regimes and cumbersome regulatory compliance standards significantly impede the growth of the global automatic weapons market. These strict legal frameworks create extensive administrative bottlenecks that complicate the cross-border transfer of sensitive defense technology and hardware. Manufacturers often face prolonged approval timelines and opaque licensing requirements, which prevents them from swiftly fulfilling contracts in a landscape where geopolitical needs change rapidly. This regulatory friction acts as a substantial non-tariff barrier, effectively limiting market access and discouraging the international collaboration on modernization programs that is essential for industry expansion.

The economic impact of these restrictions is magnified by the immense scale of the trade volume they affect. According to the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe, in 2024, the European defense sector generated €183.4 billion in turnover. This figure underscores the massive financial value tied to defense procurement that is vulnerable to regulatory delays. When export authorities restrict or delay shipments to ensure compliance, they inadvertently slow the revenue cycle and hamper the ability of global defense firms to capitalize on the sustained demand for tactical weaponry.

Key Market Trends

The Proliferation of Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) enables operators to engage threats from protected positions, effectively transforming platform lethality and crew safety. This trend is optimizing survivability on the modern battlefield by equipping armored vehicles and naval vessels with stabilized turrets that integrate automatic cannons and advanced sensor suites. Defense forces are actively retrofitting legacy fleets with these systems to maintain precise firepower without exposing personnel to direct enemy fire. For instance, according to Electro Optic Systems, December 2025, in the 'EOS Wins US$21m RWS Deal' update, the company secured a contract worth $21 million to supply R400 remote weapon systems for integration onto light armored vehicles. This reflects a sustained operational preference for remote engagement capabilities in asymmetrical warfare environments.

The Integration of Smart Fire Control Systems is simultaneously reshaping infantry effectiveness by embedding ballistic calculation and target tracking directly into small arms optics. Manufacturers are prioritizing AI-driven sights that significantly increase first-round hit probabilities against moving targets and small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). This technology automates complex aiming variables, effectively turning standard automatic weapons into precision counter-drone tools. Demonstrating this demand, according to Smart Shooter, May 2025, in the 'SMARTSHOOTER secures $13M U.S. Army contract' announcement, the company was awarded a $13 million contract to deliver SMASH 2000L fire control systems to U.S. Army forces testing advanced technologies. Such investments highlight the critical shift toward digitized aiming solutions that augment soldier performance under high-stress combat conditions.

Segmental Insights

The Land segment is currently positioning itself as the fastest-growing category within the Global Automatic Weapons Market, driven by extensive infantry modernization initiatives. Leading military organizations, including the United States Department of Defense, are aggressively replacing legacy small arms with advanced automatic systems to ensure tactical superiority in close combat. Additionally, escalating cross-border disputes and geopolitical instability are compelling nations globally to increase budgetary allocations for ground troop equipment. This heightened focus on enhancing soldier lethality and upgrading aging inventories is the primary catalyst fueling the segment’s rapid expansion.

Regional Insights

North America holds the leading position in the Global Automatic Weapons Market, primarily due to substantial defense budgets and extensive soldier modernization programs in the United States. The region benefits from a strong industrial base, hosting key manufacturers such as General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman. This dominance is further reinforced by consistent procurement orders from the U.S. Department of Defense, which actively seeks to upgrade infantry capabilities with advanced firearm systems. Consequently, the combination of high government expenditure and established manufacturing infrastructure secures North America’s status as the central hub for the industry.

Recent Developments

• In September 2024, Rheinmetall conducted the first firing tests of its Skyranger 35 mobile air defense system integrated onto a Leopard 1 tank chassis. The tests demonstrated the capabilities of the system's 35mm revolver cannon, which is designed to engage aerial threats such as drone swarms and low-flying aircraft with high precision. This development represents a breakthrough in creating a cost-effective, highly mobile anti-aircraft solution by repurposing existing heavy armored platforms. The successful live-fire exercises validated the system's potential to provide critical short-range air defense for mechanized units in high-intensity combat environments.
• In August 2024, Sig Sauer announced that it had been awarded a second procurement contract by the Government of India’s Ministry of Defence to supply 73,000 SIG716 rifles. This acquisition follows an initial successful fielding of the weapon system and aims to further equip the Indian Army’s frontline infantry troops with modern 7.62mm caliber rifles. The delivery of these additional firearms will bring the total number of SIG716 rifles in service with the Indian military to approximately 145,400 units. The contract underscores the company's significant role in the modernization efforts of one of the world's largest standing armies.
• In May 2024, FN Herstal unveiled a new variant of its widely used FN Minimi Mk3 light machine gun, designed to address evolving operational requirements for modern infantry. The updated weapon features a rigid, one-piece feed cover with an integrated long rail, which enables the inline mounting of multiple optical sights, such as day scopes combined with night vision or magnifiers. This product launch, introduced ahead of the Eurosatory defense exhibition, aims to enhance target acquisition capabilities and combat effectiveness. The configuration allows operators to utilize advanced sighting systems without compromising the handling or reliability of the squad automatic weapon.
• In January 2024, Heckler & Koch announced that it had secured multiple contracts from NATO member nations to supply small arms, reinforcing its position in the global defense market. The Spanish Ministry of Defense placed an order for additional G36 assault rifles and pistols to modernize its armed forces, with an investment valued at approximately €14.1 million over two years. Concurrently, the armed forces of Latvia and Lithuania ordered additional G36 assault rifles under existing agreements to expand their standard infantry inventories. These collaborations highlight the continued reliance of European defense forces on the company’s proven automatic weapon systems for national security and interoperability.

Key Market Players

• General Dynamics Corporation
• Northrop Grumman Corporation
• BAE Systems plc
• Rheinmetall AG
• Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd
• RemArms LLC
• SIG SAUER AG
• FN Herstal S.A.
• Heckler & Koch GmbH
• Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) Ltd.

By Type	By End Use Type	By Caliber Type	By Region
Automatic Rifle Machine Gun Automatic Launchers Automatic Cannon Gatling Gun	Land Airborne Naval	5.56mm-14mm 15mm-30mm Above 30mm	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Automatic Weapons Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Automatic Weapons Market, By Type:

• Automatic Rifle
• Machine Gun
• Automatic Launchers
• Automatic Cannon
• Gatling Gun

• Automatic Weapons Market, By End Use Type:

• Land
• Airborne
• Naval

• Automatic Weapons Market, By Caliber Type:

• 5.56mm-14mm
• 15mm-30mm
• Above 30mm

• Automatic Weapons Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE