After the Vickers and Bren machine guns were phased out by British military troops, the 7.62mm L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), sometimes known as the “Gimpy,” was produced under license by the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield. It is still in heavy use today.

Infantry troops have utilized the L7A2, mainly as a portable shoulder-fired version, in the Middle East, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and the Falklands.
It has a bi-pod as standard, however a tripod mount was used for prolonged firing.

The smaller and lighter 5.56mm Minimi light machine gun has supplemented the GPMG, but the superior stopping firepower of the larger round from the GPMG still means it is a firm favorite for many foot patrols and fixed positions in many conflicts.