This photograph has been on the internet for awhile and appears to be depicting an Iraqi with an odd M249 SAW drum mounted around the STANAG magazine of his Airsoft M4 carbine. We doubt that this is a functioning 200 linked belt inside the drum that is being fed into the rifle and is most likely glued or taped to the magazine that is actually inserted.
From the appearance of the soldier, it doesn’t look like a combatant, possibly not even an enlisted soldier in the Iraqi Army. Rather this might be an enthusiast that is “dressing up” the part. Although his equipment bears some resemblance to gear issued within the Iraqi Army, he is overloaded with equipment that isn’t standard issue. The rifle itself appears to be a U.S. civilian legal 16.5 inch barrel AR15 with a permanently attached carrying handle, he has what looks like Kalashnikov magazines in his pouches, his visor and helmet don’t look to be ballistically rated at all, and it looks like he has mounted a Kalashnikov bayonet over his right shoulder as well. Essentially, nothing matches!
UPDATE
Due to an ever watchful reader, we were able to identify several of the products pictured. The rifle is indeed an airsoft product, with an AEG magazine and an AWT Armor Warrior Tactical G4 Protection Helmet. Much thanks to Irfan!
