FN FNC

FNC
The FNC with bayonet
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Belgium
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	Anti-guerrilla operations in Indonesia, 2007 Lebanon conflict, Conflict in the Niger Delta
Production history
Designer	Fabrique Nationale de Herstal
Designed	1976
Manufacturer	Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, Bofors Ordnance, PT Pindad
Produced	1979–present
Specifications
Mass	Template:Kg to lb (standard rifle) 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) (carbine)
Length	Template:Mm to in stock extended / 766 mm (30.2 in) stock folded (rifle) 911 mm (35.9 in) stock extended / 667 mm (26.3 in) stock folded (carbine)
Barrel length	449 mm (17.7 in) (rifle) 363 mm (14.3 in) (carbine)
Width	70 mm (2.8 in) stock extended 75 mm (3.0 in) stock folded
Height	238 mm (9.4 in)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	Approx. 625-675 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	M193: 965 m/s (3,166 ft/s) SS109: 925 m/s (3,034.8 ft/s)
Effective firing range	250 to 400 m sight adjustments
Maximum firing range	2,000 m (1.2 mi)
Feed system	30-round detachable box magazine (STANAG system)
Sights	Rear flip aperture, front post 513 mm (20.2 in) sight radius (standard rifle)

The FNC (Fabrique Nationale Carabine) is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed by the Belgian arms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale (FN) of Herstal and introduced in the late 1970s.

Development

The rifle was developed between 1975–1977 for NATO standardization trials. The rifle’s design is based on the FNC 76 prototype, which itself traces back to the unsuccessful CAL rifle. It was soon withdrawn from the NATO competition after performing poorly due to its expedient development. Later trials for the Swedish Armed Forces held between 1981–1982 using updated prototypes proved the utility and efficiency of the design, impressing both the Swedish military and Belgian army staff back at home. The FNC was finally adopted by the armed forces of Belgium in 1989, as a service-wide replacement for the 7.62mm-caliber FN FAL after having issued the FNC in small numbers to airborne infantry for several years. The Indonesian Air Force purchased approximately 10,000 rifles in 1982, and would later aqcuire a license to manufacture the rifle for all branches of their armed forces. These guns are built by the Indonesian firm PT Pindad as the SS1-V1 and SS1-V2. The FNC is also the standard service rifle of Sweden (Ak 5) and is used in relatively small numbers by a number of other armies and police organizations.

Design details

A Belgian soldier conducting traffic inspections in Somalia in 1993, part of the multinational Unified Task Force.

A German soldier aims his gun during a military forces weapons qualification at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 2009.

The FNC is a selective fire weapon that uses a gas-driven piston operating system (with a long-stroke piston) and a rotary bolt locking mechanism equipped with two locking lugs that engage corresponding recesses in the barrel extension. The bolt is rotated and unlocked by the interaction of the bolt’s cam pin with a camming guide contained in the bolt carrier. The spring extractor is located inside the bolt head, the ejector is fixed and riveted to the inside of the receiver housing. The FNC uses a 2-position gas valve, a hammer-type firing mechanism and a trigger with a fire selector switch that is simultaneously the manual safety, securing the weapon from accidental firing. The selector lever is located on the left side of the receiver and has 4 settings: "S"—weapon safe, "1"—single fire mode, "3"—3-round burst, "A"—continuous fire.

The FNC’s barrel features a flash suppressor that is also used to launch rifle grenades (only the standard rifle model has this capability). The gas block contains a gas valve setting that is used to isolate the gas system, providing an increased volume of propellant required to fire a rifle grenade. The sheet-metal gas valve switch when pulled upright, acts as a V-notch sight used for aiming the rifle grenades. The piston head and extension, as well as the gas port block, barrel bore and chamber, are hard-chrome plated to minimize the effects of propellant fouling.

The rifle feeds from 30-round steel magazines that are interchangeable with magazines from the American M16 rifle (STANAG 4179 system). After the last round is fired from the magazine the action remains in its rear (open) position held by a bolt catch that can be released by pressing the bolt release button on the left side of the receiver.

The rifle has a flip-type L-shaped rear sight with two apertures with settings for 250 and 400 m (the front sight post can be adjusted for elevation, the rear sight—windage) and a plastic-coated, lightweight alloy skeleton stock that folds to the right side of the receiver. Optionally, FN offers a synthetic (polyamide) fixed buttstock. The FNC can also be used to mount optics such as the Hensoldt FN4X telescopic sight through the use of an adaptor.

Standard equipment supplied with the FNC includes a spike bayonet or a variant of the American M7 blade bayonet (with the use of a lug adaptor) and a sling. The rifle can be deployed with a barrel mounted bipod and blank-firing adaptor.

Variants

The FNC is produced in two primary configurations: a standard rifle and short (carbine) length. The rifle variant called the “Standard” Model 2000 and the “Short” Model 7000 carbine come equipped with barrels with 6 right-hand grooves and a 178 mm (1:7 in) rifling twist rate (used to stabilize the heavier Belgian SS109 bullets), while the Model 0000 rifle and Model 6000 carbine – a slower, 305 mm (1:12 in) twist rate (used with the American lightweight M193 cartridges).

The Swedish service rifle built by Bofors Ordnance (currently BAE Systems Bofors) is a modernized Model 2000 carbine that lacks the burst fire control setting. It was accepted into service in 1985 as the Ak 5 after extensive trials and replaced the 7.62mm Ak 4 (locally produced copy of the Heckler & Koch G3). Bofors has produced several variants of the basic Ak 5: the Ak 5B (equipped with a British 4x SUSAT optical sight but no mechanical iron sights), the Ak 5C (a modular carbine variant designed for compatibility with various accessories), and the Ak 5D (a compact variant for vehicle crews).

Fabrique Nationale offers a semi-automatic only carbine version known as the Law Enforcement (Model 7030 with a 1 in 178 mm rifling twist and the Model 6040—with a 1 in 305 mm twist rate). These single-fire carbines feature a 410 mm (16.1 in) barrel and are also capable of firing rifle grenades and mounting a bayonet.

Users

A US Army soldier with an FNC on the firing range.

Belgian soldier with an FNC.

The Indonesian-made SS1-V1.

• Belgium: Entered national service in 1989.
• Indonesia: Standard issue rifle of the Armed Forces of Indonesia. Built locally under license by PT Pindad as the SS1 (Senapan Serbu 1 or "assault rifle 1") in several variants, most notably the SS1-V1 and SS1-V2.
• El Salvador
• Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to adopt the complete system, converting from the 7.62mm FAL to the 5.56mm FNC and the Minimi support weapon, as far back as 1981.
• Sweden: Accepted for use in 1986 and made under a license agreement by Bofors Carl Gustav as the Ak 5 (Automatkarbin 5).

See also

• Ak 5 - The Swedish version of the FNC
• FN SCAR

Bibliography

• Crawford, Steve (2003). Twenty-first Century Small Arms: The World's Great Infantry Weapons. St. Paul, MN: Zenith Imprint. ISBN 9780760315033. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Walter, John (2006). Rifles of the World (3rd ed.). Iola, WI: Krause Publications. ISBN 9780896892415. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

• FN Herstal—manufacturer's site
• Modern Firearms
• Buddy Hinton Collection
• FN FNC exploded view and pictures
• Video of operation on YouTube Template:Ja icon