VHS assault rifle
Encyclopedia
The VHS is a 5.56x45mm NATO
bullpup
assault rifle
designed and manufactured by HS Produkt
of Croatia
. The VHS rifle was first introduced at the 2007 iKA exhibition, the annual Croatian innovation display that takes place in the city of Karlovac
. The development was carried on following a request from the Croatian Army for a new infantry rifle to update the individual equipment to NATO standards.
, when HS Produkt (then called IM Metal) created a bullpup
variant of the 7.62 mm Kalashnikov
assault rifle. This rifle had a number of flaws, partly caused by limited technological capabilities of IM Metal, but provided a valuable learning experience for the company. More prototypes followed in 1996, 1999 and 2004. A delayed blowback model was tested in the mid-1990s, but the results were still not satisfactory, and it was superseded by a design similar to the M16 rifle
.
The development cycle that ultimately led to the current version of the rifle started circa 2003. A new prototype, externally quite similar to the French FAMAS
, was publicly announced in 2005 and presented to the Croatian Minister of Defense Berislav Rončević
. However, the difference between the production model that followed and the 2004 prototype is more than 90%.
within the ISAF
. Other nations, including Kuwait
and Venezuela
have already shown interest in acquiring the rifle.
On November 24, 2008 HS Produkt introduced the final version of VHS assault rifle. The first 40 rifles have been produced for testing. The test will be done by Croatian military in the first 3 months of 2009. If it performs well, the Croatian army will buy an additional 2,000 rifles in 2009. By 2012 the Croatian army plans on acquiring up to 60,000 VHS rifles, displacing the various AKM
derivatives currently in service.
On May 12, 2009, the Croatian Minister of Defence Branko Vukelić
confirmed the positive conclusions of a series of torture tests and on May 15 officially signed a contract with HS product for the acquisition of 1,000 rifles (both variants) for an average price of 10,700 Croatian kuna
s (c. €1450) each.
Provisional budget for 2011 envisage the acquisition of 3000 rifles.
rifle.
The VHS-K is a carbine variant with a shorter, 400-mm barrel, resulting in overall length of 665 mm.
The early project won the iKA innovation prize for their interesting feature,
Some characteristics of the rifle are still not revealed to the public and so some misconceptions occurred through the development period: there was word about a sort of recoil buffer in the form of a venting system that recovered part of the gases generated by the shot and pushed it back in a space located behind the bolt; during the cycle, the bolt would thus "bounce" on a sort of "gas cushion" that acted as a buffer, dramatically reducing recoil.
That provoked more than a disappointment as the production-stage VHS was reported to operate in a much conventional manner no longer utilizing these buffering system.
According to the project deposited at the European
Patent Office however it seems that such voices originated from a misconception of related data, i.e. merging in one two different features: a forced air ventilation system similar to the one in Pecheneg machine gun and a mechanical buffer reductor, similar in conception but not identical to the one used in Ultimax 100
, a weapon Croatia
used in Croatian War of Independence
and still has in its reserve inventory
.
Same patent
states also that Vehesica works neither through Direct gas impingement nor through a short or long stroke piston, but through a 'tappet' type of closed gas system much like the FN SCAR
.
There it was also another precedent design sporting some of said features, but it was rejected after the first real testing, so it is also possible that the"gas cushion" was instead a feature of that former model.
Taking into account that said patent is from 2007, it is not certain how much the serial production rifles will differ from it, but nevertheless it shows that HS Produkt
, which also developed and produced the best selling HS2000 pistol, has the ability to adapt and combine existing features in an innovative way.
Also the recent Croatian
combat experience
influenced the rifle project: VHS is probably the only modern assault rifle
to have standard integral sight
s for using both a grenade launcher
and rifle grenade
s.
5.56x45mm NATO
5.56×45mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the United States and originally chambered in the M16 rifle. Under STANAG 4172, it is a standard cartridge for NATO forces as well as many non-NATO countries. It is derived from, but not identical to, the .223 Remington cartridge...
bullpup
Bullpup
Bullpups are firearm configurations in which the action is located behind the trigger group and alongside the shooter's face, so there is no wasted space for the buttstock as in conventional designs. This permits a shorter firearm length for the same barrel length for improved maneuverability, and...
assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
designed and manufactured by HS Produkt
HS Produkt
HS Produkt d.o.o. is a Croatian firearms manufacturing company, best known for design and production of the HS2000 and XDm, a semi-automatic pistol sold in the US market as the Springfield Armory XD.- History :...
of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The VHS rifle was first introduced at the 2007 iKA exhibition, the annual Croatian innovation display that takes place in the city of Karlovac
Karlovac
Karlovac is a city and municipality in central Croatia. The city proper has a population of 49,082, while the municipality has a population of 59,395 inhabitants .Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County...
. The development was carried on following a request from the Croatian Army for a new infantry rifle to update the individual equipment to NATO standards.
Development
The development of the new assault rifle began in 1992, during the Croatian War of IndependenceCroatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, when HS Produkt (then called IM Metal) created a bullpup
Bullpup
Bullpups are firearm configurations in which the action is located behind the trigger group and alongside the shooter's face, so there is no wasted space for the buttstock as in conventional designs. This permits a shorter firearm length for the same barrel length for improved maneuverability, and...
variant of the 7.62 mm Kalashnikov
Kalashnikov
Kalashnikov is commonly used to refer to a type of rifle, but it and similar words also have other meanings:-People:*Mikhail Kalashnikov , Russian small arms designer*Maxim Kalashnikov , Russian writer and political activist...
assault rifle. This rifle had a number of flaws, partly caused by limited technological capabilities of IM Metal, but provided a valuable learning experience for the company. More prototypes followed in 1996, 1999 and 2004. A delayed blowback model was tested in the mid-1990s, but the results were still not satisfactory, and it was superseded by a design similar to the M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
.
The development cycle that ultimately led to the current version of the rifle started circa 2003. A new prototype, externally quite similar to the French FAMAS
FAMAS
The FAMAS is a bullpup-styled assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS located in Saint-Étienne, which is now a member of the French government-owned Nexter group...
, was publicly announced in 2005 and presented to the Croatian Minister of Defense Berislav Rončević
Berislav Roncevic
Berislav Rončević is a Croatian politician, and the former Minister of Internal Affairs in the Government of Croatia and the Minister of Defense....
. However, the difference between the production model that followed and the 2004 prototype is more than 90%.
Evaluation and adoption
On November 19, 2007, the Croatian Ministry of Defence placed an order for an experimental batch of 50 rifles to be tested by the Croatian contingent currently deployed in AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
within the ISAF
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
. Other nations, including Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
have already shown interest in acquiring the rifle.
On November 24, 2008 HS Produkt introduced the final version of VHS assault rifle. The first 40 rifles have been produced for testing. The test will be done by Croatian military in the first 3 months of 2009. If it performs well, the Croatian army will buy an additional 2,000 rifles in 2009. By 2012 the Croatian army plans on acquiring up to 60,000 VHS rifles, displacing the various AKM
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
derivatives currently in service.
On May 12, 2009, the Croatian Minister of Defence Branko Vukelić
Branko Vukelic
Branko Vukelić is a Croatian politician and former Minister of Defence, and member of the Croatian Democratic Union.Vukelić graduated from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, in 1981, and is married with one child....
confirmed the positive conclusions of a series of torture tests and on May 15 officially signed a contract with HS product for the acquisition of 1,000 rifles (both variants) for an average price of 10,700 Croatian kuna
Croatian kuna
The kuna is the currency of Croatia since 1994 . It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute....
s (c. €1450) each.
Provisional budget for 2011 envisage the acquisition of 3000 rifles.
Design
The VHS-D rifle is 765 mm long, with a 500 mm barrel. The upper and the lower receiver are constructed from high-impact polymer. Externally, it strongly resembles the French FAMASFAMAS
The FAMAS is a bullpup-styled assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS located in Saint-Étienne, which is now a member of the French government-owned Nexter group...
rifle.
The VHS-K is a carbine variant with a shorter, 400-mm barrel, resulting in overall length of 665 mm.
The early project won the iKA innovation prize for their interesting feature,
Some characteristics of the rifle are still not revealed to the public and so some misconceptions occurred through the development period: there was word about a sort of recoil buffer in the form of a venting system that recovered part of the gases generated by the shot and pushed it back in a space located behind the bolt; during the cycle, the bolt would thus "bounce" on a sort of "gas cushion" that acted as a buffer, dramatically reducing recoil.
That provoked more than a disappointment as the production-stage VHS was reported to operate in a much conventional manner no longer utilizing these buffering system.
According to the project deposited at the European
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
Patent Office however it seems that such voices originated from a misconception of related data, i.e. merging in one two different features: a forced air ventilation system similar to the one in Pecheneg machine gun and a mechanical buffer reductor, similar in conception but not identical to the one used in Ultimax 100
Ultimax 100
The Ultimax 100 is a Singaporean 5.56mm light machine gun, developed by the Chartered Industries of Singapore by a team of engineers under the guidance of American firearms designer L. James Sullivan. The gun is extremely accurate due to its low recoil.Work on a new light support weapon for the...
, a weapon Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
used in Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
and still has in its reserve inventory
Inventory
Inventory means a list compiled for some formal purpose, such as the details of an estate going to probate, or the contents of a house let furnished. This remains the prime meaning in British English...
.
Same patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
states also that Vehesica works neither through Direct gas impingement nor through a short or long stroke piston, but through a 'tappet' type of closed gas system much like the FN SCAR
FN SCAR
The Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular rifle made by FN Herstal for the United States Special Operations Command to satisfy the requirements of the SCAR competition. This family of rifles consist of two main types...
.
There it was also another precedent design sporting some of said features, but it was rejected after the first real testing, so it is also possible that the"gas cushion" was instead a feature of that former model.
Taking into account that said patent is from 2007, it is not certain how much the serial production rifles will differ from it, but nevertheless it shows that HS Produkt
HS Produkt
HS Produkt d.o.o. is a Croatian firearms manufacturing company, best known for design and production of the HS2000 and XDm, a semi-automatic pistol sold in the US market as the Springfield Armory XD.- History :...
, which also developed and produced the best selling HS2000 pistol, has the ability to adapt and combine existing features in an innovative way.
Also the recent Croatian
Military of Croatia
Croatian military is officially called Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and it consists of three branches:* Croatian Army * Croatian Navy...
combat experience
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
influenced the rifle project: VHS is probably the only modern assault rifle
Assault rifle
An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
to have standard integral sight
Sight (device)
A sight is a device used to assist aligning or aim weapons, surveying instruments, or other items by eye. Sights can be a simple set or system of markers that have to be aligned together as well as aligned with the target...
s for using both a grenade launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
and rifle grenade
Rifle grenade
A rifle grenade is a grenade that uses a rifle-based launcher to permit a longer effective range than would be possible if the grenade was thrown by hand...
s.