KH-2002 | |
---|---|
Type | Bullpup assault rifle |
Place of origin | Iran |
Service history | |
In service | 2004–present |
Used by |
Islamic Republic of Iran Army in limited numbers (Primary User)
[1] See Users for more details |
Production history | |
Designed | 2001 |
Manufacturer | Defense Industries Organization |
Produced | 2003–2012 |
Variants | See Variants |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3.7kg (with long barrel and empty 30-round magazine) |
Length | 780 mm, 730 mm, 680 mm (Assault Rifle, Carbine, DMR) |
Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO |
Caliber | 5.56mm |
Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
Rate of fire | 800 to 850 round/min, cyclic |
Muzzle velocity | 900 to 950 m/s |
Effective firing range | 450 m |
Feed system | Various STANAG Magazines |
Sights |
Iron sights Various scopes/sights can be attached on the picatinny rail via carry handle. Two picatinny rails on both sides of upper receiver (Sama model only) |
The KH-2002 Khaybar ( Persian: خیبر Khayber) is an Iranian-designed assault rifle, derived from the DIO S 5.56 assault rifle (an unlicensed clone of the Chinese Norinco CQ, [2] which in turn is an unlicensed copy of the American M16) and further developed by Iran's Defense Industries Organization (DIO). [3] [4] It was designed in 2001 with samples produced in 2003 with the eventual production of the KH2002 commencing in 2004. It is similar in appearance to the QBZ-95 and the FAMAS. [5]
Its improved version, released in 2009, was known as "Sama" ( Persian: سما). [3] [6]
In the early 2000s, Iran was testing prototypes of G3 battle rifles made under license for the Iranian military in bullpup configurations to test their feasibility. [6] This was later dropped in favor of a similar weapon that's chambered in 5.56 NATO. [6] The KH-2002 was planned, from 2006, to replace the G3s in the Iranian military. [7]
According to a Global Security Studies report, it was observed that Venezuela received 18,000 KH-2002s sold to them by Iran in 2007. [8] In the same year, an investigation was carried out in Uruguay in an attempt to bring KH-2002s into the country through Venezuela, which was a violation of UN embargo rules against Iran, according to reports in the Washington Times. [9] According to the article, all 18,000 rifles and 15,000 rounds of Iranian-made 5.56mm NATO ammunition were confiscated. [9]
In 2008, Iran had sent ten samples of the KH-2002 to Syria in order to compete for a potential contract with the Syrian Army against the AK-74M. [10] Eight KH-2002s used in field tests jammed numerous times, leaving two of them in working condition. [10]
It has been suggested that production of the KH-2002 was discontinued in 2012 after DIO was unable to find customers willing to buy the assault rifle. [11] [10]
The KH-2002 features a four-position fire selector lever which is situated toward the rear of the left side butt-stock behind magazine housing with the M16-type magazine release button on the right side of the magazine housing. [12] [13] The weapon is not entirely ambidextrous since the ejection port is located on the right side of the rifle. [1] It uses the globally proliferate STANAG magazine and is typically fitted with 20- or 30-round magazines. [14]
The selector offers semi-automatic, fully automatic and three-round burst options, [4] with the safety selection in the forward position. [15] It operates as a gas operated, rotating bolt-type rifle. [3] The KH-2002 can be outfitted with an AK-type bayonet. [6]
The DIO promotes the KH-2002 as a "low-recoil, highly accurate, lightweight" weapon, with "modular construction for easy maintenance" and a rotating bolt locking mechanism, presumably designed to facilitate ambidextrous firing, protected under a carrying handle that contains the rear sight. [5] The carrying handle can also be used to mount optical or night sights. [16]
Its charging handle is located on top of the receiver. [17]
The weight of the KH-2002 with the long barrel and an empty 30-round magazine is given as 3.7 kg. The weapon can also be fitted with an optional bipod and a bayonet. [5] [16] Field stripping the rifle is most likely based on the M16. [15]
The Sama-type rifle has improvements made over initial production models such as having a longer carry handle to accommodate longer optics or scopes when it was released in 2009. [6] [18] Other improvements include a foregrip extension below the barrel to better handle the rifle, two picatinny rails on the receiver were included and the bolt carrier design changed to fit the ejection port. [2]
According to an October 2013 report by SIPRI, it's suggested that China may have provided technical assistance to Iranian engineers in designing the rifle. [19]
The variants consisted of the following: [1]
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)
KH-2002 | |
---|---|
Type | Bullpup assault rifle |
Place of origin | Iran |
Service history | |
In service | 2004–present |
Used by |
Islamic Republic of Iran Army in limited numbers (Primary User)
[1] See Users for more details |
Production history | |
Designed | 2001 |
Manufacturer | Defense Industries Organization |
Produced | 2003–2012 |
Variants | See Variants |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3.7kg (with long barrel and empty 30-round magazine) |
Length | 780 mm, 730 mm, 680 mm (Assault Rifle, Carbine, DMR) |
Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO |
Caliber | 5.56mm |
Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
Rate of fire | 800 to 850 round/min, cyclic |
Muzzle velocity | 900 to 950 m/s |
Effective firing range | 450 m |
Feed system | Various STANAG Magazines |
Sights |
Iron sights Various scopes/sights can be attached on the picatinny rail via carry handle. Two picatinny rails on both sides of upper receiver (Sama model only) |
The KH-2002 Khaybar ( Persian: خیبر Khayber) is an Iranian-designed assault rifle, derived from the DIO S 5.56 assault rifle (an unlicensed clone of the Chinese Norinco CQ, [2] which in turn is an unlicensed copy of the American M16) and further developed by Iran's Defense Industries Organization (DIO). [3] [4] It was designed in 2001 with samples produced in 2003 with the eventual production of the KH2002 commencing in 2004. It is similar in appearance to the QBZ-95 and the FAMAS. [5]
Its improved version, released in 2009, was known as "Sama" ( Persian: سما). [3] [6]
In the early 2000s, Iran was testing prototypes of G3 battle rifles made under license for the Iranian military in bullpup configurations to test their feasibility. [6] This was later dropped in favor of a similar weapon that's chambered in 5.56 NATO. [6] The KH-2002 was planned, from 2006, to replace the G3s in the Iranian military. [7]
According to a Global Security Studies report, it was observed that Venezuela received 18,000 KH-2002s sold to them by Iran in 2007. [8] In the same year, an investigation was carried out in Uruguay in an attempt to bring KH-2002s into the country through Venezuela, which was a violation of UN embargo rules against Iran, according to reports in the Washington Times. [9] According to the article, all 18,000 rifles and 15,000 rounds of Iranian-made 5.56mm NATO ammunition were confiscated. [9]
In 2008, Iran had sent ten samples of the KH-2002 to Syria in order to compete for a potential contract with the Syrian Army against the AK-74M. [10] Eight KH-2002s used in field tests jammed numerous times, leaving two of them in working condition. [10]
It has been suggested that production of the KH-2002 was discontinued in 2012 after DIO was unable to find customers willing to buy the assault rifle. [11] [10]
The KH-2002 features a four-position fire selector lever which is situated toward the rear of the left side butt-stock behind magazine housing with the M16-type magazine release button on the right side of the magazine housing. [12] [13] The weapon is not entirely ambidextrous since the ejection port is located on the right side of the rifle. [1] It uses the globally proliferate STANAG magazine and is typically fitted with 20- or 30-round magazines. [14]
The selector offers semi-automatic, fully automatic and three-round burst options, [4] with the safety selection in the forward position. [15] It operates as a gas operated, rotating bolt-type rifle. [3] The KH-2002 can be outfitted with an AK-type bayonet. [6]
The DIO promotes the KH-2002 as a "low-recoil, highly accurate, lightweight" weapon, with "modular construction for easy maintenance" and a rotating bolt locking mechanism, presumably designed to facilitate ambidextrous firing, protected under a carrying handle that contains the rear sight. [5] The carrying handle can also be used to mount optical or night sights. [16]
Its charging handle is located on top of the receiver. [17]
The weight of the KH-2002 with the long barrel and an empty 30-round magazine is given as 3.7 kg. The weapon can also be fitted with an optional bipod and a bayonet. [5] [16] Field stripping the rifle is most likely based on the M16. [15]
The Sama-type rifle has improvements made over initial production models such as having a longer carry handle to accommodate longer optics or scopes when it was released in 2009. [6] [18] Other improvements include a foregrip extension below the barrel to better handle the rifle, two picatinny rails on the receiver were included and the bolt carrier design changed to fit the ejection port. [2]
According to an October 2013 report by SIPRI, it's suggested that China may have provided technical assistance to Iranian engineers in designing the rifle. [19]
The variants consisted of the following: [1]
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link)