F2000 / FS2000
Summary
| Country | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Category | Bullpup assault rifle |
| Manufacturer | FN Herstal |
Technical specifications
| F2000 / FS2000 | |
|---|---|
| Fire Rate | 1000 rounds/min. |
| Caliber | 5.56 x 45 mm OTAN |
| Magazine | 30 rounds |
| Length | 694 mm (27.3 in) |
| Weight | 4.6 kg (10.1 lb) |
| Range | 400 m (1312 ft) |
Description
The FN F2000 is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup rifle designed by FN Herstal in Belgium, and introduced in March 2001 at the IDEX defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi.
This selective fire weapon is a gas-operated design utilizing a short-stroke piston system and fires from a closed bolt. It employs a rotating bolt with 6 radial locking lugs. The weapon is modular, consisting of a barreled receiver group and a frame. The upper receiver includes an integral MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail for mounting optical sights, while the lower receiver contains the trigger group, bolt and bolt carrier assembly, return mechanism, and magazine well. It is fed from standard NATO STANAG box magazines.
The safety system and trigger mechanism are adapted from the P90, with a rotating disc selector/safety ("S", "1", "A") located below the trigger. A distinctive feature is its unique forward ejection system, which channels spent casings through a tube above the barrel, ejecting them forward and to the right, providing fully ambidextrous operation. The primary sight is a 1.6× telescopic optic, mounted on the Picatinny rail, with a secondary fixed notch and front blade sight molded into the optic housing cover. The rifle features a flash suppressor and an adjustable gas regulator, and it can accept modular accessories including a 40mm GL1 grenade launcher which can utilize an optoelectronic fire control system (FCS) for aiming.
Several variants of the F2000 exist:
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The F2000 Tactical, which features an extended top MIL-STD-1913 rail with flip-up iron sights instead of the standard optic.
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The F2000 Tactical TR, which adds a triple rail handguard.
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The FS2000, a semi-automatic version intended for civilian ownership, often equipped with an extended barrel and permanently attached muzzle brake. Variants include the FS2000 Tactical with a rail and iron sights, and the FS2000 Standard with the 1.6× optic.
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The F2000 S, a version developed for the Slovenian Army with an elevated upper Picatinny rail that doubles as a carrying handle.
The FN F2000 has seen operational use in conflicts including the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), the Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Operation Astute, the Mexican Drug War, the Libyan Civil War, the Yemeni Civil War (2014-present), the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, the Houthi–Saudi Arabian conflict, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The F2000 is used by military and law enforcement forces in various countries, including Belgium, East Timor, India, Libya, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, and Spain. Non-state actors such as Hamas and Houthis are also noted users.