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KH-2002

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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]

KH-2002
TypeBullpup assault rifle
Place of originIran
Service history
In service2004–present
Used byIslamic Republic of Iran Army in limited numbers (Primary User)[1]
See Users for more details
Production history
Designed2001
ManufacturerDefense Industries Organization
Produced2003–2012
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass3.7kg (with long barrel and empty 30-round magazine)
Length780 mm, 730 mm, 680 mm (Assault Rifle, Carbine, DMR)
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO
Caliber5.56mm
ActionGas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire800 to 850 round/min, cyclic
Muzzle velocity900 to 950 m/s
Effective firing range450 m
Feed systemVarious STANAG Magazines
SightsIron 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)

Its improved version, released in 2009, was known as "Sama" (Persian: سما).[3][6]

History edit

 
Brig. Gen. Ali Shushtari with the KH-2002.

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]

Design edit

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]

Variants edit

The variants consisted of the following:[1]

  • Assault Rifle: Standard barrel based on the M16A1.
  • Carbine: Has a short barrel and no front sight.
  • DMR: Has a longer barrel.

Users edit

Current operators edit

  •   Iran: Used in limited numbers.

Failed contracts edit

  •   Syria: DIO competed with the KH-2002 against the AK-74M, which failed due to numerous jamming incidents.[10]
  •   Uruguay: A smuggling attempt was made by CAVIM and MODLEX (Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces Logistics of the Islamic Republic of Iran) officials in a bid to supply the Uruguayan military with new assault rifles to secure a potential contract, which failed.[20][9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c ARG. "KH-2002 Khaybar Assault Rifle - Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  2. ^ a b "Khaybar: Iran's 5.56mm Assault Rifle – Guns & Ammo". 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Administrator (9 January 2014). "Iranian-made KH-2002 Kyaybar 5.56mm bullpup assault rifle enters in service Iranian army 0901144". www.armyrecognition.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-16. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  4. ^ a b "Khaybar KH2002". Archived from the original on 2009-03-19. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
  5. ^ a b c "DIO KH2002 / Khaybar". Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-05-29.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Iranian 5.56mm Rifles: From S5.56 to Masaaf – Silah Report". Silah Report. Archived from the original on 2021-10-04.
  7. ^ "伊朗Kh2002海拜尔突击步枪 ——〖枪炮世界〗".
  8. ^ "Iran's Foothold in Latin America" (PDF). globalsecuritystudies.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-03-05. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  9. ^ a b c "Uruguay caught buying Iran arms". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on 2018-03-05. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  10. ^ a b c d "From Russia with Love, Syria's AK-74Ms – bellingcat". 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 6 February 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Updated: The Assault Rifles Of The Near Future". 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  12. ^ Johnson & Nelson (2016), p. 714.
  13. ^ "Modern Firearms' Khaybar KH2002 Page". 27 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
  14. ^ "Штурмовая винтовка Khaybar KH 2002". Archived from the original on 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2019-02-28.
  15. ^ a b Johnson & Nelson (2016), p. 1291.
  16. ^ a b "AIG". 27 September 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007.
  17. ^ "No M-16: Iran's "Domestic" (Copied) Assault Rifle is a Total Mess". 16 December 2020.
  18. ^ "تولید انبوه و استقبال نیروهای مسلح از"سلاح خیبر"+جزئیات". 30 April 2013. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  19. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2018-08-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  20. ^ "Denuncian triangulación de armas Irán-Venezuela-Uruguay". Plainview Herald. 16 August 2007. Archived from the original on 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-03-13.

Bibliography edit

 
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