Khaybar KH2002

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Khaybar KH2002
KH-2002
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Iran
Service history
In service	2004 —
Used by	Iran
Production history
Designed	2001
Manufacturer	Defense Industries Organization
Produced	2003 —
Number built	N/A
Variants	N/A
Specifications
Weight	3.7kg
Length	N/A
Barrel length	780mm, 730mm, 680mm

Cartridge	5.56 x 45 mm NATO, .223 Remington
Caliber	5.56 mm (.223 in)
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	800 to 850 round/min, cyclic
Muzzle velocity	900 to 950 m/s
Effective range	450 m
Feed system	20 or 30 Rounds

Khaybar/KH-2002 is an Iranian designed assault rifle, derived from the DIO S 5.56 assault rifle and further developed by Iran's Defense Industries Organization (DIO).

1 Overview
2 Design
3 Origin of the name
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Overview

The KH-2002 is an indigenously produced 5.56mm bullpup conversion kit for the M16-A1 Assault Rifle, it is similar in appearance to the Chinese Norinco QBZ-95 5.56mm assault rifle and the French FA-MAS, and essentially a bull-pup plastic shell conversion kit of the DIO S 5.56 assault rifle (which is by itself a copy of the COLT M16-A1).

The "Khaybar" KH2002 can thus be considered as a bull-pup conversion of the M16 system. It comes in three variants: standard assault rifle, short-barreled assault carbine, long-barreled designated marksman weapon. It has a fire selection switch for Safe, Single Fire, 3-rounds Burst and Full-Autofire, feeding from either 20-rounds or 30-rounds magazines.

[edit] Design

The KH-2002 features a unique four-position fire selector lever which is situated toward the rear of the left side butt-stock behind a 20/30-round magazine housing. The selector offers single shot, automatic fire and three-round burst options, with the safety selection in the forward position.

The DIO promotes the KH-2002 as a "low-recoil, highly accurate, lightweight" weapon, with "modular construction for easy maintenance" and a rotating bolt-cocking mechanism, presumably designed to facilitate ambidextrous firing, protected under a carrying handle that contains the rearsight. The carrying handle can also be used to mount optical or night sights.

The weight of the KH-2002 with the long barrel and a 30-round empty magazine is given as 3.7kg. The weapon can also be fitted with a bipod and a bayonet.[1]

[edit] Origin of the name

Khaybar is the name of a historical oasis approximately 95 miles east of Medina, which once was also the largest Jewish settlement in Arabia; the name was chosen as a reminder of the Battle of Khaybar, where Mohammed and his followers destroyed the Meccan Jews.