VS-93
From WikiStates
| VS-93 | |
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| Type | Assault Rifle |
| Place of origin |  Rivatia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1995-present |
| Used by |  Rivatian Armed ForcesSee Users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Petar Križanić |
| Designed | 1993 |
| Manufacturer | Napredno Ratovanje Industrija |
| Unit cost | approx. ₭1000 |
| Produced | 1995-present |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3.2 kg (7.1 lb) |
| Length | 761 mm (30.0 in) / 969 mm (38.1 in) with bayonet |
| Barrel length | 500 mm (19.7 in) |
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| Cartridge | 6.8x42mm RSAR |
| Action | Gas-operated direct impingement, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 950 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,070 m/s (3,500 ft/s) |
| Feed system | 20, 30-round magazine |
| Sights | Rear aperture fitted with tritium night inserts, front post |
The VS-93 (Rivatian: Višenamjenska Strojnica, 1993; literally: Multifunctional Automatic-rifle, 1993) is a 6.8x42mm RSAR bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured in Rivatia. It is the standard infantry service rifle of the Rivatian Armed Forces.
Development
The procurement of a new, modern service rifle for use with the Rivatian Armed Forces in the immediate years following independence was considered critical to the future defence of the Kingdom. The contract was ultimately awarded to the newly privatised Napredno Ratovanje Industrija, which previously formed part of the advanced weapons research department of the socialist government. During the first few years of post-socialist, Kalliopene sovereignty, many 'unnecessary' and costly departments were set to be dissolved in an attempt to reduce the size of the previously immense government. However with the consequences of doing so endangering thousands of Rivatia's most skilled persons in mass redundancies, it was concluded that certain agencies with the capacity to do so would be made available for private investment and enterprise. Considering the advantages of NRI over their competitors, the now independent company won the contract to design the country's new service rifle in 1992 after presenting a series of proposals to the Ministry of Defence.
Rivatia's Armed forces were previously equipped with a variety of Soviet calibre, Kalashnikov inspired assault rifles with the Zastava M70 being the most common. However a desire for a more modern, western assault rifle in a largely post-communist central Aerova led to the adoption of the 6.8x42mm RSAR cartridge in the VS-93.
By 1995 the first full production run was initiated with a quota of 300,000 rifles; enough to equip half of the country's Royal Marines who were intended to represent the first large scale testbed of the rifle. By the end of the year the second production tranche completed the rearmament of the marines, who have often been favoured for modernisation over the other services due to their rapid response role. Two years later, in late 1997, the Rivatian Armed Forces were almost completely armed with the VS-93. Adenian interest in the rifle at this time has also been confirmed by both the Ministry of Defence and Napredno Ratovanje Industrija. The M-70 was officially retired from service in 1999, being put into storage as military surplus in case of the event of invasion, however has since been superseded in this role also by the advent of the ACOM in 2008.
Design
Despite the popularity of cased telescopic ammunition in Haven and indeed out with the region, the VS-93 was designed before CTA production surpassed that of STANAG calibres, and so the VS-93 was designed to use the 6.8x42mm RSAR cartridge. The smaller 6.8mm calibre was favoured to that of the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge already in use by various Havenic powers including Questers and Franberry due to its lower recoil; a feature that was considered especially important considering the high rate of fire of the weapon.
As bullpup rifles began to dominate late 20th century European firearms development, the advantages of the configuration soon became evident, especially so following the prevalence of close quarters battle during the war for independence. The advantages in such scenarios included a greater compactness and higher accuracy in comparison to conventional layouts that place the action and magazine in front of the trigger, deemed crucial in modern urban warfare. The new configuration did however initially compromise the rifle's ambidextrous specifications, leading to the development of the VS-93's downward ejection system to avoid ejected casings colliding with the user.
The receiver housing is made of a special steel alloy, and the rifle furniture is made of fiberglass. A Gas-operated direct impingement, rotating bolt action is utilized with the firing mechanism contained in the rear of the stock, near the butt, covered by a synthetic rubber shoulder plate. Fire rate is controlled by a selector located just above the hand grip, with three settings: safe, single shot, and automatic fire. Automatic fire can be in three-shot bursts or fully automatic through pulling the two-stage trigger halfway to produce semi-automatic fire, or alternatively pulling the trigger all the way to the rear to produce fully automatic fire. In its “safe” position (white dot) the trigger is mechanically disabled; pressing the safety button to the left exposes a red dot and indicates the weapon is ready to fire. An ALO or "automatic lockout"; a small projection at the base of the trigger, may be engaged to prevent the trigger being squeezed past the single shot position. If needed, the ALO can be returned to its original position to permit automatic fire.
The VS-93 weighs just over 3.2 kg, mostly due to its lightweight construction including plastic hammers. A large, grip-length triggerguard like the Steyr AUG allows easy access to the trigger when wearing gloves.
Users
Britannican Adenia: Used in small numbers by several Adenian law enforcement agencies, primarily in specialised units, since 1999.- Rivatia: Entered service in 1995, eventually replacing the Zastava M70 as the Rivatian Armed Forces' standard service rifle in 1997.
