At the end of 2003, the US Special Operations Command (US SOCOM) issued a request to weapons manufacturers for a new modular assault rifle for US SOCOM fighters, designated SOF Combat Assault Rifle - SCAR (Combat Assault Rifle for Special Operations Forces) … This request contained requirements that differed from the requirements put forward a little earlier by the US Army for a promising new XM8 assault rifle, currently being developed for the United States by the German company Heckler-Koch.
After almost a year's competition in December 2004, the US SOCOM command officially announced that the SCAR competition was won by the system presented by the American division of the famous Belgian company FN Herstal - FNH USA Inc. In mid-2005, new rifles were officially designated Mark 16 / Mk.16 SCAR-L and Mark 17 / Mk.17 SCAR-H. They are already entering the active units of the American special forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is assumed that in the foreseeable future, the Mk.16 and Mk.17 rifles will replace such "old" systems as the 5.56mm M4 carbines and M16 rifles, as well as the 7.62mm M14 and Mk. 25 (sniper).
The SCAR shooting system includes two basic weapons - the "light" rifle Mk.16 SCAR-L (Light) and the "heavy" rifle Mk.17 SCAR-H (Heavy). The main differences between the SCAR-L and SCAR-H will be the ammunition used - the SCAR-L rifles are designed only for 5.56x45mm NATO cartridges (both with conventional M855 bullets and with heavier Mk.262 bullets). SCAR-H rifles will use a much more powerful 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge as the base ammunition, with the possibility, after replacing the necessary components (bolt, barrel, lower part of the receiver with magazine receiver), to use other cartridges.
The list of "additional" calibers for SCAR-H rifles so far includes only the Soviet cartridge 7.62x39 M43, and with this cartridge the SCAR-H rifle must use magazines from the AK / AKM Kalashnikov assault rifles. In both basic configurations, the SCAR rifle should have three possible configurations - the standard "S" (Standard), the short for close combat "CQC" (Close Quarters Combat) and the sniper "SV" (Sniper Variant).
The change of option will be carried out in the conditions of the base by replacing the barrel by the forces of the fighter himself or the armorer of the unit. In all variants, SCAR rifles will have the same device, the same controls, the same maintenance, repair and cleaning procedures, the greatest possible interchangeability of parts and accessories. The interchangeability of parts between rifle variants will be about 90%. Such a modular system will provide the American special forces with the most flexible weapons, easily adaptable to any assigned task, from close combat in the city to solving the problems of sniper shooting at medium ranges (about 500-600 meters).
Rifles FN SCAR have automatic with a gas engine, with a short stroke separate from the bolt carrier of the gas piston, located in the gas block on the barrel. The rotary bolt has three lugs, locking is carried out behind the breech of the barrel. The receiver consists of two halves - the upper one, in which the barrel and the bolt group are installed, and the lower one, in which the magazine receiver and the firing mechanism module are made. The lower half of the receiver is made of polymer, the upper half is made of aluminum. The halves are joined together by two cross pins at the front and rear. The barrels are replaceable, attached to the upper half of the receiver with two transverse bolts. Barrel replacement requires a minimum of tools and takes a few minutes.
The trigger mechanism has a double-sided lever of the translator of fire modes / safety, which provides firing single shots or bursts. The queue length limiter in the USM FN SCAR is not provided. The cocking handle can be installed on both the left and right sides of the weapon, for which there are corresponding slots on both sides of the upper part of the receiver.
The rifle has a bolt delay mechanism that stops the bolt in the open position when all cartridges in the magazine are used up. The shutter delay is turned off by a button on the left side of the weapon, above the magazine receiver. The magazine release button is made on both sides of the weapon. The ejection of the casings is carried out through a window on the right side of the receiver, behind which is a spent case reflector, which allows you to shoot from the rifle from the left shoulder.
On the upper surface of the receiver, as well as on the forend on the sides and bottom, there are guides of the Picatinny rail type for attaching sights and other accessories. The rifle is standardly equipped with removable open sights, consisting of a folding diopter rear sight adjustable in range, and a folding front sight. In addition, any day or night sights with appropriate brackets can be mounted on the rifle. The buttstock of all variants of the FN SCAR rifle is foldable to the side. It is made of plastic and can be adjusted in length to adapt to each individual shooter. Additional accessories include a new 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher and a detachable front grip that houses a small bipod for prone-firing.
Specifications
Weight, kg: 3, 19 (SCAR-L CQC)
3, 3 (SCAR-L STD)
3.49 (SCAR-L SV)
3, 512 (SCAR-H CQC)
3, 621 (SCAR-H STD)
3, 72 (Scar-H SV) without magazine
Length, mm: 796/548 (SCAR-L CQC)
890/642 (SCAR-L STD)
991/737 (SCAR-L SV)
886/638 (SCAR-H CQC)
960/712 (SCAR-H STD)
1067/813 (SCAR-H SV) with unfolded / folded stock
Barrel length, mm: 353 (SCAR-L CQC)
351 (SCAR-L STD)
457, 2 (SCAR-L SV)
330 (SCAR-H CQC)
406 (SCAR-H STD)
508 (SCAR-H SV)
Cartridge: 5, 56 × 45 mm NATO (SCAR-L)
7.62 × 51mm NATO (SCAR-H)
Caliber, mm: 5, 56 (SCAR-L)
7, 62 (SCAR-H)
Principles of operation: removal of powder gases, butterfly valve
Rate of fire, rounds / min: 600-650 (SCAR-L)
575-625 (SCAR-H)
Bullet muzzle velocity, m / s: 875 (SCAR-L)
802 (SCAR-H)
Maximum
range, m: 600 (effective for the sniper version)
Ammunition type: detachable box magazine on:
30 (SCAR-L)
20 (SCAR-H) rounds
Sight: removable diopter, there is a Picatinny rail for mounting various sights
