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FX-05 Xiuhcoatl

The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl ("Fire Serpent",[6] literally "Turquoise-Serpent" in Classical Nahuatl,[6]) is a Mexican assault rifle, designed and built by the Dirección General de Industria Militar del Ejército (General Directorate of Military Industry of the Army) through the Fabricas Militares (Military Factory).[7][8] The rifle was officially presented in the military parade on September 16, 2006, in the hands of the Special Forces Airmobile Group, GAFE (Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales).[8]

FX-05 Xiuhcoatl
Second-generation FX-05 assault rifle.
TypeAssault rifle
Carbine
Place of originMexico
Service history
In service2008–present
Used byMexican Armed Forces
WarsMexican Drug War
Production history
Designed2005
ManufacturerDirección General de Industria Militar del Ejército
Unit cost10,000 Pesos ($USD 520 - 2019)[1]
Produced2005–present
No. built44,000 (2005)[2]
111,000 (2014)[2]
121,000 (by 2018)[3]
VariantsAssault rifle
Carbine
Short Carbine
Sharpshooter
Specifications
Mass4.05 kg (8.9 lb) (Assault rifle)
3.85 kg (8.5 lb) kg (Carbine)
LengthAssault Rifle: 1,000 mm (39.4 in) stock extended / 740 mm (29.1 in) stock folded
Carbine: 760 mm (29.9 in) stock extended / 500 mm (19.7 in) mm stock folded
Barrel length460 mm (18.1 in)
273 mm (10.7 in)
Width56 mm (2.2 in)
Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO
ActionGas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire720-850 rounds/min
Carbine: 760-900 rounds/min[4]
Muzzle velocity956 m/s (3,136 ft/s)
Effective firing range200–600 m approx with sight adjustment
Feed system30-round detachable box magazine
SightsIron sights
Picatinny rail for mounting aiming optics on receiver[5]
Removable integrated optical sight/carry handle

The design was coordinated by the Centro de Investigación Aplicada y Desarrollo Tecnológico de la Industria Militar or CIADTIM (Center of Applied Research and Technology Development Military Industry) and SEDENA and all of its parts are built in Mexico.[9] According to the director of the DGIM, Otilio Ramírez Serrano, by July 2019 approximately 155,000 rifles have been produced.[10]

The FX-05 is distributed among the Mexican Armed Forces, and the military industry is aiming to produce 30,000 per year.[11]

Development

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The development of the FX-05 began as a 16-month research in 2005 with CIADTIM as part of research efforts to replace the HK G3A3 rifles that were in service with the Mexican military.[5] Originally the HK G36 was supposed to become the Mexican military's standard rifle as plans were already drawn to transfer technology and equipment to Mexico to initially build 30,000 rifles at a cost of €63,016,125 as part of Mexico's military modernization program. The Mexican government ultimately decided that they wanted a more cost effective alternative to the G36, which resulted in the decision to end the project before any technology or equipment could be transferred and the FX-05 project was undertaken.

A Mexican report states that up to December 2006, $84,000,000 Mexican Pesos (€5,855,698 at the December 2006 exchange rate) were invested in the FX-05 project, including raw materials and using only national equipment and technology.[12] Leading the FX-05 project was General Alfredo Oropeza Garnica with Brigadier General Jose Antonio Landeros.[13] In 2015, it was revealed that due to budget cuts, SEDENA would not be able to meet the production rate of 121,000 FX-05s by 2018.[14]

On September 16, 2016, the Mexican military unveiled a new variant of the FX-05 known as the Xihucóatl Submachine Gun alongside an indigenous underbarrel grenade launcher made for it.[15]

On April 2, 2019, a new variant known as the PAX-100 is due to begin production.[1]

Design details

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Normal grooved rifling as used on many rifles (left), compared to the polygonal rifling used in the FX-05 (right)

The design of the weapon is compatible with telescopic, red-dot and mechanical sights and has a folding, adjustable butt stock. The barrel is hammer forged, and the weapon is capable of semi-automatic, three round burst and full auto fire. It has a cyclic rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute. Most of the rifle's receiver is constructed of a polymer reinforced with carbon-fiber with an underlying titanium frame and comes in black, dark-green and desert-tan colors as well as the SEDENA digital camouflage patterns used by the Mexican army. The charging handle can be installed on either side of the rifle with gas piston located above the barrel, which operates under a multi-lugged rotary bolt system.[16] Safety/fire mode selectors are located above the pistol grip on both sides of the FX-05.[16] It can accept NATO-standard as well as specific transparent magazines.[17] In 2017, it was announced that a Mexican-made grip pod was in development.[18]

The internal mechanism and barrel are made of advanced corrosion-resistant stainless steel. An indigenous programmable air-burst grenade launcher is currently under development for the FX-05, which will be able to fire standard NATO munitions in addition to Mexico's new RSE-7 fuel-air grenade round. The FX-05 is also compatible with the AG36 grenade launcher as used on the G36, which is in use until the proprietary design is finalized. In 2017, a Mexican-made UBGL was also demonstrated.[18]

The FX-05 is one of the world's few assault rifles featuring polygonal rifling, which eliminates the normal grooves of a weapons barrel replacing them with a system of "hills and valleys" in a rounded polygonal pattern. The optical sight is an integrated one with a carry handle attached as standard.

There has been some criticism that the barrel has reliability issues and a short operating life, blamed on low-quality materials.[19]

The FX-05 is available in several configurations optimized for differing use, including: assault rifle (Fusil de asalto), carbine (Carabina), compact (Carabina corta, literally "short carbine"),[16][20] light machine gun (Ametralladora) and sharpshooter (Sniper) (Francotirador) variants. The variants are all essentially identical, excepting the short carbine having a shortened fore-end and the sharpshooter being equipped with a fixed adjustable stock rather than the standard folding stock.

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The influence of the G36 receiver, AK styled gas piston and Mexican recoil delaying system can all be seen in this partial cut away of a first generation FX-05 Xiuhcoatl.

On February 1, 2007, representatives of the SEDENA (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional) and Heckler & Koch met in Mexico City to address accusations of patent infringement from the German firm.[21] They claimed that the Army "replicated" the design of the HK G36 assault rifle. After an exhibition of detailed models of the FX-05, the HK representatives were convinced that, despite the similarities between the two rifles, there was not a patent infringement, therefore bringing an end to the disagreement.[21][22] In the end, the German firm stated that they would not sue on the basis that even though the rifle looks similar it is internally different with a different mechanism.[22]

The report concluded that while externally the FX-05 bears obvious design elements there are several notable differences. The receiver which was styled after the G36 is in fact coupled with a long stroke gas piston similar in operation to an AK type rifle. While the more advanced parts of the rifle were found to be independently Mexican produced, Heckler & Koch officials still questioned the DGIM (the manufacturer of the FX-05) regarding the issue of the rifles receiver system which is identical to the G36's.

It's believed that the receiver was made to be as similar to the G36 to maximize commonality between the two weapons as many of Mexico's police forces are issued with the G36. Either way it appears that the newer post lawsuit versions of the FX-05 feature a different newly designed receiver, as the newer FX-05 come with a four position fire selection (safe, single shot, three round burst, full auto) whereas the original FX-05 came with only three firing selections (safe, single shot, full auto). This theory is also reinforced by the fact the new black FX-05 models feature a visible metal protrusion before the magazine ejector and the receiver is noticeably smaller.

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  • Fusil FX-05 family 
    Fusil FX-05 family
  • FX-05 Collapsible stock 
    FX-05 Collapsible stock
  • FX-05 Lower receiver 
    FX-05 Lower receiver
  • Closeup of the FX-05's receiver in the hands of a Mexican Army soldier 
    Closeup of the FX-05's receiver in the hands of a Mexican Army soldier
  • FX-05 Upper receiver 
    FX-05 Upper receiver
  • FX-05 Upper receiver 
    FX-05 Upper receiver
  • FX-05 Front handrail 
    FX-05 Front handrail

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Military working on 10 weapons projects, including automatic pistol". 2 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Mexico's 2014 plans include new assault rifles and more DN-XI trucks". Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 6 Jul 2014.
  3. ^ "Mexican Army develops a remote controlled weapons station and rifle-mounted grenade launcher | Centro de Estudios GRL Mosconi". Archived from the original on 2017-01-23.
  4. ^ "Fusil FX-05 Xiuhcoatl: el brazo armado del Ejército mexicano" (in Spanish). 2008-01-23. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  5. ^ a b James Dunnigan (March 2007). "Theft Resistant Assault Rifle". bahia de Banderas news. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  6. ^ a b "The case of the copycat fire serpent". Archived from the original on 2020-05-27.
  7. ^ Defence Industry Bulletin - October 2014 (#3), Page 3.
  8. ^ a b Daniel Watters. "The 5.56 X 45mm: 2006". Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  9. ^ "Fusil Xiuhcóatl 2005: The New Mexican Fx05 Military Rifle". February 2007.
  10. ^ (July 2019). Mexico has already produced 155,000 FX and has 5 New Configurations on the Way Archived 2020-01-14 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish). (Mexico). Retrieved 14 January 2020
  11. ^ (December 2019). The National Guard and Gun Control, this is how the Year passed in Mexico Archived 2019-12-26 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish). (Mexico). Retrieved 14 January 2020
  12. ^ "DOCUMENTAR MEDIANTE FECHAS, EL INICIO DEL PROYECTO DE LA SEDENA PARA FABRICAR EN MÉXICO EL FUSIL HK G-36V, LOS RAZONAMIENTOS Y JUSTIFICACIONES TÉCNICAS Y MILITARES PARA LLEVAR A CABO DICHO PROYECTO" (in Spanish). 2006-12-15. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  13. ^ Daniel Watters. "The 5.56 X 45mm: 2005". Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  14. ^ "Mexico's Plan to Rearm Military Hits Roadblock". 27 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2019-09-15.
  15. ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news". Archived from the original on 2016-09-21.
  16. ^ a b c Max Popenker (27 October 2010). "FX-05 Xiuhcoatl assault rifle (Mexico)". Archived from the original on 2017-07-06. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  17. ^ "Updated: The Assault Rifles of the Near Future". 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ a b "Mexico Unveils 40MM UBGL, Grip Pod, Updates on FX05 -". 16 August 2017.
  19. ^ "Analysis: Mexican defence industry - Shephard Media".
  20. ^ "VIDEO: Así es el rifle FX-05, la "serpiente de fuego" de la Guardia Nacional". 18 January 2019.
  21. ^ a b Allan Wall (March 2007). "The Mexican Army and its Controversial New Rifle". bahia de Banderas news. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
  22. ^ a b "Mexico and the 'new' FX05 Xihuacóatl assault rifle" (PDF). Small Arms Survey 2007. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 3, 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-08.
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