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Brand
new sophisticated Test & Evaluation Centre
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Belgium-based Herstal Group, the parent Company of weapon manufacturer FN Herstal, recently inaugurated a new industrial complex in Herstal, Belgium. The new facilities house a state-of-the-art Test & Evaluation Centre and the R&D Department in charge of integrated weapon system activities. This investment – around €4m – is part of a multi-year investment programme in line with the continuous modernization process of the Herstal Site. The roles of the new Test & Evaluation Centre are to centralize all testing operations (simulation, ballistic and instrumentation laboratories, operating and precision shooting, weapon testing and shooting under adverse conditions [–54° or +52° with 90% humidity]) and provide customers with an ultramodern and technological environment whilst attending tests. Health regulations were also met. Shooting tunnels were built on silentblocs with a double wall construction for improved working conditions and noise protection. The new complex also houses the R&D Department in charge of integrated weapon systems for airborne, land and sea applications. The relocation was made necessary because of the growth of these activities.
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Look out for FN Herstal at the following trade shows this year |
| Date | Trade Show | Venue |
| 2-5 February | SHOT SHOW 2008 | Las Vegas, USA |
| 31 March-6 April | FIDAE 2008 | Santiago, Chile |
| 3-6 April | SECURITY EXPO 2008 | Galatina, Italy |
| 21-24 April | DSA 2008 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| 16-20 June | EUROSATORY 2008 | Paris, France |
| 8-11 September | MSPO 2008 | Kielce, Poland |
| 6-8 October | AUSA 2008 | Washington DC, USA |
| 7-11 October | DEFENDORY 2008 | Athens, Greece |
| 24-28 November | IDEAS 2008 | Karachi, Pakistan |
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U.S. Customs and Border
Protection |
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“The
Border Patrol testing of the FN303 |
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This
was a single source contract awarded to FNH USA, because the FN303
is the only less lethal system with
- Use of the FN303 is less likely to cause serious bodily harm or permanent injury -
The
FN303 offers the operator three
use-of-force options:
visual deterrence, area saturation -
The
FN303 has an effective
range of 0 to 50 m
- more than triple the range of the pepper ball -
The
FN303 can also be used for area
saturation
with PAVA (pelargonic acid vanillylamid) -
Because
of the range of the FN303, operators can increase their personal
safety by aiming an Five projectiles are available for the FN303 – clear impact (liquid or powder), indelible paint, washable paint and PAVA. FNH USA has provided detailed instructor training on the FN303 to U.S. Customs Border Patrol personnel. The FN303 will first be deployed in the San Diego, Yuma and Tucson sectors because operators in this area have experienced the greatest increase in assaults. A nationwide deployment will follow. Chief David V. Aguilar of the U.S. Border Patrol has said, “The FN303 is a less lethal device that equips the agent with an added option to address a confrontation and potentially diffuse it at a lower level of lethality than through the use of his or her firearm.” For
more information on the FN303 Less Lethal Launcher, please visit our
website or contact our Marketing Department |
| October
2007
LESS LETHAL DEMONSTRATIONS
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| NEW
FN303 LESS LETHAL PROJECTILES |
FN Herstal is now offering two new projectiles for its FN303 Less Lethal Launcher.
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The PAVA projectile (Pelargonic Acid Vanillyamid) is a powder pepper projectile that can be used when an enclosed room needs to be saturated with pepper for example, enabling law enforcement officers to neutralize suspects more easily. The PAVA projectile is an improved version of the previous OC projectile and features a longer shelf life. |
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PAVA projectile |
| An inert powder projectile has also been added to the FN303 projectile range. It allows the users to train with powder projectiles without suffering from pepper effects. |
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Inert powder projectile |
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Both the PAVA and the inert powder projectiles have
similar impact effect as the
other existing FN303 projectiles, i.e. impact effect only, |
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LESS
LETHAL & SMART GUNS |
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During the Govsec / Law Enforcement / Ready ! Show at Brussels Expo, FN Herstal will give a conference on two major topics :
CONFERENCE
1 -
Speaker : Thierry Jacobs, Business Development Manager, FN Herstal, Belgium
According to NATO's definition, less lethal systems are "explicitly designed and developed to incapacitate or repel personnel, with a low probability of fatality or permanent injury, or to disable equipment, with minimal undesired damage or impact on the environment". Since the early 1990’s, FN Herstal has been involved in less lethal, which resulted into the introduction of the FN303 Less Lethal Launcher onto the market in 2003. The experience acquired on the market over the years has shown that the development of less lethal weapons and their use by peace-enforcing and peacekeeping forces are characterized by a complete lack of standards and references in many areas, e.g. medical, legal, social and environmental. In October 2005, both FN Herstal and University of Liege (Belgium), with the financial support of the Research Minister of the Walloon Region of Belgium, set up a Centre of Excellence on Less Lethal. The main objective is to help to create standards and references and to provide users and political decision-makers with scientific tools to better understand, develop and use less lethal systems. On 6 June 2007, Thierry Jacobs, Business Development Manager at FN Herstal, will give an update on the achievements to date and the expectations in the short and medium term.
CONFERENCE
2 -
Speaker : Thierry Jacobs, Business Development Manager, FN Herstal, Belgium
By definition, smart guns are small calibre firearms equipped with captors and electronic device capable of identifying an authorized user and allowing or denying access based on the data collected by the captors. Data can be recognition of the firearm holder, his/her location and any other external conditions. Originally designed by and for the US market, this concept rapidly extended to non-US countries. At this moment in time, this concept is still under development and many further steps are required until a real smart gun can be launched onto the market. “In cooperation with NIJ (National Institute of Justice) in the USA, FN Herstal is currently making tremendous investments in researching and developing the smart gun concept in order to guarantee optimal security for everybody”, says Thierry Jacobs. Since a smart gun will be capable of distinguishing an authorized user from someone who is not supposed to fire the weapon, this will inevitably avoid loss of life when weapons are taken intentionally or accidentally from their proper owner. On 7 June 2007, Thierry Jacobs will give an overview on the
status of their research. All visitors are welcome to any of these two conferences. To pre-register for free entry to the conference room, click here. In parallel with these conferences, FN Herstal will exhibit its own law enforcement product range in hall 7 - stand no. 11534. FN experts will also be available for demonstrations of the FN303 less lethal launcher during the two days. |
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IMPRESSIVE RANGE OF WEAPONS ON
DISPLAY |
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The Belgian Company will be exhibiting its full range of small calibre ammunition, including its famous 7.62x51mm calibre adopted as NATO standard in the 1970’s and its newer 5.7x28mm calibre recommended by NATO for personal defence weapons in 2003 |
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Further recent developments will be on display at the show. The new MINIMI™ lightweight machine gun 7.62x51mm was launched onto the international market in 2006 in order to fulfil a worldwide growing requirement for a machine gun which would give the soldier the power of 7.62 ammunition combined with the weight of a 5.56 machine gun. This new weapon is specially dedicated for dismounted infrantrymen and Special Forces. Over the last ten years, FN HERSTAL has seen its integrated weapon system business growing steadily. More than 1,200 helicopters and subsonic aircraft have been equipped with 7.62mm or .50 calibre machine guns, either crew served or axially mounted. On display at IDEX this year will be the Medium Ramp Pintle weapon system, which includes a .50 cal M3M machine gun and can be installed on the ramp of all major helicopters. |
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This year again, the ARROWS® (Advanced Reconnaissance and Remotely Operated Weapon System), developed in co-operation with Oerlikon Contraves, will be shown. This vehicle-mounted system can be equipped with a .50 or 7.62mm calibre machine gun and is able to acquire and destroy land, sea and air targets, either fixed or mobile, upto 2,500 meters whilst offering the operator full protection. |
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Another focus at IDEX will be the FN303 less lethal launcher. Introduced in the early 2000’s, this product has been designed to shoot exclusively less lethal projectiles. It allows neutralization and seizure of suspects with maximum effectiveness and minimum risk. The FN303 is used in many law enforcement and military missions, such as domestic violence intervention, surveillance and protection of sensitive areas, crowd control, escorting vehicles and people, to name just a few. Many more exhibits at IDEX 2007, on FN Herstal’s stand, Hall 7, Belgian Pavilion from 18 through to 22 February 2007.
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November 13, 2006
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New MINIMITM Lightweight Machine Gun 7.62x51mm |
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FN
HERSTAL has recently launched onto the market a MINIMI Lightweight Machine
Gun 7.62x51mm in order to fulfil a growing requirement
from all over the world for a machine gun which would give the soldier the
power of 7.62 ammunition in the weight of a 5.56 machine gun.
The new MINIMI 7.62 is specially dedicated for dismounted infantrymen ans Special Forces.
For more details, click here.
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FN Herstal Awarded Major Contract for F2000 Assault Rifles |
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Leading manufacturer of small arms FN HERSTAL in Belgium is pleased to announce that the Ministry of Defence in Slovenia has recently adopted the F2000 Tactical Assault Rifle and Grenade Launcher for all its Armed Forces. Deliveries will be completed in the course of next year The F2000 won the competition after one year of successful tests carried out according to NATO standards by the Slovenian MoD. The F2000 Assault Rifle 5.56 calibre, which combines innovative features, modern technology and top quality components, is short in length, light in weight, modular and capable of taking a variety of accessories to meet the diverse operational requirements facing modern military units today and in the future |
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For
further information on the F2000 assault rifle or any other FN product,
please contact FN Herstal on phone no. +32 (0) 4 240 81 11
or visit www.fnherstal.com.
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New FN Herstal’s Products Introduced at FIDAE |
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Leading manufacturer of small arms and integrated weapon systems FN HERSTAL will be exhibiting two new products at the FIDAE Show in Santiago de Chile, from 27th March through to 2nd April 2006.
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For the first time in Latin America, the recently developed 7.62 MINIMI Light Machine Gun specially dedicated to dismounted infantrymen and special forces will be on display at FIDAE. |
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The
new MINIMI has been specifically designed to fit the market
requirements |
7.62 MIMINI |
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In
addition to these two new products, FN Herstal will also be displaying its
well-known products.
The
world-known 5.56 MINIMI Machine Gun
(already mentioned above) has demonstrated outstanding
reliability in all combat conditions and is already adopted in some 45 countries
as a standard issue for the armed forces or with special forces units.
The
F2000 Integrated Weapon System 5.56 calibre,
which combines innovative features, modern technology and top quality
components, is modular and capable of taking a variety of accessories to
meet the diverse operational requirements facing modern military units
today and in the future.
The
5.7 Weapon System includes the P90
Submachine Gun and the Five-seveN
Tactical Pistol. Both weapons fire 5.7 x 28mm rounds, with
reduced risks of collateral damage. Currently fielded in over 40 countries,
in all environments, the 5.7 weapon system remains unchallenged as close
combat and personal defence weapons.
The
FN303 Less Lethal Launcher is an innovative product fully developed around
the less lethality concept. It allows neutralisation and seizure of
suspects with maximum effectiveness and minimum risk. Designed
to shoot exclusively less lethal projectiles, the FN303 is the unique
solution for any scenario where less lethal force is an option. Typical situations are peace keeping operations and
surveillance and protection of sensitive areas.
For more details about FN Herstal's
products, please visit us at
FIDAE
2006
Belgian
Pavilion
Hall
B stand nos 71-78
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Herstal
Group and University of Liège Set Up a |
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According to NATO's definition, less lethal systems are "explicitly designed and developed to incapacitate or repel personnel, with a low probability of fatality or permanent injury, or to disable equipment, with minimal undesired damage or impact on the environment".
For 115 years, Herstal Group, the world's leading manufacturer of light weapons both for civilian and military purposes, has specialised in technologies that make an object accurately reach a target within a range of 1 to 2,000 meters while taking into account ethical and technological aspects of weapon use. Its subsidiary, FN Herstal, is dedicated to defence and law enforcement products and has been involved in the less lethal business for ten years. This resulted in the introduction of the FN303 less lethal launcher in 2003.
The experience acquired on the market has shown that the development of less lethal weapons and their use by peace-enforcing and peacekeeping forces are characterized by a complete lack of standards and references in many areas, e.g. medical, legal, social and environmental.
The University of Liège, specialised in criminology, forensic medicine, and law, has a high level of interest in less lethal issues and aims at contributing to a global scientific approach in all areas related to less lethal force.
It became clear to both entities that they had to adhere to a joint project to address these major issues. The project started on 1st October 2005, when a Centre of Excellence on Less Lethality was inaugurated with the financial support of the Research Minister of the Walloon Region of Belgium. The main objective of the Centre of Excellence is to help to create standards and references and to provide users and political decision-makers with scientific tools to better understand, develop and use less lethal systems. The expertise of a scientific unit recognised throughout Europe combined with the expertise of the world's leading manufacturer of light weapons undoubtedly represent a major asset for the newly founded Centre of Excellence, which will first act as a driving factor on the national level and will be working with operational units. No doubt that these objectives will require close contacts with other European countries interested in the less lethal concept.
For more information, please contact Thierry Jacobs (phone no. 0032 4 240 80 38) or Ingrid Gaspard
