Many countries of the Old and New World have their own developed weapons production. Certain European manufacturers in this matter have a centuries-old tradition behind them. Kalashnikov assault rifles are certainly among the best in the world. However, this fact does not mean that in other countries designers are not able to do something quite appropriate. So, let us recall the most successful serial samples of assault rifles or as they are called on the side of the "most probable enemy" - assault rifles.
1. FAMAS
French machine gun, made in the "bullpup" layout. Created in 1977. A weapon that is not too popularized in mass culture and public consciousness. At the same time, the French FAMAS is distinguished by high accuracy of fire and representative reliability, which is quite comparable to the reliability of domestic assault rifles. FAMAS is still used by the French military. Over the past decades, there have been many modifications to the rifle, as well as a huge number of improvements and accessories for it. The largest set of improvements was the FELIN project.
2. FN SCAR
If someone still thinks that Belgium is known to the whole world only for its famous waffles, then this means exactly one thing - such a person knows little about modern firearms. The FN SCAR assault rifle was developed in 2004. Excellent ergonomics, high reliability and unpretentiousness uncharacteristic for many foreign types of weapons made SCAR extremely popular in special units and Western PMCs. The only drawback of the weapon is weight.
3. HK G36
Automatic machine from the same German company. Heckler & Koch G36 was created in 1995. An assault rifle was developed primarily for the German army to replace the obsolete G3. Since its predecessor, the German machine gun has become noticeably prettier: it has lost weight, has become more reliable, and has improved accuracy. German designers did not sit idle. However, today the G36 still loses in a number of parameters, including weight, to modern Kalashnikov assault rifles.
4. Bushmaster Acr 3
In fact, this assault rifle is a deep modernization of the M16, taking into account the experience of creating such popular rifles as the XM8 and FN SCAR. The main feature of Acr 3 is its modular design, which allows you to quickly replace both individual parts and entire units! Combat characteristics have also grown in comparison with the ancestor. True, the designers of Bushmaster Firearms International overdid it a little. After all the improvements, the cost of the M16 jumped almost threefold to $ 2,700.
5. TAR-21
"Bullpup" layout haunts weapon designers over the past 70 years. However, it absolutely does not. In 1993, the Israelis also released their own version of the weapon in this configuration. In fact, the sons of Israel have created not one rifle, but a whole shooting system with great potential for modification and modernization. Shooting complex TAR allows you to solve a variety of tasks. Today it is used by the Israeli army everywhere.
6. HK 416
"Steal like an artist!" - said the German weapons designers and simply copied the American M4 carbine, turning it into a machine gun and making several improvements to the design from the Heckler & Koch school. However, the similarities with the M4 in the HK 416 are mostly external. If you disassemble the machine, it turns out that it has much more in common with the already mentioned G36. The 416 was made not just as a machine gun, but as a rifle complex with ample tuning capabilities. It turned out well, in addition to NATO countries, this miracle of the Teutonic weapon genius is purchased even by special units of Russia.
7. Steyr AUG a3
Perhaps the most famous bullpup of our time. This machine appeared in the 1960s, becoming in fact the first real successful weapon using the above-mentioned layout. Despite its considerable age, the Steyr AUG a3 is still used in the armed forces and police units of European countries, perfectly coping with the task of universal weapons.
If you want to know even more interesting things, then you should read about why on sniper rifles attach the strap over the barrel.