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FN Herstal
P90
A compact personal defense weapon with a distinctive bullpup, top-mounted magazine layout, firing the purpose-designed 5.7×28mm cartridge for armor-penetration at close range. Adopted by military and police units in over 40 countries for vehicle crews and rear-echelon personnel.
In service since 1990 · 40 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
200
m range
900
rpm
715
m/s
50
rds
💲 ≈ $1,800, Approximate military unit price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Belgium export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 40 operators
In service since 1990. Status: active · ~300,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Effective range Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope. | 200 m |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability. | 900 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 715 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 5.7×28 mm FN |
|---|---|
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 5.7 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 50 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 0.5 m |
|---|---|
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 3 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
| Barrel length Barrel length, longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling. | 263 mm |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $1,800 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 300,000 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 40 |
Specifications compiled from public FN Herstal and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Head-to-head comparisons
P90 vs
Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the FN Herstal P90 require? +
The FN Herstal P90 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the FN Herstal P90? +
The FN Herstal P90's primary weapon is the 5.7×28 mm FN.
What is the FN Herstal P90 used for? +
The FN Herstal P90 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the FN Herstal P90? +
The FN Herstal P90 is operated by 40 countries.
How much does the FN Herstal P90 cost? +
The FN Herstal P90 has an approximate unit cost of 1,800 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.