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Belgium FN Herstal
SCAR-L
The 5.56x45mm 'light' variant of FN's Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, developed for U.S. Special Operations Command. It shares a modular, gas-piston-driven architecture with the heavier SCAR-H, differing mainly in caliber and receiver size.
In service since 2009 · 15 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
500
m range
625
rpm
880
m/s
30
rds
💲 ≈ $3,000 (public figure)
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 · 15 operators
In service since 2009. Status: active.
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. | 500 m |
|---|---|
| Rate of fire Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability. | 625 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 880 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 5.56×45 mm NATO |
|---|---|
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 5.6 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 30 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 0.99 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. | 355 mm |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Caliber Bore diameter the round is fired from. | 6 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. | $3,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 15 |
Specifications compiled from public FN Herstal and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the FN Herstal SCAR-L require? +
The FN Herstal SCAR-L requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the FN Herstal SCAR-L? +
The FN Herstal SCAR-L's primary weapon is the 5.56×45 mm NATO.
What is the FN Herstal SCAR-L used for? +
The FN Herstal SCAR-L is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the FN Herstal SCAR-L? +
The FN Herstal SCAR-L is operated by 15 countries.
How much does the FN Herstal SCAR-L cost? +
The FN Herstal SCAR-L has an approximate unit cost of 3,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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