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France Legacy KNDS
FAMAS
A bullpup assault rifle developed by state manufacturer MAS (now part of KNDS France) and nicknamed 'le clairon' for its distinctive carrying-handle silhouette. It served as the standard French Army infantry rifle for decades before being progressively replaced by the HK416F.
In service since 1978 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
400
m range
1,000
rpm
960
m/s
25
rds
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 1978. Status: legacy · ~400,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
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.
- 400 m Stronger than 26% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 1,000 rpm Top 5% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 960 m/s Top 5% of rifles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 5.56x45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle
- 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.
- 25 Stronger than 27% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.76 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 4 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 400,000 Stronger than 54% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 8 Stronger than 41% of rifles
Specifications compiled from public KNDS 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 KNDS FAMAS require? +
The KNDS FAMAS requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the KNDS FAMAS? +
The KNDS FAMAS's primary weapon is the 5.56x45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle.
What is the KNDS FAMAS used for? +
The KNDS FAMAS is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the KNDS FAMAS? +
The KNDS FAMAS is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the KNDS FAMAS cost? +
KNDS FAMAS: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
