Lada / CZ-2000

   The Lada is a Czech prototype family of weapons, consisting of assault rifle carbine and light machine gun. It was designed in Czechoslovakia in the late 1980s. It was to be the new service weapon of the Czech Army, replacing the vz.58 assault rifle, vz.61 Scorpion submachine gun and vz.59 light machine gun. Factory testing was completed in 1987. This weapon family successfully passed military trials in 1989 and was ready for production.

   It is a gas operated, selective fire weapon, chambered for the Soviet 5.45 x 39 mm ammunition. This Czech assault rifle resembles the Kalashnikov designs, however it has some improvements. The standard assault rifle, carbine and light machine gun versions utilize the same cartridge and have the same system of operation. All weapons have a high degree of parts commonality. However in the early 1990s it became clear, that the Soviet 5.45 and 39 mm would not have a future with the Czechoslovakian Army.

   A safety / fire mode selector switch is located over the pistol grip, at the left side of the receiver. These weapons have semi-auto, full-auto and three round burst modes.

   The Lada weapon family was fed from detachable 30-round box magazines, made of metal. A light machine gun version is fed from the standard 30-round magazines, or 45-round  magazine. It seems that magazines are interchangeable with the Soviet AK-74 assault rifle.

   The standard assault rifle and carbine have adjustable opened sights, with a maximum sighting range of 800 meters. The LMG version has a maximum sighting range of 1 000 m. Also it has a standard side rail, used to mount optics. This can be optionally installed on the assault rifle and carbine variants.

   The Lada prototype assault rifle has a wire stock, which folds to the right side. It can be fitted with a knife-bayonet or underbarrel grenade launcher. A light machine gun version has a collapsible bipod. Carbine version is similar to the standard assault rifle, however it has a shorter barrel and shorter handguard.

  In the early 1990s the whole weapon system was chambered for 5.56 x 45 mm standard NATO ammunition in order to make the Lada project feasible. It became known as the CZ-2000. This weapon family was revealed in 1993.

   The CZ-2000 weapon family received new magazines. The standard is a new 30-round magazine, made of translucent polymer. The 45-round magazine was dropped in favor to the 75-round drum magazine. Assault rifle and carbine versions are also compatible with these high-capacity drum magazines.

   However later the CZ-2000 project has been discontinued due to funding problems.

Variants

   CZ-805 carbine. It is the last modernized version of the CZ-2000 family.