VHS-D

   The VHS-D assault rifle was developed by the HS Product Croatian firearms manufacturing company to meet the Croatian Army requirement for a new infantry rifle. Currently this country operates the Soviet AKM assault rifles and it's derivatives. The first prototype was revealed in 2005. Externally it shared some similarities with Israeli Tavor TAR-21 assault rifle. However the final versions of this weapon looks like the French FAMAS G2. It was introduced in 2008. The VHS-D assault rifle was successfully trialed by the Croatian Army and it's production commenced in 2009. Croatian Army plans to acquire up to 60 000 of these new rifles by 2012. This weapon is also proposed for export customers.

   It is a gas operated, selective fire weapon with bullpup layout. It is chambered for the standard NATO 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition. Weapon's housing is made of impact resistant polymer.

   An unusual safety / fire mode selector is located in front of the trigger, within the triggerguard. It rotates around it's vertical axis. This selector has "safe", "semi-auto" and "full auto" modes.

   This weapon is not entirely ambidextrous, as there is only one spent case ejection port from the right side. The charging handle can be mounted either side and it has no deflector.

   The VHS-D assault rifle is fed from the standard NATO (M16-type) magazines, holding 30 rounds.

   A large integral carrying handle comes with built-in iron sights. This handle also has points for attachment of the Picatinny-type accessory rails. A claimed range of effective fire is 400 m with iron sights and 600 m with optional optics. Additional accessory rails can be attached to the foregrip. This assault rifle is compatible with a 40-mm underbarrel grenade launcher. Also it can be equipped with a bayonet.

Variants

   VHS-K compact assault rifle / carbine, with a shorter barrel. Otherwise it is similar to the VHS-D. This compact rifle is not compatible with underbarrel grenade launcher or bayonet.