Western intelligence operatives spooking it up around 1984-85 in Afghanistan discovered that Soviet foot soldiers were being issued hard body armor with increasing regularity. Fragmentation 'flak' vests had been in use by the Soviets since Stalingrad but they were only good at stopping shrapnel. These new model 6B2 vests with aluminum armor sections could defeat sub machine gun and pistol rounds at point blank range as well as some assault rifle rounds from a distance.
The Evolution of the FiveseveN pistol and its Unique 5.7x28mm Round
Seeking a fix to the persevered problem of defeating body armor being used by potential Soviet invaders in the Fulda Gap with a pistol, Fabrique Nationale (FNH) of Herstal, Belgium began working on a solution in 1986. FN designers came up with the Caliber 5.7 x 28 mm cartridge in 1991, just as the Berlin Wall was being broken up for its value as souvenirs. NATO's standard pistol round was the 9x19mm parabellum and the new 5.7x28mm FN round was half the size, produced a third of the recoil and was capable of penetrating Level IIa body armor which the 9mm could not. To fire the round, FN conveniently produced the “FiveseveN” pistol and the FN P90 personal defense weapon
The Design and Specifics of the FiveseveN Pistol
The FiveseveN pistol is designed to be made ambidextrous with a reversible magazine release. It was designed with integrated accessory rail for the mounting of flashlights, illuminators, and lasers to compliment the adjustable sights. The 4.8 inch (122 mm) barrel is hammer forged and hard chrome lined to give it a 20,000 + round service life. Standard weapons were issued with a twenty round magazine (larger than the standard Glocks, Walthers, Berettas and Hi Powers of the NATO militaries) and a thirty round magazine was developed that extended 1.75 inches from the bottom of the grip. The use of polymers and plastics give the weapon an empty weight of 20.8 ounces (617 g) which is much lower by comparison to the US M9 Berretta 92FS 9mm pistol which comes in at some 34 ounces unloaded with a smaller magazine. It includes both passive and magazine safeties and in later models (the IOM, USG etc) an active safety. Original weapons produced beginning in 1996 were all black however later versions were manufactured to a flat dark earth pattern color to U.S. Military Spec FS30118 and in the Federal standard 595B requirements.
Use and Adoption of the FiveseveN Pistol
The FiveseveN is used by police special response teams and SWAT units all over the world. These include such well know SRTs as the Polish GROM, Greek EKAM, Belgian DSU, French GIGN, and the US Secret Service's protective details. In military service Indonesia, Peru, Singapore and of course the Belgian air forces are users. Peruvian Commandos used the 5.7 when it stormed the Japanese Embassy in Lima after 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA) took hostages. When the Chavín de Huantar commandos assaulted the embassy on 22 April 1997, they left every terrorist dead including several who had been wearing level III body armor. Its unique design has contributed to it popping up in a number of futuristic and/or science fiction movies, television shows and games. These include Battlestar Gallactica (BSG), GI-Joe, Metal Gear Solid, Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six and Gunslinger Girl. The weapons unique claim to fame- that of being able to defeat body armor has lead to a prohibition on its special military grade ammunition in civilian markets where the gun is sold and only a modified non-armor piercing round is available.
Tragically it was one of the civilian marketed guns sold to Major Nidal Malik Hasan, a 39-year-old U.S. Army psychiatrist used in his shooting rampage at the Ft Hood military base on November 5, 2009.
Sources
FN 5.7 (Fabrique Nationale) Pistol is a Semiautomatic Pistol in 5.7 X 28 mm Caliber Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives fact sheet
"FNH USA Products". http://fnhusa.com — Official Website of FNH USA. 2009. Retrieved 11/7/2009
Isby, David C Russia's war in Afghanistan Osprey 2003
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
