| K11 | |
|---|---|
The S&T Daewoo K11. |
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| Type | Advance assault rifle and grenade launcher |
| Place of origin | Republic of Korea |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2010-present [1] |
| Wars | War in Afghanistan[2] |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 2000-2008 [3] |
| Manufacturer | S&T Daewoo [3] |
| Unit cost | US$14,000 [4] |
| Produced | 2010-present [1] |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 6.1 kg (13.45 lb) [3] |
| Length | 860 mm (33.86 in) [3] |
| Barrel length | |
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| Caliber |
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| Action | |
| Muzzle velocity | 200 m/s (20mm HEAB) |
| Effective range | 500 m (1640 ft) [4] |
| Feed system |
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| Sights | Ballistics computer, day (Optical)/night (Thermal vision) vision sight [3] |
The S&T Daewoo K11 is an assault rifle chambered to fire 5.56mm rounds, as well as 20mm air-burst shells from its overbarrel launcher.[3] Two conventional 20mm shells either detonate immediately on impact or on a timed fuse after impact. A third type of shell is controlled by the weapon's integrated electronics to explode a few meters from the target, yielding an air burst effect capable of killing targets within a 6m area and seriously wounding those within a 8m area. Users enter a range at which the shell is to detonate, allowing targets in ditches, in buildings, or behind walls to be destroyed without requiring the shell to strike the target.[6]
In May 2010, the United Arab Emirates purchased a quantity of 40 K11s for evaluation purposes for a total cost of US$560,000, giving an indicative unit cost of US$14,000.[4]
Contents |
The K11 was officially unveiled to the public at the DSEI military expo, though information pertaining to its development was available since 2006.[7]
The weapon was adopted by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2008 and was distributed within the Republic of Korea Army during 2010, making it the world's first army to use an airburst rifle as standard issue in the military.[3] Each squad is reported to be issued two K11s, though it will not replace grenadiers who currently use K2 rifles with the underslung K201 grenade launcher.[3]
In March 2011 it was announced that 15 out of 39 K11s issued since June 2010 (including 7 out of 20 rifles used by Korean forces in Afghanistan) had shown serious defects and the decision had been made to halt production and modify the design. The defects included: barrel movements during firing, defects in the striking mechanism, condensation forming inside the laser reception lens, and defects in switching from single to automatic fire[8].
Equipped with a laser range-finder as well as a ballistics computer, the K11 allows the operator to quickly find the distance to a target and launch an air burst shell. The shell will then detonate a few meters away from the target.[9]
An electronic scope is integrated on the K11; it can be linked to a goggle system with a digital display. The display can be used during nighttime with thermal imaging, and shows the range information from the laser range-finder.
The weapon is compatible with standard 20- or 30-round 5.56 mm NATO magazines, and can hold 6-round magazines of 20 mm shells, at one time.[10]
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