Lots of Belgian FNs Headed to Ukraine

Among the unlikely countries sending container loads of weapons to embattled Ukraine is tiny Belgium, and you know what that means.

Fabrique Nationale Herstal, or just FN on this side of the Atlantic, was originally formed in 1889 to make Model 89 rifles under license from Mauser for the Belgian military. Fast forward 133 years later and the company is an international firearms titan that owns such iconic brands as the U.S. Repeating Arms Company (Winchester) and the Browning Arms Company. A household name around the world to be sure.

However, FN still has its overall headquarters in the historic "Greater Liege" fortress region at Herstal, and the Belgian government has continued to be one of FN's most dependable customers. The Belgian military currently fields the excellent FN FNC rifle, as well as the modular SCAR Heavy and Light variants, the lesser-known FS 2000 "Tactical Tuna" in the hands of SF guys, and both models of the company's 5.7mm NATO firearms, the Five-SeveN pistol and P90 PDW. To this is added the FN MAG and Minimi general purpose and light machine guns as well as the M2 .50 cal (that's 12.7mm in Europe), which is also made by FN.

Belgian military forces with FN weapons — For a little context, the Belgian Army currently fields just about every gun in FN's catalog including the SCAR, the FiveseveN, the P90, and assorted belt-feds. (Photo: Belgian Army)

With that, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo over the weekend announced the country intends to transfer a decent number of small arms from his country's arsenals directly to Ukraine.

"Ukraine has the right to defend itself against this Russian invasion. That's why we will provide an additional 3,000 automatic weapons and 200 anti-tank weapons," De Croo said on Feb. 27, following up on an announcement the day prior for 2,000 automatic weapons.

As Belgium has been fielding the 5.56 NATO-caliber SCAR-L as its primary infantry rifle in recent years, the stocks sent to defend Kyiv will most likely be of the increasingly withdrawn FNC, another 5.56-caliber platform, along with possibly some belt-fed guns. As Ukraine's border guard and coast guard in recent years have been switching from 7.62x39mm-caliber small arms to those chambered in 5.56, they should at least have some experience with the ammo.

Belgian Army troops with FN FNC carbines — The FNC was developed in the late 1970s as FN's answer to the M16 and a 5.56 alternative to the FAL battle rifle. Adopted by the Belgian Armed Forces in 1989 as the M2 and M3 carbine, the FNC is probably best known in the U.S. from its cameo in the hands of Al Pacino’s LAPD Robbery & Homicide Lt. Vincent Hanna, in the film "Heat". (Photo: Belgian Army)

While Ukraine is getting the guns for the low-low price of free, the transfer easily underlines FN's motto: The World's Most Battle-Proven Firearms.

Banner image: FN USA's Program of Record selections at the 2022 SHOT Show in Las Vegas. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

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