FX-05 Xiuhcoatl

The FX-05 "Xiuhcoatl" (Fire Serpent in the Nahuatl language) is an assault rifle, designed and built by the Dirección General de Industria Militar del Ejército. It is currently in use by the Mexican Army.

The rifle was officially presented in the military parade on September 16 2006, in the hands of the Special Forces Airmobile Group, GAFE. (Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales). The redesign was in charge CIADTIM and SDN and all of its parts are built in Mexico.

Development
It began as a 16-month research back in 2005 with CIADTIM as part of research efforts to replace HK G3A3 rifles that were in service with the Mexican military. Leading the project was General Alfredo Oropeza Garnica with Brigadier General Jose Antonio Landeros.

Design details
The design of the weapon includes telescopic, red-dot and mechanical sights; cold-forged barrel; folding and adjustable butts; as well as a semi and full auto fire selector. The weapon is chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO round and has a rate of fire of 700-750 rounds per minute. Most of the rifle's receiver is constructed of a polymer reinforced with carbon-fibers and comes in dark-green and desert-tan colors. The internal mechanism and barrel are made of advanced corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

Legal status
On February 1, 2007, representatives of the SEDENA (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional) and Heckler & Koch met in Mexico City, to treat the accusations from the German firm. These claimed that the Army "replicated" the design of the HK G36 rifle. After an exhibition of detailed models of the FX-05, the HK representatives were convinced that, despite the similarities between the two rifles, there wasn't a patent infringement, therefore bringing an end to the disagreement. It has been suggested that a SEDENA insider planned an attempt to sabotage the Mexican rifle production by discrediting it as a supposedly illegal copy of the HK G36V German rifle after a series of "information leaks" to the mass media. In the end the German firm stated that they would not sue.