Despite its relatively good showing, the F1 found troubles once in wider circulation as its plastics proved weak within the rigors of regular military abuse. This deficiency led to the development of an improved mark in the proposed "G1" though this model was never adopted for service and thusly never entered serial production.
Improvements found in the G1, however, were soon put into use with the upcoming G2 model of 1994. The G2 was born through an initiative to produce a more "NATO-centric" end-product with full STANAG magazine support. As such, the barrel underwent tighter rifling and a 30-round magazine was introduced. Other changes included a whole-hand triggerguard (running from the base of the pistol grip to a point on the forend), increased use of stronger fiberglass (over plastics), a structural "lip" ahead of the forend to prevent the firer's hand from passing in front of the muzzle, and reinforced internals for improved rifle grenade support. Specifications for the G2 included an overall length of 30 inches with a barrel measuring 19.2 inches, an unloaded weight of 3.8 kilograms, a cyclic rate-of-fire of 1,100 rounds per minute and a muzzle velocity reaching 3,035 feet per second.
The French Navy (Marines) was the first to adopt the G2 during 1995. The French Army followed, though acquiring only limited stocks to date due to its heavy investment in the 400,000 or so F1 units already in circulation. Other variants to emerge became the G2 "Commando" with its 15.9" barrel, the G2 "SMG" submachine gun form with its 12.6" barrel and the G2 "Sniper" precision model with its 24.4" barrel.
Since its adoption, the FAMAS has become a combat veteran, serving in the 1983-1984 Chad French intervention and the 1991 Gulf War. Foreign operators include Argentina (limited), Djibouti (standard service rifle), Gabon, Indonesia (special forces), Iraq (Army), Lebanon, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Serbia (police, special forces), Tunisia (presidential security), the United Arab Emirates and Vanuata (Republic of). It has also been identified in the hands of Syrian rebels (F1 models) in the current Syrian Civil War (2011-?).
While the FAMAS has had its notable issues, the most damning aspect of the line has become its rather powerful action which tended to have a negative impact when firing the NATO brass-cased 5.56x45mm cartridge. This led the French Army to use non-standard, steel-cased cartridges instead, negating any logistical benefits in shared ammunition with other NATO members. The tighter rifling of the barrel also never proved wholly sound in stabilization of the cartridge leading many to consider the FAMAS as generally inferior to competing frontline types - essentially meaning that it does not represent a long-term solution for the French Army. As such, its successor - most likely to become foreign in origination - is already being sought.
October 2016 - The French Army has announced the official replacement of the FAMAS assault rifle, this to become the German-originated Heckler & Koch HK416 series (detailed elsewhere on this site).
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