Hwasŏng H35

The Hwasŏng H35 is a prototype assault rifle family designed in Menghe as a prospective replacement for the JS-103. As of October 2019, the it has not been officially adopted by the Menghean Army, and as such it has not received a formal Type designation, though Hwasŏng plans to market it internationally under its H35 designation and some Menghean special forces soldiers have been spotted with H35 rifles.

Typical of earlier Hwasŏng designs like the JS-103 and JS-67, the H35 is designed to achieve high durability and reliability with a low production cost, while still meeting the MoND's quality and performance requirements. Compared to the JS-103, the H35's new features include fully ambidextrous controls, a non-reciprocating charging handle, a Mars Rail covering the entire upper receiver, and greater modularity.

Development

While the JS-103 earned a favorable reputation in the Menghean Army, it came with a number of shortcomings that limited its future growth potential. The weapon's construction prohibited the mounting of MARS rails on the upper receiver, which was not firmly attached to the barrel forward or behind the rear iron sight and could lose zero easily. The JS-103 was also uncomfortable to shoot left-handed, and while Menghean Army doctrine dictated that all recruits train in right-handed shooting, the inability to switch to left-side handling when shooting from cover was a situational liability.

In 2016, after reviewing combat reports filed after the Innominadan Crisis, the Menghean Ministry of National Defense issued a design requirement for a new assault rifle with the following characteristics:

• The upper receiver must be firmly mounted to the barrel, allowing a Type 111 rail (MARS rail) to be mounted along its full length.
• The safety, magazine release, and charging handle must be fully ambidextrous.
• The cartridge ejection system must allow for ambidextrous operation.
• The handguard (or lower handguard) must be replaceable so as to allow the mounting of a grenade launcher module or other handguard options.
• The barrel must be fixed to the trunnion so as to allow the installation of a different barrel with minimal tools.
• The standard buttstock must be replaceable so as to allow the mounting of different standard buttstocks.
• The weapon must be chambered in 5.7×40mm (5.7mm Quinn)
• The weapon must be compatible with standard-issue magazines for the JS-103; new magazines may be introduced but they must be reverse-compatible.

Beyond these requirements, the MoND stated that submissions "will be judged according to ergonomics, weight, accuracy, durability, and simplicity of manufacture."

Hwasŏng Arsenal 55, one of Menghe's leading small arms designers and the makers of the original JS-103, responded by beginning work on a competitor to meet the new MoND requirements. Unlike the Insŏng New Arsenal, which sought to create a dedicated special forces weapon, Hwasŏng still envisioned its submission as a "conscript's rifle:" simple enough for a fresh recruit to master, rugged enough to stand up to abuse in the field, and cheap enough to mass-produce in enormous numbers. At the same time, the designers were aware that the Deep Mission Troops, Marine Infantry, Airborne Forces, and Kimsŏng Divisions would receive first priority in the production and delivery of a new weapon, and that their weapon would have to meet professional soldiers' standards.

Users

• {[flag|Menghe}} (limited service, possibly as part of trials and evaluation)