The VHS (Croatian: Višenamjenska Hrvatska Strojnica, lit. multifunctional Croatian machine gun) is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle designed and manufactured by HS Produkt of Croatia. The VHS rifle was first introduced at the 2007 iKA exhibition, the annual Croatian innovation display that takes place in the city of Karlovac.^[6] The development began from a Croatian Army request for a new infantry rifle to meet NATO standards.

An improved version of the VHS rifle, known as the VHS-2, was introduced in April 2013. In January 2022, it was announced that Springfield Armory, Inc. will be importing the VHS-2 into the US as the Hellion.^[7]

The VHS-D rifle is 765 mm (30.1 in) long, with a 500 mm (20 in) barrel.^[5] The whole rifle body is a monoblock construction made from high-impact polymer.^[18] Externally, it strongly resembles the French FAMAS rifle, but its operating mechanism and disassembly procedure are quite different.^[19] The VHS-K is a carbine variant with an overall length of 665 mm (26.2 in) and a 410 mm (16 in) barrel.

Some characteristics of the rifle were not revealed to the public and provoked rumours during the development period. One involved a hypothesized venting system which recovered part of the gases generated from firing the weapon to cushion the bolt and dramatically buffer recoil. The production-stage VHS operated in a much more conventional manner, not utilizing this buffering system.^[9] According to the schematic filed at the European Patent Office (EPO) the misconception may have come from combining two different features: a forced air ventilation system similar to the one in Pecheneg machine gun and a mechanical buffer reducer, similar in conception to the one used in Ultimax 100, a weapon Croatia used in the Croatian War of Independence and retains in its reserve inventory. The same patent states that the VHS works neither through direct gas impingement nor through a short- or long-stroke piston, but through a 'tappet' type of closed gas system much like the FN SCAR.^{[citation needed]} There may have also been confusion with another prototype which did not go into production.

Confusion on the VHS's operating system was from several changes to the type of system used through its development. The first models used a Kalashnikov-style long-stroke piston, which was changed in 1999 to a lever delayed blowback system from the FAMAS. The next year, it was changed to a direct gas impingement system with a forced ventilation feature that formed a pneumatic cushion behind the bolt. The VHS was patented in that form in 2000 giving the impression of a "gas cushion" feature. That model was publicly known up to 2005. In 2004, the final and current operating system of the VHS was changed to a gas-operated, short-stroke piston system.^[20]

When the VHS went through service life testing it fired 50,000 rounds without suffering any main part failures. The barrel has a birdcage flash suppressor and can fire rifle grenades. Like the FAMAS, it has a sliding grenade boom guide and grenade high-angle launching sight to aim when the rifle is turned on its side, but the sight is mounted on the underside of the carrying handle on the VHS instead of under it.^{[clarification needed]} The rifle and carbine have different gas regulators, both with three settings changed by pushing in and turning 120 degrees: normal; high (larger opening for weak ammunition); and cut-off (for rifle grenades).^[20]

One drawback of the VHS is its poor ergonomics. The fire selector has three positions for safe, semi, and automatic fire with no 3-round burst option. Production model rifles have the selector inside the trigger guard. Changing firing modes is difficult as the crank must be rotated a long distance before either firing mode is selected. It is also for right-handed use only; the receiver can only eject shells out the right side and cases leave sharply toward the rear, with a chance of hitting an extended elbow. This is unfortunate, as the non-reciprocating cocking handle is located centrally under the carrying handle and can be pulled from either side.^[20]

Models presented in 2008 showed the VHS being STANAG magazine compatible. This was changed shortly after to accept HK G36 magazines. The reason was because the Croatian military has more G36s (which the VHS will replace) than M16-type rifles.^[20]

•  Albania: Used by the Albanian State Police.^[30]
•  Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnian federal special police are armed with VHS-K2 rifles.^{[citation needed]}
•  Cameroon: Used by the military.^{[31][self-published source?]}
•  Croatia: Standard weapon of the Croatian Army, replacing older VHS model.^[17] Also used by the police.^[32]
•  Iraq: About 100,000 in service with the Iraqi Federal Police and Iraqi Ground and Special Forces, including the Emergency Response Division.^[33][27][30]
•  Syria^[34]
•  Togo: Togolese Army acquired 3,000 VHS-2 for peacekeeping missions.^[30]