The Russian military is all set to revolutionize its arsenal, big news: the AK-12 assault rifle is the latest member of the legendary AK family. Developed in parallel with the AK-400 by the Kalashnikov Concern, the AK-12 is supposed to arm the modern Russian fighter for conflicts of tomorrow, says Army Recognition.
For many years now, Russia has been developing a military combat system for special force soldiers that is expected to be state-of-the-art and which they call Ratnik, or “Warrior.” This program represents not only modernized body armor and bulletproof shields but also tactical computers, and helmets equipped with night vision and thermal imaging gear. What the Ratnik program is missing is a technologically advanced assault rifle, in place of the basic AK-74 now in use, to match what the U.S. Army has with its M4 carbine on the battlefield.
The Russian defense ministry has begun trials of automatic rifles from two producers in readiness to deliver to the Ratnik program by the close of 2017: the A545 and A762 rifles by Kovrov Mechanical Works’ Degtyarev weapons plant and the AK-12 by Kalashnikov in 5.45mm ammo and its AK-15, with 7.62mm ammo.
The AK-12, developed in 2011, was unveiled at the “ARMY-2017” International Military-Technical Forum in Moscow in the autumn of 2016. The release is said to have had nothing in common with the previous submachine gun presented to officials, not even interchangeable parts.
Based on the prototype AK-400, the AK-12 is more of an improvement that resolves the drawbacks related to full automatic fire and manufacturing costs than those of the predecessor. It has a traditional Kalashnikov-type, gas-operated action with a rotary bolt locking. The rifle utilizes the same magazines as with previous generations of 5.45mm caliber AK-74 or 7.62 mm AKM assault rifles. The receiver, gas block, gas tube, and barrel were redesigned for better accuracy under all conditions. The trigger and safety/fire selector unit delivers three modes of fire now, including single shots, 2-round bursts, and full automatic fire. The familiar Kalashnikov-type safety/selector switch has been enhanced to be faster-acting and more user-friendly.
The AK-12 has an integral Picatinny rail on top of the newly designed detachable top cover, providing a means to quickly and easily mount modern-day and night-sighting devices. The underside of the forend is also fitted with a Picatinny rail, which can accept any kind of tactical accessories, which include but are not limited to, vertical grips, flashlights, and lasers. The carbine is also fitted with a side-folding shoulder stock, which is adjustable for the length of pull, and features iron sights composed of the shrouded front post installed on the gas block and the adjustable rear aperture sight installed on a removable mounting base using the upper Picatinny rail. The barrel area is provided with an effective compensator/ muzzle brake, and a bayonet or quick-detachable sound suppressor can be mounted. Along with that, the rifle can be additionally mounted with a 40mm under-barrel grenade launcher, such as a GP-25 or GP-34.
All the more so, with all the novelties brought by the AK-12, the Russian military does not plan to refuse the AK-74. According to military expert Viktor Murakhovsky, the important aspect of this weapon is such that the AK-74 design proved successful, but modernization is needed in the direction of enhancing convenience in combat engagement, ergonomics, and attachment of additional devices.
The AK-12 is set to run against the Kovrov A545 and A762, designed to lower movement at firing to increase burst accuracy by up to 20 percent over the current AK-74. Rogozin noted that the breakthrough testing of these weapons is underway, and the army may consider the adoption of the rifles once those tests are complete.
But, due to the almost unbeatable production systems this company uses, based on the experience of its parent company, Kalashnikov Concern, the reputation for reliability and availability of the AK family of rifles for upgrade, it seems to be almost a sure scenario: Russian soldiers of the future will keep having Kalashnikov firearms next to them in battle.
However, Kalashnikov Concern feels the pinch of the Western sanctions. The Director of the Concern, Alexey Krivoruchko, expressed his disappointment, drawing attention to the fact that the military concern is no longer 100% state-owned, with the majority of its products now undoubtedly being firearms for the civilian market. Sanctions have forced Kalashnikov to find suppliers in Asia, rather than Europe, which is also complicating their operations.
Against these odds, Kalashnikov Concern is on a major efficiency drive, aiming to double output this year and overhaul ancient equipment. The only thing that seems to be staying is the course in terms of keeping that legacy as a top manufacturer of firearms, thus assuring that Russian soldiers have the best weaponry.