Warrior: New AKs for the Russian Army

The Russian Army will replace its AK-74M stocks with the new models AK-12 and AK-15. The Russians had considered this for a long time. However, since they had more AK-74 in stock than soldiers, the introduction of new rifles did not have a very high priority.

The AK-74, in caliber 5.45mm, is the successor to the well-known AK-47, which was put into service in 1947 and comes in caliber 7.62 mm. The AK-74 appeared in the 1970s, and the M version was introduced in 1991. Over time, the Russian Army has amassed around two million units of various AK-74 versions.

Aside from the large existing stock, fluctuations in the Russian military budget also led to a delay in the modernization project. Furthermore, some improvements were necessary for the new models before spending money on the new weapons.

Both models bear a strong resemblance to the AK-74M. The AK-12 fires, like its predecessor, in caliber 5.45 x 39 mm. The AK-15 is designed for 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition – the same ammunition that was already used in the AK-47. It is interesting that the Russian Army is acquiring rifles with two different calibers. One possible explanation is that the Russians still have mass amounts of Cold War ammunition in storage. At the same time, this also reflects the caliber debate in the West: Does 5.45 suffice? Does 7.62 have more power and efficiency?

The main difference between the older AK-74M and the newer AK-12/15 is the new accessory system on the modern versions. They appear to have been developed to use accessories relied upon by modern armies. Both the AK-12 and AK-15 have two Picatinny rails, allowing for the attachment of scopes, red dot sights, and laser pointers.

The second rail is located under the barrel and can be used to attach a vertical foregrip. Another improvement of the newer rifles over the AK-74M is the buffer tube, which allows for the attachment of different buttstocks and adjusting the length of the weapon. This is similar to the design of the M-4 carbine.

Kalashnikov is the manufacturer of the new rifles. The new weapons are approximately 88.9 cm long with a 40.64 cm barrel and an empty weight of 3.5 kilograms. Both new rifles are capable of firing 700 rounds per minute. Both use 30-round magazines.

Mikhail T. Kalashnikov designed the original AK-47. He designed the rifle to replace both the repeater rifles and submachine guns of the Soviet military. As such, it fell in the middle range between the two older weapons. It had more range than the Soviet submachine guns, but less power than the Mosin rifles. It was shorter than the Mosin Nagant rifle but still had an effective range of 400 meters.

The AK-47 was replaced by the AKM in the 1960s. In the 1970s, the AKM was in turn replaced by the AK-74. The current AK-74M is the modernized version introduced in the 1990s. With the new rating system for Russian troops, the new generation of weapons is now being delivered.For an excellent analysis of the background on the introduction of the AK-12, check out "Advanced Fieldsport".

Link to the AK-12 video on YOUTUBE

KALASHNIKOV GROUP online: kalashnikovgroup.ru