Russian Ak 12 - The latest AK-12 assault rifles were delivered to the Russian Ministry of Defense earlier than reported by the Russian news agency TASS. The Kalashnikov Group completed deliveries of the weapon in 2020, which the Russian military adopted in 2018 on the recommendation of the Ministry of Defense.
"We have completed the implementation of the 2020 defense procurement plan for the AK-12 assault rifle in record time," Kalashnikov Group CEO Dmitry Tarasov said, according to TASS.
Russian Ak 12
"The weapons production facility in Izhevsk has already started work for 2021 [to meet the defense procurement plan]," Tarasov added. "Our priority remains ensuring the country's defense capability and effective interaction with all customers."
Kalashnikov Ak 12 And Ak 15 Assault Rifle (russia)
This latest delivery was of more than 700 of the latest Kalashnikov AK-12 assault rifles for Russian special operations forces. The rifles have officially entered service with the forces of the Southern Military District, which are deployed in the Krasnodar Territory. About 8,000 AK-12s were also delivered to military units in the Central Military District last July.
The 5.45mm AK-12 will eventually replace the Russian AK-74 rifles that have been in use since the Cold War. The Russian military is expected to receive 112,500 AK-12 rifles by 2021.
The new weapon features improved ergonomics compared to its predecessors, the AK-74M and AKM, said the Russian Defense Ministry, which also highlighted the AK-12's increased accuracy, the unique survivability of its barrel and the new manufacturing technology that went into it.
The AK-12 has been highlighted as a key part of the combat equipment of the "future soldier" Ratnik for Russian troops. This includes a new combat uniform that uses a lightweight body armor designed to protect up to 90 percent of a soldier's body, as well as a highly integrated wireless network communications system that provides improved situational awareness and the sharing of critical information and intelligence between each soldier and unit.
First Deliveries Of New Ak 12 Assault Rifle To Russian Mod
The AK-12 was chosen after a long and robust trial to find a replacement for the older AK-74, but as The National Interest previously reported, it also highlights "how the Russian military's weapons purchases are highly resistant to change." The core of the new AK-12 is virtually unchanged from the first AKs that rolled off the production line in the 1940s: it features largely the same group of “fire controls, long-stroke gas operation, and a twin-eye rotary bolt.” This new the weapon has three firing modes: single shot, three-shot burst, and automatic fire.
The AK-12 is manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern, a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov Group, which is Russia's largest producer of assault and sniper weapons as well as Vikhr-1 cruise missiles. The company also manufactures a range of non-defense products including rifles and hunting rifles, sporting firearms and machinery and tools. It is also a renowned manufacturer of the AK-47 assault rifle.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He is the author of several books on military headgear, including At the beginning of 2018, the AK-12 produced by the Kalashnikov concern was officially recommended by the Russian Ministry of Defense for adoption by the Russian army. This marked the likely end of the long search for another rifle for the Russian military. But the rifle used was completely different from the original AK-12 shown in 2013 and probably shares less than 10% of the parts, if any.
But the long search could have raised many questions for outside observers. Why did two different weapons have the same name? Why was the AK-12 developed instead of the earlier AK-107? What happened to the A545 and A762 that the AK-12 competed with? What are the AK-400 and AK-200 rifles and how do they relate to the AK-12 program?
All About The Ak 12
The history of the AK-12 begins with the last series of AK-100 rifles of the Izhmash/Kalashnikov concern: AK-107 and AK-109. These rifles were designed with a "balanced automatic" recoil system that had been developed since the 1970s and used a movable counterweight to reduce the rifle's recoil.
During factory tests, it was found that the AK-107 was simply not good enough. Its balanced automatic action was of limited use: it provided advantages only in certain shooting positions and greatly complicated the rifles: it increased the weight and difficulty of reloading.
The same problems were found with the first balanced submachine gun: Konstantinova Koksharova's SA-006 was also more difficult to load than the A-3 (prototype AK-74) with which it competed. The balanced automatic system also made the creation of carbine versions of the rifle much more difficult, if not impossible, due to the need to mount a balanced recoil on the barrel.
Due to these disadvantages, the AK-107 was considered a "dead end" for military development, unlikely to be accepted into service. Its 7.62x39mm chambered cousin, the AK-109, was similarly considered obsolete because the balanced automatic action was even less effective at reducing recoil in the larger caliber. The AK-108 in 5.56x45mm did not have similar interest.
Ak 12, Aek 973, Assault Rifle, Russian Armament
As a result, Izhmaš did not have a rifle that he considered worthy of further "Ratnik" trials. This changed after a change in management in 2011: Vladimir Zlobin, the former chief designer of the competing plant in Tula (TsKIB SOO) became the chief designer in Izhmas.
Zlobin began development of a virtually pure slate design that retained only the general principle of long-stroke gas operation from previous Kalashnikovs. This effort resulted in the first AK-12 commonly seen in the media.
They featured a triangular safety/inch dial with a three-round burst (with increased rate of fire), a full-length picatinny rail on the top of the receiver and gas tube, and a new stock design. The slide carrier was redesigned to allow the sides of the charging handle to be switched, and the rifle was designed to open on the last round fired, similar to the American M16/M4. The rifle was chambered in 5.45x39mm and fed from standard AK-74 magazines.
Since the Ratnik trials required the weapons to be submitted in 5.45x39mm and 7.62x39mm, a slightly modified version of the AK-103, the AK-103-3 was submitted alongside the AK-12 in 2014. The AK-103-3 featured a new rigidly attached dust cover, handrail, and stock. The basic AK-103 is simply the AK-74M chambered in 7.62x39, so the AK-103-3 was practically a cosmetic modification of the traditional Kalashnikov.
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The results of these tests were disastrous for Ižmaš. Competing automatically balanced ZiD A545 and A762 were recommended for serial production, and AK-12 and AK-103-3 did not meet state requirements. The great design of the AK-12 was found to have significant reliability and durability issues and cost almost 5-6 times more than the AK-74M. Developing the rifle to the point where it could be adopted into service would require time and a significant investment, which Izhmash was not willing to make.
Another management shake-up occurred in 2014 when the trials were underway. At this time, Izhmash was included in the new Kalashnikov concern, and the head of the design team changed again: this time to Sergey Urzhumts, who previously worked for the Molot weapons factory. Under this new leadership, development of the AK-12 pure shield was halted and development of a more traditional upgrade to AK rifles, designated the AK-400, began.
The AK-400 drew on the experience of creating the AK-103-3 and adopted many features from it, including a solid dust cover on the Picatinny rail and a collapsible folding stock. The biggest change made to the AK-400 series over the older AKs is the free floating barrel from the forend for more accuracy.
Traditionally, AK handguards are attached to the rifle at two points, one on the front of the bolt housing and the other in the handguard holder attached to the barrel. In the AK-400, the handguard is attached to the receiver and gas tube, allowing the barrel to flex and vibrate without restriction. The gas tube is revised to be stronger and cannot be removed. This allows it to support the hand guard and can simplify maintenance.
Small Thing, But The Ak 12 Model Could Use An Update.
Other minor changes include a two-wheel burst position on the dial (as requested by the Russian MoD), the addition of a "finger pedal" to the dial for easier operation (a feature popularized by l-first, from the American "Krebs Custom.") and a redesigned ergonomic grip.
The new upgrade of the AK-400 has 54% identical parts to the AK-74M, compared to less than 10% for the pure AK-12.
The modernization design of the AK-400 was completed in 2015, and the rifle again entered state trials. The 5.45 version took on the AK-12 designation, while the 7.62 version was designated the AK-15.
The test results of the new AK-12 were more positive. At the beginning of 2016, AK-12 and AK-15 were found to meet the technical requirements for state tests and received GRAU indexes: 6P70 and 6P71. Compared to the AK-74M, the new AK-12 is 0.5 kg lighter, more accurate and supports modern sights and accessories.
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At this point, the stage is set for further operational trials in 2017 between the new AK-12 and AK-15 against
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