Click to see full-size image. (Kalashnikov Concern)
Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern unveiled a model of its new AK-12+ assault rifle, which the company says offers improved firing precision, at the Voin Center pavilion during the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).
The new rifle uses 5.45 mm ammunition, according to the TASS news agency, which cited its own correspondent at the event.
The assault rifle was developed under the supervision of Yury Trutnev, Russia’s deputy prime minister and presidential envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, according to the company, which noted that the weapon is currently being prepared for mass production.
Kalashnikov said the project is intended to produce a small-arms system based on the existing AK-12 platform with enhanced accuracy for use by special forces units. The rifle will be fitted with electro-optical sights designed to improve targeting at medium ranges in both daytime and nighttime conditions, the company added.
Among the design changes, the barrel wall thickness has been increased, while fittings previously used to attach a sling swivel, grenade launcher and bayonet have been removed, according to the company. The contour of the gas cylinder has been widened to match the altered barrel profile, and the rifle will feature an extended forend.
The new model also includes a threaded muzzle designed to accept a replaceable slotted flash suppressor and a muzzle brake, Kalashnikov said, adding that the rifle’s mechanical sights have been modified as well.
The EEF is being held September 1-4 on the campus of Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. The forum is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with backing from the Russian government.
It’s worth noting that Kalashnikov already produces several versions of the AK-12, the modern standard-issue infantry weapon for the Russian military.
The primary flagship model, the AK-12, is chambered in 5.45x39mm, weighs roughly 3.6 kilograms empty, features a 415 mm barrel, and fires at a cyclic rate of 700 rounds per minute.
Alongside the base model, the family includes the AK-15 chambered in 7.62x39mm and the export-oriented AK-19 chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, both sharing similar weights, overall lengths, and a standard 30-round magazine capacity. Built for modern combat, these rifles incorporate a long-stroke gas piston system, a rigid Picatinny rail on the dust cover for optics, an adjustable folding stock, and a muzzle brake designed to accept quick-detach suppressors.
The latest addition to the family, the AK-12+, will provide special forces units with a new, more flexible option with enhanced precision.
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