AK-12
The AK-12, "Avtomat Kalashnikova, 2012" (GRAU index 6P70) is a Russian assault rifle chambered in 5.45×39mm designed and manufactured by the Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash), making it the fifth generation of Kalashnikov rifles.
| AK-12 | |
|---|---|
AK-12 5.45×39mm assault rifle | |
| Type |
|
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2018–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Syrian Civil War Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Mikhail Kalashnikov, Vladimir Zlobin, Sergey Urzhumcev |
| Designed | 2011 |
| Manufacturer | Izhmash (now Kalashnikov Concern) |
| Produced | 2018-present |
| No. built | 150,000+ |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.5 kg (7.72 lb) empty (AK-12) 3.5 kg (7.72 lb) empty (AK-15) 3.5 kg (7.72 lb) empty (AK-19) 3.8 kg (8.38 lb) empty (AK-308) |
| Length |
|
| Barrel length | 415 mm (16.3 in) |
| Cartridge |
|
| Action | Gas-operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 700 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity |
|
| Effective firing range |
|
| Maximum firing range | 3,150 m (3,440 yd) |
| Feed system |
|
| Sights | Back-up iron sights and integrated Picatinny rail for various optical sights |
Kalashnikov Concern also offers a variant of the AK-12 chambered in 7.62×39mm, known as the AK-15 (GRAU index 6P71) due to the request of the Russian military. A variant chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO was later unveiled, known as the AK-19 upon the request of international clients. Compact variants of the AK-12 and AK-15 are also under development, respectively the AK-12K and AK-15K, which features a shorter barrel.
The AK-12 project began in 2011 by the IZHMASH factory, which became part of the Kalashnikov Concern as a private venture, in an attempt to participate in the "Ratnik" trials which were held by the Russian army. It was further developed by the Kalashnikov Concern. Throughout its development and evaluation stage it has received multiple modifications to meet the Russian military's standard and to address the Russian army's concerns regarding the cost and issues in fully automatic fire of the earlier prototype models.
It went through three different prototypes in order to improve upon the "range of defects" that were discovered on the prototype models from 2012 to 2015. These were later abandoned in favour of the proven and improved AK-400 prototype, which took over the "AK-12" name designation and became the basis for the finalised model of the AK-12.