AK-12

The development of a new machine has been carried out on an initiative basis since June 2011 under the leadership of the chief designer of Izhmash Vladimir Zlobin based on the developments of the previous 10 years ^[5] . In 2011, assembly was completed and tests began on the first prototype fifth-generation Kalashnikov assault rifle with the working name AK-12. The machine was first shown in January 2012 ^[1] . The state did not support the development of a new machine due to the excess of old AKs, which were in stock at a total of more than 17 million ^[6] .

On June 2, 2012 in Solnechnogorsk, the chief designer of the Izhmash NPO Vladimir Zlobin made a presentation of the AK-12 for the Interagency Working Group (Laboratory) at the Military Industrial Commission , which included representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB of Russia. According to the results of demonstration firing, members of the commission noted that the machine behaves more stably when firing than the samples of previous generations: the recoil and withdrawal during firing by bursts decreased ^[3] .

From June 27 to July 1, 2012, in the city of Zhukovsky, on the territory of the Russia transport and exhibition complex, the second international forum Technologies in Mechanical Engineering was held, where the AK-12 was scheduled to be shown ^{[7] [8]} .

In the same 2012, the machine was proposed by the military as part of the ROC Ratnik instead of the AK-107 previously planned for the competition. At the same time, Izhevsk designers did not have time to create an option in the caliber of 7.62 × 39 , and an AK103-3 automatic machine of the old design was introduced under this cartridge. As a result of the tests, it immediately became clear that the new machine had lost significantly reliability, why at the first stage it lost to its main competitor (Kovrov A-545 ). A contract for further development was concluded with the Degtyarev plant , and the AK-12 continued to be developed on an initiative basis.

In 2014, at state tests, despite a number of significant improvements, the story repeated: the A-545 and A-762 submachine guns after the modifications were recommended for mass production and military tests, and the revision of the AK-12 and AK103-3 was recommended at the expense of the developer. IZHMASH itself in 2014 was transformed by the Kalashnikov concern with the replacement of the general director and other managers. The new leadership, after evaluating the number of "childhood diseases" in the prototype and the difference in production technologies, made a strong-willed decision to abandon the continuation of the project in favor of developing the AK400 theme under the leadership of the new chief designer Sergey Urzhumtsev. ^[2]

In September 2016, at the Army 2016 forum, the Kalashnikov concern introduced an updated version of the AK-12, as well as an AK-15 assault rifle chambered for 7.62 × 39 mm and an RPK-16 machine gun ( 5.45 × 39 mm ) ^{[9 ] [10] [11] [12]} . According to the manufacturer, the design of the machines was revised to eliminate a number of deficiencies identified during testing and to satisfy customer recommendations, and manufacturability was significantly increased and the manufacturing cost was reduced. In fact, instead of finalizing the previously presented prototype, it was proposed to develop the topic of IZHMASH serial automata ^{[13] [14]} . At the same time, unlike the AK-400 project, in the new AK-12, the entire mechanical part of the machine was redesigned in CAD and is not compatible with the AK-74M. The main purpose of the redesign was to increase accuracy in all modes of firing while maintaining reliable operation and manufacturability.

As of the beginning of 2017, the “3rd Central Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense” is still testing four automatic machines: AK-12, AK-15, A-545 (6P67) and A-762 (7P68) ^{[15 ]} .

On January 29, 2018, the AK-12 was adopted by the Russian Army , Airborne Forces and the Marine Corps ^[16] .

Features of the prototype AK-12:

• improving the accuracy of fire due to the displacement of the mass of the bolt group and reducing the recoil arm ^[17] ;
• barrel with improved characteristics for manufacturing accuracy ^[1] , the ability to quickly replace it in the field with long or short options;
• new design of the bolt group and trigger mechanism;
• the reload handle was installed by the gas piston rod and could easily be moved to either side, while firing it remained motionless;
• the ability to change the ejection side of spent cartridges with incomplete disassembly;
• a wide store reset key in the access zone of the index finger of the hand lying on the handle;
• double-sided shutter stop button on the magazine latch, also under the index finger;
• two-sided fuse-switch of pistol-type fire modes (under the thumb) into 4 positions: fuse and firing in three modes (single shots, cut-off in two shots and continuous bursts) ^[1] ;
• built-in Picatinny rail on a rigidly fixed receiver cover for mounting attachments (sights, rangefinders, grenade launchers, lights) - on the first samples continuous to the full length, in later versions it became separated by a loop for attaching a shortened receiver cover;
• additional Picatinny rail - one from the bottom and two on the sides of the forend, and their presence did not interfere with the installation of the standard grenade launchers GP-25, GP-30 or GP-34;
• an open sight with an increased aim line and a combined whole, which allowed switching between the slot and aperture (“diopter”) options ^[1] ;
• muzzle device of the machine, providing the ability to use rifle grenades of foreign manufacture;
• removable butt with installation on the Picatinny rail in the rear of the receiver;
• the mechanism for folding and fixing the butt was placed in the butt itself and the direction of folding was set by a simple revolution of the loop;
• offered a folding telescopic butt with adjustable pad and butt plate, as well as solid butts in folding and awkward versions;
• it was still possible to use regular AK-74 magazines, and 4-row 60 rounds and 95 round round drum cartridges were developed, but stores with a modified feeder were required to operate the slide delay.

The most noticeable from the point of view of the user was an improvement in ergonomics - the complete symmetry of the machine, a convenient fuse-switch, the introduction of a slide delay . This made it possible to fully operate the machine with only one hand, both for right-handed and left-handed people. In the process of improvements, the mount of the receiver cover has changed, a number of other points, but the characteristic features of the machine make it easy to distinguish it from traditional AKs.

Characteristic features of serial versions of the AK-12:

• the barrel is hung on the receiver and does not touch the forend; the gas lining on the gas tube is rigidly attached to the forend and does not limit the barrel oscillations;
• the gas pipe has become fixed, the front plug is removed to clean it;
• the muzzle brake is mounted on the bayonet instead of the thread and can be quickly replaced with a tactical muffler . In the variant for special forces, the front edge of the muzzle brake is a carbide crown for breaking glass;
• the cover of the receiver to increase the rigidity of its attachment is inserted into the grooves of the receiver with the rear part and fixed with a transverse pin in the front part;
• the receiver cover and forend are equipped with Picatinny rails, which form a single line from above, which provides convenient and repeatable installation of various types of day and night sights;
• on the forearm there is an additional Picatinny rail for installing accessories - the front handle, flashlight, laser pointer, etc .;
• the front sight of the open sight was transferred to the gas block, the aperture pillar is mounted on the Picatinny rail as close to the butt as possible, has the ability to introduce lateral corrections; installation of a slit pillar is possible;
• fuse / translator of fire modes has 4 positions (fuse - AB (automatic fire) - 2 (2 shots) - OD (single)), and also has an additional “shelf” under the index finger, which provides more convenient switching of fire modes without changing the grip shooting hands;
• the machine is equipped with a folding, length-adjustable buttstock made of impact-resistant plastic;
• the pistol grip is made more ergonomic and equipped with a case in which it is possible to place electric batteries for sights or medicines;
• there are no fastenings of the ramrod, which is made collapsible and transferred to the butt case;
• regular stores are equipped with transparent inserts through which you can visually determine the number of rounds; completely interchangeable with AK-74 stores;
• it is possible to install a bayonet-knife or a 40-mm grenade launcher GP-25 or GP-34 under the barrel ^[18]

Compared with the experimental AK-12, there was a rejection of the two-sided circuit of the machine, the use of shutter lag, quick barrel replacement and a number of other progressive solutions, although according to the developers, some of them can be implemented later. Based on the 5.45 mm AK-12 assault rifle, its AK-15 version was created under the cartridge 7.62x39. ^[19] , a civilian carbine AK TR3 ^[20] , the RPK-16 machine gun is proposed.

• Svateev V. The new assault rifle - a new sight // Army collection: Scientific-methodical journal of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation . - M .: Editorial and publishing center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, 2016. - No. 04 . - S. 22-25 . - ISSN 1560-036X .

• Alexander Kalinin. The gunsmiths will have to rearm . NTV , May 25, 2010
• Peter Sapozhnikov. Putin praises new Kalashnikov assault rifle Voice of Russia , May 26, 2010
• Putin shown up-to-date Kalashnikov assault rifles . RIA News
• Izhmash showed AK-12 assault rifle to Russian security forces , June 5, 2012
• Modern Small Arms and Ammunition
• Interview with M. V. Kuzyuk to the Serving the Fatherland program , February 19, 2012
• Overview of the AK-12 assault rifle in the Serving the Fatherland program , March 18, 2012
• Oleg Vagin, “New Kalash”, Popular Mechanics No. 5, May 2012
• Testing of the latest Kalashnikov assault rifle begins in Russia 02.11.2012 RIA Novosti
• Novelties of the domestic defense industry: AK-12, Ratnik equipment and RPG-32 Maxim hand grenade launcher , 11.26.2012
• Modern Small Arms and Ammunition
• mgewehr - Notes on weapons