AK12
| Kalashnikov AK-12 and AK-15 | |
|---|---|
A Kalashnikov AK-12 5.45×39mm assault rifle
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| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | Russia |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Russia |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Mikhail Kalashnikov, Vladimir Zlobin |
| Designed | 2010 |
| Manufacturer |
Izhmash (now Kalashnikov Concern) |
| Variants |
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| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3.3 kg (7.28 lb) |
| Length | 945 mm (37.2 in) (725 mm stock folded) |
| Barrel length | 415 mm (16.3 in) |
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| Cartridge | |
| Action | Gas-operated, long stroke gas piston, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 700 RPM |
| Muzzle velocity |
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| Effective firing range | 500–600 m (547–656 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 800 meters |
| Feed system |
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| Sights | Back-up iron sights and integrated Picatinny rail for various optics |
The Kalashnikov AK-12 is a Russian 5.45×39mm assault rifle, designed and manufactured by Izhmash (now known as Kalashnikov Concern). It is the newest derivative of the Russian AK-Pattern series of assault rifles and was proposed for possible general issue to the Russian Army. The rifle is intended to eventually replace previous generations of Kalashnikov 5.45×39mm assault rifles in service with the Russian military and other governmental forces. The rifle has two main variants, the AK-12 chambered in 5.45×39mm cartridge and the AK-15 chambered in 7.62×39mm cartridge.
The AK-12 project began in 2011 by the IZHMASH factory which has now 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 Kalashnikov Concern, and 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 several revisions in order to improve upon the "range of defects" that were discovered on the earlier prototype models, which are derived from the AK-200 (Base Prototype). Though the prototype models that were based on the AK-200 were later abandoned in favor for the well proven and improved AK-400 (Base Prototype), which are now what the final production models of the AK-12 and AK-15 are based on.
On 25 May 2010, The Russia's media published a Russian Ministry of Defence statement that the AK-12 rifle was to be tested in 2011. The early prototype model (AK-200), was presented to the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during his official visit to inspect the products of the Izhmash arms manufacturing plant in Izhevsk, it was apparently a basic AK-74 chambered in 5.45×39mm cartridge. The Izhmash's prototype was fitted with a large-capacity 60-round casket magazine. On the early prototype model, the traditional locations of the cocking handle, safety lever and fire selector remained unchanged, but the AK-12's production model featured revisions to all of these features.
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