Russian assault rifles. Small arms New AEK 971 assault rifle for the Russian army

Invisible to the world the battle unfolded in the Russian defense industry. Which assault rifle is better - the new Kalashnikov AK-12 or its competitor AEK-971? The Russian army will begin military tests new machine. What will it be called, the development of which one? design bureau will be adopted, it has not yet been decided. At the same time, it is known that the machine gun of the future will fire cartridges of the same caliber that are now in stores for many years, the AK-74, which has been in service. In Tamansk motorized rifle division are closely following the news about the new machine. But no one canceled classes with AK-74. Its advantages are obvious - it is easily mastered by recruits, and in the hands of a professional it becomes a formidable weapon. At the same time, the AK-74 is unpretentious in maintenance and is practically trouble-free. Making a better machine gun is a task for a designer who is not afraid to compete in absentia with Kalashnikov himself.
“When a soldier fulfills the standard for tactical training- movement is secretive, when you have to crawl, the terrain is muddy, the terrain is different, then the weapon gets clogged. It won’t be difficult to disassemble it, clean it, or put it in normal condition for operation,” said the commander motorized rifle company Alexander Ananichev. The next generation assault rifle tried to make the assault rifle no less reliable. AK-12 - developed by the Izhmash plant, part of the Kalashnikov concern. The assault rifle turned out to be a hundred grams lighter, and in battle this is a lot. Izhevsk designers took the classic Kalashnikov assault rifle as a basis, but reduced the recoil shoulder. The body of the machine gun has become somewhat shorter than that of the AK-74, the handle is shifted slightly forward, and the mass of the moving parts of the bolt is better distributed. However, the impact itself from the bolt hitting the receiver, and then when returning to its original position, was only reduced here, but did not get rid of it completely. The advantages of the AK-12 are the redesigned trigger mechanism, which allows you to reload the machine gun with one hand. You no longer need to jerk the bolt every time you change magazines. It would seem that a Kalashnikov assault rifle, forty years younger, would easily win the right to serve in Russian army. But he had a formidable competitor, he was introduced by the Kovrov plant named after Degtyarev - the enterprise where Lieutenant Kalashnikov invented the legendary AK-47 after the war. The designers of the AEK-971 from Kovrov developed a fundamentally different mechanism to reduce recoil. The shutter in their machine gun is opposed by a telescopic balancer of approximately the same mass. After the shot, the bolt and balancer simultaneously hit the back and front of the machine gun. And thereby extinguish unnecessary impulses acting on the shooter’s hands. In this case, the machine gun experiences recoil only as a counterforce from a bullet flying out of the barrel. However, new design details made the Kovrov assault rifle heavier than the AK-12. But the smoother shooting speaks for it. Both models have new firing modes - short bursts, and universal mounts for attachments. The competitors themselves recognize the merits of their rivals. “The correct government approach is to adopt both our assault rifle and the Izhevsk assault rifle. It’s probably wrong for us to launch a major series today, not in a state-like manner. Today, it is much more important to put this machine into trial operation,” says Vladimir Gromov, chief designer of the Degtyarev plant.
But before trial operation, the assault rifles still need to be put into service. At the beginning of December, a new Kalashnikov brand was presented in Moscow. Among the main characters at the presentation are those who choose the assault rifle of the future. “In my opinion, the military should draw conclusions, first of all, which assault rifle they need for what, but preliminary discussions show that both assault rifles are in demand. By and large, they both completed the tasks that the Ministry of Defense included in performance characteristics“- said Oleg Martyanov, a member of the board of the military-industrial commission under the government of the Russian Federation. The machine guns will have to compete not only with each other, but also with the AK-74 itself, which must be surpassed, but not lose what has become the gold standard. Both design bureaus are moving, apparently, in unison with the wishes of future consumers. “If we say that progress does not stand still, weapons must be improved. In my opinion, the only thing I wanted to see was a reduction in recoil, and therefore an increase in the accuracy of fire,” the commander of a motorized rifle company, Alexander Ananichev, expressed the wishes of the military. When will the decision of the Ministry of Defense be announced, which of the two domestic assault rifles will go into service? mass production, remains unknown for now. But it is obvious that the competition between the two leading weapons design bureaus countries will go to the benefit of the machine gun that will replace the AK-74.

On the Russian small arms market there is a serious struggle between Izhmash and the Kovrov plant named after Degtyarev. New machine Kalashnikov AK-12 against Kovrov A-545.

So far, the gunsmiths from Kovrov are winning this battle. The military allowed their A-545 assault rifle to undergo state testing. According to representatives of the Ministry of Defense, this machine gun integrates better with the “Ratnik” combat equipment. Last week, representatives of the Airborne Forces said that the paratroopers were already ready for military testing.

At the same time, the brainchild of Izhmash is the new Kalashnikov assault rifle, which considered it not to meet the requirements that they place on modern small arms.

What is known about the A-545 and AK-12 assault rifles? The information circulating in the press and on the Internet does not allow us to fully evaluate even the basic characteristics of the new machines. There are Picatinny rails that have set the teeth on edge, both here and there, and they say almost nothing about the characteristics of new types of small arms.

Very little is known about the Kovrov A-545 assault rifle. Chief designer plant named after Degtyarev V. Gromov said that the A-545 is further development AEK-971 assault rifle. Further speaking about AEK-971 we will mean A-545.

The AEK-971 assault rifle has excellent performance in terms of accuracy of fire in short and long bursts in comparison with the AK-74M and even the AN-94 Abakan. In the new A-545 assault rifle, the quality of the balanced automatics, which reduces recoil and barrel lift, is at least the same, and in this respect the Kovrov assault rifle is significantly superior to the new AK-12.

The designers of the AK-12 also worked to improve accuracy and reduce recoil and barrel lift. The AK-12 barrel is located lower than that of the AK-74M; now the barrel axis is closer to the pistol grip, which significantly reduces recoil. In addition, a rubber butt pad appeared on the butt. This minor addition made shooting more convenient for the shooter, which also affects accuracy in better side.

The accuracy of single shots for the AEK-971 and AK-12 assault rifles is almost the same as the accuracy of the AK-74M - about 5MOA. So in this regard, the two new assault rifles are approximately equal, although the AEK-971 shoots a little faster and more accurately.

Let's turn to ergonomics. The AK-12 assault rifle is now made for both right-handers and left-handers; the bolt group can be rearranged to suit you. The AK-12 has a rigid receiver cover, which is connected to the receiver like the AKS-74U.

A separate firing mode selector and safety lock are located close to the pistol grip in both the AK-12 and AEK-971. The assault rifles can be operated without taking your hands off; there is also a slide stop. But the Ak-12 has two-way controls for left-handers and right-handers, and this is its absolute advantage.

Both assault rifles will be equipped with both telescopic and folding stocks. In addition, unlike its predecessors, the AK-12 has a handle bolt carrier Now it will not move when firing, and has been moved closer to the fore-end. The problem of the open gap between the receiver and its cover has been solved.

The complex balanced automation of the AEK-971 increases accuracy, but significantly reduces reliability. The connection between the piston and the balancer is carried out through a gear; the balancer itself is secured with a pin, which can simply fly out. And until you put the pin back, the machine will not fire. In turn, the AK-12 does not have any major design difficulties and, accordingly, is more reliable.

The production cost of the A-545 assault rifle is more expensive than the AK-12. In addition, the capacity of the Kovrov plant named after Degterev today is simply insufficient to cope with the volume of production of new machine guns in the quantities necessary for the rearmament of troops. Naturally, Izhmash does not have such problems. The Kovrov plant has already raised the issue of government assistance to expand and re-equip production.

The production of AK-12 at Izhmash will be able to be established quickly enough and in the required volumes. True, many point out that the AK-12 is just a slightly modified AK-74M.

The AK-12 assault rifle is currently being tested at the expense of the developer (during state tests, all expenses are borne by the military department). Izhmash is confident that they will successfully implement all the requirements of the military in the AK-12 and it is their machine that will be adopted as the main one.

AEK-971 (GRAU Index - 6P67) - an assault rifle developed in 1978 at the Degtyarev plant in Kovrov under the leadership of Stanislav Ivanovich Koksharov based on the Konstantinov system assault rifle (SA-006), which participated in the 1974 competition. In 2013-2015, a modification of the AEK-971 called “A-545” took part in a competition for a new general-arms assault rifle. In 2015, it was reported that the assault rifle would be put into service along with the AK-12.

AEK-971 assault rifle - video

In August 1981, Soviet gunsmith designers, as part of development work on the topic “Creation of an assault rifle that is 1.5 times more effective than the AK-74 assault rifle,” better known under the code “Abakan,” began active development of promising models of automatic weapons. When creating a new machine gun, the main task was to increase the accuracy of fire with continuous fire by 5-10 times in order to increase the shooting accuracy of even inexperienced young soldiers. The new weapon, developed on the Abakan theme, was supposed to retain all the combat qualities of its predecessors, primarily reliability, the ability to be installed in all existing facilities military equipment, allow the attachment of all standard components to it: a bayonet, an under-barrel grenade launcher, optical devices, etc.

All the leading gunsmiths and designers of the USSR took part in this Abakan competition to develop a new machine gun.
In 1984, twelve machine gun designs were submitted to the competition. Of the presented samples, nine projects reached the testing stage, among which was the 5.45-mm Garev-Koksharov assault rifle - AEK-971, which has a shockless design and balanced automation.

Balanced automation is the main thing distinctive feature design of the AEK-971 assault rifle, this scheme is created on the basis of a gas engine (similar to the AK-107 / AK-108 assault rifles). With this scheme, an additional gas piston associated with the countermass moves synchronously with the main one, moving the bolt frame, but towards it, thereby compensating for the impulses that arise when the bolt group moves and when it hits in the rear and front positions. As a result of using this scheme, the machine gun does not twitch when firing in bursts. And it is precisely thanks to this scheme in the AEK-971 assault rifle that the accuracy of automatic burst fire is twice as good as that of the AK-74 and AKM.

The AEK-971 was fed with cartridges from a standard magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds from the AK-74. The barrel bore was locked by turning the bolt. The butt leaned onto the left side of the receiver. The translator-fuse flag was located on both sides of the receiver; the flag located on the left side did not have a fuse function, which somewhat reduced its capabilities.

A distinctive feature of the first AEK-971 model was its unusual muzzle device. The design of this muzzle brake-compensator was based on a completely new concept of firing by the shooter from stable and unstable positions. When conducting automatic burst fire from unstable positions: standing, on the move, from the knee, it was possible to reduce the holes in the muzzle brake-compensator with a special lever located on the left side of the receiver, when firing from stable positions: lying down from the rest, sitting from the rest, standing from an emphasis, it was accordingly possible to increase them. Using a change in the diameter of the holes for powder gases flowing into muzzle brake The compensator, together with balanced automation, made it possible to achieve even greater stabilization of the weapon during automatic firing.

The AEK-971 trigger mechanism allowed for single and automatic fire and fire in fixed bursts of two shots, which greatly increased the firing efficiency of this machine gun at a rate of fire of 1,500 rounds per minute.
Subsequently, the design of this machine was significantly simplified. At the insistence of representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the adjustable muzzle brake-compensator was replaced with a standard muzzle brake-compensator from the AK-74 assault rifle, which significantly reduced the rate of fire of the assault rifle. The stock became permanent and the stock was almost completely redesigned.

The modernized Garev-Koksharov assault rifle showed results when firing with continuous fire that were 15 - 20% superior to the similar results of the standard 5.45 mm Kalashnikov AK-74 assault rifle. But the AEK-971 was inferior in accuracy of the second shot when firing with automatic fire to its main rival, the Nikonov assault rifle, although it was superior to it in this indicator when firing in long bursts. Based on the results of the Abakan competition, the Nikonov assault rifle was adopted, later designated AN-94. But the story of the AEK-971 assault rifle did not end there. At the end of the nineties, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation again demanded weapons with balanced automation, which Kovrov gunsmiths worked on.

The AEK-971 assault rifle was again modernized in accordance with the new requirements of the Moscow Region. A universal bracket appeared on the left side of the receiver for mounting all types of optical and night sights on the machine gun; the bracket was installed thanks to the appearance of a new iron stock folding on the right side of the receiver. A firing mode in fixed bursts of three shots was also implemented. The machine was put into mass production.

The serial model of the AEK-971 assault rifle consisted of the following main parts and mechanisms:

Barrel with receiver;
- receiver covers;
- moving parts (shutter, bolt frame, balancer and carriage);
- return mechanism;
- shock- trigger mechanism, made in the form of a separate unit;
- safety shield;
- fire translator;
- balancer guide;
- forend;
- barrel lining;
- muzzle brake-compensator;
- bayonet of knife and magazine;
- accessories.

Partial disassembly of AEK-971

The machine kit includes: accessories, a belt and a case with a pocket for the magazine, as well as a universal night rifle sight (NSPU).

The AEK-971 automation is built according to a gas exhaust system with a long stroke of the gas piston and an additional balancer, which has its own second gas piston moving in the opposite main direction. Synchronization of the bolt frame and balancer is carried out using a gear located vertically between them. The barrel is locked using a rotating bolt, similar in design to the bolt of the Kalashnikov AK-74 assault rifle.

The AEK-971 receiver is a casting, inside of which there are cavities to accommodate the trigger mechanism, magazine, and accessories. To ensure the direction of movement of the moving parts, the box is reinforced with steel guides. There is a reflector tooth on the left guide. The butt plate with the folding butt axis is attached to the back of the box using rivets. In the front part, a barrel coupling is attached to the receiver using rivets. A magazine latch with a spring is attached to the axle in front of the safety bracket.

AEK-971 assault rifle, caliber 5.45x39, early production version,
with installed collimator sight

The moving parts are the main automation mechanism and consist of a bolt, bolt frame, balancer and carriage. The bolt serves to send the cartridge into the chamber, close the barrel bore, break the primer and remove the cartridge case (cartridge) from the chamber. The bolt consists of the bolt itself, a spring-loaded ejector with an axis, a firing pin and a firing pin. The bolt frame serves to activate the bolt, balancer and firing mechanism. The bolt carrier consists of a frame, a liner, a frame rail, and a stop return spring. The frame is connected to the frame rail and the liner by two cylindrical pins. The balancer serves to balance the impulses from the movement of the bolt frame and bolt. The balancer is telescopically placed inside the bolt frame rack; in the front part it has a threaded section for attaching a rod that acts as a piston. The wall of the balancer has longitudinal perforations for interaction with the gears.

The balancer guide serves to guide the movement of the balancer. It consists of a tube, a plug and a stop connected by welding. The carriage serves to accommodate two gears that kinematically connect the balancer and the bolt frame. The trigger mechanism is used to control the firing of a machine gun; it is made in the form of a separate unit and contains a firing mechanism and a trigger mechanism. The fire switch, located on the left side of the weapon, is used to set the required firing mode (single, automatic and with a cut-off of 3 shots). It has a cylindrical part with transverse grooves for interaction with the sears of the trigger mechanism and a flag for switching.

To fire a single shot, it is necessary to move the translator’s flag to the “OD” position, while the translator releases the trigger and single-fire sear. When you press the trigger, the trigger, under the action of the mainspring, strikes the firing pin. The firing pin pierces the cartridge's primer and a shot occurs. After the bullet passes the gas outlet in the barrel, gases rush through it into the gas chamber, affecting the moving parts, sending them into recoil. Moving back, the bolt frame rotates the bolt around the longitudinal axis and removes its lugs from behind the lugs of the barrel coupling - the bolt is unlocked and the barrel bore is opened.

The cartridge case, held by the ejector, encounters the protrusion of the receiver and is extracted. The bolt frame, moving backward, cocks the hammer, the hammer is captured by the single fire sear and the hammer remains in the rear position. Rolling of moving parts occurs under the action of a return spring. During the rewind, the next cartridge is sent into the chamber and the barrel bore is locked. At the end of the free stroke, the bolt frame disengages the self-timer from the trigger, but the trigger is held in the cocked position by the single-fire sear, so the next shot does not occur. To fire the next shot, you must release the trigger and press it again. The automation cycle will repeat.

In group fire mode (3 shots each), the interaction of machine parts and mechanisms is similar to their interaction with single fire; the difference is in the operation of the trigger mechanism. The translator releases the trigger and group fire sear, but the single fire sear is locked and cannot interact with the trigger. When the trigger is pressed, it turns, and the group fire sear turns with it until the sear shank engages with the lower teeth of the ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel, preventing further rotation of the group fire sear, is itself locked by the tail of the sear.

At this time, the sear hook is outside the zone of interaction with the trigger, the click is released, and the trigger stroke occurs. During the working stroke, the pusher connected to the trigger, with its hook, turns the ratchet wheel by the upper front tooth one step, and the sear shank locks the ratchet wheel in a new position. When cocking the hammer after a shot, the pusher moves back and grabs the next one with its hook. upper tooth. After three working strokes of the trigger, the ratchet wheel releases the sear shank and it, together with the sear, rotates so that the sear hook gets in the way of the trigger movement and grabs it; another shot does not occur. For production next group shots, you must release the trigger and press it again.

To conduct automatic shooting, you must move the translator flag to position “A”. During automatic firing, the interaction of the parts and mechanisms of the machine gun is similar to their interaction in single and group fire modes, the difference lies in the operation of the trigger mechanism. When you press the trigger, the trigger is released and makes a working stroke. When cocking, the hammer is held only by the self-timer, and when the bolt frame reaches the forward position, it is released from it. Firing continues as long as the trigger is pressed. When the trigger is released, the hammer is cocked.

In the “PR” (Safety) position, the translator locks the trigger and raises the safety flap, blocking the movement of moving parts.
The combat rate of fire of the machine gun when firing single shots is 40 rounds per minute, when firing in bursts - up to 100 rounds per minute.
Thanks to the design features of the trigger mechanism in the AEK-971 assault rifle, the possibility of involuntary reloading of the weapon with the safety switched off when the butt hits a hard surface is almost completely eliminated.

The receiver cover protects the parts and mechanisms placed in the receiver from contamination. On the right side it has a stepped cutout for the passage of cartridges thrown out and for the movement of the bolt frame handle. Fastening is carried out by a rotary pin.
A muzzle brake compensator is attached to the barrel, which serves to reduce the flame and sound when fired and increase the accuracy of the battle when firing in bursts.
Mechanical sighting device sector type is structurally similar to the AK-74 assault rifle. Sighting range firing range from a machine gun - 1000 m. In addition, on the left side of the receiver there is a universal bracket for mounting on a machine gun various types collimator, optical and night sights.

Options

AEK-971

AEK-971 - the basic version chambered for 5.45x39 mm.

AEK-972

AEK-972 is a variant of the AEK-971 chambered for the 5.56x45 mm NATO cartridge. In addition to changes caused
by changing the caliber of the weapon, it has no other design differences from the base model.

AEK-973

AEK-973 – variant of AEK-971 under Soviet cartridge 7.62x39 mm. Uses magazines from the AK-47 assault rifle, otherwise the assault rifle is identical to the AEK-971.

AEK-973S

AEK-973S is a version of the AEK-973, equipped with a retractable telescopic stock. When the butt is retracted, the shoulder rest closes with the pistol grip, forming a streamlined design and not making shooting difficult. The shape and angle of the pistol grip have been changed. Due to the design features of the modified trigger, the safety lever is located on the right side of the receiver.

To power the machine, standard magazines from the AK-74 assault rifle with a capacity of 30 rounds are used, and it is also possible to use magazines from light machine gun Kalashnikov RPK-74 (RPK-74M) with a capacity of 45 rounds. For ease of carrying, the machine gun has a lightweight frame-type stock that folds onto the right side.

The handguard, pistol grip, and gas tube receiver are made of impact-resistant plastic. The plastic pistol grip is made integrally with trigger guard. The machine gun is equipped with mounts for a standard 6X4 bayonet and underbarrel grenade launchers GP-25, GP-30, GP-34.

Modifications

A-545

Automatic A545 or 6P67, undergoing testing in 2014 as part of the Ratnik program

Created to participate in a competition for a new general-arms assault rifle. Passed state tests in 2014 on the “Warrior” theme together with the AK-12 of the Kalashnikov concern, satisfying all tactical and technical requirements of the Ministry of Defense Russian Federation. During tests, the A-545 showed better accuracy when firing in long bursts, but was inferior in terms of price-quality ratio. Based on the test results, it was decided to accept both assault rifles for military service during 2015.
It is distinguished from the base model, first of all, by a different design of the receiver (on the AEK-971 there is a removable cover), which allows you to attach a Picatinny rail to the machine gun for the possibility of installing various sights and a fire mode switch on both sides of the machine gun.

The latest news from the world of gunsmiths evokes dual sensations and varied thoughts. We have already shown in an article devoted to cartridges a fresh video from the Kalashnikov concern dedicated to the AK-15.

At the end of January of this year, it was reported that the AK-12 and AK-15 had passed state tests and were approved as small arms and accepted into service by the Ministry of Defense.

Great. The assault rifles differ significantly from the AK-74 for the better, are more modern, and have many advantages. This is really good.

Some of it was announced in the previous article about cartridges (?), the rest will be discussed here.

The question arises: wouldn’t having two assault rifles of the same system with different calibers be a bit too much?

Even if the good old 7.62x39 cartridge of the 1943 model allows something that its younger colleague of 5.45 mm caliber cannot. Namely, to ensure the necessary armor penetration and the use of a cartridge with PBS.

But there's another cherry on top. Simultaneously with the AK-12 and AK-15, the Ministry of Defense also adopted two assault rifles developed by the Degtyarev Kovrov plant.

We are talking about A-545 and A-762. About simplified models AEK-971 and AEK-973.

A total of four machines. Two calibers are 5.45 mm, two are 7.62 mm.

Now let’s move on to the main question: why did the Ministry of Defense need machine guns of different calibers and different manufacturers?

Literally two words about Kovrov machine guns.

To say that AEK (any number) is unfinished is to say nothing. The plant team worked on the brainchild for more than 40 years and eventually completed the work successfully. But if at the beginning of its journey the AEK was head and shoulders above its direct competitor AK-74 in many performance characteristics, today the situation is somewhat different.

What is the difference between Izhevsk and Kovrov products?

They even look similar. The machine guns of both companies have not two, but three firing modes: single, burst and short burst with a cutoff of two shots. It is possible to mount any tactical useful equipment on the fore-end such as a laser sight, a handle, a flashlight. A scope can be placed on the Picatinny rail on the receiver cover. Folding and telescopic stocks.

And of course, models of 7.62 mm caliber can use a device for silent shooting.

Let us repeat, in terms of external (and most internal) qualities and characteristics, the machines are very similar.

Different price.

Kovrov designers used a balanced automation scheme, which improved the accuracy of fire by 15-20%. A more complex design entailed higher costs and, as an option, less reliability.

Of course, if we take the AK-47 as the standard of reliability, then there is nothing to compare at all.

Nevertheless, the specialists of the Ministry of Defense were satisfied with the quality of Kovrov products, once they accepted the machine guns for service.

In general, everything is understandable. With one single exception. Two cartridges.

If the best of the best are armed with Degtyarev assault rifles, and Kalashnikov assault rifles for everyone, then this probably won’t cause a big headache. Example - “Abakan”, AN-94 in the Air Force/Rosguard/Ministry of Internal Affairs and other structures. There is and there is. And there are no questions for him.

But there are “Kalashnikovs” and “Degtyarevs”. And one of them is how and according to what scheme will the parts be assembled? Where will the 5.45 mm and where will the 7.62 mm machine guns go?

And how prepared will our rear services be for such hemorrhoids? Not even in terms of repairs, although even here the repairs will howl. But in case of any breakdowns, you can send it to the manufacturer. Although with Far East– it’s still a pleasure in time.

And if we take into account the fact that the chaos in our army is not a diagnosis, but a common condition, then we are sure that military suppliers will be provided with dozens of interesting moments.

The narrow specialization of weapons entails broader specialization for gunsmiths, both in terms of repairs and in terms of logistics. The question here is: how ready are the troops for such an expansion? And are you ready at all...

It is worth noting that the situation is different for our potential ones. And this is despite the fact that the United States can afford everything it wants in terms of weapons.

However, in service mainly (army, corps Marine Corps and others) are M-16, M-4, FN SCAR, NK416. Note, a single caliber: 5.56x45 mm NATO.

Yes, there are some exceptions such as the FN SCAR-H chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO and the ACR 6.8x43mm Remington SPC, but these are truly exceptions. The US Army Ranger Regiment, which is armed with these monsters, is just an airborne regiment, albeit an expanded one. Comparable with our MTR, especially since the 75th Infantry Regiment in the United States is entrusted with deep reconnaissance functions.

But otherwise, even the US Army cannot afford to have two cartridges for its main small arms.

The situation, however...

The cost of supplying AK-12 and AEK-971 (KORD) assault rifles to the army has almost been agreed upon. As the editors of "Morning" learned from a source in the Military-Industrial Commission of the Russian Federation, the AK-12 came out cheaper than its twin AEK from the Degteryav plant at quite objective reasons. The AEK is slightly more complex than the Kalashnikov in terms of technical characteristics, and the AEK manufacturing plant still does not have large-scale production, which would reduce the price.

AEK-971. Photo: website of the Plant named after V.A. Degtyareva

A month ago, military state tests of machine guns as part of the “Ratnik” army equipment were completed. The price of the AEK from the pilot batch was 50 thousand rubles, while the AK-12 was estimated at 35-40 thousand rubles.

The AEK-971 assault rifle was adopted by the Russian army in 2015. Little known to the general public, the assault rifle is highly valued by special forces officers for its high shooting accuracy and low recoil. Foreign experts who tested Kalashnikov, AEK and AN-94 (Abakan) in Russia also noted the obvious superiority of AEK.

This machine gun entered the army in very small test batches since 2000. special purpose. The manufacturer of AEK, the Kovrov plant named after Degtyarev, was unable to obtain a government order for larger supplies due to the unshakable position of its main competitor, the Kalashnikov concern.

Nevertheless, Kovrov gunsmiths constantly improved the machine gun to meet the needs of the military. A new version The machine received a new index in 2013 - A-545; it differs from the previous one in the absence of a removable cover. Instead, a refracted receiver, allowing you to attach Picatinny rails to it for various sights, target designators, flashlights and bipods. A fire mode switch has also been added on both sides, which is important for left-handers and when one hand is wounded in battle. The buttstock has been converted from folding to retractable, similar to Western models.

In terms of technical characteristics, AEK has always surpassed Kalashnikov by more than high accuracy shooting at long distances in short bursts. This advantage was achieved due to the balancer, which prevents the machine gun from “walking” in the hands during shooting. Thanks to this, accuracy and accuracy are 2 times higher than that of the AK-74. For example, a conscript soldier from a distance of 70 m places all the bullets into a 40 by 50 cm target, conducting continuous automatic fire. At the same time, the AEK mechanism gives time to remove the finger from the trigger, producing short bursts of 2-3 rounds, without switching to the “short burst” mode. "Kalashnikov" is deprived of such comfort of self-regulation due to sharp recoil and slightly more high speed loading the next cartridge into the barrel. The caliber of the machine gun is traditional - 5.45 mm and is interchangeable with the Kalashnikov cartridge.

The modern epic of the struggle between Kalashnikov and KORD (Kovrov Gunsmiths-Degtyarevites) began with competitions for state orders in 2013. Izhmash has traditionally had on its side the authority of the brand and the corporate lobbying of Rostec, which includes the enterprise. At that time, all participants in the competition thoroughly knew the advantages and disadvantages of the A-545, since the AEK-971 was created in 1978, and political motives prevented its entry into the army. In the 1970s, the USSR actively sold Kalashnikovs abroad, making them a global brand. The army's refusal of the AK-74 and replacement with the AEK-971 would have hit the image and export of Kalashnikov. Moreover, the change technical base a machine gun in an army of 5 million would entail large costs. And due to more complex technical characteristics conscript soldiers would have to spend more time mastering AEK.

There was no military-strategic urgency for renewal. The country almost did not participate in local conflicts, where clashes took place in urban conditions in small mobile groups. Since 2014, the strategy and role of small operational-tactical groups, which need more accurate weapons, began to be actively reviewed. First of all, airborne troops and special forces.

But in January 2015, when regular tests were carried out for a government order at a military base in Solnechnogorsk, Deputy Minister of Defense Yuri Borisov gave preference to the Kalashnikov in a restyled version of the AK-12. “The point was made as to which assault rifle to take. The issue was resolved - the Izhmash AK-12 assault rifle, because in terms of price-quality ratio it turned out to be attractive to us,” said Yuri Borisov. But soon the “period” was replaced by a “comma” and A-545 was also accepted by the state commission.

According to information from military experts and informal comments from representatives of the Ministry of Defense, KORD was helped by the Kalashnikov assault rifle itself due to its imperfection. It was expected that the AK-12 would be able to solve special-purpose tasks, but its update affected more external elements, and the accuracy and accuracy of fire remained at the level of the AK-74. At least, Izhmash never published the test data. At exhibitions there is also no access to disassemble the machine and evaluate the updating of parts.

At the same time, AEK and its results have been known for many years. And the very fact of a “draw” during the competition with the powerful support of the Rostec state corporation speaks not so much of victory as of the loss of the AK-12 to its 38-year-old comrade. However, the head of the department for ensuring state defense procurement of forces general purpose and means of interspecific support of the Department of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Colonel Mikhail Osyko in April announced plans to supply both machine guns to Airborne troops and special forces.

Practice a wide range of small arms for the forces special operations has long been used in Western armies. Thus, at the beginning of June 2016, the US Special Operations Command voiced the need for American factories to produce analogues of Soviet assault rifles, starting with the AK-47. This is caused by operations in the Middle East, where the Green Berets are exposed using American weapons and putting yourself in danger. Moreover, almost all American assault rifles unreliable in harsh climatic conditions.

US special operations forces are equipped with two machine guns. The Heckler & Koch MP5 9 mm submachine gun is very convenient and was introduced for indoor firing. The assault rifle is represented by the special modification M4A1, created on the basis of the Colt M4 assault rifle. The special forces assault rifle kit includes a 4-shot optical sight, red dot sight, quick-detachable 40 mm M203 grenade launcher with folding sight, silencer, laser pointer, a flashlight, a night vision sight, a 225 mm barrel for a grenade launcher and a suitcase for carrying the kit. Unlike Russian assault rifles, many Western assault rifles are manufactured with the ability to quickly change the barrel to a short or long one for the desired task in the field.