The AK-12 ( – GRAU index 6P70) is a Russian gas-operated assault rifle chambered in 5.45×39mm cartridge, designed and manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash), making it the fifth generation of Kalashnikov rifles.
At the request of the Russian military during the Ratnik trials, a variant chambered in 7.62×39mm was developed alongside the AK-12, designated as the AK-15 (GRAU index 6P71). Compact variants of the AK-12 and AK-15 that feature shorter barrel lengths were also developed, respectively the AK-12K, AK-12SK, AK-15K and AK-15SK. To meet the interest of international clients, Kalashnikov Concern later developed a variant chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, designated as the AK-19. A battle rifle variant chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO was later unveiled to further pique their interest, designated as the AK-308. A light machine gun based on the AK-12 was also designed in response to the "Tokar-2" program, designated as the RPK-16.
History 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. The original design of the AK-12 went through three different prototype modifications to improve upon the range of defects discovered in the original design, to meet the Russian military's standard and to address the Russian army's concerns regarding the cost and issues in fully automatic fire. When Kalashnikov Concern took over development, the original prototype designs were later abandoned in favour of the well-proven design of the AK-400 prototype, which took over the "AK-12" designation and became the basis for the finalised model of the AK-12.
Developmental trials On 25 May 2010, the Russian media published a Russian Ministry of Defence statement that the AK-12 was to be tested in 2011. The first prototype 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 in February 2012. The 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.
In June 2012, the AK-12 was unveiled to the public for the first time at the defence exhibition in Moscow, Engineer Technologies 2012. On 16 September 2013, the Deputy Chairman of the Military-Industrial Commission of Russia said the Russian Army would start receiving AK-12 assault rifles chambered in 5.45 mm and 7.62 mm in 2014. The new rifle would be put into service along with the new handguns, machine guns and sniper rifles. The AK-12 basic platform allows for nearly 20 different modifications to change into other configurations.
State trials were to begin in fall 2013.The new Russian-made AK-12 assault rifle will enter in service with Russian army in 2014 - Armyrecognition.com, 17 September 2013. However, on 23 September 2013, the Izvestiya tabloid wrote that, according to an anonymous source, the AK-12 will not be adopted or even undergo state tests due to shortcomings in preliminary tests.Новую модификацию АК-12 Концерна «Калашников» не допустили к госиспытаниям - Izh.kp.ru, 24 September 2013.AK-12 Not Allowed In State Tests - Thefirearmblog.com, 29 September 2013. The AK-12 was intended to replace three previous generations of AK models and to be standardised as the primary assault rifle of the Russian military. The government rejected the AK-12 because senior commanders said they had millions of stockpiled AK-74s and did not need a new rifle. However, trials would continue for law enforcement agencies.Kalashnikov Plans New Rifle, More Export Models - En.Ria.ru, 23 December 2013.
However, on 23 December 2014, the Russian Army announced that the AK-12, as well as the 6P67 KORD, had passed state trials and would be accepted into service with operational units for evaluation. It was expected that both rifles would begin being trialled operationally by Russian forces by March 2015.BREAKING: Russian Army Accepts Both AK-12 And AEK-971 - Thefirearmblog.com, 23 December 2014.
On 6 September 2016, it was reported that Kalashnikov Concern introduced the final production model of the AK-12, which was derived from the AK-400 prototype model and has replaced the earlier prototype models. There were two base models that were introduced, the AK-12 which is chambered in 5.45×39mm cartridge and the AK-15 which is chambered in 7.62×39mm cartridge. Kalashnikov Concern also introduced a new light machine gun that is chambered in 5.45×39mm cartridge, the RPK-16 which is based on the traditional Kalashnikov layout and design and has several novel technical and ergonomic features derived from the AK-12 program.
It was also reported that the final production model of the AK-12 and AK-15 began participating in troop trials with the Russian Army, where it competed against the Degtyarov 6P67 KORD and 6P68 KORD balanced action assault rifles. The AK-12 completed its operational testing and passed military field tests in June 2017. Both AK-12 and AK-15 completed testing in December 2017.
Military adoption and service
Testing of the AK-12 concluded in December 2017, and in January 2018 it was announced that the AK-12 and AK-15 have been adopted by the Russian military forces.
The AK-12's first confirmed use in a conflict was during the Russian invasion of Ukraine by some units of the Russian armed forces. Ukrainian forces have captured a few AK-12s, in addition to limited usage by members of its Territorial Defense Forces. Videos posted on YouTube by the Ukrainian 3rd Assault Brigade, showed several of their soldiers using AK-12s.
Design details 2012–2015 prototype models
The prototype model from 2012 uses the same gas-operated long-stroke piston system of the previous Kalashnikov rifles, but many features are radically different from the other rifles in its family. The light version has the ability to change calibres by swapping the barrels. It is chambered in 5.45×39mm cartridge as for the standard configuration and can be either changed to the 7.62×39mm or 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge. Other intermediate calibres are also expected. The heavy version will chamber the larger 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. It is fed through the standard AK-74M 30-round magazines and can also accept the 45-round magazines from the RPK-74. The 7.62×39mm Soviet-chambered version is compatible with the AKM's 30-round magazine and RPK's 40-round box magazine and 75-round drum magazines. The magazines specifically for the cancelled prototype model of the AK-12 includes a 30-round magazine with a bolt-catch actuator, a 60-round quad-stack magazine and a 95-round drum.AK-12: An All-New (Yet Old) Kalashnikov Rifle - SAdefensejournal.com, 8 April 2013.
The 2012 prototype model of the AK-12 is very different from its predecessors ergonomically. It features a telescoping buttstock that is in-line with the barrel for better recoil control and a stock latch, allowing for it to be folded to either side of the rifle. It has a rubber height-adjustable cheek piece and butt plate. The cocking handle is moved forward and can be attached to both sides for ambidextrous use. The receiver is hinged and more rigid with a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. There are several other accessory rails on the AK-12, including on both sides, bottom and on the top of the handguard (in-line with the receiver for a longer monolithic rail), and on top of the gas block. There is also a lug under the gas chamber that can mount a GP-34 grenade launcher and another one under the front sight holder mounts a bayonet. The rear iron sight is further back on the receiver and can be set for aiming when the stock is extended or folded. The magazine release is in the same position but can be used by the trigger finger to detach magazines. In a departure from previous AK-type rifles, the dust cover safety selector has been replaced with an ambidextrous fire selector; it has four positions safe, semi-automatic, three-round burst fire and fully automatic fire. Other improvements include a smaller ejection port, more ergonomic pistol grip, improved rifling and a muzzle brake with a 22 mm threading that can fire NATO-standard rifle grenades.Kalashnikov AK-12 Unveiled - Thefirearmblog.com, 26 January 2012.
The 2012 prototype design of the AK-12 was significantly redesigned after the first round of testing. In 2013, the second prototype design was developed, and it had a different stock, receiver cover, bolt stop and magazine release. In spring of 2015, the third prototype design was introduced. The handguard, muzzle device and fire selector have been redesigned, and the gas block and front sight were combined into a single unit.
Final production model
The final production model of the AK-12 is based on the well-proven design from the AK-400 prototype, which is said to be more reliable, more accurate and better suited to the latest Russian military requirements. A major technical alteration in the AK-400 prototype versus legacy AKs was the free-floating of the barrel from the handguards. On all previous AK rifles, the lower handguard of the rifle was mounted directly on the barrel with a stamped steel handguard retainer. As a result, a force exerted on the handguard affects the zero of the rifle. In the AK-400 prototype, the handguard is attached to the receiver and to a revised more rigid and non-removable gas tube, allowing the barrel to remain relatively isolated and flex and vibrate unrestricted for increased accuracy.
With the final production model, it addresses the Russian Army's concerns regarding the issues in fully automatic fire and the cost of the earlier prototype models and is also expected to be much cheaper to build. It also incorporates many of the same improvements developed for the earlier prototype models of the AK-12 but also improves the strength and resilience of some of the components of the rifle.
The design of the final production model of the AK-12 shares more in common with the existing AK-74M than its earlier prototype models, but will not be a retrofit to existing assault rifles. Several improvements were made to the AK-12's receiver, such as an improved and far more rigid top cover interface and a new free-floating barrel. The final production model of the AK-12 reportedly outperforms the existing AK-74 by at least the margin requested by the Russian government.
The final production model of the AK-12 has a cyclic rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute. The three-round burst feature from the earlier prototype models was replaced by a two-round burst feature in the final production model.
Reports from soldiers during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, stated that the AK-12 did not hold zero when the dust cover was removed and reinstalled. Additionally, the selector switch could be easily be set too far down far beyond the original intent, partially obstructing the pistol grip and trigger. Several AK-12s were captured by Ukrainian forces with the selector being set so far down that they were almost perpendicular to the lower receiver.
Muzzle device The distinctive quick detachable muzzle brake features a large expansion chamber, two symmetrical vertical cuts at the forward end of the brake and three non-symmetrical positioned vent holes to counteract muzzle rise and climb as well as lateral shift to the right and features a crown-shaped glass breaker at the end. A flat plate near the end of the brake produces a forward thrust when emerging exhaust gases strike its surface, greatly reducing recoil.
Pistol grip and fire selector