Kalashnikov AK-200 (AK-12)

History of the Kalashnikov AK-200 (AK-12)

A version of the ubiquitous Kalashnikov AK-47 has been circulating around the world since the end of World War II in 1945. In fact, the ensuing Cold War was filled with heroes and villains, patriots and terrorists, wielding weapons in countless local, regional and global conflicts.

A product of Soviet engineering, the AK-47 was heavily influenced by the German Wartime Assault Rifle 44 ("StG44") series - widely known as the "Father of Assault Rifles". With a solid pedigree, the original AK-47 was produced in the hundreds of millions, making it one of the most commercially successful guns of the 20th century.

Since its inception, the AK-47 has naturally evolved to keep up with the changing times. These versions eventually feature fixed wooden stocks, folding light alloy stocks, composite construction, integrated grenade launchers, magazines and magazine accessories, bayonet lugs - all of which fire some type of Soviet cartridge - mostly is 7.62x39 mm. The specialized variant eventually became a squad-level bipedal machine gun with additional ammo capacity, a shortened carbine-style paratrooper weapon, and a hunting/sporting automatic rifle. To that end, the AK-47 itself has been continuously updated for decades.

Recent developments include the AK-101/AK-102, AK-103/AK-104, AK-107/AK-108 brands from the 1990s, each representing a modernized version (and carbine form) of the famous assault rifle.

The latest version of the legendary series is the "AK-200", a prototype that debuted in 2010 and represents a more modular approach to the traditional Russian assault rifle concept. The AK-200 designation was used for the weapon at the prototype stage, and the final form of the production rifle will take the official designation "AK-12" (described in detail elsewhere on this website). The production program for the AK-12 was carried out by the historic Izhvesk Machine Building Plant, commonly known as "IZHMASH".

Production is currently (2013) and started in 2011. Tests of the weapon have been ongoing since November 2012.

Modern warfare has proven that soldiers must adapt to changing conditions on the battlefield, often within milliseconds. Observers around the world have closely followed developments in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other ongoing conflicts around the world, and have used these experiences to provide new tools of trade that would give Allied infantry the upper hand. As such, the new AK-200 has features that are now widely accepted in its class elsewhere, which tout the AK-200 as a state-of-the-art "assault" system. Added designs include an optional fore grip for a firm two-handed grip and various optics for precise close- or long-range shooting. The system can also be equipped with a fire fighting role bipod.

Like other Kalashnikov automatic weapons before it, the AK-200 is also designed to accept a single-shot grenade launcher mounted below to remove enemy elements from cover. The shoulder rest is adjustable to suit the shooter's needs, a "nice" quality found in many sniper rifles in the world today.

In addition to traditional scopes, the AK-200 will feature a Picatinny-style modular rail system (three areas - top of the receiver, above the cylinder, and below the front end), allowing the operator to mount a variety of sights and lighting according to need.

However, the AK-200 retains some of the proven and popular features of the previous AK versions. The weapon will be for the 7.62x39mm round, but reports also suggest the weapon will be convertible to the 5.45x39mm and 5.56x45mm NATO rounds - the latter will likely open the AK-200 to foreign markets to see it in export versions. It cannot be ruled out that the AK-200 will also be offered in shortened carbine form like previous AK developments. The firing process will be a traditional Kalashnikov gas operation using a rotating bolt.

The weapon comes with the standard AK-style 30-round detachable magazine, but also accepts the 60-round coffin magazine used by the AK-74 series.

In terms of design, the AK-200 retains the basic styling of the original AK-47, minus the purposeful wooden furniture. The AK-200 will instead use composites and plastics to keep handling weight to a minimum but control recoil.

The stock base production model will be "skeleton" and adjustable for minimal weight, while the gas cylinder will still be mounted above the barrel assembly - a true defining hallmark of the AK series. The receiver remains largely unchanged from the original AK-47 - including the famously large pull handle along the right side of the receiver - the curved magazine usually feeds before the trigger assembly. All in all, the gun weighs 7.30 pounds, has a length of 37 inches, and has a 16-inch barrel. Since the cartridge caliber can vary according to the operator's needs, the barrels are designed to be interchangeable for customization.

The rate of fire is listed as a healthy 800 rounds per minute for use as a class light machine gun (like the US M249 SAW). The muzzle velocity is close to 3,000 feet per second, and the "effective" range is up to 1,600 feet. Iron sights are provided.

In practice, the AK-200 should play nicely with the latest American M16 incarnation - the equally modular M16A4. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has already praised the new AK-200 during a planned visit to the IZHMASH production facility.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes