KMZ A-545

History

The KMZ A-545 is a direct successor to the earlier AEK-971 series of assault rifles that debuted with the Soviet Union in the late Cold War. Originally designed from work done in the late 1970s, the series built itself a steady stream of variants that would later serve in the war with Chechnya.

Russian authorities announced in late 2014 that the A-545 would enter service with selected combat units in 2015 alongside the competing AK-12 family (described in more detail elsewhere on this site) - culminating in a lucrative Russian Army contract that will be Announced later.

The A-545 is armed with a Soviet borderless 5.45x39mm cartridge, based on a pneumatic bolt (the cylinder is located above the barrel like a Kalashnikov). The weapon is fed from a curved, detachable magazine of 30 rounds, has a foldable double strut shoulder rest, and the muzzle is closed by a special perforated brake.

The receiver's appearance is more "western" than the blocky appearance of the early Cold War Soviet assault rifles. Iron sights are standard equipment (front and rear), but more accurate long-range shots can be achieved by fitting several types of optics. To do this, place part of the Picatinny rail above the receiver. There are also smaller rail sections on either side of the upper handguard for mounting additional tactical accessories such as flashlights and laser sights.

The fire selector device is completely ambidextrous.

The related A-762 is an offshoot of the same AEK-971 product line, but instead holds the 7.62x39mm Soviet cartridge. Its form and function somewhat mimic the A-545.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes