What ak is in service with the Russian army. Machine guns in service in the armies of different countries of the world

Until the end of the year, the Russian military can choose a machine gun that will become part of the new Ratnik equipment set. Now military tests are being carried out on models from two manufacturers - (AK-12, AK-15) and Kovrovsky (A545, A762). It is possible that in the end both machines will go into service.

The Ratnik outfit, also known as the “future soldier kit”, is positioned as one of the largest modernization projects Russian army. The complex (first presented in 2011), which should increase the efficiency and survival of a soldier on the battlefield, includes several dozen elements: means of destruction - weapons, sighting systems; protective equipment - body armor, helmet, goggles, etc.; means of observation and communication, as well as life support, down to such trifles as a universal tool (the so-called multitool) and tactical watches.

It was reported that in 2012 the "Warrior" passed military tests, after which the elements of the complex were put into service. Here it is necessary to make a reservation that there is no single set of "Warriors", equipment for various types of troops and types of armed forces has its own specialization. Even individual military specialties - for example, special forces - have their own. The nomenclature of the "Warrior" is so large that it is unlikely to be adopted in full. In the meantime, one or another element is accepted for supply by orders of the Minister of Defense.

New old machines

Perhaps the most dramatic part of the project is the selection of a new assault rifle to replace the current AK-74M. " Weapon XXI century ”the military wants to accept in two calibers: 5.45 and 7.62 mm. This is logical, because after the transition of the Soviet army in 1974 to a low-impulse ammunition of 5.45x39 millimeters, some units - reconnaissance units, special forces, etc. - continued to use weapons chambered for 7.62x39.

Frame: Vickers Tactical / YouTube

Two manufacturers are fighting for the right to arm the “soldier of the future”: the Kalashnikov concern and the V.A. Degtyarev (ZiD). At the same time, both companies essentially offer repackaging of old systems. So, the Kovrovites submitted to the competition a development that was rejected by the military in the last century: AEK-971 with balanced automation. That is, a special balancer has been introduced into the design of the bolt group, equal to it in mass and connected to it by a gear wheel. During the shot, the balancer moves in different directions with the bolt group and compensates for the momentum from its impact on the rear wall of the receiver, significantly reducing the weapon toss. As a result, in terms of accuracy of firing bursts, the AEK is 15-20 percent superior to the AK-74.

It was created at the Kovrov Mechanical Plant (KMZ) for the Abakan competition, announced in 1978. Then the decisions applied on this sample seemed unreasonable to the military, and the Kovrov automatic machine did not even reach the final of the competition. Nevertheless, it did not sink into oblivion, but was modernized in the 1990s and produced in small batches for the needs of other law enforcement agencies. This continued until 2006, when the production of weapons at KMZ was curtailed and transferred to ZiD. Here, in 2010, small-scale production of the AEK-971 was resumed, the machine itself was modernized again, and in 2014 the latest versions at that time were submitted to the Ratnik competition (they participate in the competition under the designations A545 (caliber 5.45 mm) and A762 (caliber 7.62 mm)).

Kalashnikov forever

Concern "Kalashnikov" predictably presented new version his famous AK-12 assault rifle. His path is not as long as that of AEK, but no less tortuous. The machine began to be developed in 2011 specifically for participation in the "Warrior". The then general designer of the concern was listed as the author of the idea and project manager. According to Mikhail Degtyarev, an expert on weapons, the editor-in-chief of the Kalashnikov magazine, Mikhail Degtyarev, it was a new assault rifle created “inspired by the AK”, which had practically no interchangeable parts with its prototype.

For several years, the concern has been actively promoting its development: the AK-12 has repeatedly become the hero of television reports, publications in the media, and exhibitions. Finally, in 2015, it was announced that the assault rifle had been submitted for state testing. And in the fall of 2016, at the Army-2016 exhibition, under the name AK-12, a weapon was exhibited that had practically nothing to do with the machine gun that Kalashnikov had been promoting for about five years.

Outwardly, the new AK-12 (as well as its version chambered for 7.62x39, AK-15) resembled the AK-74M assault rifle in the “Kit” upgrade kit - a telescopic stock similar to the American M16 / M4, an ergonomic pistol grip, Picatinny rails on the receiver , handguard and gas tube, etc. “I consider the current AK-12 a variant of the AK-74M,” commented on these metamorphoses. - These are not just models that have changed within the framework of some works, these are different machines. And completely different machines should not be called the same.

It has been suggested that it was the military that demanded from the developers of the AK-12 to unify it as much as possible with the AK-74M in service. Some experts spoke about the unsuccessful and even adventurous design of the early version of the AK-12, which could not pass state tests.

In the Kalashnikov concern, the difference between the initial and final versions of the assault rifles was explained rather restrainedly: “The samples presented at the exhibition were finalized according to the results of state tests and differ from previous versions in appearance and design of a number of important components.” In particular, the design of the receiver and gas unit has been changed, the barrel has been hung out - as far as possible in the AK system - (this should improve the accuracy of fire), plus the already mentioned telescopic stock, a more convenient fuse / fire translator, the ability to fire in fixed bursts. Perhaps the main secret of the AK-12 is a new receiver cover with a Picatinny rail for mounting sights. Representatives of "Kalashnikov" assure that the design of the cover ensures the fastening and preservation of the STP installed on it sights. It was these versions of the AK-12 and AK-15 assault rifles that were handed over to the military for military testing.

In any case, in the media environment, the story of the AK-12 metamorphoses left a rather negative aftertaste. “Information about our vigorous activity has gone abroad with a minus sign,” says Mikhail Degtyarev. “This is confirmed by my contacts with foreign journalists, who perceived what was happening as an adventure and were surprised that this was possible in a Russian shooting school.”

Some critics from the very beginning spoke in the sense that the idea of ​​adopting a new machine gun is a kind of state program to support enterprises in the shooting industry. And this applies to both Izhevsk and Kovrov.

No time for new

The main intermediate result of the competition is as follows: it is not worth expecting the appearance of weapons of the future or a new generation of machine guns within the framework of the Ratnik project. “There is progress, but against the background of excessive expectations from the hype raised in the media, they look very modest,” sums up Degtyarev. - Local successes include ergonomic improvements to existing designs. You can’t talk not only about a breakthrough, but even about a serious modernization of weapon models.”

And it's not the inability of our designers to create a new weapon. Many experts and the military simply do not see the need to replace the AK-74M, which generally meets the needs of the army, especially given the limited role small arms in modern wars. “As the experience of all wars shows, the main requirement is absolute reliability,” says a military expert, editor-in-chief. - AK-74 itself is a very successful design, but it needs to be modernized: significantly improve convenience combat use, including ergonomics and the possibility of using additional devices. He recalls that in the event of a large-scale war, it will be necessary to equip an army of about two million people, in which case "the transition to a fully new sample inappropriate."

In addition, up to 17 million Kalashnikov assault rifles have been accumulated in the warehouses of law enforcement agencies, which, if desired, can be upgraded using the very Kit "Kit". According to Murakhovsky, the Ministry of Defense decided to buy it in small batches to modernize weapons in their arsenals.

Russian Federation were formed in 1992. At the time of creation, their number was 2,880,000 people. Today it reaches 1,000,000 people. This is not only one of the largest armed forces in the world. The armament of the Russian army today is very modern, developed, has stocks nuclear weapons, weapons mass destruction, a developed system for countering an enemy offensive and redeploying weapons if necessary.

The army of the Russian Federation practically does not use foreign-made weapons. Everything you need is made in the country. All military equipment and weapons are the result of research by scientists and the functioning of the defense industry. The army is controlled by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation through military districts and other command and control bodies. Also, to manage the Russian Armed Forces, the General Staff was created, whose tasks are defense planning, conducting mobilization and operational training, organizing intelligence operations, etc.

Armored vehicles

Military equipment and weapons of the Russian army are constantly being modernized. This happens with vehicles such as armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles and BMD. They are designed for combat operations. various types terrain, and are also capable of transporting a combat detachment of up to 10 people, overcoming water obstacles. These vehicles can travel both forward and reverse at the same speed.

So, at the beginning of 2013, the BTR-82 and BTR-82A entered service with the Russian army. This modification has an economical diesel generator set, equipped with an electric drive with a stabilizer to control the gun, laser sight. The designers have improved reconnaissance capabilities, the fire extinguishing system and fragmentation protection have been improved.

About 500 BMP-3s are in service. This technique and the weapons it is equipped with have no equal in the whole world. equipped with mine protection, have a strong and sealed body, providing circular armor to protect personnel. The BMP-3 is an airborne amphibious vehicle. On a flat road speeds up to 70 km / h.

Russian nuclear weapons

Nuclear weapons have been adopted since the days of the USSR. This is a whole complex that directly includes ammunition, carriers and means of movement, as well as control systems. The action of the weapon is based on nuclear energy, which is released during the fission reaction or fusion of nuclei.

New today is the RS-24 "Yars". Developments on it were started under the USSR in 1989. After Ukraine refused to develop it jointly with Russia, all design developments in 1992 were transferred to MIT. By design, the Yars missile is similar to the Topol-M. Its difference is a new platform for breeding blocks. On the Yars, the payload has been increased, and the hull has been treated with a special compound to reduce the impact of a nuclear explosion. This missile is capable of performing programmatic maneuvers and is equipped with a missile defense system.

Pistols for the army

Pistols in the troops of any kind are used for close combat and personal self-defense. This weapon gained popularity due to its compactness and light weight, but the main advantage was the ability to fire with one hand. Until 2012, pistols in service with the Russian army were used mainly by Makarov systems (PM and PMM). The models are designed for 9 mm cartridges. The firing range reached 50 meters, the rate of fire was 30 rounds per minute. Magazine capacity PM - 8 rounds, PMM - 12 rounds.

However, the Makarov pistol was recognized as obsolete, and a more modern model was adopted. This is the Swift, developed jointly with the special forces. In terms of its technical characteristics, the pistol surpasses the world-famous Glock. Another pistol that the army adopted new Russia in 2003, was the SPS ( self-loading pistol Serdyukov).

9-mm cartridges with small ricochet bullets, as well as armor-piercing and armor-piercing tracer bullets, were developed for it. It is equipped with a special spring to speed up the change of a two-row magazine and two safety valves.

Aviation

The armament of the Russian army in terms of aviation makes it possible to provide protection and attack on the enemy, as well as to carry out various operations, such as reconnaissance, security and others. Aviation is represented by aircraft and helicopters for various purposes.

Among the aircraft, it is worth noting the Su-35S model. This fighter is multifunctional and highly maneuverable, it is designed to strike at moving and stationary ground targets. But its main task is to gain air supremacy. The Su-35S has engines with more thrust and a rotary thrust vector (product 117-S). It uses a fundamentally new on-board equipment - the aircraft information and control system provides the maximum degree of interaction between the pilots and the machine. The fighter is equipped with the latest Irbis-E weapons control system. It is capable of simultaneously detecting up to 30 air targets, firing up to 8 targets without interrupting ground and air surveillance.

Among the helicopters modern weapons Russian army should be noted KA-52 "Alligator" and KA-50 "Black Shark". These two combat vehicles are a formidable weapon, so far not a single country in the world has been able to create and oppose equipment that matches them in terms of tactical and technical capabilities. "Alligator" can operate at any time of the day or night, under any weather and climatic conditions. "Black Shark" is designed to destroy various armored vehicles, including tanks, as well as to protect ground facilities and troops from enemy attacks.

Vehicles

Equipment of the Russian army vehicles for various purposes differs in large scale. Automotive equipment is presented in the form of highly mobile, cargo-passenger, multi-purpose, specially protected and armored.

The STS "Tiger", adopted by the Russian army, has proven itself especially well. The car is used for reconnaissance operations, surveillance of the enemy, transportation of personnel and ammunition, patrolling high-risk areas, and escorting mobile columns. It has high maneuverability, a large power reserve, good visibility for firing.

For the operational transfer of equipment, ammunition and personnel in large quantities, the KRAZ-5233BE "Spetsnaz" is used. The car is designed for work in harsh climatic conditions (from - 50 to + 60 degrees), has a high cross-country ability - it can overcome water barriers up to 1.5 m deep and snow covers up to 60 cm high.

tanks

Tanks are armored fighting vehicles and are used by ground troops. Today, the T-90, T-80 and T-72 models are used in the Russian army. Modern armament with tanks outnumbers the equipment of the army of the United States of America.

The T-80 has been supplied to the army since 1976, since then it has gone through several modifications. It is used to support the destruction of people and various objects (for example, fortified firing points) with firepower, to create defensive lines. It has layered armor, increased maneuverability. It is equipped with a 125-mm cannon coaxial with a machine gun, a Utes machine-gun system, a smoke grenade launcher, and an anti-tank missile control system.

The T-90 tank, especially the T-90SM modification, can be safely positioned as the latest weapon of the Russian army. Equipped with an improved fire extinguishing system, an air conditioning system has been added, it is possible to hit moving targets with high accuracy while moving. In all characteristics, it surpasses such tanks as the Abrams or Leopard.

Machine guns in service with the army

The most famous weapon of the Russian army is this. And although they do not have grace or beauty, they have earned popularity for their simplicity and ease of use. This assault rifle dates back to 1959, when it was first adopted by the USSR army. Last years, since 1990, AK-74M models with a strap for mounting were produced for the army various kinds sights. In it, the designers were able to realize the dream of a universal machine. But no matter how universal it may be, history does not stand still, and technologies develop.

To date, the modern armament of the Russian army in terms of machine guns is represented by the AK-12 model. It is devoid of the shortcomings of all types of AK - there is no gap between the receiver cover and the receiver itself. The design makes the machine convenient for use by both right-handers and left-handers. The model is compatible with magazines for AKM, AK-74. Possibility of fastening grenade launcher and various types of sights. The firing accuracy is almost 1.5 times higher than that of the AK-74.

Grenade launchers in Russian troops

Grenade launchers are designed for various purposes and are divided into several types. So, allocate easel, automatic, manual, multi-purpose, underbarrel and remotely controlled. Depending on the type, they are intended for the destruction of enemy troops, mobile and stationary targets, for the destruction of unarmored, lightly armored and armored vehicles.

The new small arms of the Russian army in this category are represented by the RPG-30 "Kryuk" grenade launcher. It is a disposable weapon, entered the army in 2013. It is double-barreled, consisting of two grenades: a simulator and a 105-millimeter combat one. The simulator ensures the activation of the enemy defense functions, and the live grenade directly destroys the unprotected target.

One cannot ignore such modern weapons of the Russian army as the GP-25 and GP-30 grenade launchers. They are equipped with Kalashnikov assault rifles of modifications AK-12, AKM, AKMS, AKS-74U, AK-74, AK-74M, AK-103 and AK-101. Underbarrel grenade launchers GP-25 and GP-30 are designed to destroy living and non-living targets and unarmored vehicles. Sighting range - about 400 m, caliber - 40 mm.

Sniper rifles

Sniper rifles used as small arms of the Russian army are divided into several types, or rather, they have different purposes. To eliminate single camouflaged or moving targets, a 7.62 mm SVD is used. The rifle was developed back in 1958 by E. Dragunov and has an effective range of up to 1300 meters. Since then, the weapon has gone through several modifications. In the 90s. was developed and put into service with the Russian army (SVU-AS). It has a caliber of 7.62 and is designed for airborne units. This rifle has automatic firing capability and is equipped with a folding buttstock.

For military operations that require the absence of noise, VSS is used. Despite the fact that the Vintorez sniper rifle was created in former USSR, SP-5 and SP-6 cartridges are used for firing (it pierces a steel plate 8 mm thick from a distance of 100 m). Sighting range is from 300 to 400 meters, depending on the type of sight used.

Russian Naval Forces

The armament of the Navy, which is used by the army of the new Russia, is quite diverse. Surface ships provide support for submarine forces, provide transportation landing troops and cover the landing, protection of territorial waters, coastline, search and tracking of the enemy, support for sabotage operations. Submarine forces provide reconnaissance operations, surprise attacks on continental and maritime targets. Naval aviation forces are used to attack enemy surface forces, destroy key facilities on its coastline, intercept and prevent attacks by enemy aircraft.

The Navy includes destroyers, patrol ships far and near sea zone, small missile and anti-submarine ships, missile, anti-sabotage boats, large and small landing ships, nuclear submarines, minesweepers, landing craft.

Defense production

After the collapse of the USSR, the defense industry experienced a sharp decline. However, in 2006, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved Government program development of weapons for 2007-2015. According to this document, new weapons and various technical means should be developed over the indicated years to replace the old one.

The development and supply of new and modernized weapons and equipment is carried out by such enterprises as Russian Technologies, Oboronprom, Motor Builder, Izhevsk Machine Building Plant, United Aircraft Corporation, Russian Helicopters OJSC, Uralvagonzavod, Kurgan engine building plant" and others.

Most of the research centers and design bureaus that develop weapons for the Russian army are strictly classified, as are defense industry enterprises. But the defense industry today provides jobs for many large and medium-sized cities of the Russian Federation.

At the coordinating scientific council on the development of combat equipment, which was organized by the Military Scientific Committee ground forces On January 29, that the AK-12 and AK-15 assault rifles and the machine gun of the plant named after. V.Ya Degtyareva - AEK-971 will be adopted by the Russian army in the future. Today we will talk separately about each of them and answer the question why Kalashnikov assault rifles were preferred for combined arms units, and AEK - 971 - for special forces. Based on combat experience The development of the AK-12 started back in June 2011 and was carried out on an initiative basis under the leadership of the chief designer of Izhmash, Vladimir Zlobin, who took the developments of previous years as a basis. A year later the first prototype machine gun with the name AK-12 was presented to the Interdepartmental working group at Military Industrial Commission. True, the weapon then received certain comments from the experts. The priority requirements were high accuracy of fire, compliance with various conditions of combat use, the possibility of using modern sighting devices. The designers took into account these and other wishes, honing combat capabilities of his offspring. The demonstration of their developments within the framework of the Army International Military-Technical Forums also became an incentive for gunsmiths. In 2016, at a similar exhibition, the Kalashnikov Concern also presented the AK-15 assault rifle chambered for 7.62 × 39 mm. As for the machine of the 12th model, it received significant differences in appearance and design of important components. As the gunsmiths noted, they took into account the identified shortcomings, and also took measures to improve the manufacturability of the product. In 2016, the latest versions of the AK-12 and AK-15 were sent for military trials to units of the Armed Forces. And at the end of last year, the head of the Kalashnikov Concern, Alexei Krivoruchko, announced the successful completion of this stage of testing machine guns. According to him, the manufacturers took into account all the wishes and comments on the test models, adjusting the design based on practical application. At the same time, the head of the arms concern announced the readiness of the enterprise to launch a new weapon in a series. Excellence Factor Both products are based on the concept of the AK-74, which has proven itself in real combat conditions. The new assault rifles retained the traditional gas venting scheme for Kalashnikov products with the barrel bore being locked by turning the bolt. At the same time, the architecture of the fastening of the gas outlet and the forearm on the barrel has undergone changes: it has become freely suspended, that is, it practically does not come into contact with other parts of the weapon, which immediately improved the accuracy of fire. Among the features of the new models include a folding buttstock made of impact-resistant plastic, an adjustable cheek rest, a rigidly fixed receiver with a Picatinny rail, which provides convenient and repeatable installation of various types of day and night sights.
New machine guns can fire not only single shots and a continuous burst, but also short bursts, cutting off two rounds. Also, a muzzle brake-compensator is installed on the barrel, and in addition, it is possible to install a bayonet-knife, a quick-detachable silencer, as well as a 40-mm grenade launcher GP-25 or GP-34. The main criterion for choosing an AK-12 and AK-15 assault rifle for combined arms parts was the simplicity and reliability of these weapons. The corresponding opinion was voiced during the coordination scientific council on the development of combat equipment, held in Moscow. Infantry innovations To date, agreements with the Kalashnikov Concern on the trial operation of promising models of assault rifles have also been concluded by federal Service troops of the National Guard. Colonel General Sergei Melikov, First Deputy Director of the Russian Guard, specified that AK-12 assault rifles are being tested in departments of the department, among other samples, and following the results of the Army-2017 forum, the Russian Guard, the FSB and the FSO showed interest in other novelties of Izhevsk gunsmiths - the AM assault rifle -17 and its silent variant AMB-17. Magnum editor-in-chief Yaroslav Koval notes that the new AK-12 and AK-15 variants have significant differences from old version AK-12, presented in 2015 - both in the design of the main components and mechanisms, and in appearance. “The layout, design of units and mechanisms of these samples are mostly based on the experimental AK-400, while there are also a number of developments from the old version of the AK-12,” the expert emphasizes. - The design of these automatic carbines has been revised to eliminate a number of shortcomings identified during testing and to meet the customer's recommendations, as a result of improvements, the manufacturability has been significantly improved.
The new AK-12 and AK-15 can use both magazines with transparent plastic windows for visual control of the presence of cartridges, and magazines from previous models of the AK family of the corresponding calibers.

"Small arms in modern combat not relegated to the background, - one of the leading domestic experts in firearms, an expert of the Ministry of Culture of Russia, and earlier the chief curator of the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War Sergey Monetchikov. - The experience of the war showed that it was it that caused significant damage to manpower.

“The highest density of fire, as is known, is created by the simultaneous participation of the bulk of small arms,” Sergei Monetchikov notes. - In this case, not only the quantity of fire weapons, but also the quality of each type of weapon will play a significant role. In other words, the density of fire is nothing but targeted fire from all types of small arms, and above all automatic ones. That is, the main requirement for the fire of infantry weapons is its density and mass character. From this, the design idea should proceed in the improvement of small arms.

MOSCOW, June 24 - RIA Novosti, Andrey Kots. This week, military tests of the latest AK-12 and AK-15 assault rifles were completed in Russia. These promising rifle complexes are the main contenders for the role of regular weapons for equipping the Ratnik serviceman. Both assault rifles are distant descendants of the good old AK, which entered the Soviet Army back in 1949 and which eventually became the most popular and mass assault rifle in the world. Of course, the novelties are made according to the most modern technologies, they have improved ergonomics, improved mechanics. But the basic principles of the legendary "Kalash" remained unchanged - reliability, unpretentiousness and ease of operation. Thanks to these qualities, he became one of the symbols of the Russian Armed Forces.

© Photo: press service of JSC Concern Kalashnikov

© Photo: press service of JSC Concern Kalashnikov

Nevertheless, machine guns in the arsenal of our army are represented not only by Kalashnikovs of various modifications. Soviet and Russian gunsmiths have created many interesting shooting systems. Although they did not join the troops en masse, they definitely managed to prove their effectiveness thanks to non-standard design solutions.

A-91

Bullpup scheme popular in the West in our country for a long time did not take root, although they experimented with it in Soviet time. It is an unconventional layout of the mechanisms of machine guns and rifles, in which the trigger and pistol grip are moved forward and located in front of the magazine and percussion mechanism. Such a scheme made it possible to make the weapon more compact and more accurate when firing bursts, which is very valuable in urban battles. Among the minuses of the "bullpup" are the center of gravity of the machine, which is unusual for most shooters, the shorter sighting line of mechanical sights and the specific location of the magazine, which makes it difficult to replace it.

One of the few Russian assault rifles, made according to this scheme, is the brainchild of the Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering. Shipunov - the A-91 rifle-grenade launcher complex, as well as its modification A-91M. It was first introduced in 1990, with small-scale production starting a year later. The machine is produced in two versions: "home" under the Russian cartridge 5.45x39 and export - under the NATO 5.56x45. The weapon turned out to be "grasping", compact, easy to use and reliable. The 40-mm grenade launcher integrated into the design significantly increased the firepower of the shooter on the battlefield. A special handle at the top of the machine made it easy to carry.

However, the A-91 did not receive mass distribution, despite all the advantages. The weapon turned out to be too heavy - 4.4 kilograms. The main assault rifle of the Russian army, the AK-74, weighs a kilogram less, which is quite significant. In addition, the fate of the A-91 was affected by the traditional distrust of the military in the bullpup layout, which nevertheless was implemented in a number of modern sniper rifles. And the machine gun from the KBP is currently used to a limited extent by the special forces of the Ministry of Defense and other law enforcement agencies.

AN-94

Created in 1994, the Nikonov AN-94 "Abakan" assault rifle was officially adopted by the Russian army in 1997. According to the plan of the military, he was supposed to replace the AK-74, which is very similar in appearance to its "younger" competitor. However, there were differences between the two machines, and quite significant.

In the AN-94, for the first time, the principle of a shifted recoil momentum was implemented to improve the accuracy and accuracy of the shot. Simply put, when firing from the Abakan in bursts, the shooter feels the impact of the butt on the shoulder only after the first two bullets leave the bore. The weapon "tosses up" starting from the third round. This result was achieved using the so-called fire monitor scheme, when the barrel is not fixed, but "rolls back" when fired. By the time it reaches its rearmost position and the shooter feels the recoil, the first two bullets will already be flying towards the target.

Especially for this feature, the AN-94 implemented a firing mode with a cut-off of two rounds. The accuracy and accuracy of this machine are amazing: the bullets fall literally at one point. But the dignity of "Abakan" is also its disadvantage. The design of the machine gun is too complex to be quickly mastered by a young conscript soldier. When disassembling the AN-94, it is divided into 13 parts, including two springs, a cable and a roller. Naturally, this requires a fundamentally different culture of handling weapons. To date, "Abakans" are in the arsenal of individual units of the armed forces, special forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard.

AEK-971

This assault rifle, developed in 1978 at the Degtyarev plant, was Abakan's main competitor in the competition for the main rifle complex for the armed forces. In terms of its layout, the AEK-971 largely repeats the AK-74 and, at first glance, does not differ from it in appearance. However, if you remove the receiver cover, the difference is visible to anyone with even a little knowledge of weapons.

The creators of the AEK-971, like the designers of the AN-94, tried to effectively solve the problem of strong recoil when firing bursts. To do this, a counterweight-balancer was added to the automation unit, equal in mass to the bolt group. It is her movement back when reloading each cartridge that "shakes" the weapon. The task of the balancer, which moves in the opposite direction (that is, forward) when firing, is to balance the recoil momentum and minimize it. This scheme is vaguely reminiscent of the work of weights-clocks on an old mechanical watch.

The test results showed that the AEK-971 surpasses the AK-74 by 15-20 percent in accuracy of fire, but is inferior to the Abakan when firing in short bursts. As a result, the last one won the competition. AEK-971 was produced in small batches for law enforcement agencies until 2006. However, in 2013, this assault rifle received a second life: on its basis, the A-545 rifle complex was created. Among its main differences from its predecessor is the Picattini rail on the receiver cover, which allows you to mount various sights on it, as well as the presence of a "flag" - a fire mode switch on both sides of the weapon. This updated complex is the main competitor of the AK-12 and AK-15 for the role of a regular assault rifle of the Ratnik kit.

ADS

The two-medium special automatic machine was created by the Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering. Shipunov in 2009 on the basis of the A-91 rifle-grenade launcher complex. It was first shown to the general public at the International Naval Show in 2013. As the name suggests, the machine is designed for use in two environments - on land and under water. As early as next year, it can officially enter service with the units. special purpose Navy. In particular, it will be used by units of combat swimmers (saboteur divers) and will replace in their arsenal underwater machine APS, adopted back in 1975.

The main difference between the ADS and its land "progenitor" A-91 is the gas venting mechanism, which is now equipped with a "water / air" switch. In the first position "inside" the machine is completely sealed, which prevents the ingress of water. In addition, a special PSP cartridge was developed for ADS, which is equally effective in both environments. The maximum firing range under water is 25 meters. A little, but more is not required, since visibility under water is usually very limited.

SR-3 "Whirlwind"

SR-3 "Whirlwind" was developed in Klimov TSNIITOCHMASH in 1994 on the basis of the famous silent machine gun of the Soviet special forces AS "Val". It is a compact and lightweight (only 2.4 kilograms) weapon for firefighting at distances up to 200 meters. The powerful SP-6 9x39mm cartridge makes it possible to effectively hit the enemy in bulletproof vests of the maximum degree of protection at a distance of 50 meters, which ammunition of longer-range machine guns cannot always boast of.

The most widespread in the special forces of the Ministry of Defense, the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard received a modification of the SR-3M. It differs from the original in improved ergonomics, the ability to install a silencer, metal magazines for 30 partons, optical, night and collimator sights, as well as a folding frame butt to the left and a new forearm with a tactical handle. This weapon has proven itself in battles in urban areas and in the "cleansing" of buildings. However, the SR-3M can also be effective as a personal weapon for the crews of aviation and land combat vehicles. Small dimensions and high firepower will allow them to effectively defend themselves on the battlefield if the equipment is disabled.

During the Second World War, the problem of increasing the density of fire in close combat had to be solved with the help of submachine guns. But the war revealed the need for weapons that would reliably hit targets at medium ranges. Neither a low-powered pistol nor an overly powerful rifle cartridge was suitable for this. The problem was solved by creating an intermediate power cartridge. On its basis, an automatic hand weapon with a replaceable magazine and a variable mode of fire, which eventually became the main one. In the USSR and a number of other countries, these weapons began to be called "automatic", in the West (following the Germans, who were the first to adopt such weapons back in 1943) - "assault rifle". Their first samples had a caliber of 7.5-7.62 mm. Initially, the difference between a machine gun and an assault rifle was not only in the names. If the Soviet AK assault rifle was created for an intermediate cartridge (later called "automatic"), which made it possible to make the weapon compact and maneuverable enough for close combat, then NATO adopted a rifle-power cartridge and relatively long-barreled assault rifles for it. The most common among them were the Belgian FN FAL (FN FAL) and the German G 3 (G 3). This, last but not least, explains the long preservation of submachine guns in service with Western armies.
Machine guns and assault rifles took their place in the center of a kind of "triangle" (between a rifle, a submachine gun and light machine gun). With a mass of 3.5-4.5 kg, they have a relatively short length of 800-1100 mm, a combat rate of fire in bursts of up to 100-150 rounds per minute, are convenient for operations in various conditions, and are reliable.
In the 1960s, an important change took place - a reduction in the caliber of weapons. In the United States, the M16 (M16A1) assault rifle of 5.56 mm caliber was adopted, and soon small-caliber rifles appeared in other countries - the Israeli Galil, the Belgian Federal Scientific Center (FNC), the Austrian Stg 77 (Stg 77), French FA MAS (FA MAS). There was nothing unexpected in this - V.G. Fedorov much earlier deduced the pattern of caliber reduction during the transition to a qualitatively new weapon with new ballistics requirements. Automatic cartridge caliber 5.56 mm with some reduction effective range made it possible to increase the effectiveness of firing at ranges up to 300-400 m, since a higher-speed bullet gave a flatter (flat) trajectory at these ranges, and due to the lightening of the cartridge and reduced recoil, the maneuverability of the weapon and wearable ammunition increased. In 1974 a new system small arms 5.45 mm caliber entered service in the USSR, it was based on the AK 74 assault rifle. Low-pulse small-caliber cartridges equalized machine guns and assault rifles in capabilities.
Since the machine has to fire at different purposes, its ammunition load includes cartridges with both an ordinary steel-core bullet and tracer and other special bullets. The bullet must have a good stopping and penetrating effect. The stopping effect of a bullet depends on the amount of energy transferred to the target when it hits, and the nature of the lesion. The combination of the stopping effect of a bullet with a penetrating one is becoming especially important at the present time in connection with the widespread use of personal armor protection equipment (body armor, helmets, shields). Bullets of modern machine guns pierce steel helmets at ranges up to 800 m, body armor of 2-3 protection classes - up to 400-500 m.
Night sights are used for shooting at night, optical and optical sights are increasingly being used in individual weapons. collimator sights. For hand-to-hand combat serves as a detachable bayonet knife. For airborne troops, vehicle operations, etc. a number of samples are supplied with folding or retractable stocks. In the development of machine guns and assault rifles in the last 10-15 years, one can see the desire to ensure that a fighter can fire the first shot as quickly as possible or transfer fire to another target, with the maximum probability of hitting a pinpoint target with the first shot or the first short burst, as long and conveniently as possible. carry weapons. This is achieved by improving the weapon itself (accuracy and accuracy of fire, improving balance and ergonomics, more convenient location of the fuse translator) and sights, reducing its size and weight without sacrificing accuracy and power. In a number of samples, two standard fire modes - continuous and single - are supplemented by a fixed queue mode of two or three shots to increase the probability of hitting without overspending cartridges.
The versatility of machine guns and assault rifles made them the most massive, "circulation" weapons used in all branches of the military. They will probably remain so for a long time to come. Modern complex individual weapons are often automatic grenade launchers, that is, a combination of a “rifle” barrel, “artillery” in the form of an underbarrel grenade launcher with a fragmentation shot and electronic optical system in the form of a night or combined sight.
Reducing the caliber and reducing the recoil of the cartridge pulled other changes. In particular, it became possible to replace submachine guns with weapons unified with a machine gun or an assault rifle - small-caliber carbines and shortened machine guns like the Soviet AKS 74U appeared. Such machines are convenient for operations in confined spaces, as well as for soldiers of non-combat units.