Few weapons have had more staying power in all of military history than the ultra-reliable AK-47. Since the rifle was first developed in 1947 for use by the Soviet Army, the AK-47 has been a part of battles all over the world and is currently being used in over 100 different countries.
While the rifle is often associated with terrorist groups and ill-equipped rebels thanks to the surplus of AK-47’s in circulation, some of the world’s most powerful and well-funded militaries still make use of the AK-47 as well, including the Russian Army.
However, after a history of dominance that spans over eighty years, the iconic AK-47 may finally have met its eventual replacement – or rather, it may have finally met its eventual replacements given that the Russian military is expected to replace the AK-47 with two similar but different rifles.
These rifles are variants of the AK-47 known as the AK-12 and the AK-15. At first glance, both of these rifles might seem quite similar to their predecessor, but they feature a couple of key advantages. For one, the AK-12 and AK-15 are made using a synthetic stock rather than a wooden one. This synthetic stock is able to better survive harsh conditions and also helps lower the weight of the rifle.
The AK-12 and AK-15 also feature modular components such as a collapsing stock, a detachable muzzle brake, an ambidextrous safety/rate of fire selector switch, and Picatinny rails on the top and bottom of the rifle’s foregrip. These components bring the rifle more in-line with modern rifles used by Russia’s adversaries such as the M4 rifle of the United States Army, and they allow the rifle to be more easily customized to suit an individual soldier and to include various attachments.
Experts agree that it is the Picatinny rails that are the most desirable feature of the new rifles given that they will allow Russian soldiers to easily equip their rifles with useful attachments such as optics, grips, lights, laser sights, grenade launchers, and more – all things that were difficult to attach to the rail-less AK-47.
Despite the effectiveness of the AK-47, Russia has been searching for its replacement for some time now. However, they have been hesitant to move past the AK-47 for a number of reasons. For one, adopting a new rifle for standard use is a costly endeavor, especially considering the easy availability of the AK-47.
The Russian Army is also accustomed to the AK-47, and bringing in an entirely different rifle would require new education and training. Lastly, Russia has already stockpiled mass amounts of ammunition for the AK-47, and they were hesitant to see this ammunition go to waste.
The AK-12 and AK-15, however, present a solution to a couple of these issues. For one, they are similar enough in design to the AK-47 that a soldier who is accustomed to the AK-47 could transition to the AK-12 or the AK-15 with minimal effort. Both rifles are also chambered to fire the same ammunition as the AK-47, meaning that Russia’s ammunition stockpile won’t go to waste.
As for the differences between the AK-12 and the AK-15, there is a good reason why Russia is leaning toward a two-rifle solution rather than replacing the AK-47 with a single rifle. That reason once again has to do with Russia’s ammunition stockpile, which actually consists primarily of two different rounds: the 5.45-millimeter ammunition of the AK-74 and the older 7.62-millimeter ammunition of the AK-47.
Since the AK-12 is chambered to fire the 5.45-millimeter round and the AK-15 is chambered for the 7.62-millimeter round, Russia will be able to put both types of ammunition to use. The AK-12 is expected to be issued to frontline troops since Russia has a larger supply of 5.45-millimeter ammo while the AK-15 will likely be issued to reservists or rear area troops.
Given the similarities between the AK-47 and its eventual replacements the AK-12 and AK-15, it would be fair to say that the AK-47 is simply receiving a modern upgrade rather than being replaced altogether. Nevertheless, the classic wood-stocked AK-47 that has become a battlefield icon may soon no longer be in use by the country that developed it.
~ National Gun Network
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