Izhmash’s newly developed AK-12 assault rifle has demonstrated technical faults during its preliminary trials, Russian central arms testing body, Tochmash’s general director Dmitry Semizirov has revealed.
Semizirov was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying that there was a series of issues with the rifle, even though testing was currently only 80% complete.
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Refusing to disclose the defects, Semizirov said it was ‘the developer’s confidential information’.
An undisclosed source told the news agency that the defects were fixable, with the trials expected to be complete by the end of this month as planned.
Izhmash general designer Dmitry Zlobin defended the rifle by saying that the weapon was mainly sent to initial trials in an effort to ‘highlight all snags and weaknesses in the new development’.
The company will integrate any changes necessary for readying the weapon prior to state trials in the second half of 2013 after receiving Tochmash’s observations, Zlobin added.
The AK-12 is an upgraded variant of the Russian Army’s Soviet-era 5.45mm calibre AK-74 Kalashnikov series rifles, and is capable of firing foreign-standard barrel-mounted grenades in three different modes.
It retains almost all the AK-74’s features and overall layout, with enhanced technology, and features a folding stock, height-adjustable heelpiece, as well as Picatinny rails to support attachment of optical and night-sights, grenade launchers, target indicators and other special equipment.
AK-12 is also designed to serve as a basic platform for development of AK-12U carbine, PPK-12 submachine gun, SVK-12 sniper rifle RPK-12 light machine gun and several other export versions.
Serial production of the rifle is scheduled to begin before the end of 2013.
Image: Izhmash’s AK-12 assault rifle along with its various accessories. Photo: courtesy of Cslava2003.
