Assault rifle. Assault rifle

Two or three decades after the war, the question arose of replacing the old intermediate cartridge with a new low-impulse central ignition cartridge (in the Warsaw Pact countries - 5.45 mm, in NATO countries - 5.56 mm). New models of weapons were created, the most famous were the M.T. Kalashnikov AK-74 assault rifle and the American M-16 assault rifle, which exist in numerous modifications. The opinion that the bullets of these cartridges are allegedly extremely unstable (have no stability margin) when they hit the human body, which leads to their tipping over wound channel and excessive costs kinetic energy in the human body are unfounded due to the fact that the energy costs for “tipping” the bullet in the body (due to the high rotation speed, the gyroscopic effect is huge) is greater than the total muzzle energy given out by the bullet at the exit from the barrel. The popular term - "displaced center of gravity" is applied to these bullets without any justification. Accordingly, there is no reason to say that the use of 5.45 cartridges contradicts the concept of limiting the use of force in war on the principles of reasonable sufficiency, defined by the 1907 Hague Convention.

The Kalashnikov assault rifle will remain in history as a standard of reliability.

They just didn’t do anything with it - they dropped it flat from two meters, onto the barrel, onto the butt. A ZIL-131 drove over it, then they dug it out of the asphalt - the bolt hook dented into the road, reloaded - it shoots. They soaked in the swamp, poured sand into the barrel, small pebbles into the bolt frame - turn, spit a couple of times, the rest at the target, the pebbles into the sand are crushed into the sand. And when they were still on guard: you put it like a plank between two stumps, and you sit with your weight of 90 kg every day, day after day. Then you clean it, look down the muzzle - it is even, and it shoots at the shooting range just as accurately as before /Unknown Russian fighter/

... Then we already had the opportunity to shoot, for a change, with AKs, mainly Soviet-made AK-47s. This weapon seemed to everyone to be something like a sling and a bow of primitive savages, it was so simply arranged and finished, but at 300 yards 7.62 mm caliber bullets pierced through the brickwork and could easily kill a soldier hiding behind it. This could not fail to impress, but then seriously did not make anyone think ... /Deng Sheni, shooting instructor, ex. US Airborne officer, participant in the war in Iraq /

The main thing in the production of weapons is the achievement of high manufacturability and unification of production. It is these achievements, as well as the reliability of weapons, that are the glorious pages of weapons under the Kalashnikov brand.

Ammunition Comparison

Cartridge specification	Chuck size	bullet weight	bullet speed	bullet energy
5.56 mm NATO	5.56 × 45mm	3.95-5.18 gr.	772-930 m/s	1700-1830 J
7.62 mm NATO	7.62 × 51mm	9.33 gr.	838 m/s	3275 J

Modern machines

Modern assault rifles have a caliber of 5.45-9 mm, a mass of 2.5-5 kg, a rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute or more, an effective fire range of up to 400 m, and an aiming range of up to 1000 m. Many designs provide for firing bursts of 2 -3 rounds to increase the accuracy of fire. For hand-to-hand combat, a bayonet-knife is attached to some models of machine guns.

performance characteristics of some of the most famous models machine guns (assault rifles)

Name	Country	Year of admission	Cartridge caliber	Length, mm	barrel length	Weight, kg	Magazine capacity	kind of fire	Shots /min	Sighting range, m	Muzzle velocity : m/s
Germany		7.92x33	940	419	4,62	30	he	500	275 −600	647-700
AK-47	USSR		7.62x39	870	414	4,8	30	he	680	400	690
FN FAL	Belgium		7.62×51	1090	533	4,45	20	he	650	600	823
G-3	Germany		7.62x51	1023	450	4,5	20	o/n/f	600	400	800
M14	USA		7.62x51	1118	559	4,5	20	he	700-750	400-500	850
М16А1	USA		5.56x45	990	508	3,1	20 or 30	he	850	500-600	990
France		5.56x45	757	488	3,8	20 or 30	o/f	950	300-450	960
AK-74

During the Second World War, the density of fire in close combat was achieved using submachine guns, when available. However, combat experience has revealed the need for a new type of small arms, which would make it possible to reliably hit targets not only at short, but also at medium ranges. In such a weapon could not be used pistol cartridge because of its low power, but the rifle cartridge did not fit either, again because of the power, but already too high. The way out was an intermediate between a pistol and rifle cartridge and a weapon in which this cartridge is used. So appeared the new kind an individual small-arms automatic weapon designed to defeat enemy manpower in close combat and capable of creating a high density of fire - an assault rifle.

The assault rifle is the main individual small arms of modern infantry. Currently, assault rifles have a caliber from 5.45 mm to 7.62 mm. The capacity of stores of modern samples is from 20 to 30 or more rounds. Assault rifles can fire both in fully automatic mode - bursts, and single shots, while some models have a mode of firing in short bursts with a cut-off of 2 or 3 shots. The effective range of assault rifles averages up to 600 m. Almost all assault rifles have the ability to mount a bayonet, install optical, night or collimator sights, as well as mount an underbarrel grenade launcher of caliber from 30 to 40 mm. Many models also allow you to fire rifle grenades worn on the barrel and fired with a blank or even a live cartridge.

Next, you need to decide on some points of terminology. The term "automatic carbine" is the most technically correct, in relation to such samples as the German Stg.44 and the Soviet AK. This term characterizes an automatic rifle with reduced weight and dimensions. For example, the French automatic carbine Ribeirol Carabine Mitrailleuse 1918 caliber 8 × 35 SR and the German MKb.42 (W) from Walther for the first adopted and mass-produced intermediate cartridge 7.92 × 33, developed by Polte. Examples of automatic rifles chambered for a rifle cartridge are the American Browning BAR M1918 in 7.62×63 caliber and the Soviet ABC-36 in 7.62×54R caliber.

The term "assault rifle" (German Sturmgewehr or English Assault rifle), introduced by Adolf Hitler as the name of the Henel automatic carbine designed by Hugo Schmeisser, which was later assigned the designation Stg.44, initially had a propaganda meaning, but later it received a wide distribution in various states in relation to the entire family of individual small arms automatic weapons chambered for an intermediate cartridge, including such samples as the M16A4, HK G36, Beretta ARX-160, SIG SG-550, MSBS Radon and FN SCAR. The term "automatic", introduced in the USSR and used to designate the Fedorov automatic rifle and even the PPSh-41 submachine gun, is in circulation only in Russia and in the so-called "post-Soviet space." At the same time, along with the designation of weapons, in colloquial speech, this term is applied to such electronic-mechanical devices as a coffee machine and a gaming machine, while the term "automatic carbine" corresponds much more accurately and describes a certain class of automatic weapons.

The term "automatic" itself was introduced in the 1920s. by the Russian gunsmith Frolov to designate "machine gun carbines" designed by Fedorov. Initially, in the post-war years, there were still differences between a machine gun (automatic carbine) and an assault rifle, if we consider this issue in relation to the dimensions of the weapon and the types of cartridges used. So if in the USSR it was an AK sufficiently maneuverable for close combat chambered for an intermediate cartridge of 7.62x39, then in NATO assault rifles chambered for a rifle-type cartridge of 7.62x51, which had a large length and mass, such as FN FAL and . Powerful and long-range, but cumbersome, the weapon could not replace the submachine gun in close combat, for example, in street fights or in dense thickets. Therefore, in the west, submachine guns held out in the armed forces for a long time, until they were completely replaced by assault rifles chambered for the small-caliber intermediate cartridge 5.56x45.

Modern assault rifles, according to the classification in force in Russia, belong to the second generation of automatic rifles, which are individual small-arms automatic weapons designed for firing in bursts. The division into generations is made according to the cartridge used. Assault rifles chambered for a powerful "rifle" type cartridge, such as 7.62x51 NATO, belong to the first generation. It also includes such samples as the Belgian FN FAL assault rifle, American M14 and AR-10, German. The second generation includes assault rifles that use "intermediate" cartridges - 7.62x39, 5.45x39 and 5.56x45 NATO. Weapons chambered for an intermediate cartridge have the following advantages: less recoil force; ease of automatic fire control; smaller mass of weapons; a smaller mass of ammunition worn by a fighter.

The world's first automatic rifle was created in Russia during the First World War - it was a Fedorov assault rifle chambered for a 6.5-mm rifle-type cartridge. However, this weapon for a number of reasons did not become massive. The second step towards the development of automata was taken in the Third Reich, during the Second World War. By 1944, the StG.44 assault rifle was developed there under the intermediate cartridge 7.92x33. But the Soviet Kalashnikov AK assault rifle has become a truly massive machine gun and one of the most famous and popular in the world. Further, in 1963, the M16 rifle was adopted in the United States for a new small-caliber and low-pulse cartridge with the army designation M193 or 5.56x45, developed by Sierra Bullets based on the .222 Remington hunting cartridge. One variant of this cartridge, created in Belgium in the 1980s, with a heavy bullet, under the designation SS109, was adopted as the standard 5.56 mm NATO cartridge. However, this was nothing new.

The talented Russian gunsmith V.G. Fedorov began work on weapons chambered for a reduced caliber and power much earlier than standard rifle cartridges for bolt-action rifles, self-loading rifles, light and heavy machine guns. Fedorov deduced a regularity in the reduction of calibers during the transition to a qualitatively new weapon with new requirements for ballistics. The 5.56-mm caliber cartridge made it possible to increase the efficiency of firing at ranges up to 300-400 meters, with a slight decrease in the aiming range, since a bullet with a higher initial velocity had a flatter (sloping) flight path at these firing distances. After the adoption by the US Armed Forces of the M16 assault rifle for this cartridge, the USSR developed its own small-caliber intermediate cartridge 5.45x39 and a weapon system for it - an automatic carbine (automatic) AK-74 and light machine gun RPK-74.

Assault rifle cartridges are issued with bullets various types. The fire from this weapon is fired at various targets, including light shelters and enemy equipment, and therefore its ammunition includes cartridges with an ordinary steel-core bullet, tracer bullets, armor-piercing incendiary and other special bullets. The bullet of the intermediate cartridge must have a good stopping and penetrating effect. The combination of a high stopping power of a bullet with a penetrating one has become most relevant with the large-scale introduction of various types of bulletproof vests into the armed forces around the world. Bullets of modern intermediate cartridges pierce steel helmets at ranges up to 800 m, body armor of 2-3 protection classes - up to 400-500 m.

Currently, in the development of assault rifles, there is a desire to maximize the improvement of a number of their characteristics, which are extremely important for combat effectiveness. Among them are ergonomics, modularity, accuracy and accuracy of fire, service life, the ability to mount the most different types scopes and accessories.

Improvement in ergonomics is necessary so that the fighter can fire the first shot or transfer fire to another target as quickly as possible, with the maximum probability of hitting a point target with the first shot or the first short burst, and carry the weapon as long and comfortably as possible. This is achieved by introducing adjustable elements of the stock and its length into the design of the weapon, comfortable ergonomic handles, improving balance, a more convenient location of the translator-fuse, more effective sights, as well as reducing the size and weight of the weapon itself without compromising shooting accuracy and firepower.

The modularity of a modern assault rifle is necessary due to the constantly changing combat conditions in various conflicts and during special operations. Modular weapons equipped with standard Picatinny mounts allow you to install a variety of sights - from optical and night sights to collimator sights and laser rangefinders, as well as attach a front hold handle, bipod and tactical flashlight to the weapon. In addition, modern assault rifles, such as the FN SCAR-H chambered in 7.62x51 NATO, after replacing the necessary components - the bolt, barrel, lower part of the receiver with a magazine receiver, can use other cartridges - 7.62x39 M43 and 6.8 mm Remington SPC . Barrel replacement requires a minimum of tools and can be completed in minutes in the field.

Accuracy and accuracy of fire in the latest assault rifles are increased not only by improving the quality of barrel manufacturing, but also by a set of measures, including the use of collimator and optical sights of small magnification and the same improvement in ergonomics by introducing butt cheeks adjustable in length and height. An increase in the service life is achieved by using modern materials and alloys created using the latest achievements in this field. Most modern assault rifles have the ability to mount various types of optical, night and red dot sights, laser rangefinders and laser designators, in addition to mechanical iron sights. Some examples, such as the Steyr AUG, HK G36, and FN F2000, are equipped with low magnification telescopic sights as their main sights. Sights and equipment of various types are mounted on weapons using standard Picatinny rail mounts. On modern machines, in addition to various types of sights, front handles, bipods and tactical lights can be installed. Plus, many of the front grips are designed as folding bipods, allowing the shooter to quickly adapt his weapon for aimed fire from rest.

The latest assault rifles are versatility in terms of handling them both right-handed and left-handed fighters, which is realized by the ability to quickly move the cocking handle to both the left and right sides of the weapon, as well as placing the magazine release button on more than one and on both sides of the arms. Modern assault rifles are equipped with a bolt stop mechanism that stops the bolt in the open position when all the cartridges in the magazine are used up. The slide stop levers are placed so that the shooter can control them regardless of the grip of the weapon. Reducing the mass of weapons is achieved by the widespread use of composite polymers and light alloys, in particular in the production of receivers and stocks.

Disputes about the adoption in the Soviet Union of a small-caliber intermediate automatic cartridge are still going on. Opponents of the small-caliber cartridge blame him for the supposedly small stopping power and penetrating ability of the bullet, speaking of the superiority in these qualities of the old 7.62x39 cartridge. In local conflicts, indeed, old AKM 7.62-mm caliber weapons are often preferred to weapons chambered for small-caliber cartridges, since cartridges with a large range of bullet types are available for it and are produced in mass quantities around the world - from armor-piercing and tracer to armor-piercing incendiary. While for the AK-74 and other samples of the 5.45-mm caliber, the choice of types of cartridges is limited, and modern 5.45x39 cartridges under the designation 7N22 with an armor-piercing bullet come mainly only to special forces.

However, the use of weapons large caliber justified only at short firing distances and in street battles, when clearing buildings, since 7.62-mm bullets have a less flat flight path than small-caliber and high-velocity 5.45-mm ones. It is much easier to hit the target with 5.45-mm weapons, and this is a very tangible advantage. Moreover, when firing from automatic carbines of 5.45 mm caliber, it is much easier to control weapons if the fire is fired in bursts, which is especially important in the same urban battles at short and ultra short distances. But for these purposes, the most suitable are Russian models chambered for 9x39 (SP-5, SP-6, PAB-9), such as the new small-sized SR-3PM, 9A-91 and AK-9 assault rifles. This weapon has the ability to hit an enemy protected by NIB or light shelters at a distance of urban combat up to 400 meters (in practice - up to 200 meters), while having a high stopping effect of a bullet, which is extremely important at ultra short distances. But such models only complement the main model adopted for service.

Assault rifles are the most widespread small arms in modern armed forces, and modern individual weapon systems are often automatic grenade launchers, combining automatic small arms, “artillery” in the form of an underbarrel grenade launcher with a fragmentation shot and an electro-optical system in the form of a day / a night television sight, a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer that automatically sets the aiming mark in the lens in accordance with the range to the target, and is also used to program remote fuses for 20-mm grenades. However, such complexes are, although effective, but very expensive weapons, moreover, they have not yet proven themselves in real battles as reliable and convenient. Therefore, at present and in the near future, the improvement of already long-produced and proven assault rifles continues, and work is underway to create new designs based on already familiar design solutions, supplemented by the latest developments and use latest materials and production technologies in combination with the above-mentioned modern requirements for this type of small arms.

At present, there is a need to replace the existing and currently used small-caliber intermediate cartridges due to the insufficient stopping effect of their bullets. One of the promising Russian developments is the latest automatic carbine AK-12, which combines improved ergonomics, increased accuracy of fire and service life, and also has the ability to mount modern sights and equipment. However, the main caliber will remain the same 5.45x39.

AK and M-16 are gradually becoming history, new models are being created on the basis of successful designs. In addition to numerous clones of the "Kalashnikov" and the "black rifle", a lot of original samples appeared on the arms market: accurate, versatile and reliable.

Some of them underwent a rigorous selection and, based on the results of military tests, were put into service. IT.TUT.BY has selected five of the most modern assault rifles and machine guns that have been put into service over the past 10 years.

FN SCAR

Developed by the American division of FN Herstal, the FN SCAR modular assault rifle was able to impress representatives of the US Department of Defense Special Forces (SOCOM).

Small-scale production of the FN SCAR began back in 2007, but the first batches of rifles entered service with the American Rangers only in 2009. There are two main modifications of the rifle: light SCAR-L, Mk 16 Mod (5.56 mm) and heavy SCAR-H, Mk 17 Mod 0 (7.62 mm).

The Mk 20 sniper rifle was also made based on the Mk 17 Mod 0. The models share 60% of their parts.
The rifle is made according to a modular design, which allows you to change its characteristics depending on the upcoming combat mission. To do this, there is a set of barrels of different lengths and calibers. For this, and also for its simplicity and reliability, the FN SCAR was highly appreciated by the US Special Forces. During the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, it turned out that the rifle is not afraid of fine desert sand, which quickly disabled the M16, is easy to maintain and has excellent accuracy.

Moreover, SCAR-H, although it uses a powerful 7.62x51 mm NATO ammunition, allows the use of less powerful Soviet 7.62x39 mm cartridges and magazines from Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Also during the war, it turned out that even after several hits of 5.56 mm caliber bullets, the enemy remains combat-ready. As a result, American special forces often used the FN SCAR-H. SOCOM plans to withdraw from further purchases of SCAR-L. And FN SCAR-H will be purchased with a kit for converting them to a 5.56 mm cartridge.

CZ 805

Czech gunsmiths have always been famous for their ability to create reliable, technologically advanced and accurate weapons. Therefore, it is not surprising that their new CZ 805 assault rifle managed to beat the Belgian FN SCAR in the competition.

The CZ 805 is a multi-caliber modular rifle that, after a slight conversion, can fire three types of ammunition at once: 5.56x45 NATO, 7.62x39 Soviet, and the promising 6.8x43 Rem SPC.

For each ammunition, there are three interchangeable barrel options, a separate shutter and magazine shaft. The use of a long, heavy barrel, coupled with a bipod and a 100-round magazine, turns the CZ 805 into a light machine gun.
It is noteworthy that a bayonet-knife was developed specifically for this assault rifle, although in Western countries to walk in a bayonet attack is considered bad form. Production of the CZ 805 has been underway since 2009, assault rifles enter service with the Czech army.

HK417

In terms of reliability, this assault rifle is comparable to a Kalashnikov assault rifle. HK417 was created taking into account the experience of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. From there, increased requirements for reliability, as well as the 7.62x51 NATO caliber, which has a good stopping effect. So that the soldiers of the coalition did not experience difficulties with the operation of the HK417, the engineers of Heckler & Koch GmbH made it so that the main controls and the method of disassembly and assembly are identical to the M16. Although the gas venting mechanism and other structural elements are significantly different from those of the American rifle.

The HK417 has been produced since 2007 in four versions, differing only in length, quality of barrel processing, and, well, in weight. Sniper - HK417 20" "Sniper" Model has high accuracy: about one arc minute when using special cartridges.

In a short time, the rifle gained great popularity and today it is in service with special forces in many countries of the world: the Netherlands, Norway and Great Britain, it is used by the French Foreign Legion and other units.

Beretta ARX-160

This rifle was created as part of the "Soldier of the Future" program and is characterized by incredible reliability and tactical flexibility. Therefore, it was immediately adopted. The Beretta ARX-160 has been produced since 2009 and has already fought in Afghanistan, where it received high marks from the military.

The main ammunition for the ARX-160 Coyote is 5.56x45 mm NATO, but if the situation so requires, then after replacing the barrel, chamber and bolt, the use of 5.45x39 mm, 6.8 mm Remington SPC and 7.62 cartridges is allowed. ×39 mm.

The designers of the rifle also took care of left-handers - the Beretta ARX-160 is equipped with windows for ejection of spent cartridges on both sides of the receiver. Therefore, if necessary, you can adjust the direction of the ejection both to the left and to the right.

Additionally, the rifle can be equipped with an optical-electronic sight with day and night channels. It also provides for the installation of a 40-mm grenade launcher, which comes with a laser rangefinder and a ballistic computer.

Thales Australia F90

The F90 was designed to replace the Australian Army's F88 Austeyr rifle. Despite the external similarity, there are many differences in the design of these rifles. For example, the Thales Australia F90 is equipped with a non-replaceable barrel, the designers replaced the front folding handle with a universal Picatinny rail, improved the shape of the butt and made a number of other changes.

To speed up the reloading of the assault rifle, a slide delay was introduced into its design. Especially for the rifle, the 40 mm SL40 grenade launcher was developed, which is loaded from the treasury and has a movable barrel.

There are two versions of the new rifle: standard, with a barrel length of 508 mm, and F90 Carbine (407 mm). The possibility of replacing some nodes for the use of other ammunition is not provided.

The creators of the rifle tried to make it as reliable, simple and inexpensive to manufacture as possible. In 2014, a contract was signed for the supply of these rifles to the Australian Army.

The NK433 modular assault rifle, first introduced in 2017, is proposed by Heckler & Koch for the German army as a replacement for the current G36 model.

Oddly enough, in our age of computers and information technologies that some types that have existed for many years, it seems, still have not solved all their technical problems. It is quite clear that the problems of assault rifles have not yet been resolved. With regard to some of them, created in the 90s, many criticisms were made, which caused their premature replacement. The first was the licensed Spanish CETME automatic rifle, which was replaced by the German G36, which is currently being replaced by a new model.

The French army began to receive new assault rifles that will replace the FAMAS bullpup rifle, which has been in service since the late 70s. The HK416F rifle, created by the German company Heckler & Koch, was chosen to replace it (the numbers indicate compatibility with NATO standards with stores from M4 and M16, the letter F means France). A total of 117,000 rifles will be purchased and deliveries will be made between 2017 and 2028. Initially, the contract provided for the supply of 102,000 rifles, an increase of 15,000 pieces due to the needs of reserve units. About 93,000 rifles are intended for the army, almost 10,000 for the ground units of the fleet and air force. The contract also includes 10,767 HK269F 40x46mm grenade launchers, accessories, ammunition, spare parts and technical support for 15 years.

The Heckler & Koch HK416 rifle was chosen by France; most of the rifles will go into service ground forces

In June 2017, the first two units of the French army received their NK416 rifles, which will replace the current FAMAS bullpup rifle, which has been in service since the late 70s

The Army will receive 5,300 rifles in 2017, then 10,000 rifles a year between 2018 and 2023, with deliveries cut in half over the last five years of the contract. The share of the army will arm the entire personnel combat units of the ground forces, and this is 77,000 military, as well as those who are not included in these units, plus the personnel of reserve units. The first two army units received the HK416F in June of this year: the 1st Sniper Regiment received a batch of 150 rifles and the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade a batch of 250 pieces. Regarding new elements: compared to the previous FAMAS rifle, the new model has a magazine for 30 rounds versus 25; the HK416F rifle also has a mirror-symmetrical design, that is, it easily adapts to both right-handed and left-handed people, which cannot be said about the “clarion” (French bugle, informal name FAMAS), which was produced in two different versions; butt adapts to the size of the soldier. Four Picatinny rails are mounted on the handguard, which allows you to install additional systems, for example, a 40-mm HK269F grenade launcher of a double-sided design, a handle with a bipod, optical sights, etc.

Rifle FAMAS complex FELIN

The HK416F rifle will be produced in two variants: 38,505 pieces for infantry units are purchased in the standard HK416F-S version with a 14.5-inch barrel, and the remaining 54,575 pieces under the designation HK416F-C (Court - shortened) will be equipped with an 11-inch barrel. Currently, most of the infantry units are armed with the FAMAS FELIN rifle, adapted to the combat equipment of the French FELIN army. In order to preserve the capabilities of the FELIN complex, these units will keep their old assault rifles in service for some time, as the army plans to release kits around 2020 to adapt the new rifle to the next stage of the FELIN program. The French army plans to upgrade a total of 14915 HK416F-S rifles in 2020-2021, work will be carried out at the unit level. At the time determined by the command, the troops will receive the new FELIN 2.0 combat equipment, which is a further development of the current system, in which special emphasis is placed on mobility and modularity, as well as weight reduction.

The NK433 rifle, which is easily adaptable for both right-handed and left-handed people, can be equipped with a 40-mm NK269 underbarrel grenade launcher, also of a “double-sided” design, since it can be opened to the right or left side

The G36 assault rifle from Heckler & Koch, however, is still considered a successful platform. The last known contract was concluded with Lithuania for an improved version of this rifle under the designation G36 KA4M1. Improvements are mainly related to ergonomics: new stock, handguard and rails for sights. Lithuania also purchased a new NK269 underbarrel grenade launcher of a "two-sided" design. The Lithuanian army has already received a number of G36 rifles; a contract from 2016 worth 12.5 million euros provides for the delivery in 2017 of a publicly undisclosed number of rifles and grenade launchers.

Germany finally decided to replace this G36 assault rifle, which was put into service in the mid-90s. In April 2017, the German Defense Procurement Authority launched the System Sturmgewehr Bundeswehr competition. Applications were supposed to be submitted by the end of May, but there was no official information from applicants. The predicted number of rifles should be on the order of 120,000 pieces; the choice will be made next year, while production should start in mid-2019 and go until early 2026, the contract is valued at 245 million euros. Little is known about the requirements for the new rifle: weight without magazine 3.6 kg, two barrels of different lengths, double-sided rifle, barrel life of at least 15,000 rounds, receiver life twice as high as average. Oddly enough, the requirements say nothing about the caliber, which allows applicants to offer weapons of both NATO standards, 5.56x45 and 7.62x51, although the first of these is apparently preferable.

The need for the German armed forces in the new assault rifle is about 120,000 pieces. The document does not mention the caliber, but all known contenders are likely to focus on 5.56mm.

Among the contenders, we will no doubt find three national solutions offered by Heckler & Koch, Rheinmetall and Haenel. One can only guess how many foreign applicants, such as FN and S.I.G Sauer, may try their luck in this competition, given the irresistible desire of the German parliament to keep money in their country.

In February 2017, Heckler & Koch introduced its new NK433 modular assault rifle, which combines some developments and best performance rifles G36 and NK416, but at the same time its cost is lower than the cost of NK416. It refers to a gas-operated weapon with a short-stroke gas piston, made separately from the bolt carrier, and locking with an optimized-shaped bolt for 7 lugs. The barrels are modular, quick-detachable and are made in six configurations with a length of 11, 12.5, 14.5. 16.5, 18.9 and 20 inches; chrome-plated inside the trunks are made by cold forging. Self-lubricating sliding parts of the shutter made it possible to minimize the maintenance of the weapon. At the request of the Bundeswehr, the NK433 rifle has a three-position translator of fire modes: “on the fuse”, “single” and “automatic”; rate of fire is 700 rounds per minute. Adjustable gas outlet allows the installation of a silencer. The standard magazine corresponds to NATO STANAG 4179, however, with the help of a special kit, the NK433 rifle can be equipped with a G36 magazine. The lower part of the receiver can be replaced with a G36 or AR-15 style receiver, which allows the user not to change their habits acquired with the previous weapon, thereby reducing the amount of combat training. The rifle has a buttstock folding to the right with a shoulder rest adjustable in length with a cheek adjustable in height. Shooting can be done with the stock folded; interchangeable grip pads allow you to adapt it to the size of the shooter's hand. The receiver is made of aluminum, equipped with a STANAG 4694 NAR (NATO Accessory Rail - strap for attaching accessories) standard, the handguard has a Picatinny rail / NAR at the 6 o'clock position. At the 3 and 9 o'clock positions we find Nkeu adapters. H&K offers a shot counter that can be downloaded from a short distance using RFID technology. In addition to the 5.56mm variant, the new H&K rifle is also available in .300 AAC Blackout (7.62x35), the 7.62x39mm variant was designated NK123, while the 7.62x51mm variant was designated NK231.

The latest development from Heckler & Koch HK433, whose modular concept allows it to be adapted to the habits of G36 or M4 users

Rheinmetall and Steyr Mannlicher have teamed up to take part in a competition to replace the German G36 rifle and offer the RS556 (Rheinmetall - Steyr 5.56) model for it, which is a further development of the STM-556 carbine. presented by an Austrian arms company in 2012. The lower receiver is the same as that of the AR15 rifle, however, modified for left-handers. The rifle is equipped with a more reliable and much less sensitive to contamination system with a short stroke of the gas piston. The piston acts on a rod that moves the bolt carrier back and is locked by a rotary bolt. The bolt frame parts are made of steel, while the upper and lower receivers are made of aluminum. Five barrels of different lengths are available for the rifle, no tools are required to change them. These solutions are inherited from the Steyr AUG model. The rifle has a four-position gas regulator that can operate in normal mode, in difficult operating conditions, in firing mode with a silencer and with a completely blocked gas outlet. The telescopic polymer stock has 7 length adjustment positions. In addition to the 5.56mm variant, there are also models chambered for .300 AAC Blackout and 7.62x39mm.

The RS556 rifle from Rheinmetall is similar in many ways to the AR-15 family

A third German applicant, Haenel (although owned by the Emirati company Tawazun), offered another rifle based on the AR15 in the competition to replace the G36. The principle of operation of the automation of the Haenel Mk 556 model is based on the removal of powder gases from the bore. The stock also resembles the M4 butt, with five different barrel lengths offered. A three-position fuse-translator of firing modes allows you to fire single shots and continuous bursts. Depending on the choice of the customer, two positions are offered for it: fuse-single-automatic, respectively, at 0°-60°-120° or at 0°-90°-180°. The trigger pull is 3.2 kg and all controls and adjustments are ambidextrous. The barrel pad is equipped with four NAR rails, and folding mechanical sights are also installed.

The Bundeswehr contract for a new assault rifle caught the attention of Rheinmetall, which teamed up with Steyr Mannlicher to offer the RS556, a modification of the STM-556.

The last known buyer of the latest development of Accuracy International - the AMHS338 assault rifle chambered for .338 LM - was Lithuania

If everything is more or less clear with the three German applicants, then little is known about possible foreign applicants. In principle, all major manufacturers of small arms are able to present interesting solutions. Another unclear point concerns the possible common system France and Germany, proposed by France at the end of 2015, when the NK433 rifle had not yet been “published”.

Another competition, albeit on a much smaller scale, was announced in Germany in January 2017. This time, a new rifle became necessary for special operations forces. The Defense Procurement Authority has identified a need for 1,705 rifles, to which five more pieces must be added for evaluation tests and another 40 for acceptance tests, that is, the winner will have to supply a total of 1,750 rifles. As for the requirements for the rifle, some of them are known: a rifle chambered for 5.56x45 mm with a short stroke of the gas piston, a barrel life of at least 10,000 shots, a receiver three times longer. The rifle must be adapted for right-handers and singers and be equipped with STANAG 4694 rails on the handguard and receiver so that additional devices can be mounted, such as a laser module, a flashlight and other devices. The weapon must be compatible with a silencer and must be less than 900 mm long without a silencer, Weight Limit without magazine and optics should not exceed 3.8 kg.

Rheinmetall will undoubtedly submit its RS556 model for this competition, however, Heckler & Koch should submit its models NK416A5 or NK416A5, while Haenel's participation is still in question. As with the aforementioned competition, not much is known about foreign applicants who could take part in the German competition. Germany's Special Operations Sip Units (KSK) began receiving the new Haenel RS-9 .338 LM sniper rifle in 2016, designated the G-29 by the Bundeswehr. The length of the weapon is 1275 mm, the length of the barrel is 690 mm, with the butt folded, the total length is reduced to 1020 mm. The KSK special forces chose the Steiner Military 5-25x56-ZF sight, to which, in the case of firing at close range, an Aimpoint Micro 1-2 red dot sight is attached. In June 2017, the special forces began to receive the B&T Monoblock silencer, specially designed for the .338 LM caliber. It adds another 222mm to the length of the rifle and another 652 grams to its weight, which without accessories is 7.54kg.

More recently, it became known that the new G95 assault rifle (HK416A7) will replace automatic rifles G36KA1/A2/A4. The new weapon will go into service with the units of the special operations forces of the ground forces and naval special forces

Another country that recently opted for the .338 LM caliber for its snipers was Latvia, which purchased an unnamed number of Accuracy International AXMS rifles in late 2016. This is a big breakthrough in terms of accuracy and range, since before that Lithuanian snipers were armed with 7.62x51mm semi-automatic rifles.

While staying in the sniper world, some of the younger members have joined historic brands. For example, the Austrian Ritter & Stark with its SX-1 Modular Tactical Rifle, available in 7.62x51 300 Winchester Magnum and .338 Lapua Magnum, and the Italian Victrix, whose portfolio includes four bolt-action rifles, Pugio chambered 7.62x51, Gladius chambered in 7.62x51, .260 Remington and 6.5 Creed, Scorpio chambered in .338 LM and .300 Win, and Tormentum chambered in .375 and .408 Cheytac, were recently acquired by Beretta. Loyal to Beretta, Poland recently bought 150 Sako M10 modular rifles chambered in .338 LM.

Beretta, after the start of production of the ARX200 rifle chambered for 7.62x51 mm, has already transferred the first batches of the Italian army

Beauties from the Beretta stable inherited from Victrix (from top to bottom): Victrix Scorpio, Victrix Tormentum, Victrix Pugio

As for assault rifles, Beretta supplies its ARX-200 combat rifles to the Italian army. These 7.62x51mm rifles will allow Italian combat units to increase their combat capabilities compared to previous 5.56mm Beretta ARX-160 rifles. Beretta should soon begin development on a semi-automatic variant of the ARX-200, which will become a pure marksman rifle in the company's portfolio (the lowest rank in accuracy in the classification adopted in ground forces USA).

A much improved version of the Bren 2 of the original Bren assault rifle has been adopted by the Czech army, which is currently receiving the first batches.

Bren 2 in different configurations: (from top to bottom) 14" barrel, 11" barrel and 8" barrel

Many armies are adopting new rifles. At the end of last year, the Czech army received the first batch of CZ Bren 2 assault rifles. 2600 units were ordered, 1900 with a 356 mm barrel and 700 rifles in a shortened configuration with a 280 mm barrel. Also at the end of 2016, the Dutch naval special forces received his short-barreled SIG MCX carbines, becoming the first special forces to switch to .300 Blackout caliber; new carbines will replace submachine guns in close combat. Among the ammunition included in the contract, you can find not only standard cartridges and cartridges with subsonic bullets, but also lead-free thin-walled bullets that allow you to avoid ricochet when working in confined spaces. At the beginning of January 2017 Turkish army received the first batch of 500 MRT-76 7.62x51mm assault rifles from MKEK; in accordance with the contract, 35,000 rifles will be manufactured by two companies, MKEK will produce 20,000 pieces, and KaleKalip, respectively, 15,000 pieces. At IDEF 2017, MKEK presented its new assault rifle chambered for 5.56x45 mm MRT-55 (Milli Piyade Tiifegi - national infantry rifle), which comes in two versions, a standard one with a 368 mm barrel and a shortened one (MRT-55K). The new rifle features a short-stroke gas exhaust system similar to that of the AR-15 rifle; it was designed to meet the needs of the Turkish special forces; at the end of 2016, 20,000 rifles were ordered. In addition, a version of the MRT-76 rifle with a 508 mm table was presented, designated KNT-76 (Keskin Nisanci Tiifegi - sniper rifle); a version of the KAAN-717 carbine with a 305 mm barrel was also shown. As for Russia, it is very active in the small arms market. For example, Venezuela is building a plant in Maracay to produce Russian assault rifles AK-103 and AK-104, as well as 7.62x39 mm cartridges, which should open in 2019.

The family of automatic weapons manufactured by Israel Weapons Industries is a further development of the Galil assault rifle. Photos of Galil ACE models 21, 22 and 23 (top to bottom). An Israeli company recently signed an agreement with India's Punj Lloyd to create a joint venture for the production of small arms of various calibers.

India has always been and remains one of the main potential customers of small arms. Its small arms market is valued at several billion dollars. The Ministry of Defense of India recently issued a request for proposals for the purchase of a limited number of 7.62mm assault rifles, submachine guns and pistols for the special forces of the Air Force. But this is just the tip of the iceberg of contracts aimed at re-equipping the Indian armed forces. Foreign companies are merging with local firms. It is not necessary to look far for an example, the Israeli company IWI in May 2017 created a joint venture with Punj Lloyd, known as Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems, for the joint production of small arms. India's historical opponent, Pakistan, is also on the lookout for new small arms to replace its G3 and Touré 56 rifles in 7.62x51mm and 7.62x39mm. In search of potential contracts, several applicants, including FN, CZ, Beretta, keep a close eye on everything that happens in the country in the field of small arms.

In conclusion, a small summary table

According to the websites:
www.nationaldefensemagazine.org
www.globalpolicy.org
www.heckler-koch.com
www.rheinmetall.com
www.cg-haenel.de
www.steyrmannlicher.com
ritterstark.com
www.beretta.com
iwi.net
en.wikipedia.org
www.militaryfactory.com
www.weaponslaw.org
www.bundeswehr.de
pinterest.com
armyman.info

Continuing to reveal the creations of AKM, it is impossible not to make a small digression and tell about another brainchild of Mikhail Timofeevich - a carbine submachine gun (according to the current foreign classification, “assault rifle”).

As already noted, after the adoption of the AK-47, rifle department was armed with two individual samples - the AK-47 itself and the SKS self-loading carbine. Moreover, the majority of experts, relying on the experience of conducting military operations of the Second World War, considered this to be completely justified. Opinions differed only in their quantitative ratio. Awareness of the influence of the maneuvering characteristics of weapons on the combat effectiveness of shooting and confirmation of this by practice occurred somewhat later. As a result, armed Soviet army the classic “assault rifle” did not appear, but submachine guns were adopted - shortened “assault rifles”, and the carbine, as a type of individual weapon, ceased to exist.
But that's in the future. In the meantime, inspired by the efforts of Korobov, Mikhail Timofeevich took a non-standard step - he tried to combine in one sample the properties of both an assault rifle (the ability to fire bursts and a large magazine capacity) and a carbine (increased shooting accuracy and better external ballistic characteristics). The customer, represented by the GAU of the USSR Ministry of Defense, reacted with interest to this proposal (after all, the reduction in the range of weapons promised considerable economic benefits) and in a letter dated April 26, 1954 instructed the test site to conduct a preliminary assessment of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which was carried out in the period from May 3 to June 7, 1954 by major engineer Lugovoi V. G. and Blanter F. A., and senior technician-lieutenant Tishukov I. A. All firing was carried out in parallel with serial AK and SKS. One sample of the automatic carbine No. NZH-1470 was put to the test.
It is noteworthy that the technical documentation (drawings, specifications, etc.) for the automatic carbine was not presented at the same time, which contradicts the general rules for organizing tests (apparently, the genuine interest of the GRAU affected - what kind of “miracle Yudo” is this). What was the difference between an experienced automatic carbine and an AK-47?

1. Barrel length increased by 70 mm.
2. The gas chamber of a closed type (without venting excess gases into the atmosphere) was shifted back by 132 mm and had a gas outlet diameter of 2 mm (instead of 4.4 + 0.1).

3. Scheme of automation with a short stroke (8 mm) of the piston, then the stem with the shutter move by inertia. The piston stroke is limited back by the protrusions of the rear part of the gas chamber.
4. The self-timer also acts as a slower rate of fire, which is triggered after the rebound of the stem upon impact in the extreme forward position (the principle of operation is the same as that of the Korobov assault rifle). The axis of the self-timer is located behind the axes of the trigger and the trigger.
5. The bolt stem has grooves for clip loading and a latch (bolt delay) at the base of the reload handle.

Fixation of the bolt stem for clip-on loading of a regular automatic magazine is carried out by pressing a finger on a movable pin, which is included in the corresponding recess on the right wall of the receiver.

Kalashnikov assault rifle
Kalashnikov assault rifle
Simonov's carbine

1 – gas chamber machine, 2 - gas chamber machine-

1 - bolt carrier of the machine gun, 2 - bolt stem of the carbine machine gun

To release the stem, it is necessary to take it back a little and release it.
6. In connection with the location of the self-timer-retarder at the right wall of the receiver behind the trigger, the flag of the translator-fuse is mounted on the left wall of the receiver.
7. Changed the shape and size of the forearm and handguard.
8. The fastening of the bayonet-knife has been changed.
9. The stroke of the moving parts is 34 mm less than that of the AK, and is almost the same as that of the SCS, which is due to the same scheme of operation of the automation (the AK has a long piston stroke).
10. The entry of the shutter rammer during the rollback for the next cartridge is only 12 mm, while that of the AK is 63 mm and that of the SCS is 29 mm.

From the height of today's knowledge of weapons science, the experiments of Mikhail Timofeevich and the hopes of the customer seem like child's play. Such a "course" project is within the power of a modern ordinary student of a weapons university and would only be rated at a three with a minus. In the early 50s, the study, theory and calculation of automatic systems were in their infancy. Along with carrying out a huge number of research works that summarized the entire experience of weapons science, intensive studies were carried out on various principles of the operation of weapon automation, statistical processing of the results of all stages (factory, acceptance-accurate, periodic, etc.) of testing serial samples. Through the joint efforts of specialists from design bureaus, research institutes, universities, manufacturers, the theory and calculation of small arms mechanisms have acquired modern look and covered all the known principles of automation, periodically updated and supplemented with the appearance of non-traditional designs.

For these reasons, in order to test the machine-carbine, the customer quite democratically states: “Upon receiving an improvement ... it is necessary, if possible, to determine the factors that had a positive impact ...”. Unfortunately, and maybe fortunately (after all, the US Army approached the “beheading” of an assault rifle only 50 years later, already in the 21st century), factors that had a positive impact on combat characteristics in the machine-carbine was not found, despite the lower (compared to AK) weight by 120 g and the bullet speed greater by 2.5%.
The summary of the range read: “The characteristics of the dispersion of bullets when firing from a carbine submachine gun are within the dispersion of standard automatic weapons. When firing both with normally lubricated parts, and with dust, sprinkling and dry parts, the automatic carbine worked unreliably. All delays are related to the failure to supply a cartridge from the magazine. The reason is the insufficient entry of the shutter rammer behind the next cartridge with a “sluggish” (non-energetic) reflection of the sleeve. Thus, a stalemate was created: an increase in the speed of rollback of moving parts to ensure normal reflection of the cartridge cases is unacceptable, as it leads to continuous non-feeds (missing feed) of the cartridge from the magazine due to lack of time to lift the next cartridge (to the chambering line) into the magazine receiver. Reducing the speed of moving parts is also unacceptable, as it leads to continuous delays - "sticking" of the sleeve due to non-energetic reflection. That is, automation is able to work reliably enough only in a narrow range of speeds of moving parts, which is unattainable in practice. All design features, from the point of view of accuracy of fire, they have no practical benefits. It is quite obvious (quote from the original document) that "such a model cannot replace the Simonov carbine and the Kalashnikov assault rifle as a single individual infantry model, the expediency of which is quite obvious." Hooray! There was a rethinking of the concept, which was facilitated by
and the results of firing at the "Shot" courses during the development of methods for determining and evaluating combat effectiveness. The conclusion was even more specific: “Given that the 7.62-mm Kalashnikov assault rifle is a reliable model in all cases of military operation and has high performance characteristics, military unit No. 01773 considers it appropriate
conduct a broad check in the troops of the possibility of using this machine in a lightweight version with a bayonet as a single model of individual infantry weapons.

1 - cover of the receiver of the machine, 2 - cover of the receiver of the carbine

This conclusion was the verdict for Simonov's carbine, the production of which was soon curtailed. So, in general, an unsuccessful design changed the further direction
development of domestic individual weapons. But even with the recommendation to the “further life” of the AK GRAU machine gun, it was somewhat cunning. At this time, the tactical and technical requirements for a promising machine gun for No. 006256-53 had already been worked out, and a number of fairly well-known (in narrow circles) gunsmiths zealously set to work.

1 - barrel pad of the machine gun, 2 - barrel pad of the machine-carbine, 3 - handguard of the machine gun, 4 - handguard of the machine-carbine

1 - assault rifle bayonet, 2 - assault rifle bayonet

1 - piston and rod of the machine-carbine,
2 - piston and rod of the machine

Basic weight and linear characteristics of samples

Name of characteristics	Automatic carbine Kalashnikov №1	According to the drawings and specifications for the Kalashnikov assault rifle	According to the drawings and specifications for the Simonov carbine
Total weight with accessory and magazine without cartridges, kg		no more than 4,250	no more than 3,850
Barrel weight with receiver (for machine-carbine and a machine gun with a butt and fire control handle)
Weight of moving parts, kg
Gate stem weight, kg
The weight of the shutter frame in the assembly, kg
Gate frame weight with rod, kg
Weight of gas piston with rod, kg
Receiver cover weight, kg
Forearm weight, kg
Handguard weight, kg
Bayonet weight, kg
Bayonet sheath weight, kg
Length without bayonet (for SCS with bayonet in stowed position), mm
Length with bayonet, mm
Barrel length, mm
Bayonet length, mm
Bayonet blade length, mm
Effort on trigger, kg

* - weight is indicated with a magazine from a Kalashnikov assault rifle
** - taking into account the weight of the piston with the rod