Firearms· Cold War· 1949

Kalashnikov rifle

Russian automatic rifle family

The Kalashnikov rifle is a family of assault rifles based on Mikhail Kalashnikov's original design. It is officially known in Russian as avtomat Kalashnikova (Russian: автомат Калашникова, lit. 'Kalashnikov's automatic [rifle]'), and informally as kalash.

== Background == AK rifles were originally manufactured in the Soviet Union by Kalashnikov Concern (formerly Izhmash). Rifles similar to the Kalashnikov and its Soviet variants were later produced in many countries friendly to the Soviet Bloc, with rifles based on its design such as the Galil ACE and the INSAS also being produced. The Kalashnikov is one of the most widely used firearms in the world, with an estimated 72 million rifles in global circulation.

== List of AK rifles == The original Kalashnikov rifles and their derivatives, as produced in the Soviet Union and later the Russian Federation.

=== Rifles derived directly from the original AK === The rifle's simple design makes it easy to produce, and the Soviet Union readily leased plans of the firearm to friendly countries, where it could be produced locally at a low cost. As a result, the Kalashnikov rifles and their variants have been manufactured in many countries, with and without licenses. Manufacturing countries in alphabetical order include:

Albania

Aside from the ASH-78, the ASH-82, the Albanian AKS-47 copy, was in production. Several other versions of the AKMS have been produced mainly with short barrels similar to Soviet AKS-74U for special forces, tank and armored crew and for helicopter pilots and police. There have also been modified ASh-82 (AKMS) with SOPMOD accessories, mainly for Albania's special forces RENEA and exports.

Armenia

==== Azerbaijan ==== The AK-74M is locally produced under license in Azerbaijan as the Khazri.

Bulgaria

China

Croatia

==== Cuba ==== The AKM is locally produced under license in Cuba.

East Germany

Egypt

==== Ethiopia ==== The Et-97/1 is a locally manufactured AK-103 variant at the State-run Gafat Armament Engineering Complex.

Finland

Hungary

Iraq

==== Nigeria ==== The Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria has been producing AK rifles as the OBJ-006.

North Korea

North Korea has been producing AK rifles as its standard issue weapons.

==== Pakistan ==== Aside from Khyber Pass copies (near the border of Afghanistan), Pakistan has been producing AK rifles as the PK-10.

Poland

Romania

==== Sudan ==== The MAZ is the Sudanese licensed copy of the Chinese Type 56 made by Military Industry Corporation.

==== Turkey ==== The SAR 15T/308(V2) is a locally produced and modernized version of the AK platform by defense contractor Sarsilmaz (Sarsılmaz Silah Sanayi A.Ş.).