Kalashnikov Concern, a global leader in the manufacture of small arms like the AK-47—one of the most widely recognized and utilised assault rifles—AK-12, AK-15, and AK-19 has come out with an ambidextrous handheld machine gun, RPL-7.
RPL-7, which can be fired both by the right and left hand, can operate optical and night sights, rangers, light, and other attachments.
According to news agency TASS, the handheld machine gun, which has a firing distance of 800 metres, comes with a silencer, a removable support, front handle, bullet belts and cartridge boxes.
Without the silencer, cartridge box, bullet belt, supports and attachments, the gun weighs 4.5 kilograms.
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"RPL-7 fires 7.62mm cartridges of 1943 option with ordinary 57-N-231 steel-core bullets and T-45 or T-45M tracers to destroy troops and unarmored hostile transportation vehicles," the company has been quoted as saying.
The machine gun will be displayed for the first time at the IDEX show in Abu Dhabi in February.
Meanwhile, the company also revealed that it designed two new shortened and small-size modifications of the AK-12 assault rifle. These too will be on display at the IDEX 2025 show.
"AK-12K and AK-12SK were designed for 5.45x39mm cartridge to destroy hostile manpower. They have better technical, ergonomic and operational characteristics that meet the requirements of modern combat," the company said.
AK-12 was upgraded according to the experience gained during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to the company. The gun now has an upgraded dioptric sight and fore-end and can be fired from both sides.
