Izhmash AK-107/108

     Notes: At first thought to be variants of the AK-100 series (above), the AK-107 and AK-108 are now understood to be completely different designs resulting from a different development process.  The genesis of these rifles came in the early 1970s, when Yuriy Alexandrov developed an assault rifle partially based on the Kalashnikov action called the AL-7.  The AL-7 used an operating system that, while based on gas operation, used what Alexandrov called a “balanced gas” system.  The balanced gas system uses the gas from the firing of a round to a pair of operating rounds – both fairly heavy as operating rods go – which move simultaneously in opposite directions, one partially counteracting the recoil caused by the other.  This acts to reduce actual recoil in addition to felt recoil – and a modified version of the AK-74M’s muzzle brake further reduces felt recoil, even though the cyclic rate of the rifles are much higher than those of the AK-74M.  (The cyclic rate is still not high enough to affect the game statistics, however.)  When the AL-7 was first designed, however, it was ahead of its time – Soviet production methods were ill-suited for mass production of what is a complicated weapon in a reasonable period of time and at a reasonable cost.

     The AL-7 was shelved until the mid-1990s, when manufacturing methods had improved considerably and Alexandrov had worked his way up to a senior engineer at Izhmash.  Collaboration was undertaken with Kalashnikov, and the AK-107 was introduced in about 1998.  It differed little from the AL-7 – the AL-7 used a machined, fluted receiver, while the AK-107 uses a plain stamped steel receiver, and a three-round burst setting was added to the fire controls.  The AK-107 was intended to be a competitor to the AN-94 Abakan (and still is – in real-life terms, it is much cheaper to produce than the AN-94), but like the AN-94, its future and that of the AK-108 remain uncertain due to the poor economic climate in Russia.

     The AK-107 and AK-108 do have a marked resemblance to the AK-100 series; however, this is probably due to their both using the basic Kalashnikov design as a basis.  The AK-107 and AK-108 use mostly polymer furniture, but most of the metalwork is of stamped steel.  The ejection port is larger than that of a typical Kalashnikov-based weapon, with a stronger extractor.  The receiver’s cover is hinged at the front instead of lifting completely off when being field stripped.  The rear sight is mounted directly on the receiver cover, rather than on the receiver itself.  The typical Russian-style brackets for the mounting of optical devices can be mounted, but these brackets can also accept rails which allow the use of many Western-type optics.  The magazines are, however, the same proprietary magazines used on the AK-100 series.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These assault rifles do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Kalashnikov AK-47/AKM

     Notes: Though weapons like the FG-42 and MP-44 were the first true assault rifles, the AK-47 is probably the first weapon that one thinks of when the words “assault rifle” are mentioned.  The Russians began working on it shortly after the first captured MP-44s arrived in Russia; by 1947, the first AK-47s were being issued to Russian troops, and it was the first mass-issue of assault rifles to any world army.  Within 15 years, the AK-47 could be found almost anywhere a Communist government or insurgency could be found, and by 2002, you’d be hard put to find a place on the planet where an AK-47 or AKM could not be found.  The AK series has also spawned a large number of clones and variants, from Finnish Valmet rifles to Galils to the Indian INSAS, and the list is growing every day.  It has a well-deserved reputation for toughness and reliability.

     The original AK-47 was crafted out of rather expensive milled steel and with walnut stocks.  There is no bolt-hold-open device when the magazine empties (in fact, if you find the bolt on your AK-47 open and the weapon is not firing, it is definitely jammed).  It is also not known for long-range accuracy. 

     There are generally two basic variants of the AK-47: the standard AK-47 with a wooden butt, and the AKS with a folding steel stock.  There is a third variant, the AKT-47; this is a wooden-stocked version that has been modified to fire .22 Long Rifle ammunition, and used to lower training costs.

     By 1959, the Soviets were facing a number of problems with the AK-47.  One, the production methods used to make the AK-47 was rather expensive.  Two, every Soviet ally, client state, and insurgent movement was demanding the AK to replace its old weapons, which in some cases were pre-World War I vintage.  Three, troops having to hump the AK-47 were complaining a lot about the weight.  Four, sight mounts for the new night vision scopes were either not found or difficult to retrofit to the AK-47.  And five, the original batches of AK-47s were simply getting worn out due to extensive use and the slightly corrosive nature of the cleaning fluid the Soviets were using at the time.

     Kalashnikov therefore did some extensive modifications to the AK-47.  The quality of the steel was improved while the production methods were simplified to use stamped instead of milled steel; this allowed lighter steel to be used as well as bring down production costs.  A recess was placed on each side of the magazine well to act as a guide during magazine insertion.  A rudimentary muzzle compensator has been added to help with recoil (though this is largely counteracted by the lighter weight of the weapon).  And the expensive woods formerly used in the AK-47 were replaced by cheaper and lighter wood; in some cases, it is simply laminated plywood.  The AKM is also capable of being fitted with a suppressor (in most cases, this is the PBS-1), and mounting a wider variety of optics.  Like the AK-47, there are two basic versions of the AKM, the standard AKM with fixed wooden stock, and the folding-stock AKMS.  There does not appear to be any Russian-made training version of the same sort as the AKT-47, though other countries have built such variants.

     Both the AK-47 and AKM have essentially the same gas operation, with a heavy bolt carrier group and a long-stroke gas piston.  The bolt carrier rides on rails attached to the receiver, and uses a rotating bolt.  Extraction comes in two phases.  A curved cam ensures that the bolt rotates.  The cocking handle reciprocates with the bolt carrier, as the cocking handle and bolt carrier are in fact one unit formed out of the same piece of metal.  The parts of the AK have significant play in them (if you pick one up and shake it, it rattles like crazy), but not enough to stop the weapon from working.  And this is part of the key to the AK’s reliability -- this play in the parts helps to a large degree to make the AK highly resistant to dirt and fouling.  The 16.34-inch barrel has threads at the muzzle just ahead of the gas block -- on the AK-47, these threads are normally hidden by a simple protector, while on the AKM, a simple spoon-shaped compensator is attached to help reduce muzzle climb.  The threads may also be used to attach a blank firing adaptor, or even a special silencer designed for use on the AK-47 and AKM and for use only with subsonic ammunition.  Furniture is largely of beech, though late-production versions of the AKM use a plastic pistol grip, and the folding stock versions have a steel-strut stock which folds underneath the rifle.  Feed is mostly from the characteristic heavy ribbed steel 30-round magazines, though both the AK-47 and AKM can feed from the RPK’s 40-round magazines and 75-round drums.  In addition, some recent-production 7.62mm magazines are of brick-red or black plastic or polymer.

     By 2006, most AK-47s had been replaced with more modern weapons (usually other AKs or weapons based on the AK) in most world armies.  Many of the rest had been modified with anything from replaced worn-out parts to plastic stocks and better linings for the barrels.  However, since there were probably over 50 million AK-47s and AKMs manufactured worldwide, there is a good chance that some examples from the original production batch are floating around somewhere.  There are still huge numbers of AKMs in front-line use, and even more in units ranging from Category II Russian to militia units in Europe.  They have been sold by the mountains all over the planet.

Kalashnikov AK-74

     This standard assault rifle of Russian troops was first seen in Afghanistan shortly after the invasion of that country.  It is basically a smaller-caliber version of the AKM that is built with more modern materials.  The 5.6mm Kalashnikov was originally designed for what would become the AK-74, but prototype AK-74’s cartridge was changed for unknown reasons to the 5.45mm Kalashnikov round.  (The 5.6mm Kalashnikov round later became a popular civilian round in Russia and Eastern Europe, but of course, I have provided game figures for a 5.6mm version of the AK-74, mostly out of curiousity.)  Early models used exclusively wooden stocks, but later models have been built with plastic stocks and handguards (usually of the same color wood that the Russian normally use for their weapons).  AK-74s usually have a groove running down the sides of their stocks to provide a quick recognition feature; this was especially necessary in very early models that did not have the now-distinctive muzzle brake.  Magazines for the AK-74 are made of plastic-coated steel (usually dark red or light brown, but sometimes black).  The magazines are of the same dimensions as those for the AKM and AK-74, but will not fit into those rifles (and they couldn’t fire that ammunition anyway).  Though it is not often done, the AK-74 can also use the 40-round box magazines and 75-round drums of the RPK-74 automatic rifle.  The AK-74 sports a muzzle brake that actually works rather well; however, as the muzzle blast is largely directed upwards and to the right (to fight the natural recoil of the AK-74 to the same direction), fellow soldiers on that side of the AK-74 user tend to stay at least three meters away from each other to avoid having muzzle blast and sand kicked in their faces.  (There was also a concern early in the development program that AK-74 firers had a higher incidence of hearing loss, because of the design of the muzzle brake.)  The muzzle brake, however, actually increases muzzle blast and this can be a problem, especially at night.

     A number of AK-74 variants have been produced, both in Russia and in other countries.  Most of these are either folding-stock variants, shortened-barrel variants, or versions firing other calibers (mostly 5.56mm NATO).  The most notable Russian folding stock variants include the AKS-74, with a tubular folding stock, and the AK-74M, which simply puts a right-folding hinge on a solid plastic stock.  The Paratrooper’s Model of the AKS-74 is essentially identical to the standard AKS-74, except for a slight difference in weight and stronger construction.  Another variant is the AK-74MN3, which was designed with a mount for the NPSU-3 IR sight (later superseded by other night vision equipment that is easier to mount). 

     An odd variant is the AKS-74Y; this model has a special barrel surrounded by silencer designed specifically for the AKS-74Y.  The AKS-74Y is meant for use exclusively with subsonic ammunition; standard 5.45mm Kalashnikov ammunition will quickly ruin the silencer and the barrel inside it. 

     Most versions of the AK-74 series firing calibers other than 5.45mm Kalashnikov are made in other countries, with the notable exception of the AK-100 series (q.v.). 

     The AKS-74U (also known as the AKSU or AKMS-U) is an AKS-74 cut down to submachinegun size.  (In fact, the Russians do refer to it as a submachinegun, though it is essentially a short assault rifle.)  It is also known as the Krinkov, particularly in the West; among Russian troops, the most common nicknames for the AKS-74U are the Okurok (cigarette stub) and Ksysusha (a female nickname).  When first seen, Western analysts also referred to the AKS-74U as the AKR-80 or simply the AKR.  The operating system does have some changes to allow the weapon to function reliably with the reduced barrel length, while also reducing the recoil a bit.  In addition, the AKS-74U has a muzzle device designed specifically for it; this device consists of a gas expansion chamber which helps cycle the AKS-74U reliably, reduces the felt recoil, and reduces muzzle flash.  The muzzle device also has a large conical flash hider, further reducing muzzle flash.  The AKS-74U was first seen in use by Russian troops during the invasion of Afghanistan, where it was a common weapon among vehicle crews; a short time later, East German and Romanian border guards were also seen with the weapon.  Since then, it has been copied and modified by perhaps a dozen countries; it may even be more common worldwide than the AKS-74 from which it was derived.  (Virtually every photo or video of Osama Bin Laden ever seen shows him with an AKS-74U over his shoulder or at his side.)  Note that despite the greatly-reduced length, the AKS-74U can still be fitted with the GP-25 or BG-1 grenade launcher.  There is a very rare accessory for the AKS-74U; it is a special shoulder holster, designed for use by helicopter and armored vehicle crews; unfortunately, this holster has proven to be rather clumsy and awkward.  A special 20-round magazine is used when the AKS-74U is worn in the shoulder holster; these magazines are also very rare, and not in general issue.  The AKS-74U itself ended production in 1997, replaced in production by the AK-105.

     In the recent fighting in Chechnya, a new version of the AKS-74U has been seen.  This version fires 7.62mm Kalashnikov ammunition, and has a slightly longer barrel (8.5 inches vs. the 8.1 inches of the 5.45mm version).  When this version was actually introduced is unknown, but it is known that Russian troops have long been clamoring for a return to the 7.62mm Kalashnikov round and its generally greater range and hitting power.  This version of the AKS-74U was also replaced in production in 1997, by the AK-104 in this case.

     After Afghanistan, many Russian troops quietly went back to the AKM; this was not because of the design of the AK-74 (which they liked, despite its shortcomings), but because of dissatisfaction with the 5.45mm Kalashnikov round developed for use in the AK-74.  Most of the complaints centered on a lack of range and damaging power, compared to the AKM and AK-47.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The AK-74 series is the assault rifle most Category I soldiers went to war with, and also equipped a lot of soldiers of Warsaw Pact nations.  As most of the Russian forces used in the Twilight War were Category II, III, or Mobilization-Only units, the AK-74 was not actually the rifle found in the hands of the bulk of Russian forces.  The AKS-74U was a fairly common weapon during the Twilight War, though Western troops were more likely to refer to it as an “AKR.”  The 7.62mm-firing version does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.  The AKS-74Y was typically found with Russian special operations units and to a certain extent airborne units.

     Merc 2000 Notes: As with the Twilight 2000 Notes, this is the rifle that most Category I Russian forces use.  However, in the Merc 2000 World, the Russian have virtually no funding for other units (and barely enough funding for their Category I units, for that matter).

Kalashnikov AK-100 Series

     Notes: The AK-100 series, also known as the Hundred Series, is a post-Cold War weapon group of Russian design based on the AK-74 assault rifle. The AK-100 series was actually begun with the production of the AK-74M (AK-100, an AK-74 with a folding plastic stock).  The entire series is a family of assault rifles and submachineguns based around standardized parts but with different caliber chambering.  Note that the 5.56mm NATO versions do not accept standard STANAG magazines.  (For that matter, magazines designed for the Hundred Series have a bit less of a curve in them, but are still interchangeable with those designed for the original AK/AK-74 series.) The AK-100 series uses plastics instead of wood in its construction, and uses somewhat higher production standards, since it was meant mostly for export instead of domestic use (though the AK-105 was recently picked to supplement the AN-94 in Russian service, and of course the “AK-100” is used by the Russians as the AK-74M).  Most of the metalwork is of steel with a black phosphate finish; the barrels are cold hammer forged, and tipped with a muzzle device similar to that of the AKS-74U, but with a smaller conical flash suppressor which is also notched on the sides.

     There is no “AK-100” as such; the rifle originally called the AK-100 by the designers was type-standardized by the Russians as the AK-74M.  The AK-101, introduced in 1993, is essentially an AK-74M chambered for the 5.56mm NATO cartridge.  The AK-102 is a short-barreled carbine version of the AK-101.  The AK-101-1 is a semiautomatic civilian/police version of the AK-101, while the AK-101-2 is the AK-101 with a 3-round burst mechanism instead of full-automatic fire capability.  The AK-101N2 and AK-101N3 are models with mounts for the 1PN58 and 1PN51 night scopes, respectively.

     The AK-103 series fires 7.62mm Kalashnikov ammunition, and also uses a somewhat different muzzle device due the different requirements of the ammunition.  Nomenclature is essentially the same as the AK-101 series: the AK-103-1 semiautomatic version, the AK-103-2 version with a three-round burst mechanism, the AK-103N2 and AK-103N3 versions with night sight mounts, and the AK-104 short-barreled carbine version.  The AK-105 series also has identical nomenclature, but fires 5.45mm Kalashnikov ammunition, and that all versions of the AK-105 are short-barreled carbines (the normal-length counterpart of the AK-105 is in fact the AK-74M).

     Twilight 2000 Notes:  Not introduced until nearly 1994, the Hundred Series is a rather rare rifle group.  Most versions produced are 5.45mm or 7.62mm versions, but a few 5.56mm versions were also made.  Most of the Hundred Series ended up in use by Airborne, Air Assault, special operations, or VIP protection units, but perhaps 5000 or so made it into the international market, and somewhat ironically, were mostly bought by Americans. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: Mostly the same as the Notes; however, very little domestic use was made of the Hundred Series, and most of them were sold on the international marketplace. 

Kovrov AEK-971

     Notes: This was one of the contenders to replace the AKM and AK-74 in Russian military service, but it has apparently been beaten out in that respect by the AN-94; Kovrov is reportedly now looking for export customers.  This is despite fact that the AEK-971 is also simpler and cheaper to manufacture than the AN-94, a fact which is very important in post-Cold War Russia.

     Though it looks externally similar to a modified Kalashnikov, it in fact uses a wholly different method of operation.  The AEK-971 has two gas pistons and two gas chambers; the first set of these works as is normal for a gas-operated rifle, but the second moves in an opposite direction than the first set and greatly helps to dampen recoil.  This is especially evident in automatic and burst fire, where felt recoil can be reduced by as much as 20%.  Like most Russian small arms, the AEK-971 is constructed largely of steel, though the steel used is of better quality than most Russian assault rifles.  At first, the AEK-971 was equipped with a plastic-coated steel folding stock, but newer models use a skeletonized polymer folding stock.  The fore-end and pistol grip are made from high-impact plastic.  Automatic fire is low enough (about 800 rpm) to allow for burst fire from trained troops; initial models had no burst setting, but Kovrov now includes a burst-fire setting in the AEK-971.  The fire selector is simple to use and is a thumb switch like most Western assault rifles.  Feed is from standard Kalashnikov-type magazines of all sizes and types.  The barrel is 16.54 inches long and is tipped with a muzzle brake similar in appearance to that of the AK-74.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The AEK-971 does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

     Merc 2000 Notes: A rare weapon in the extreme, funding has severely limited the testing of the AEK-971.

*The price for the earlier version without the burst fire mechanism is $182 less.

Nikonov AN-94 (ANS) 

     Notes: According to Gennadiy Nikonov, the designer of the AN-94, the AK-74 was always considered an interim design between the AK-47/AKM and newer assault rifles.  The AN-94 had been in development for 10 years before being chosen as the new type standard in 1994.  Due to budget constraints, the AN-94 had not been delivered to all Russian military units by 2006; in fact, full-scale production has yet to even commence, due the poor state of the Russian economy.  It is believed by Western experts that possibly as few at 3,000 AN-94s have been produced and issued to troops, even though most of the pre-production batch of 1,000 saw service in the recent campaigns in Chechnya.  Though the Russian government maintains that the AN-94 will eventually replace all of the Kalashnikov-series rifles in Russian service, this replacement will at least be very slow, and complete replacement may never actually happen.

     It should be noted that though in the West the AN-94 is often called the “Abakan,” the term Abakan (named for a village in Siberia where most of the testing of the  candidate rifles took place) was actually the code name of the weapons development program to replace the AK-74 and not the name of the rifle itself.  “ANS” was Nikonov’s developmental name for the AN-94, and it is reportedly still called by some Russian troops the ANS.  Since Nikonov is not itself a manufacturing facility, the AN-94 is actually manufactured by Izhmash.

     The AN-94 features higher accuracy, a mount for standard Pact optical equipment (with a 4x sight being standard and included in the cost of the weapon), and reduced felt recoil.  The AN-94 is built using advanced polymers for parts normally made of wood, making the weapon lighter than the AK series.  The AN-94 is capable of firing semiautomatic, 2-round burst, and on full automatic.  The AN-94 can be equipped with a bipod or the BG-15 grenade launcher, and the stock folds to the right for close-quarters fighting.  The 2-round burst feature is very complicated, but it greatly reduces felt recoil and at normal combat ranges, both rounds in the burst will strike (or miss) the target before recoil from the first round is felt.  The operation of the weapon is likewise complicated, using both gas and recoil operation in a process called by Nikonov “Blowback Shifted Pulse” operation.  BPSS is an incredibly complicated operating system that would take a far longer explanation than I want to put down here; the net result is a mechanism which greatly reduces felt recoil and actual recoil, and this is further decreased by an effective muzzle brake.  Construction of the AN-94 is largely of polymers where earlier Russian rifles used wood, an aluminum alloy receiver, cover and magazines, a chrome-lined steel barrel and chamber, and a liberal use of laser welding. This gives the AN-94 great structural strength, but at a high monetary cost. 

     Now, all that said, the reports from Russian troops who have been able to use the AN-94 in combat are not all rosy.  The complicated operating system makes the AN-94 difficult and time-consuming to field-strip and reassemble, and armorers also have found the AN-94 difficult to maintain and repair.  The ergonomics are said not to be the best; the pistol grip is not well-shaped and is uncomfortable when firing, and the magazine, even though it is only slightly off the vertical axis, can easily throw off a soldier who is used to the AK-series and hasn’t had enough training or experience with the AN-94.  The flip-type rear sight is essentially unprotected and also has too-small apertures on both settings.  The AN-94 has several sharp edges which can snag and cut the user.  Mounting even standard Russian underbarrel grenade launchers requires a special adapter with a large space between the handguard and the launcher (meant to allow an underbarrel grenade launcher to fire with a bayonet attached to the AN-94; this also adds more weight to the rifle than such a grenade launcher would add to an AK-series weapon.  The selector switch is easy to reach, but is also quite difficult to turn; you are supposed to be able to flip it with a thumb like on Western-type assault rifles, but most troops find this impossible.  The folding stock is otherwise solid; in early production AN-94s, this made it difficult to fire the AN-94 with the stock folded.  The shape of the buttstock was redesigned, but this made the stock uncomfortable when it is not folded.

     The AK-74 and RPK-74 can use the new magazines introduced with the AN-94.  Magazines fitted into the AN-94 have a slight cant to the right, due to the design of the operating system.  Though current AN-94s are chambered for 5.45mm Kalashnikov ammunition, Nikonov has also made several 5.56mm NATO-firing prototypes and is shopping them around in hopes of export sales; unfortunately, the high real-life cost of the AN-94 is definitely a liability in this regard.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Except for the war would have eventually replaced all AK-74s in Pact military service.  As it was, the AN-94s were generally only issued as far as the best Category I units.    

     Merc 2000 Notes:  Though a few units make use of the AN-94, widespread adoption of the AN-94 has been seriously delayed by budget shortfalls. 

Simonov SKS Carbine

     Notes: Though the design of the SKS dates as far back as 1943 (the M-1943 7.62x39mm “Kalashnikov” cartridge was first used in the SKS), they were not first issued to Russian troops until almost the end of World War 2.  The design might actually be considered to be much older; the SKS is almost a vastly scaled-down PTRS antitank rifle with better wooden fittings.  The SKS is a very simple rifle to strip and maintain, and is capable of some decent long-distance shooting, but is otherwise an uninspired design that owes its success to the simplicity of its manufacture.  The SKS and various modifications of it can be found in almost every country in the world, whether it was built there, given to that country, of sold there later on.  Most of the SKSs have a permanently-mounted folding bayonet under the barrel, but most SKS later sold to the West do not have them. 

TSIITOCHMASH AS Val

     Notes: The AS was designed in the late 1980s to be a true silenced assault rifle for Russian special operations troops.  It is part of a projected family of small, which so far include the VSS Sniper Rifle, the SR-3 Vikhr and the AS itself.  In addition to its use by GRU, Spetsnaz, and Alpha Teams, the AS is in limited use by Army reconnaissance teams, some Interior Ministry units, and some FSB SRT-type teams (the FSB and Interior Ministry inherited the mantle of the former KGB). 

     Like most Russian small arms, the AS Val (also known as the 6P30) is based partly on the Kalashnikov action.  The Val (like the VSS Vintorez silent sniping rifle) is also based on the receiver and operation of the Vikhr short assault rifle.  However, this weapon is fitted with an integral silencer assembly, and fires a special subsonic 9x39mm round (itself based upon the 7.62mm Kalashnikov round) to provide far greater range and penetration than is normal for a silenced weapon.  This weapon is capable of sustained silent operation in both single shot and automatic fire without damage or reduction in effectiveness of the silencer; the silencer itself is said by the Russians to be effective for “several thousand rounds.”  (In fact, the AS cannot be fired without the silencer affixed without damaging the weapon and injuring the shooter.)  The silent assault rifle has a short fore-end and a skeletonized folding butt.  The trigger unit is a modified version of that used on the Czech CZ-58 Assault Rifle.  The safety is a standard Kalashnikov lever, but the selector lever itself is a separate crossbolt button inside the trigger guard behind the trigger.  Any Russian sight or optical device may be fitted above and to the left of the receiver on a bracket similar to those used on certain Kalashnikov-type rifles; backup iron sights are also available. The Val can fire both SP-5 and SP-6 ammunition, but the steel or tungsten-cored SP-6 ammunition is normally reserved for use by the VSS Vintorez Sniper Rifle (q.v.).  A standard ball round, the PAB-1, is also available.  The AS cannot use bayonets, rifle grenades, or an underbarrel grenade launcher.

     Strangely enough, the Val can trace its origins back to the shoot-down of Francis Gary Powers’ aircraft in May of 1960.  One of the items that were captured with the pilot was a silenced pistol that used a suppressor of advanced design, extremely quiet and very resistant to wear.  This silencer features a two-chamber design which essentially slows the round slightly and dilutes the sound of the firing of the round and the resulting gas.  The Russians were very impressed, but decades went by before they could reproduce the technology.  One of the weapons that eventually came out of the study of that pistol and its suppressor was the AS Val. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Often, the first time NATO or Chinese troops knew they were facing Russians armed with this weapon was when their comrades started falling around them, victims of “bullets from nowhere.”  However, the Val was never available in large quantities, and most of its users were a part of assassination teams or agents who had to quietly take over a facility. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: Despite the large amount of interest all over the world in the Val, and the potentially large amounts that the Russians could make from its sale, the Russians have been strangely tight-lipped and stingy with it.  If you gain possession of a Val, you probably took it off a dead Russian special ops trooper or have some sort of contact high in the Russian hierarchy. 

TSKIB SOO OTs-14 Groza

     Notes: This Groza (Thunder -- doesn’t that seem to be a common name for Russian weapons?)  was developed in the early 1990s as a close-combat weapon for Spetsnaz, Alpha teams, airborne forces, and combat engineers.  Primarily manufactured at a special arms facility called TSKIB SOO, it was also for a short time in the mid-1990s manufactured by Tula. Though it was used in decent numbers during the First Chechen War in 1999, it is apparently no longer being manufactured, possibly at the request of the troops themselves.

     The OTs-14 comes in two calibers: 7.62mm Kalashnikov and 9mm SP5/SP6.  The 7.62mm version was primarily used by airborne troops and combat engineers, while the 9mm version is the more common one, used by Spetsnaz and Alpha teams.  The Groza has a 75% parts commonality with the AK-74 and is essentially an AKS-74U upsized and turned into bullpup form.  When mounted with the GP-25, a single trigger fires both the assault rifle and grenade launcher, with a barrel selector switching between the weapons.  The Groza can mount the PSO-1 sight used on the SVD and SVU sniper rifles, and is threaded for a suppressor.  There are four basic configurations for the OTs-14; the standard version is called the OTs-14-4A, which is the rifle with a standard-length barrel and an attached grenade launcher.  Without the grenade launcher, it is called the OTS-14-4A-01.  With a short barrel installed, the designation is the OTs-14-4A-02 (attaching the GP-25 is not possible with the short barrel installed); when a suppressor is added to the short barrel, the designation becomes OTs-14-4A-03.  (The long barrel is not threaded for a suppressor.) 

     From an ergonomic standpoint, the OTs-14 was apparently terrible; the AK series in general is not really suited to simple conversions to a bullpup layout; a lot of work has to be done to really make an AK-series bullpup work right.  On the OTs-14, this meant that the charging handle would dig into the shoulders of some troops as it reciprocated, it could not be fired from the left shoulder (due to the position of the ejection port), it was rather unbalanced, and the pistol grip was uncomfortable.  When using iron sights, they are both mounted on a detachable carrying handle, which resulted in an unusually short sight radius.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Though the Groza has been produced since late 1992, it is nonetheless a rather rare weapon, normally only used by special operations personnel or Airborne Pathfinders.  The 7.62mm version, in particular, is extremely rare, as production concentrated on the more compact 9mm version. 

     Merc 2000 Notes: This is another weapon the international arms market would love to get their hands on, but few, if any, are available outside of certain Russian units.

TSNIITOCHMASH SR-3 Vikhr

     Notes: The Vikhr (Whirlwind) was first revealed to the world at various international arms shows in 1992, but development may have started as early as the mid-1980s.  It was first confused with another short assault rifle that had not yet been seen at that time in public, the A-91M.  Cousins of the Vikhr include the AS Val silent assault rifle and the VSS Vintorez silent sniper rifle.  The Vikhr is sometimes called the MA, since “MA” was its development designation (the contraction for the Russians words meaning “small-size assault rifle”).  The Vikhr is very much a special duty weapon; aside from special operations use, it is believed that the Vikhr is generally found only in the special briefcases carried by the FSO bodyguards of certain high government officials.  (FSO is roughly the Russian equivalent of the VIP protection detachment of the US Secret Service.)

     The Vikhr (Whirlwind) fires the same 9mm SP5 and SP6 rounds, and is meant to provide a weapon capable of high armor penetration and inflicting serious wounds, but is also fairly concealable.  It uses the same 10 and 20-round magazines of the AS and VSS, and the operating system is essentially identical.  There are two versions of the Vikhr: early production models (also known as the MA) , with very-low profile sights and no sort of muzzle device, and more recent versions, which have larger rear sights, a ribbed fore-end for a better grip, and a small muzzle brake.  No provision is made in either case for mounting any sort of silencer or sound suppressor.  Metal parts are of steel (mostly machined), including the top-folding stock.  The sights of the Vikhr are also much simpler than those of the AS.  The AK-type safety has been replaced with an ambidextrous thumb switch above the trigger guard, but the fire selector remains the same crossbolt button behind the trigger. The charging mechanism can be difficult to master; though it slides quite easy, it consists of a pair of sliders on either side of the Vikhr which must be pinched between the thumb and finger and pulled back.  This charging mechanism helps dehorn the Vikhr, but is unusual for those not trained in the Vikhr’s use.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Similar to above; the Vikhr was almost never seen outside the hands of Russian special operations or certain bodyguard details, though in a few instances it turned up in Polish use.  Only early-production versions of the Vikhr are available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Being a rather expensive weapon for its size and weight, the Russian budget just didn’t have the money to build all the Vikhrs the military was asking for.  Most Vikhrs became weapons for the bodyguards – sometimes of government officials, sometimes for organized crime bosses.

Tula/KBP 9A-91

     Notes: This was designed in response for a compact assault rifle for use at close ranges.  Originally in competition with the Vikhr, both weapons were eventually selected; the Vikhr for very short ranges and the 9A-91 and A-91 for slightly longer range operations.  The 9A-91 began small-scale production at Tula in 1994, more to allow combat and operational testing than anything else.  Prototypes were designed in 7.62mm Kalashnikov, 5.45mm Kalashnikov, 5.56mm NATO, and 9mm SP-5/SP-6/PAB-9, but only the 9mm version survived the development process and went into production.  It was originally meant to be sort of a PDW and for special operations use, but instead was primarily issued to the MVD (Interior Ministry, sort of a Russian equivalent of the FBI) and Police SRT-type units.

     The 9A-91 is gas-operated with a rotating bolt and a long-stroke gas piston; in this aspect it is similar, but not the same as, the AK-series’ operation.  Construction is largely of steel, with a stamped steel receiver and machined working parts.  The pistol grip and handguard are of polymer, with a strut-type steel stock that folds over the top of the weapon.  The fire selector is a thumb switch above the left side of the trigger guard.  Flip-up aperture sights are provided calibrated for up to 200 meters on the long-range sight, though the short barrel, the ammunition, and the short sight base makes accurate shots at that range virtually impossible.  The 9A-91 is also capable of mounting virtually all Russian optics, and can also mount an underbarrel GP-25 grenade launcher.  The 9A-91 is designed for use with rifle grenades or bayonets.  The 7.19-inch barrel is tipped with a spoon-type muzzle brake (which unfortunately also greatly increases the muzzle blast); this is mounted on threads which allow the use of a screw-on-type suppressor.

     The A-91 (also called the A-91M) was introduced a few months later than the 9A-91.  Though it uses the same basic operation and features of the 9A-91, the A-91 is a bullpup weapon with a polymer housing with steel reinforcement instead of being all-steel.  The A-91 also has an integral GP-25 grenade launcher beneath the barrel of the weapon (though pre-production models used a clip-on GP-25 mounted above the barrel).  The handguard also includes a foregrip, which may be used to stabilize the weapon when firing or as a pistol grip when firing the grenade launcher.  Ejection carries the spent shells forward slightly to above the rear pistol grip and ejects them forward, which sort of allows left-handed shooting.  Unfortunately, the fire selector is of the AK-type, and mounted at almost the end of the buttstock on the left side; this makes the selector lever particularly difficult to use when the weapon is shouldered.  The rear sights are located on a top-mounted carrying handle/sight base, with a front post sight.  The carrying handle also has a Russian equivalent of a Weaver rail, allowing the use of Russian optics as well as many Western optics.  While one of the chamberings of the A-91 is 5.56mm NATO, proprietary magazines are used.  The A-91 cannot use a bayonet or rifle grenades.  The 7.6-inch barrel is tipped with a slot-type muzzle brake, mounted on threads which may also accept a screw-on type suppressor.  This muzzle brake is unfortunately also known to increase muzzle blast more than most muzzle brakes.  (The GP-25 portion is covered under Russian Grenade Launchers.)

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This is another one of those rare weapons that found sometimes is found in Russian hands during the Twilight War; if your enemy is armed with these weapons, he is probably elite.

     Merc 2000 Notes: Though more common, the story is much the same as the Vikhr.

Tula/KBP A-91M

     Notes: This weapon signaled a possible return in Russia to the 7.62mm Kalashnikov round; reports starting in the late 1990s indicate that Russian soldiers, especially those involved in special operations, were not happy with the 5.45mm Kalashnikov round, citing lack of stopping power and penetration.  They also wanted a more-compact, more manageable weapon, particularly when deploying in helicopters.  The A-91M was developed in response to this requirement, but there is no indication that it has been produced in quantity, nor any sure reports of it being issued to any particular unit.  It has only actually been seen at various defense expositions and international arms shows. The GP-95 grenade launcher was specifically designed for use with this weapon, and is in fact an integral part of the rifle. The weapon is gas-operated with an almost totally enclosed receiver, and the weapon is designed to be equally usable by left and right-handed firers, despite its bullpup construction, as the cases are ejected towards the front of the weapon.

     Twilight 2000 Notes:  Full development was halted by the advent of the Twilight War, but small numbers of the A-91M appear to have been produced and issued.  As such, this weapon was only issued to Spetsnaz, Alpha Teams, and KGB personnel, and even then only in small numbers.   

     Merc 2000 Notes:  This has been a very little-seen weapon; it has had no foreign sales, and Russian inventories do not list the weapon as one that they issue.  However, it has sometimes been seen in news footage shot in Chechnya and other former Russian republics.