The red rim of the sun pushes itself over the distant horizon, as a brown haze of dust kicks up from the sniper’s shot. His spotter, with intense eyes, watches the turbulent wake trails behind the bullet (known as bullet trace) through his spotting scope. The sniper calls a clean break, and the spotter watches the impact of the round on the steel target. The spotter records the elevation dialed onto the sniper’s scope turret, the wind call and the range to the target. Prior to taking the shot, the spotter recorded the atmospheric data for the day (station pressure, temperature, humidity and light conditions).

These snipers have mastered the science of external ballistics, which is the science of bullet flight. Their knowledge of external ballistics, along with mastery of the functional elements of the shot process and an understanding of complex engagements, allows the sniper team to hit targets at extended ranges. The sniper team’s success in tactical shooting comes from practice and knowing what tools to use in building an accurate firing solution. The tools that the sniper team will use when applying ballistics in the field can be broken down into three important categories.

1. The riflescope. The riflescope is the gateway to the battlefield. In terms of ballistics, the riflescope is an enabler to the sniper. The riflescope applies the calculation via dials or reticles that the sniper needs to engage the target. The riflescope is a precision instrument and in order to use it to its fullest capability, the scope turrets have to be verified, and it has to be mounted correctly. Uncalibrated sight adjustments are one of the most common problems in shooting. In most cases, there is some error in scope turrets. For more information on zeroing and scope calibration, check out my previous article “Sure Kill: A Baseline for Sniper Lethality,” Small Arms Defense Journal, Vol. 10, No. 2.

2. Measurement tools. Measurement tools are used to gather the information required to support a scientific calculation. The sniper wants to have the most refined and accurate measurements possible to obtain the most accurate ballistic firing solution. The following measurement tools are important to the sniper: rangefinders (maps, ranging reticles, laser range finders), Kestrel weather meter, angle cosine indicator and a chronograph.

3. Ballistic solver. The ballistic solver is the tool that bridges the gap between raw data and useful firing solutions. The basic principle of trajectory modeling is that if the sniper inputs all of the variables correctly into a ballistic program, that program will return an accurate ballistic solution. The sniper has to be aware of the true value of all the inputs. Possible variables that can account for an error in point of impact are shown in the Point of Impact Error Checklist chart. The sniper must ensure none of the listed variables is contributing to an observed vertical point of impact between live fire data and ballistic program predictions.

ATSLAN Ballistic Solver

Atslan from Zikitec® Ltd. is a field-proven ballistic calculator that combines a ballistic solver with a user friendly and very intuitive logbook. The Atslan ballistic solver is specifically designed for snipers and has seen use in Israel by IDF snipers and IDF special forces. Atslan lets you record all your shooting and track multiple profiles, rifles, scopes and ammunition.

Some key features of Atslan are:

• State of the art ballistic calculator with support for: Spin-drift, Aerodynamic-Jump and Coriolis Effect.
• Support for G1 and G7 ballistic coefficients and multi-BCs (stepped BCs).
• Muzzle velocity temperature table.
• Supports imperial and metric units, MRAD (Mil), MOA and IPHY.
• Intuitive functions for: wind direction, azimuth and shooting angle.
• Uses your phone sensors to get barometric pressure, humidity, azimuth, etc.
• Cold bore shot tracking.
• Training performance summary.
• Variety of targets and shooting positions to use for data collection.
• Backup / Restore options.

Muzzle Velocity Temperature Table

Snipers can use the chronograph to create a muzzle velocity temperature table. A minimum of four data points will be needed from the current lot and need to be at least 30 degrees apart. It is always best to have data points for the coldest and warmest points that the sniper will shoot in. A muzzle velocity temperature table is important because a change in the ambient temperature will change the trajectory of a bullet. A temperature change affects the air density which directly affects the ability of the bullet to move through the air. As the temperature rises, the air become less dense and the bullet will experience less drop over range because it is bleeding off its speed at a slower rate. The reverse is also true when there is a drop in temperature, as it will cause the atmosphere to grow more dense, slowing the bullet faster, requiring more time to traverse the same range.

Muzzle Velocity POI Check

After obtaining the muzzle velocity of the cartridge by using a chronograph, it is essential to check the data by confirming the trajectory at a range between 300 and 600 meters using the shorter range for small calibers and the longer ranges for large calibers. Using the POI method to determine muzzle velocity is a good way to check the chronograph as these checks may show that the snipers’ chronograph is habitually giving results above or below the actual muzzle velocity.

Stepped Bullet Coefficient (BC) Method

This is the best way to use a ballistic computer, and Atslan gives you this option. Think of banded or stepped BCs as having a correlating value at the muzzle, at mid-range and at the target. Bullet coefficients are based on not only the bullet design but the velocity. We also know that since the bullet is constantly falling as well as slowing down, that the value of the BC is going to change. A Stepped BC tells the software to adjust the drag curve based on the range and muzzle velocity. Where most ballistic solvers use a single BC number and apply it to the entire flight path of the bullet, Stepped BC corrects the path. Stepped BCs work for both G7 and G1 as well.

Prior to mission and to wrap up their training session, the sniper team conducts the following steps to confirm their trajectory calculations by using predicted firing solutions and observing actual bullet impacts on targets. It is imperative that the ranges to these confirmation targets must be within +/- 1 meter, and all impacts must be able to be spotted to 1/10 of a Mil. The use of a water mark line painted on the steel target can assist in accurate recording of the shots.

The sniper team will:

(1) Dial on predicted dope for 500 meters. Conduct muzzle velocity POI check.

(2) Record vertical POA-POI deviation. Must measure impacts to 1/10 Mil.

(3) Adjust MV if needed. Should not need to adjust by more than 50 fps.

(4) BC POI check. Establish a target near the velocity range between 1350 fps and 1650 fps.

(5) Record vertical POA-POI deviation. Must measure impacts to 1/10 Mil.

(6) Adjust BC until predicted elevation matches observed elevation. Should not need to adjust by more than 5 or 10 points on BC. Annotate environment and wind conditions.

The sniper team has to understand that the shooter influences the bullet as much as every variable that has been discussed. Trust your raw data and always record your actual data in a data book or an intuitive logbook found in a ballistic software application like Atslan. If you cannot get the entire flight of the bullet to line up, make two tracks—a short-range track (supersonic) and long-range track (subsonic). If they work, you solved the problem for the entire path of the trajectory. At the end of the day, the bullet doesn’t lie, and a great sniper will always record and manage a data book. Knowledge and data on previous engagements (DOPE) are vital.

For more information on Atslan, go to zikitec.com

Biennial Expo Highlights Southeast Asia’s Small Arms Manufacturing

The biennial defense exposition Indo Defence 2018 was held this year in Jakarta and has much to offer readers in terms of some of the latest military small arm developments outside the United States. Being one of the largest expositions of its variety in the Southeast Asian region, the show was certainly one that Small Arms Review wasn’t going to miss covering. Companies from all over the world came to attend the show, many vying at possible contacts or solicitations among the Indonesian military. Lasting for several days with the final day open to general public access, the exposition was set up by country in order of booths. It was spread over two enormous convention halls (a third smaller hall) and the open ground in between them for vehicle displays. In addition to the displays there were vehicle demonstrations that took place, showcasing their tactical capabilities while in operation.

A small part of the trade show floor.

The KNT-76 from MKE has a number of features that make it useful as a designated marksman rifle for the Turkish infantry, such as the adjustable stock and variable power optic.

Upgrades from Turkey

Representing Turkey at the show was the state-owned MKE enterprise, privately-owned Kale Kalip and ATA Arms. MKE was displaying some of the latest additions to the Turkish Armed Forces arsenal with the manually operated Bora-12 Precision rifle and the self-loading KNT-76 Designated Marksman rifle, both in 7.62x51mm NATO. These will be seeing service by Turkish soldiers in upcoming months. The KNT-76 is simply a designated marksman’s variant of the MPT-76 service rifle, allowing the Turkish infantry to have a precision rifle at the squad or platoon level capable of rapid precision fire without the need to learn a new weapon system.

The other half of the MPT-76 story is of course with Kale Kalip, one of the three manufacturers of the service rifle and also present at Indo Defence. Apart from the MPT-76 Kale Kalip had its 5.56x45mm variants on display, one of them being a compact variant with a sub-8-inch barrel. But new from them this year was licensed production of Accuracy International AX50 anti-materiel rifles.

The Vietnamese booth struck a chord with many visitors who came to the show and for good reason as this was the first time Vietnam has displayed recent small arms manufacture at such a large event.

However, the biggest news from Turkey came from the small and nimble ATA Arms with a recent contract to supply the Turkish Armed Forces with 8,000 units of their BA40 Low-Velocity 40x46mm under barrel/standalone grenade launcher. This was on display at the ATA Arms booth along with a number of commercial shotguns and rifles that the company is submitting to the ATF in order to be imported into the United States for sale on the civilian market.

Profense’s 5.56x45mm Miniguns

Breaking into the M134 Minigun market for some time now is the Arizona-based company Profense with their own take on the venerable design. However, this year along with AUSA 2018 the company turned some heads with their 5.56x45mm variant of the Minigun, specifically designed for special operations requirements and built on a client’s request. Readers will probably remember the 5.56x45mm XM214 Minigun variant from the Vietnam War era and some of the reasons why it wasn’t accepted for service. Coming full circle today, a 5.56x45mm Minigun is seen by some as being viable for certain applications, especially in terms of greater mobility through weight reduction.

Vietnam’s Entry into Small Arms Production

Probably one of the biggest head turners at the show was Vietnam’s entry into small arms production as evidenced by the Vietnam Defense Industry’s spectacular booth display of all of the models currently being manufactured. This will make Vietnam the fifth Southeast Asian country to have successfully established small arms manufacturing (Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand). Recently entering into licensing agreements with Israel for the manufacture of Galil ACE rifles, Vietnam is slowly replacing Cold War-era designs with locally produced variants among its Armed Forces. But Galil ACE variants aren’t the only item being produced or assembled in Vietnam. Derivatives of the Lee Enfield, M79 grenade launcher, OSV-96s, Soviet handguns and even a helical magazine-fed 9x19mm PP-19 Bizon submachine gun are but a few of the other small arms being produced and assembled in modern day Vietnam. Some of the small arms on display might have a chance at being imported into the United States for the civilian market, such as the manually repeating Lee Enfield variants that were on display.

ATA Arms had their BA40 on display with the ambidextrous barrel assembly allowing a user to rotate the barrel to the left or right for manual reloading.

Indonesian Design and Manufacture

Of course, what would an Indonesian defence exposition be without indigenous Indonesian products? Representing the Indonesian state arms manufacturing arm was PT Pindad with their booth close to the entrance of the fair. There were a number of upgraded and improved models available from Pindad this year. The 7.62x51mm SS3 rifles were shown in newer configurations, essentially being upgraded models of their smaller 5.56x45mm variants. Versions of the standard 5.56x45mm rifles were displayed with upgrades such as Magpul and Trijicon add-ons and accessories. A new submachine gun was displayed, the 9x19mm PM-3. The compact piece takes MP5 magazines, incorporates a folding stock and is reportedly to be used by Indonesian Counter-Terror forces.

In the belt-fed arena was the presence of a .50 BMG STK 50MG Heavy Machine Gun, in cooperation with Singapore’s ST Kinetics, designated SM5 by Pindad. The dual belt-fed machine guns were displayed at the Pindad booth for the first time but haven’t been seen in service with the Indonesian military yet. Close by were newly introduced, manually operated precision rifles being produced by Pindad with variants chambered in .50 BMG, .338 Lapua and 7.62x51mm NATO.

Separate from Pindad was the Indonesian Army’s Kodiklatad Polytechnic research and development division. The department’s booth featured locally designed and produced copies of the Israeli “Corner Shot” arm device that allows a shooter to toggle a handgun around a corner and shoot it accurately via an LCD screen attached to the “receiver” of the device. Mounted to the arm was a Glock 19 handgun, but there were other handgun designs that the arm was made to fit such as various Pindad handguns. Kodiklatad Polytechnic was displaying both manually and electronically operated versions of the toggle arm while at the show, allowing attendants to interact with it while on the show floor. Talking with Kodiklatad Polytechnic representatives, we were told that the device was created in response to Indonesian Special Forces’ requests for a domestically produced version of the original Israeli design when they encountered it in training.

Kale Kalip’s subcompact 5.56x45mm AR15-patterned variant on display.

British Precision Rifle Expansion

Many readers might immediately think of Accuracy International when discussing British precision rifles, but Steel Core Designs has slowly been creeping into the market with small contracts worldwide, particularly in the Middle East. During the recent fighting against the so-called Islamic State, the .50 BMG variant (Cyclone) was actually employed against rebel forces by a sniper who was a part of the Iraqi Emergency Response Brigade. Coupled with optics from the Czech company Meopta, the manually repeating, externally magazine-fed rifles are brutally simple compared to other precision rifle designs in their class. This has contributed to sales in the Middle East due to the lack of complex components where fine sand could find its way. New for the show was the Hurricane SF in 7.62x51mm NATO, a variant of an earlier line of rifles that Steel Core Designs had introduced.

Steel Core Designs’ precision rifles are slowly gaining traction in the Middle East defense sector. Note the extremely simple construction of the tubular receiver and folding stock on their Thunderbolt line.

The PM-3 submachine gun, introduced this year by Pindad Defense. Note the folded stock and the MP5 magazine. This allows units to retire their aging MP5 submachine guns while still retaining the reliable magazines.

A High Performance SMG Despite Growing Pains

In 1993, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs requested a new pistol caliber submachine gun for law enforcement applications. Rule of law in the former Soviet Union continued to degrade, and special police units faced new threats from terrorism and organized crime. At the Izhmash Factory, Izhevsk, Russia, Victor Mikhailovich Kalashnikov, the son of the famed AK designer Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, went to the drawing board. He teamed up with another legacy constructor Alexei Dragunov, the son of Yevgeny Fedorovich Dragunov, the famed designer of the SVD. Together, the compact submachine gun PP-19 Bizon (Bison) was their answer.

The PP-19 Bizon and its successor, the PP-19-01 Vityaz (Knight) Version 10, are blowback operated, closed-bolt, select fire submachine guns of the Kalashnikov family. Bizon is distinguished by its unusual helical magazine. Depending on the variant, the magazine has a capacity of either 64 9×18 Makarov rounds or 54 9×19 NATO, respectively. The Bizon entered service in 1996 with special law enforcement units but reportedly saw little use.

Although the Bizon’s action was of sound design and lightweight, the magazine had reported issues with reliability. The magazines were not perfectly interchangeable between other guns as intended, meaning that each magazine matched its parent gun for proper feeding. This was added to the fact that they were already finicky in function. The unusual bulky dimensions of the helical magazines also required specially made pouches.

The layout of the Bizon used a newly designed receiver which was partially relieved at the bottom front and had altered and extended bolt guide rails to accommodate the helical magazine. The shortened dimensions cut out the standard side-folding locking mechanism known to the AKS-74 and its derivatives. The lock had to be redesigned to allow the stock to affix to the cross-trunnion barrel pin when folded. A sheet metal cover fit above the magazine, and the magazine itself served as the handguard. The standard AK triangle side-folding stock had a new securing plate riveted and spot welded to access the repositioned stock catch when folded. The gun also had a special trigger guard/magazine release with a flared housing for ease of magazine changes, a new shortened side optics mount and proprietary front trunnion and sight blocks. The 9mm barrel has a length of 8.9 inches and is threaded to a 14×1 left-hand thread for a cone style, bird cage type flash hider. The rear sight is a 50-100m leaf. The Bizon is said to be out of service while the Vityaz, with its more traditional submachine gun configuration, has been in widespread use with special units of all military branches and law enforcement agencies.

Vityaz PP-19-01

The Bizon’s younger brother, the Vityaz PP-19-01 was developed by Izhmash in 2004 and entered service in 2008. Since 2013, Concern Kalashnikov, Izhmash’s successor, has continued to manufacture it. The Vityaz was developed under supervision and by request from Sergei Lisuk, then commander of the famous ”Vityaz” tactical group—a special purpose unit of the Russian Interior Ministry. The correct literal Russian translation of the word “Vityaz” is a “Medieval heroic warrior-knight.”

The Vityaz is chambered in 9×19 NATO and uses the same blowback operation as the Bizon but with a traditional box magazine design, feeding from a 30rd polymer magazine with metal reinforced feed lips with stripper clip grooves. The magwell attaches to the standard AK trigger guard. The polymer magwell hooks into the receiver and is riveted to the mag release housing using a standard AK mag release rivet. The magazine housing also allows for a straight insertion, rather than a traditional AK rock and lock method. The submachine gun has a rate of fire of 700 to 750 rounds per minute and can fire a range of ammunition from standard 9×19 ball to the Russian armor piercing 7N21.

The receiver is an AK-74M parent receiver, reducing design time and total production costs from the earlier Bizon design. Without the need to accommodate the helical magazine, the receiver is shortened just in front of the magazine well. Like the Bizon, the shortened dimensions require the use of the same barrel pin set up to secure the folding stock.

The Vityaz uses a standard AK-100 series rear trunnion and a new dust cover hinged on the rear sight tower. The front trunnion is shortened as the blowback action of the gun does not require locking shoulders but rather relies on the mass of the bolt to delay the opening of the breech. Part of this mass is in the carrier stem, using the “gas tube” as a guide. The 9.5-inch barrel is threaded to 16×1 right-hand with a proprietary flash hider and a new front sight block using a standard front sight drum and post. The rear sights are graduated for either a 100m to 300m or a 50m to 200m leaf sight. The Vityaz uses a standard AK handguard retainer/hanger with the two internal keys milled off. The handguard, while visually similar to the AK-100 series, is a new design to accommodate the new front trunnion. The fire control group, however, are standard AK components and allow for safe, semi- and full-auto fire. The civilian market “Saiga-9” uses the same receiver as the Vityaz that’s taken off the military production line, complete with a three axis pins and a full-auto fire control group. However, Concern Kalashnikov makes the Saiga line of rifles semi-auto only by installing a semi-auto disconnector or sometimes a semi-auto safety in addition. The receiver markings are safe and semi-auto only. This is considered a legal modification for semi-auto-only restrictions in the Russian market. The Saiga-9 is also fitted with a 13.5-inch barrel due to the overall length requirements.

Vityaz-SN

The second iteration of the Vityaz is the Vityaz-SN (SN-Special Forces), Version 20. It has the same layout as the original with the addition of an M1913 rail-hinged dust cover. The M1913 rail-hinged dust cover is on both the civilian Saiga-9 and the military Vityaz-SN. However, the Vityaz-SN still retains the side optics mount. This is to allow Russian operators to use side-mounted optics, with which they have a preference or prior tactical experience. The newest iteration is the Vityaz-MO, which is essentially the same weapon as the SN but with a suppressor. The Vityaz-MO was presented at the Army-2018 International Military-Technical Forum range day; although close investigation revealed that it was a Vityaz-SN with a Zenitco suppressor. The gasses ejecting out of the recoil spring’s assembly hole in the dust cover were enough to make the toughest shooters tear up. A recoil assembly gasket to reduce the gasses exiting the rear of the dust cover would be a major improvement.

Overall, the Vityaz is not a revolutionary design but honors its Kalashnikov lineage through practicality. For comparison, the Vityaz at 6.39 pounds is slightly heavier than the H&K MP5, which ranges from 4.4 to 6.8 pounds depending on the variant. The MP5 is an outstanding submachine gun, but the Vityaz outperforms it in simplicity of operation and construction. It is cheaper to manufacture and easier to maintain in the field and throughout its service life. This was accomplished by reducing the total system components and designing a simplistic blowback operation, when compared to the somewhat more complex roller-delayed blowback H&K system. Additionally, one notable advantage of the Vityaz over the MP5 is the ability to insert a loaded magazine with the bolt forward. On the MP5 this action is difficult and requires the bolt to be drawn rearward for both tactical reloads and when the magazine is empty.

While the Vityaz also does not have a bolt-hold-open mechanism, it still eliminates this extra step in the manual of arms and produces increased efficiency in reloading over the MP5.

Despite these advantages, the Vityaz/Saiga-9 design is far from perfect. The Russian factory-issued operators’ manual states that the submachine gun is not serviceable after 7000 rounds. After this relatively small round count, charging handles have broken off and receiver damage at times has rendered the weapon non-operational. One persistent issue with the current Vityaz is the bolt. The bolt channels engaging the bolt guide rails have excessive slop. This enables the bolt to bounce up when it hits the full-auto sear, and over time this specifically damages the right bolt guide rail. This oscillation is known to break the spot welds from the right side rail to the receiver. The fix from the factory was simple. They added a rivet in the hinged top cover to keep the bolt from bouncing up when the bolt was moving rearward or forward. The viability of this match is still being evaluated.

In summary, having shot a few Vityaz and not personally having witnessed or experienced any of the weapon’s design shortcomings I can see why the Vityaz is a favorable submachine gun option. The Vityaz is at its dawn, and the high volume of civilian, military and police orders suggest a long service life despite growing pains in its current form.

An Ethiopian Surprise

In the age of Google, Facebook, Reddit and all the AK-47-centered internet forums, you would not really think that some AK variants are still unknown to the general public.

These days, if one wants to learn about different types of Kalashnikovs, all one needs to do is open a browser. Forums, pictures and even special identification charts abound.

The coating used for Ethiopian AKMs provides little corrosion resistance.

I personally was very lucky—a good friend of mine, Pavel Pticin, owns the finest collection of foreign-made AKs in Russia. Thanks to him, I had at least some idea about most foreign AK variants. Also, working as an armorer in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, I had a chance to inspect and repair several thousand AKs from different countries.

People love to argue about which country made the best quality AKs. I get this question very often, and the answer is always the same, “I don’t really know.”

To answer this question with any certainty and credibility, one would need to get a batch of AKs made in every country in question and conduct extensive MIL-SPEC testing. No one will ever pay for that.

But at least now I have an answer to another, less popular question: “What are some of the worst AKs you’ve ever seen?”
After working with Kalashnikov rifles in Russia for over a decade and doing some overseas armorer gigs, I really did not expect to see anything new when I was heading to Somalia for the first time. Needless to say, I was dead wrong.

Ethiopian factory markings on the receiver.

Mystery AK

I landed in Mogadishu in a surprisingly nice airport, got through security and jumped into an armored Land Cruiser, which seemed to be the most popular choice of transportation for everyone who was on the same flight with me.

We just got to the base, and I was checking into the camp and getting my badge when a guard walked in with a very strange AK variant.

It was a stamped AKM with weird black plastic furniture. The handguard looked a bit like the East German one, with vertical checkering, but the color was definitely not right. The buttstock also had distinct East German “pebble grain” texture, which you can see on some MPI-KMs, but again, it was black.

All my weariness from the 15-hour flight with two connections was gone. I really wanted to know what it was.

Ethiopian stock installed on original type 2 AK-47.

I figured that trying to take the gun from a complete stranger is not a very smart idea, so I had to wait until the next day to take a closer look.

The next day the guards gave all their weapons to me for inspection, and I saw that AK again. One other rifle was also made by the same manufacturer. It actually had quite a few distinct markings and features, so identification itself was not so difficult after all.

On the left side of the receiver, the weapon had an inscription of the word, “GAFAT-I,” which immediately solved the mystery.

Gafat Armament Engineering Complex is one of the most prominent factories of the Ethiopian military-industrial complex.

Some people might smile when they hear “Ethiopian military-industrial complex” but really, there is nothing to laugh about. Ethiopia has quite a few very capable factories producing small arms, ammunition, mortars, repairing and upgrading military vehicles and even tanks.

Officially, Gafat Engineering Factory was established in January 1986, but the village that gave the name to the company actually had its first firearms manufacturing facility as early as 1866.

Selector markings on the Ethiopian AK. Some guns had a letter “H” as a battle sight position; others had the Roman numeral “III.”

The first question that came to my mind was: “How exactly did Ethiopia get the transfer of technology for AKs?”
They certainly did not get it from Russia (believe me, I know). Maybe it was China? China transferred technology to Albania, Iran and Sudan, why not Ethiopia? However, the gun had no Chinese features, such as fully enclosed hooded front sight, spike bayonet or L&D markings on the selector, etc.

On the first glimpse, the gun looked like a standard stamped AKM with smooth dust cover. However, as I looked inside, the origin of the gun became clear, yet very surprising.

As we all know, the easiest way to identify an AK is to look at selector markings, rear sight and factory identification marks.
The selector markings did not match any manual that I had. The full-auto setting was designated as “A” (I am assuming “automatic”) and semiauto as “S” (self-explanatory).

The safe position of the selector, as it usually is with most AKs except for Romanian variants, had no mark.

The stock had a logo and the abbreviation of GAEC for Gafat Armament Engineering Complex.

Another Ethiopian gun had Roman numeral “I” for semiauto fire and an infinity symbol for fully automatic. At first, I thought that it was a Hungarian-made weapon, since they also use the infinity symbol for full-auto.

The rear sight was even more unusual. First of all, it was only graduated up to 800 meters, with all the AKMs always having a rear sight graduated up to 1000 meters.

Again, none of that was in any identification manual that I knew of. Nevertheless, deep down I felt that I remembered something about guns with the Roman numeral III on the rear sight.

There were no visible factory markings on the trunnion, just a serial number.

Right above the magazine release there was an additional rivet inside a small indentation—a very unusual feature.

The quality of the guns clearly was not very good. But one weapon looked particularly gruesome. The front trunnion with barrel assembly was violently wobbling in the receiver. Without any effort, you could move the barrel up or down a quarter of an inch or so. The rivets looked horrible.

The rivet on the left side of the receiver was smashed; the rivet on the right side was tilted. The person at the factory probably had a particularly horrible day when he was assembling this poor assault rifle.

The weapon was easily closing on a “field” headspace gauge, which also did not inspire much confidence. Repairing this rifle without any equipment or spare parts was impossible, so I decided to just use it for much needed parts.

As I disassembled it, I noticed even more features that made this rifle stand out. The trigger mechanism had no full-auto retarder, typical for any AKM-type rifle.

As I tried to use the Ethiopian trigger to repair a different weapon I finally noticed that it was a double hook—double hook trigger; selector and rear sight markings; and additional rivet over trigger guard.

Mystery Solved

I finally remembered one very interesting and unique article by Frank Iannamico that was published in Small Arms Review in February 2010: “AK Rifles of the Democratic People’s Republic of (North) Korea.” In my hands, I had an Ethiopian copy of the North Korean Type 68 assault rifle.

North Korea was given the technology of AK production by the USSR in the 50s and 60s and was not allowed to transfer it to anyone else. Officially, they never built any AK factories anywhere in the world outside of their own country. At least that is what we thought.

The United Nations and international community were looking for proof of illegal collaboration with North Korea for years. However, all they really had to do to prove it was to field strip any Ethiopian AK.

Right above the magazine release there was an additional rivet inside a small indentation.

The history of AKs is a fascinating thing. Sometimes in just researching a rivet or a small indentation on the receiver, you can learn a lot about modern political history and international relations.

Editor’s Note: Vlad worked for Kalashnikov Concern among other AK groups in Russia and has been a valuable asset to the AK community as he travels to various hot spots as an armorer contractor. I visited the Gafat Factory in Ethiopia several years ago, and indeed the machines were North Korean and from the old Czechoslovakia. The factory was well-designed with good work flow, and the products looked well made. There were five variants of East-German-looking AKM rifles and one PSL clone coming off the lines. The possibility of “Lunchbox” AKMs is more of a probability, and we’ve been trying to track where these show up—it seems in South Sudan, Somalia and Eritrea right now. Thanks to Vlad for his observations and photos.

Selector markings on the Ethiopian AK.

Between September 10 and 12, 2018, Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod held the third Meeting of Professional Journalists. The event, which welcomed about 60 journalists, bloggers, vloggers and many other professionals, took place at the Testing Shooting Range in Bzenec. Here, several new firearms made their world debut, including the CZ BREN 2 BR assault rifle in 7.62x51mm NATO caliber.

It must be noted that this powerful caliber had been planned for the CZ BREN weapon system as early as January 2006, during the idea phase of the project. However, CZ first concentrated on the development of a model in 5.56x45mm NATO caliber. This caliber was requested by the Czech Army and subsequently became the typical choice for the CZ 805 BREN A1/A2 models. Further calibers were being added gradually, hand in hand with the improvements of the design, which is now truly multi-caliber. Thus, the CZ 807 model came into existence, primarily intended for the 5.56x45mm NATO and 7.62x39mm calibers, though CZ rifles in 7.62x51mm NATO were also included in a tender for Pakistan.

Despite the fact that the 807 model enjoyed reasonable commercial success, in the end it played the role of a quality “in-between” product. In fact, during that time, the development of the brand new CZ BREN 2 model series was finalized, with serial production beginning in 2016.

 Battle Rifle

The September presentation of CZ rifles in Bzenec showed that in this case, a version in 7.62x51mm NATO caliber has also made an appearance. For now, it bears the name “Battle Rifle,” which is a term that professionals use to make it clearer which small arms have been developed after the Second World War. A “battle rifle” is defined as a semi-automatic or automatic military rifle equipped with a detachable magazine, using the 7.62x51mm NATO caliber (or .308 Win, the slightly different civilian alternative).

The traditional models of this category, the FN FAL, M14 and HK G3, are now being joined by their modern successors. After years of being overlooked, the tried and tested 7.62x51mm NATO caliber is enjoying a comeback. That is because in the asymmetric warfare of the Global War on Terrorism, the need for significantly greater effective range at small unit level has now arisen.

New Elements

At first glance, the CZ BREN 2 BR gives an impression of a slightly larger assault rifle. Such an impression is basically right, as the Senior Product Manager for military weapons from Česká zbrojovka a.s., Ing. David Kreisl, explains. The design has been based as much as possible on the 5.56x45mm NATO/7.62×39 models. The technical design, all the controls, the method of stripping, assembly and cleaning were retained. Some minor parts are interchangeable; the telescopic folding stock is identical. Otherwise, everything else has been enlarged and strengthened so that the firearm is reliable with the considerably larger and more powerful cartridges. This has led to the only significant difference in the design: to provide reliable extraction of the cartridge cases, the CZ BREN 2 Battle Rifle is equipped with two ejectors.

Another feature worth noting is the STANAG magazine. The company has not only designed it but also manufacturers it from subcontracted parts; the capacity of 25 rounds constitutes one of the largest on the market. After some rather unsatisfactory experience with transparent plastic, which wasn’t oil-friendly, CZ now uses a more durable black polymer. To allow the user to keep track of the number of cartridges remaining, there are openings in the back wall through which the light color of the magazine spring is visible even in low light. The general practice today is to favor steady tactical reloading; however, if the user wants to see how many cartridges there are left, all he needs to do is to tilt the firearm slightly to the side.

Another innovation, although not directly connected to the caliber but to the growing tendency of CZ to modernize their weapons hand-in-hand with the wishes and requirements of customers, is a split receiver and an independent forend. This feature allows far greater variability, whether with regard to barrel lengths or accessory rails. In Bzenec, the company presented the CZ BREN 2 BR rifle with one long MIL-STD-1913 rail on the upper receiver where it is integrated with the receiver itself and the forend and another one on the lower receiver, attached on the bottom, spanning from the end of the forend to the trigger mechanism housing. There are no rails on the sides. The company deliberated whether to opt for one of the more and more popular LOK systems, but in the end decided on a set of standardized threads which, in line with current trends, allow armed forces to have the rails and accessories made to their exact requirements. Any reasonably equipped manufacturer should be able to do that.

At the Shooting Range

In Bzenec, we were able to try out the CZ BREN 2 BR on a 300 meter range. We were shooting with .308 Win S&B Match ammunition, the rifle was fitted with a combination of an EOTech collimator sight and a triple magnifier, as well as a bipod. In the target area, there were popper targets in a size roughly resembling a human torso, with several even smaller ones for a more challenging aim.

Experienced shooters had no trouble to hit every time from a supported prone position. Those with sharp eyesight had a bit of an advantage, as some grappled with the relatively low magnification. It was necessary to keep in mind the correct triggering technique, since 300m is quite a distance and any small errors are noticed. Nonetheless, the accuracy potential of the rifle seemed fine; any misses were solely attributed to the user.

The shooting itself (for safety and practical purposes only single round fire was allowed) was comfortable, even for those who tried shooting in the standing position. The recoil was easily manageable, without a doubt helped by the fact that, apart from the inline style of the stock and its thick buttplate, it was an automatic weapon. Also, it paid to keep the muzzle above the shooting mat. Although the mat moved a lot after each discharge, we avoided swirling the sand that was all around. Still, we didn’t notice any problems with function in the somewhat desert conditions. However, to assess the properties of the CZ BREN 2 BR in more detail, more rigorous testing is necessary, preferably carried out by a target group customer.

The Journey to DMR

Even though the stated caliber and the results may lead to this conclusion, the CZ BREN 2 BR is not categorized as a “Designated Marksman Rifle.” It is a basic individual weapon with the effective range considerably greater than that of assault rifles in 5.56x45mm NATO or 7.62x39mm calibers. The advantage of the CZ battle rifle is the fundamental design unification with the CZ BREN 2 assault rifles. Hence the controls and maintenance are the same, which should significantly simplify training. In addition, it has retained the option of short burst fire, which may be suitable when, for example, engaging in suppressive fire.

By being introduced to the professional community in September, the CZ BREN 2 BR enjoyed its public premiere. Even so, armed forces from several countries have already been testing the BR model for some time, reportedly with good results. Other armies are waiting to see what will follow. With the completion of a quality assault rifle in 7.62x51mm NATO caliber, CZ has created a wide window of opportunity to further expand their portfolio—a DMR version included. It is said that the Uherský Brod company may have taken some steps in that direction already.

CZ BREN 2 BR—Approximate Data

Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO

Overall length with flash hider and the stock unfolded and extended: 1000mm

Overall length with flash hider and the stock folded: 739mm

Barrel length: 407mm

Weight without magazine, with iron sights max: 3.82kg

Weight of empty magazine: 180g

Magazine capacity: 25 rounds

A shootout with police in the Ukrainian city of Odessa on January 19, 2017, left three people dead including the shooter. The attack appears to have been carried out using one or more craft-produced firearms. Valentin Doroshenko, a 57-year-old man who was identified as the shooter, was known locally for his pro-Russia activism, being shown in one photo holding a flag emblazoned with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. He had previously been documented engaging in stunts such as arriving outside the Mayor’s office on horseback to challenge the-then City Head to a duel.

A police officer, 27-year-old Sergei Prigarin, died in the hospital after sustaining a gunshot to the chest while another police officer eventually recovered after receiving five gunshot wounds. Photos released by police appear to show a crude, though compact (and evidently functional), improvised submachine gun complete with a homemade magazine. The magazine appears to have been welded together from sheet steel and is very crude in design. The gun is also fitted with a makeshift “laser pointer” sight attached. According to local sources, the weapon was loaded with homemade steel-core ammunition which may well have been capable of penetrating police body armour. Two more improvised submachine guns, a pistol and several fragmentation grenades were discovered in a workshop equipped with lathes and welding equipment, located in a disguised cellar of the home of the suspected shooter.

By Lynndon Schooler

Vladimir Zlobin, the former director of the AK-12 project, can be characterized as an ambitious weapons designer. In fact, he is likely the most significant designer of Kalashnikov’s future development in recent history and the designer to bring Russia’s most famous export, alongside vodka and caviar, into the 21^st century. I recently had the opportunity to handle the newly adopted variant of the AK-12, and in continuation of my prior work documenting the early prototype development of the AK-47, I could not pass up the chance to dig into its development cycle from Russian primary sources. The AK-12 and its rivals indicate that the Kalashnikov’s evolution is as much alive and in flux as it was in the heady days of 1946–1949. The Russian Army faces new threats and has requirements for technologically contemporary force multipliers. As a result, the Kalashnikov of the next decade will look substantially different from Mikhail’s Kovrov workshop prototypes but nonetheless will keep the same mechanism presented to Stalin in 1949. It was Vladimir Zlobin who took the first concrete actions to manifest a modular next-generation AK rifle and in 2011 took up work at the famed Izhmash Factory in Izhevsk. Today, the institution is part of Kalashnikov Concern. His goal was to design a rifle comparable to the AK-107 recoil balanced rifle, which was being tested at the time for the beginning of the Ratnik trials—the new design being simpler and remaining more traditional than other radical recoil balanced next-generation designs.

In 2012, Zlobin’s team produced the first prototype of the AK-12 to little success. While visually distinct, the rifle suffered from a long list of defects including full-auto reliability issues, requiring the design team to constantly alter and fine tune the design. The new 2013 version addressed the issues of the first iteration, putting the AK-12 back to the drawing board for a third time. The 2015 iteration remained similar to the first iterations; however, it was fitted with a combination front sight gas block in an effort to reduce the weapon’s over all weight. As seen on the two previous designs, the original design was to be ambidextrous with a left to right swappable charging handle with a simple collar on the carrier; removing the dust cover to move the charging handle from left to right, it had a very interesting selector design for improved ergonomics for left- or right-hand shooters and a bolt catch and bolt release. All features were deducted on the next iteration.

By late 2015 to early 2016, Vladimir Zlobin, the original designer who oversaw the project for four years, was replaced for internal reasons by Sergei Urzhumtsev, the former CEO of Molot factory in the Southern Kirov region of Russia. Urzhumtsev was appointed the Deputy General Director and Chief Designer at Kalashnikov Concern. Now in control over construction, Urzhumtsev scrapped the design and its futuristic aesthetic in favor of a new more traditional and simpler design called the AK-400 series at the time. Simplifying the design reduced the cost by allowing manufacturing to use AK-100-generation equipment, change over to a new variant and ease training familiarity and rifle introduction. The gun would also be familiar to those who have handled an AK-74M and would be easily integrated into current rifle training regimes. The new AK-400 was shortly renamed AK-12 and was adopted for military service in 2016, under the designation GRAU 6P70.

AK-12 in Its Current Format

The current 2016 iteration of the AK-12 uses a modified AK-74M/100 series construction. It uses an enhanced selector lever and fire control group that fulfill the 4-position requirement for safe, fully automatic, two-round burst and semi-automatic fire. The two-round burst was a requirement by the Russian Ministry of Defense; the original iterations were designed for three-round burst. At the bottom of the receiver a new selector stop is used to accommodate the additional selector position. The rear trunnion is carried over from the 100 series but uses a new recoil guide assembly to secure the new dust cover securely to allow optics mounted on the top M1913 rail to return to zero. A removable rear sight aperture mounts to the rear of the railed dust cover. The AK-12 uses a standard AK receiver from the AK-74M/100 series; however, it does not have a cutout for a forward folding stock locking latch. The front trunnion appears to also be the same as the AK-74M/100 series, but it has a securing block welded in place on top of the front trunnion in place of a rear sight tower as seen on the previous AK series. In its place, a permanently secured block holds the gas tube and mount for the front dust cover rotating pin. This pin secures the dust cover to the front block and allows it to rotate upward. The front trunnion utilizes a “bolt rotate rivet” to lock the bolt into the battery seen on the left of the weapon.

This design feature is a trait of previous military and Saiga products currently in production. The lower handguard secures under the front trunnion with a removable pin intersecting the receiver and two wings of the handguard concealed under the trunnion. The gas tube cover slides on two rails on the lower handguard and is secured in place by the front dust cover lever. The gas tube is non-removable, but a plug in the gas block, secured by a detent, can be removed to access the tube and gas port for cleaning. To the rear of the front sight/gas block is a sling attachment ring, which allows for free movement of a sling to either side of the rifle. The front sight post is elevation-adjustable only with windage done on the rear sight via an RPK-style rear leaf aperture sight. The gas block also has the rear bayonet lug with cleaning rod eyelet; the front bayonet lug is attached to the front muzzle device attachment block. The AK-12 has a new proprietary muzzle attachment block with a reminiscent AK-74 break. The new muzzle attachment method can accept new proprietary suppressors. Unfortunately, the muzzle attachment block is not compatible to any previous muzzle device or suppressor thread pitch. To remove the muzzle device the detent is pushed and rotated 1/4 turn to remove for cleaning or to add a proprietary suppressor.

The AK-12 stock contains a new cleaning kit capsule including a sectional cleaning rod. To access the cleaning kit, a plunger on the bottom of the buttstock is pulled out, and the buttpad slides either up or down for access. The pistol is fitted with a capsule for accessories. Also introduced alongside the AK-12 is a new 5.45mm magazine design with two design iterations. The early version had a visible square recess on both sides of the magazine for a future project that was canceled. The currently manufactured AK-12 magazines have eliminated this feature. The AK-12 will accept all AK-74 pattern magazines and the new 95-round 5.45 RPK-16 magazine.

Increasing Accuracy

Izhmash and Kalashnikov Concern took approaches to increase accuracy in both the AK-12 and AK-15. The barrel tolerances were tightened up, rifling was modified, and contact between the barrel and other components was minimized. Despite the efforts to “almost freefloat” the design to increase the weapon’s accuracy, so far no drastic improvements were shown during testing.

The AK-12, in the form officially adopted by the Russian Federation, weighs 7.71 pounds with a barrel length of 16.3 inches. The rifle’s M1913 mounting points for modern war fighting devices amplify the weapon’s effectiveness on the battlefield and are a step forward for the modern Kalashnikov operator. Russian sources expect to see deliveries of both the AK-12 in 5.45×39 (6P70) and the AK-15 in 7.62×39 (6P71) in early 2019.

As part of the requirements of the Ratnik program for a new 5.45×39 rifle, a new 7.62×39 rifle was submitted, originally the AK-103-3 which was dropped for a completely new rifle development.

The AK-15 is intended for Russian special forces needing more firepower than the micro caliber 5.45 and serves also as a good export option for the external AK market to countries still using 7.62×39 cartridge. The hard hitting 7.62×39 remains a relevant and outstanding urban close-quarters caliber and is in use in nearly all global conflicts today. The AK-12, AK-15 and even AK-308 are currently the sole members of the new AK-400 family of rifles and have the same basic components and designs apart from their calibers.

Additionally, the AK-15 accepts all standard AK/AKM pattern magazines and RPK 7.62×39 drums. The AK-15 was released with a magazine resembling the new AK-12 magazine but respectively in 7.62×39. The new AK-200 series of the modification over the 100 series also uses the AK-12/-15 magazines, to their respective calibers. There are also an AK-12K and an AK-15K with short mid-length barrels similar to the AK-104/-105 size.

Conclusion

Kalashnikov Concern’s production history shows a commitment to meet the current and future needs of the Russian warfighter. However, as was seen in the Soviet era, the road from concept to final product is long and winding, often with many surprises. Somehow, it is clear that Kalashnikov and its heritage (i.e., the basic mechanism from 1947 and the idea that simple design has reliable function) are a guiding light along the way.

Source: Vladimir Onokoy at The Firearm Blog.

By Paul Evancoe 

The annual AUSA meeting and exposition was held October 8-10, 2018, at the Washington, DC, Walter E. Washington Convention Center where the latest defense technology was displayed and explained. In contrast to last year’s expo, there was a noticeable lack of uniformed officers and senior civilian Program Office and Program Management persons in attendance. Notwithstanding, the expo provided numerous enlightening advances in weaponry, sensors, communications, tactical kit and information management. This article reflects a sampling of the highlights.

Weaponry, Sights, Target Designation

Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) is a proud Milan, Illinois-based innovator and manufacturer of numerous military firearms and related accessories. One of its most recent innovations is a pistol-like 40mm grenade launcher nicknamed the “Shorty 40.” Formally designated nomenclature as the L2XPG, the Shorty 40 can be further customized with various clip-on stocks and rail-mounted sights as a member of the LMT Shorty 40 Caliber Series 40mm grenade launcher system. This jewel of engineering has a 6.5-inch barrel with a pistol grip frame offering the shortest and lightest grenade launcher available today. Capable of being operated as its own weapon system or rail-mounted, it can be easily stowed in a ruck pocket or slung for quick access. It operates, loads and unloads like a standard M-203 requiring virtually no operator training. Designed for both law enforcement and military purposes, the Shorty 40 is a weapon that can be relied upon when 40mm standoff capabilities are crucial to winning the fight.

lmtdefense.com

Manufactured in their facility located just outside Reno, NV, U.S. Ordnance’s M60E6 7.62mm Light Machine Gun is in full production and available. The Danish Military and other U.S. State Department-approved customers have adopted it as their general-purpose machine gun. Its allure over the M-240 is part nostalgia and part operational superiority. Weighing in at just over 20 pounds, the M60E6 is considered to possess better weight distribution than the M-240. This translates to better control of alternative shot positions when kneeling or standing. Its rate of fire is 550 rounds per minute, which improves short burst shooter accuracy, reduces ammunition consumption and significantly minimizes the risk of stray fire collateral damage. It further offers a single-shot capability with superb long-range aimed accuracy. Its quick-change barrel requires neither the use of gloves nor any timing adjustment and takes only a few seconds to accomplish. It abounds with standard Picatinny rails that allow for the addition of accessories such as optical sights, tactical lights, lasers, etc.

usord.com

B.E. Meyers, located in Redmond, WA, has developed a .50 caliber heavy machine gun flash suppressor that actually works—designated the M2A1F. Flash is the result of hot, high velocity, combustible propellant gas igniting as it becomes oxygen-enriched when it exits the muzzle. As it mixes with the surrounding air, it ignites and burns, causing muzzle flash. Most flash suppressors simply divert these combustible gases in divergent directions away from the muzzle, resulting in several smaller flashes instead of one large flash. The M2A1F is uniquely designed with teeth lining the inside of the flash suppressor’s four prongs. The teeth effectively shred the exiting high velocity propellant gas, causing it to slow into numerous micro-vortexes and thus cool. As the vortexes become oxygen-enriched, they’re below the flash point and no flash—it’s darn near rocket science (we miss you, Brad).

bemeyers.com

Aimpoint, with U.S. headquarters in Manassas, VA, has a rock-solid track record designing and manufacturing superb red dot sighting systems that goes back to 1973. Aimpoint now offers its advanced design ACRO-P1 fully enclosed reflex pistol reflex sight to its product line. This red dot 3.5 MOA sight advertises an ultra-clear NVG-compatible (Pos. 1-4) sight picture for extremely fast target acquisition. Its sealed optical channel is impervious to all operational environments (submersible to a depth of 82 feet), and the CR1225 battery that powers it is replaceable without having to remove the optic from its mounted location. The ACRO-P1’s compact size (1.9×1.2×1.2 inches) and weight (2.1 ounces) make it the pistol shooter’s reflex sight of choice.

aimpoint.com

Manufactured in the U.S. by Wilcox Industries of Newington, NH, Wilcox presented its next generation RAID-X (ruggedized aiming/illumination device). Powered by a single CR123 battery, RAID-X features a visible red laser, infrared (IR) laser and variable IR illuminator all co-aligned with a single windage and elevation adjustment. RAID-X possesses an ergonomically located focus wheel that provides on-the-fly selection of three IR illuminator power modes (low, medium and high) to quickly adjust laser power intensity settings to best meet distance and environmental requirements. RAID-X also has a remote port that accepts the SureFire SR-D-IT switch for remote on/off operation. RAID-X is a light and compact device that mounts with two thumbscrews on any standard 1913 Picatinny rail without interfering with iron sights or optics. RAID-X is offered with either a red or green visible laser and in tan or black body.

wilcoxind.com

Team Wendy, located in Cleveland, Ohio, manufactures its helmets and helmet visors in the U.S. As the sole-source Army and Marine Corps supplier of the standard issue 7-pad combat helmet liner system, Team Wendy has developed a registered trademark line under the name EXFIL that includes an SL lightweight ballistic helmet, an SL helmet-compatible ballistic visor, face shield and ear covers. The new SL helmet system is NVG- and lanyard-compatible and offers adjustable pads for customized fit to any head dimension. Both the SL helmet and face shield exceed military impact and fragmentation requirements. This system is no less than all around impressive and lends itself to the old saying, “if you have a cheap head, wear a cheap helmet.” If you value your head and face, wear an EXFIL Ballistic SL helmet and face shield.

teamwendy.com

Qioptiq, an Excelitas Technologies Company, is a premiere world-class designer and manufacturer of infrared, image-intensified and fused night vision equipment. Its DRAGON COMPACT (DRAGON C) ultra-light multi-purpose thermal weapon sight is one of the company’s most advanced systems, utilizing uncooled thermal cameras and state-of-the-art optical technology. The DRAGON C can be used as a weapon-mount compact sight or in a handheld mode for observation and surveillance. This ergonomically simple-to-use in-line thermal sight provides exceptional bore sight stability in an ultra-low weight system. It is available with a non-ITAR thermal camera. It has optional features that include a laser pointer, remote control and interface cables for connectivity to RS232 comms (serial comms), video out and auxiliary external power source. Its optional accessories include shrouds to interface with various day scopes, weapon mounting bracket, lens cap, neck strap and carrying pouch.

qioptiq.com

Leupold & Stevens, Inc. of Beaverton, OR, was founded more than a century ago. As a fifth-generation, family-owned company, it designs, machines and assembles its entire product lines, which include rifle, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefinders; mounting systems; and optical tools and accessories in the USA. Leupold now offers its new Mark 5 scope in two models. The 5-25×56 model is designed for shooters seeking maximum usable magnification, while the 3.6-18×44 version balances compactness with unparalleled optical performance. Both models are ruggedly constructed and feature a mammoth 35mm main tube that delivers extreme low-light performance and superior edge-to-edge clarity. The Twilight Max® HD Light Management System provides a perfect balance of image color and contrast, light transmission and glare management. With unparalleled performance, Leopold’s Mark 5HD long-range tactical riflescopes have all of the optical precision features both snipers and long-range shooters require with user-friendly operation. Even better, they’re covered by Leupold’s Full Lifetime Guarantee.

leupold.com

Based in Norway, Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, showcased their THeMIS UGV; an impressively capable robotic antitank and high mobility tracked unmanned ground vehicle (UVG). THeMIS consists of two parts—its tracked high mobility body is built by Milrem Robotics, and Kongsberg mounts its PROTECTOR RWS remotely operated weapon station on top.

The THeMIS system on display at AUSA 2018, although not limited by this particular selection of armament, was equipped with a .50 caliber and a Javelin missile launcher. This selection provides the warfighter a formidable combination of remotely fired antitank and heavy machine gun capabilities. Employing weaponized robotic platforms in high threat operations helps keep warfighters out of the line of fire. This is the undeniable future of warfare. As robotic weapons systems become more and more autonomous, with the potential of becoming “killer robots,” the Kongsberg systems all have a human operator in full control of firing the weapons system.

milremrobotics.com / kongsberg.com

Ammunition and Ordnance

True Velocity, with headquarters in Garland, TX, currently offers 5.56 NATO, 7.62 NATO, .338 NORMA, .50 BMG and 12.7×108 ammunition in its proprietary composite case design. True Velocity’s composite case manufacturing utilizes scalable technology from 5.56 NATO through 14.5mm. This production technology allows rapid design modifications. True Velocity can also meet your packaging needs, including linked belts and individual rounds. Because they’re using composite munitions they can offer the casing in multiple colors to match the operating environment, thereby lowering the battle signature. They can further color-code the composite casing to match a projectile type and load making it distinctive and readily distinguishable from other ammunition. Remarkably, True Velocity loads all projectiles and powders with match-grade accuracy.

Unlike metallic-cased ammunition, the composite casing does not carry heat. This means the weapon remains cooler, and the spent casing is cool to the touch. It also provides substantial flash reduction because the gases exiting the bore are not superheated and therefore are below the flash point. True Velocity’s composite-cased ammo is easier to carry because it’s 30% lighter than brass casing ammunition of the same quantity and caliber. With casings that are 100% recyclable, the reduction in heavy metal byproducts also translates to reduced environmental impact. True Velocity’s “Lean is our culture” slogan is indeed a fact. True Velocity’s agile production technology reduces the required manufacturing footprint by 80% when compared to a traditional brass casing manufacturing facility.

truevelocityinc.com / tvammo.com

Nammo Talley Inc.’s new M72 FFE (fire from enclosure) shoulder-fired munition is the most advanced M72 ever manufactured. Weighing in at less than 13 pounds with a carry length of 32 inches, the FFE’s counter mass propulsion system allows for over 8 shots per day from inside a room with single hearing protection; and reduces decibel output to a level that allows for one shot per day without hearing protection. The ability to fire from enclosed positions, combined with reduced noise and light signature, allows the Warfighter to maintain a covered and concealed position and significantly reduces the enemy’s ability to identify the munition’s point of origin.

The FFE is available in two warhead variants; Anti-Armor and Dual Purpose—both warheads are configured with dual safe fuses. The Dual Purpose warhead incorporates a self-discriminating fuse, which increases the munitions ability to defeat a wider variety of targets by detonating in either fast or delay mode based on target construction. This allows the Warfighter to confidently engage a multitude of targets due to the ability of the self-discriminating fuse to autonomously react to target material allowing for optimized delivery of warhead payload. The M72 FFE also incorporates the improved launcher, which features an enhanced in-line trigger mechanism, shoot-through bumpers, improved sling design and MIL-STD-1913 rail for mounting accessories.

nammo.com

Sensors

In response to a U.S. military requirement for an individual (soldier-worn) gunshot detection system (IDGS), QinetiQ North America, headquartered in Waltham, MA, has developed a Shoulder-Worn Acoustic Targeting System they call SWATS^®. With the goal of increasing soldier survivability, SWATS instantly detects, locates and alerts its wearer to the location and range of incoming (hostile) fire. The SWATS system also has a built-in compass, GPS and 9-axis inertial measurement system that compensate for body motion and enable its wearer to effectively navigate on the battlefield. Manufactured in the USA, SWATS works reliably in all combat environments to include mountainous, urban and open terrain.

qinetiq-na.com

Photonis Defense Inc., a registered NATO supplier, proudly presented their new 16mm Image Intensifier Tube. These night vision tubes are the lightest mass-produced tubes on the market and can be customized to fit particular requirements with choice of photocathode, phosphor screen, gating speed and power supply. The 16mm tube was designed to meet the SWaP requirements of the modern armies with a reduced size, weight and minimum power consumption all with state-of-the-art performance. Night Vision Devices (NVD), Inc. is the exclusive distributor and integrator for these lightweight and small form-factor night vision image intensifier tubes.

photonis.com / nvdevices.com

SAFRAN Optics 1, Inc. unveiled its “Stalker” handheld target location system. The Stalker resembles a binocular, but its outward look deceives its precision capabilities. The Stalker is a lightweight, handheld, day/night target acquisition system with an intuitive user-friendly interface and mode of operations. It is particularly useful for dismounted operations in weather extremes. Capable of locating targets in adverse environmental conditions, it offers three viewing modes: direct view optics for daytime operations; thermal imaging for all weather detection and situational awareness (day or night); and low light imaging for positive target identification. Equipped with multiple interfaces including RS-232 and USB for data exchange with other devices, it further offers “SMART” design image recording, image capture and live streaming. In addition to its optics, imaging and standard interface capabilities, the Stalker also possesses a digital magnetic compass with inclinometer, a laser rangefinder capable of ranges exceeding 5,000m in harsh environmental extremes and an integrated GPS solution. The Stalker seems to have covered every operational necessity in its bag of tricks.

optics1.com

Tactical Kits

Avon Protection’s new M53A1 air purifying respirator is indeed the breathing mask of choice for all missions. Designed to meet U.S. Government Joint Service General Purpose (USGPM) requirements, the M53A1 can be configured to function as a conventional negative pressure or air purifying respirator (APR), powered-air purifying respirator (PAPR), self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), closed-circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA) and combination SCBA and PAPR systems. It comes in four sizes for custom fit to all face dimensions. It has five interchangeable silicone nose clips that provide improved comfort. It further sports a comfortable reflex seal with a low brow that assures helmet compatibility. It uses a polyurethane single-piece, scratch-resistant flexible panoramic eye lens that provides maximum field of view along with superior ballistic protection.

Optional outserts are available for added adverse environment protection. These outserts include clear, sunlight, blue-blocker, laser, mirrored and breaching. The mask employs a 6-point skullcap head harness with low profile, pre-adjusted brow straps. It can further be configured to provide an electronic pass-through for external radio use and with an internal microphone for enhanced audio performance. The M53A1 is available in single port or twin port models depending upon your specific operational needs.

avon-protection.com

Based in Portland, OR, and manufacturing their product line in the United States, Gerber Gear featured their Center-Drive Multi-Tool. The thoughtful one-thumb opening design allows for quick deployment of the three full size tools you depend on most: the pliers, the blades and the screwdriver. The Center-Drive has an extra-long 3.2-inch magnetic bit driver that opens to align with the center axis of the tool—giving you all the torque and rotation of a traditional screwdriver. The full-size blades conveniently replace your everyday pocketknife, and the full-size spring-loaded pliers feature an X-Channel Rail System to eliminate rattle and provide smooth opening. Streamlined to offer the right tools for optimal functionality, the Center-Drive’s 12-piece Bit Kit consists of a variety of screwdriver tip sizes and shapes that fit most standard hex and screw heads. This tool is a must for everyone’s tactical field kit.

gerbergear.com

Information Management and Training Systems

NCR Government Systems, LLC, headquartered in Atlanta, GA, has business offices in 126 countries around the world. NCR showcased their Mperium™ software as a powerful solution enabler of Point of Service and Point of Sales for small to medium site installations. Mperium provides a building block for rapid application development that includes transaction processing, data security, 508 compliant user interface available in multiple languages, XML configuration, enterprise dashboard for management and custom reporting. Integration with third-party services and peripheral devices is a standard for NCR products and Mperium is no exception. Using this software as a base, customers can rapidly build kiosk and counter solutions that integrate easily with their existing operations and systems with significantly reduced software development costs.

ncr.com

Imagine the theater operation centers all showing the same real-time battle space information in an integrated, easily understood format that streamlines battle force management. Such a capability now exists. Built on Unity 3D™, a video-gaming platform known for its ease of use and scalability, LinQuest Corporation’s cloud-based 3DataLinQ provides real-time, multi-domain, integrated command and control (MDC2). 3DataLinQ is a 3-dimensional, avatar-based, virtual environment (much like a collaborative, first-person-shooter game but for multi-domain operations) providing the right data, intuitively displayed at the right time, so friendly forces can dynamically react to rapidly changing environments. The system works on PCs/laptops, mobile devices and classified environments.

terry.mckinney@linquest.com

Meggitt Training Systems of Suwanee, GA, is a leading provider of integrated live-fire and virtual weapons training products and services for armed forces and law enforcement. The FATS^® 100MIL is the foundation for the U.S. Army’s Engagement Skills Trainer II program of record, while Meggitt’s new, 300-degree FATS 300MIL, delivers unequalled realism through a fully immersive experience.

Immersion is provided via five 150×84-inch flat screens arranged in a hexagonal format, 5.1 audio, plus sounds in any direction can be added by the operator for increased realism. The system utilizes ultra-short-throw projectors that allow the trainee unprecedented distance to the entity being engaged, all while maintaining a smaller footprint than rear-projection systems. In recent months, Meggitt has created three domestic regional hubs featuring the FATS 300LE for law enforcement applications. Both the FATS 100MIL and 300MIL interface with a variety of firearms, including Meggitt’s wireless BlueFire^® weapons.

meggitttrainingsystems.com

And so ends our snapshot of AUSA 2018. Held every October in Washington, DC, the AUSA Annual Meeting is the largest land power exposition and professional development forum in North America. The Annual Meeting consists of informative presentations, panel discussions on pertinent military and national security subjects, workshops and important AUSA business meetings. It’s the “go to” expo for showcasing new products and technology, buying and selling, as well as industry networking opportunities. Information on AUSA 2019 can be found at

ausa.org.

AUSA 2018 Show Master Information

Location

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

801 Mount Vernon Place NW

Washington, DC 20001

Website

ausameetings.org

Contact

Olivia Russell

Conference & Event Center Manager

Phone: 703-907-2687

Email: orussell@ausa.org

Colleen Stembridge

Conference & Event Center Coordinator

Phone: 703-907-2405

Email: cstembridge@ausa.org

Next Show

October 14–16, 2019

Focus

The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting is the largest landpower exposition and professional development forum in North America, which takes place over three days. The Annual Meeting’s focus is to highlight the capabilities of Army organizations and present a wide range of industry products and services. The Meeting consists of informative presentations, panel discussions on pertinent military and national security subjects, workshops and important AUSA business meetings. There will be dozens of professional development events, seminars and presentations.

Dress

For civilian attendees, business dress is recommended, although business casual is seen frequently at the show. Military personnel should be in duty uniform.

Hotel and Parking Hints

It is best to find hotels nearby the Convention Center, as parking fees in Washington, DC are very expensive. Parking in the area is very limited.

Power & Plug Types

Power: 120 V / 60 Hz

Plug: Type A: 2-pin plug or Type B: grounded 3-prong plug

Country Warnings

There are none at this time.

Cultural Hints

Generally people are very polite and helpful. It is customary to greet people with a right-handed hand shake. America is a multilingual, multireligious nation.

Tipping

Tipping is normally 15%–20% for restaurants and services in the United States.

Currency Type

The U.S. Dollar is the currency. The currency code for dollars is USD, and the currency symbol is $. For current exchange rates, please visit: xe.com.

Getting Around

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center is in close proximity to three airports:

1. Reagan National Airport (5.7 miles)
2. Dulles International Airport (28.1 miles)
3. Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (32 miles)

The D.C. Metro (wmata.com) or the D.C. Circulator (dccirculator.com) is the best way to get to the Center. But for those who wish to drive a rental car, left-hand drive cars are used in the U.S., driving on the right side of the road. UK style drivers may have to adapt. Garmin in particular has good GPS mapping in their U.S. package. A driver’s license is frequently required for rental cars.

Things to See

Within a half mile to 5 miles of the Convention Center are the International Spy Museum, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and the Historical Society of Washington, DC. Also of interest are the National Archives Museum, Library of Congress and Ford’s Theater. There are many tour companies operating in the area as well.

Tourism

Try visittheusa.com for a good resource for visiting. The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast area of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and the nation’s capitol Washington, DC.