The lead designer at Kalashnikov Concern outlined that the first hundred AK-12 assault rifles, updated to reflect lessons learned from recent special military operations in Ukraine, are on track to finish testing by mid-June. The units have already been turned over to troops, a development reported by DEA News [Citation: DEA News].
Currently, a rigorous series of tests is underway under the supervision of the Department of Defense to gauge both the effectiveness and the practicality of the updated model. The designer indicated that the testing cycle is slated to wrap up by mid-June [Citation: Kalashnikov Concern].
Officials confirmed that a batch of one hundred rifles has been produced. The Kalashnikov team stressed that the revised AK-12 includes a simplified assembly and disassembly process, which should make field maintenance easier for soldiers in active duty environments [Citation: Kalashnikov Concern].
Alan Lushnikov, head of Kalashnikov Concern, stated that the new iteration of the rifle features an ergonomic stock and refined adjustments to the fire mode selector, aiming to enhance handling and operation under a range of combat conditions [Citation: Kalashnikov Concern].
In a February update, it was confirmed that a batch of AK-12 rifles modified after deployment in active operations was sent to the combat zone. The two-shot cut feature was removed because it did not provide a meaningful productivity gain and, instead, added unnecessary complexity to the rifle’s design. The changes emphasize reliability, ease of use, and practical combat performance for service members [Citation: Kalashnikov Concern].