In the 1960s, the American Eugene Stoner introduced a revolutionary weapon at that time - a modular shooting complex known as the Stoner 63. The presented weapon with interchangeable elements combined the properties of an assault rifle and a machine gun. The new product was not adopted for service, but it was limitedly used by the special forces of the US Navy in the version of a light machine gun. The weapon was used during the Vietnam War. Already directly in combat conditions, a number of serious shortcomings were identified, among which were highlighted frequent misfires, failure of the feed mechanism, general "capriciousness" and the need for careful maintenance. As a result, the weapon was safely forgotten. Decades later, the Kalashnikov concern presented its model of such a weapon to the general public.
We are talking about the RPK-16 (stands for "Kalashnikov light machine gun of the 2016 model"). The weapon was first presented to the general public as part of the Army-2016 international military-technical forum. The new Kalashnikov 5, 45 mm light machine gun was created based on the experience of modern armed conflicts. A distinctive feature of the weapon is the presence of interchangeable barrels and the ability to use both as a light machine gun and as a heavy assault rifle.
At one time, the same principle was implemented in the Stoner 63 shooting complex, a modular scheme allowed soldiers to adjust their weapons to solve certain problems on the battlefield. The Stoner 63 could be used in various versions - from a carbine to a fully automatic light machine gun and even a heavy machine gun on a tripod machine and in the form of a tank / aircraft machine gun with an electric trigger. The RPK-16 light machine gun corresponds to this concept, allowing the infantryman to quickly transform the weapon depending on the nature of the upcoming combat operation. As a result, units at the squad-platoon level have much more opportunities and options for actions on the battlefield. Presenting the novelty, Alexey Krivoruchko, who at that time held the position of general director of the Kalashnikov concern, noted that the new machine gun has no analogues in terms of size, weight, accuracy and versatility. At the same time, the American edition of Military Times, which drew a parallel with the Stoner 63 modular rifle complex, called the RPK-16 a weapon of the XXI century.
What is this machine gun. RPK-16 is a light machine gun designed for cartridge 5, 45x39 mm. The weapon was developed as a development of a new version of the AK-12 Kalashnikov assault rifle. Unlike a submachine gun, a light machine gun provides fighters with a higher density of automatic fire and is distinguished by a greater effective firing range, the Kalashnikov. Media newspaper notes. The main method of using the RPK-16 is to fire from an emphasis (from a bipod), while maintaining the possibility of firing from hands, including while in motion. By its design, the machine gun is very much unified with the machine gun, so any soldier who is familiar with the AK device is able to quickly switch to the operation of the Izhevsk novelty. In the army, the new machine gun is to replace, first of all, the RPK-74 chambered for 5, 45x39 mm, which was put into service back in 1974.
The RPK-16 machine gun, in comparison with conventional assault rifles, has been optimized to provide a higher rate of fire, the weapon has a stronger and heavier receiver and more massive barrels. The main difference between the RPK-16 both from the Kalashnikov assault rifles and from the previous Kalashnikov light machine guns (RPK and RPK-74) is the ability to change the barrels. Most often, in single and heavy machine guns, the trunks are made quick-change, in order to provide the possibility of cooling the barrel while the other is used in battle, but in practice for light machine guns this possibility is quite rare. There is an explanation for this, in order to overheat the barrel from it, it is necessary to release 200-300 rounds of rounds with continuous fire, that is, spend most of the ammunition carried by one soldier.
At the same time, the presence of replaceable barrels makes it possible to simplify the process of long-term operation of the weapon, since usually the resource of the barrels is significantly less than the resource of other main parts of small arms, while the replacement of a damaged or heavily worn barrel can be performed directly in a military unit, without sending a machine gun to military workshops or to manufacturer. Moreover, thanks to the presence of interchangeable barrels, the weapon can be easily adjusted to solve various tasks. For example, for special forces or Rosgvardia fighters, when operating in dense urban development, a heavy short barrel is suitable, and for combined arms combat or operations that are not carried out in urbanized areas, a long barrel is better, which, among other things, allows you to increase the initial speed of the bullet at 50-60 m / s. At the same time, it is obvious that no one will change the barrel "on the go", however, the possibility of easy adaptation of the RPK-16 to certain combat conditions attracted both Russian and foreign military specialists.
The RPK-16 light machine gun uses the classic gas-operated automatic equipment inherent in the AK and ensures high reliability. The layout of the weapon is similar to the layout of the new AK-12 assault rifle, including a removable receiver cover with an updated design. Fire from the RPK-16 is conducted from a closed bolt, it is possible to fire both bursts and single shots. The installation of day and night sights is facilitated by the presence of a Picatinny rail. The Picatinny rail, located on the receiver cover, is rigidly attached in two places, which provides a stable midpoint of impact during removal and installation. Also, the straps can be installed on the forend.
The features of the RPK-16 also include a convenient telescopic four-position buttstock, which folds onto the left side of the weapon. Especially for the machine gun, two types of barrels were created - a short (so-called "assault") with a length of 415 mm and a long one - 580 mm. Barrels can be changed with incomplete disassembly of the machine gun and takes just a few minutes for an experienced soldier. The new barrel is fixed in the receiver with a transverse wedge. The light machine gun can be fed with cartridges from box magazines compatible with AK caliber 5, 45 mm, including magazines for 30 and 45 rounds, including double-row magazines with identification windows, as well as a high-capacity drum magazine for 95 rounds specially created for the RPK-16 … The new light machine gun can be equipped with a two-legged folding bipod, as well as a low-noise firing device (silencer), such an opportunity is attractive for soldiers of special operations forces. The combination in the novelty of the standard 1P86-1 optical sight, which has a switchable magnification (1X or 4X), with a heavy barrel and firing from a closed bolt, allows using a machine gun when firing single shots from the RPK-16 as an analogue of the "Marksman" rifle (marksman rifle), allowing you to effectively hit single point targets at a distance of up to 600 meters.
The Kalashnikov concern also explained the refusal from tape feed in favor of the store feed. So, back in the late 1950s in the Soviet Union, it was decided to return to store food. At the same time, since the 1980s, through the efforts of gunsmiths from Belgium and buyers of their machine guns from the NATO bloc, primarily the United States, many began to perceive a light machine gun chambered for an intermediate cartridge as a reduced single machine gun, that is, small arms with a belt feed system and the presence quick-change barrels. At the same time, the experience of local conflicts of varying degrees of intensity in recent years has demonstrated that small arms are actively used mainly in the collision of small infantry units. In such collisions, single machine guns, which have the theoretical ability to provide a high density of fire, showed a number of shortcomings. Firstly, we are talking about a decrease in the mobility of the machine gun, which is caused by its relatively large weight and a significant weight of ammunition in the belts placed in the boxes. Secondly, the process of reloading such a machine gun under enemy fire or on the move alone is less convenient and time-consuming than simply replacing the magazine. Thirdly, store food is more reliable in battle.
In addition to everything, modern western light machine guns chambered for 5, 56x45 mm weigh almost as much as a much more powerful and reliable PKM machine gun - about 7-8 kg without cartridges. It is no coincidence that the US Marine Corps, whose soldiers are actively howling around the world, already in 2009 at the level of the infantry squad went to replace the 5, 56-mm M249 light machine guns with a belt feed system with twice lighter M27 automatic rifles, which are accepted for service with the American army, the NK416 rifle with a barrel length of 420 mm. It is in this vein as a universal, highly maneuverable weapon to support an infantry squad that the Russian RPK-16 at the present stage of its development should be considered.
At the same time, the Russian light machine gun, when equipped with a short barrel, can already be used as an "assault machine" for special forces units, turning from a group support weapon into an individual weapon. In such a role, the RPK-16 will be about a kilogram heavier than the usual AK-12, however, when the assault group fighters are delivered directly to the "address" directly to the place of the operation and back with special equipment, such a variant of the use of weapons has the right to life. This allows, if necessary, any soldier of the assault subunit to conduct effective and dense suppression fire on the enemy, blocking his sudden actions and covering the movements of his comrades.
Tests of the new RPK-16 light machine gun should be completed in the first quarter of 2019. Vladimir Dmitriev, who is the general director of the Kalashnikov concern, told the journalists about this. According to him, at present, the experimental military operation of the Izhevsk novelty is coming to an end, the concern expects to receive a conclusion based on the results of the tests by the end of the first quarter of this year. Dmitriev also noted that the RPK-16 should replace the RPK-74, which is used in significant quantities by the Russian Guard, therefore this department is named as one of the potential consumers of the new development of the Izhevsk gunsmiths. Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the tests of the novelty are being carried out on the basis of the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Command School. The servicemen will have to evaluate the technical and accuracy characteristics of the RPK-16 during tactical and fire training exercises, as well as the ease of maintenance and operation of the new machine gun. If necessary, upon completion of the trial operation, recommendations will be given for the revision of the light machine gun, which will be handed over to the engineers of the Kalashnikov concern.
The performance characteristics of the RPK-16:
Caliber - 5.45 mm.
Cartridge - 5, 45x39 mm.
Weight - 4.5 kg (version with a short barrel without a magazine, bipod and optical sight).
Barrel length - 415 or 580 mm.
The length of the weapon (with a barrel of 415 mm) is 840-900 mm in firing position, 650 mm with a folded stock.
Magazine capacity - 30, 45 rounds (box) or 95 rounds (drum).
Rate of fire - up to 700 rds / min.
Effective firing range - 600 m (in single fire mode or in short bursts).
