Kalashnikov Group Using Ukraine War to Refine Weapons Like Chukavin Sniper Rifle: Field testing remains an important component in evaluating any new weapon system. Untested weapons can result in casualties – a point the U.S. military learned the hard way with the M16 in the early stages of the Vietnam War.
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Likewise, firearms that seemed innovative – like the French Chauchat and Japanese Type 11 light machine gun – proved to have problems in actual combat situations.
The Russian-based Kalashnikov Concern, which produces about 95% of all small arms in Russia and also supplies weapons to 27 countries around the world, has announced that it is now conducting field tests in Ukraine of its “state-of-the-art” Chukavin sniper rifle.
An undisclosed number of the small arms have been supplied to Russian troops currently engaged in the Kremlin’s “special military operation.”
Kalashnikov is studying the input received from soldiers on its actual use in combat.
“We constantly receive feedback from our military personnel who are participating in the special military operation. This is the task that our president has set for us. Our company gets feedback from the military and we consistently make adjustments to our products based on the input about their combat employment,” Kalashnikov Group President Alan Lushnikov said in a statement on Monday to state media.
“With regard to our new firearms already being supplied to the special military operation zone – and these are the Chukavin sniper rifle (SVCh) and the Kalashnikov PPK-20 submachine gun – we carefully analyze the feedback and take it into account,” the chief of the Russian arms maker added.
The Kalashnikov Group president also cited the latest AK-12 assault rifle as an example of the adjustments made to the gunmaker’s products.
Lushnikov said that the AK-12 produced today “differs substantially” from the firearm that the company began supplying to Russian troops in 2018. It is unclear what changes have been made, but tweaks to military firearms are commonplace.
In addition, the Kalashnikov Group has received feedback on the combat employment of its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the latest innovations.
Chukavin in the Crosshairs
The Kalashnikov Group announced in August that the latest Chukavin sniper rifle would be issued to troops by the end of this year. It is a squad semi-automatic marksman rifle chambered for the 7.62x54mm, 7.62x51mm (.308 Win) cartridges, and .338 Lapua Magnum (7.62x69mm). The 7.62x54mm version is compatible with magazines of the Dragunov sniper rifle (SVD), which it was designed to replace.
In addition, between the two 7.62mm versions, the rifle has a very high commonality of parts
Development was based on direct input from snipers from several Russian elite Special Forces units, and it was intended for precision engagement of individual targets at ranges of up to 1,000 meters or greater. With proper ammunition – and in the right hands of course – the Chukavin has been touted as being capable of one MOA (minute of angle) or better.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly even tested one of the rifles.
The Chukavin marksman rifle was also among the small arms – along with the 9mm PPK-20 submachine gun and 9mm Lebedev pistol – presented by the Kalashnikov Group at this month’s Vietnam Defense 2022 Show in Hanoi.
No doubt, even as Russia is struggling to find buyers for its tanks and aircraft, there is hope the Chukavin will hit its mark.
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Author Experience and Expertise: A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.
