Ak-xnumx. The story of farce
It seems that the play entitled "ak-12" is coming to its logical ending. After boastful statements about weapons of the fifth generation and its superhuman capabilities at the Army 2016 exhibition, the world was presented with the good old AK-74 with minor modifications that may add marketing attractiveness to it, but they will definitely put an end to the introduction and replacement of AK-74M.
The damage of the sample, which was presented for the first time under the brand name “ak-12” in 2010, was immediately visible to specialists. Chief editor of the magazine "Kalashnikov" M.Ye. Degtyarev was the first to speak out about the idea of a new machine gun in a negative way and, in order not to weaken the glorious brand, he wrote it in small letters. I joined this symbolic gesture, so hereinafter we will speak about “ak-12”.
Part one. Phenomenon.
The emergence of the idea of a new machine is inextricably linked with two processes taking place in parallel. The collapse of the army by its minister and the destruction of Izhmash's engineering school was gaining momentum. In the Ministry of Defense, not only whole institutions were destroyed, but the functions of the Defense Ministry as a customer were also reviewed. If in the system created by D.F. Ustinov, the army and the developer worked in symbiosis, creating and selecting the best, then in the system created by Serdyukov, the army turned into a merchant. Previously, the army was a generator of ideas, with a powerful analytical apparatus, it could forecast trends in the development of weapons, process huge amounts of information and clearly develop tactical and technical requirements for new weapons. As an example. The firing efficiency of a high-rate deuce in the AN-94 seems obvious, but in fact the initial task was to cut off three shots. When adopting a model with the best characteristics, the customer cannot operate with comparative or superlative degrees. We need specific numbers. After a lot of work at the training ground under the Abakan program, it was found that shooting with a high-speed two from AN-94 is 1,4 times more effective than shooting with a regular AK-74 triple. That's why the initial requirements for a cutoff of three shots were changed in favor of the deuce right in the test process.
Under the new minister, the ministry has turned into a naughty young lady, who knows what she wants, but does not know what she wants. The functions of the customer were not limited to the development of requirements, but to the evaluation of the proposed. "You will offer, and we will see whether to buy or not to buy." It is possible to forgive such a point of view if we recognize that common sense is finally conquered in Russia by capitalism. But the lordly manner of modern compradors, sewn at the gene level, cannot but humiliate the manufacturer. “Your machine is outdated. Come up with something new. Otherwise, we will purchase French FAMAS. ”
The manufacturer also often gets rid of the red lid Picatinny rail. There are no normal engineering personnel for a long time, and where they are, there is no normal funding for R & D. That is why all manufacturers tread around the once created and tested AK or SVD scheme. In fairness, it is worth noting that our eventual opponents cannot tear themselves away from the decisions of half a century ago.
With the appearance of Serdyukov in the Ministry of Defense and Kuzyuk on Izhmash, some movements began at the plant in the coma. How and from where Kuzyuki and other General-Dima come from is unknown. Kuziuk, frightened by his appointment to such a position, appointed the chief designer of the Tula engineer Zlobin, and began to search for a sissy that needed to be eaten and “works of the human mind”, which needed to be “dumped” into the waste pit ”(c). This is from Saltykov-Shchedrin, if someone has not read the classics. The workers of KOTS Izhmash, the designers of gunsmiths of the highest class, turned out to be Siskin, head and shoulders above Zlobin. They were forced to leave the factory. This was written in his blog by Alexey V. “They killed the Izhmash plant, the manufacturer of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.” This blog is now unavailable for obvious reasons, but a copy of the article can be easily found on the Internet. A work of mind, I suppose, was the work on the AK-200, which were conducted on Izhmash. I suspect that it was a machine with a balanced automatics, perhaps from the backlog of the battery, which participated in the competition "Abakan". The ambition of the new gun genius declared AK-200 a myth (dumped into a pit) and revealed to the world "ak-12".
The analyzes of the first photos and the informative information about “ak-12” caused the first doubts, and the interview of Kuzyuk and Zlobin - the confidence that the people slipped the chupa-chups. For example, it was stated that on the basis of "ak-12" "we will create a submachine gun and a sniper rifle." In the machine planned double-shooting. Why is she a sniper rifle or a submachine gun?
MO claimed that they issued the requirements for the new machine in 2010 year. What are the requirements? New weapons have always been developed through competition or in the light of new commodity-money relations through government orders. And only with the advent of the “Warrior” theme did something more or less orderly begin in the dances around the new machine gun. There was a normal competitor - AEK.
In the very first trials, something happened that should have happened. Automatic failed tests. But not because of the discrepancy between the technical requirements parameters, but according to the key indicator of all Kalashnikovs - reliability!
Part two. Convulsions.
In further tests, "ak-12" was refused. Rather, denied government funding for development and testing.
Kuzuk finally got rid of the need to pose in front of the cameras, clumsily holding the machine gun.
The appearance of Busygin on Izhmash introduced a fresh stream in the media space. Once a month I started issuing PRs from the oven: cooperation with Beretta, our own cartridge production, our own testing and certification center, to which all Americans must come with their weaponry novelties, and so on. Zlobin was marked by two models of bullpaps, which surfaced at some exhibition and sunk into eternity. Meanwhile, the working class, driven to despair by non-payment of the already beggarly wages, found in itself the last strength to go on a picket in Moscow. Mikhail Timofeevich addressed a direct request to the authorities to save Izhmash. Rogozin intervened in the case, he not only knew how to hold the machine gun, but also shot well.
Rogozin proposed to create a concern on the basis of two factories, one of which was completely bankrupt, and the other Izhevsk mechanical was rather dead. The old designer still believed in the decency of the leaders of his fatherland and gave the concern his name. He did not live to see the time when the concern’s leadership began a shameful trial with his relatives for a trademark with his name, which belonged to them by law and law. The pinnacle of the Bousygin government was the logo of the concern developed by an unknown student, who was mocked by the whole world. Compradors did not understand what they became the owner. After all, there were agencies and designers who were ready to develop the concern's logo for FREE, just because their name stood next to the name of Kalashnikov! And if this were the only stupidity of the new leadership!
So, on the official website of the concern, a West German company was listed as a trading partner. When clicking on the link to this company, the user got directly to the site of a small arms manufacturing company - Izhmash’s direct competitor. The name of this company is Schmeisser GmbH. On the promotional materials Izhmash flaunted American rifle M-16.
Saving an ordinary concern from bankruptcy looks like this. He receives a guaranteed order from the state and a financial loan from Sberbank, and the concern is transferred with giblets and debts to private hands for the obligation to participate with its capital. Be that as it may, Busygin dissolved after Kuzyuk. The failure of Zlobin’s trials was so obvious that his departure was a matter of time. Before the new leadership again got a toothache with a gun. From the same place where Kuzyuk pulled out engineer Zlobin, Krivoruchko pulled out an athlete-consultant Kirisenko. This immediately affected the machine. Multi-caliberity, modularity, ambidextrality, and other picatinas appeared, including the ability to "recharge with one hand." The deadlines for the AEK and the decision on the “Warrior” began to move suspiciously. In the media space again began PR. Glimpsed Kirisenko, Sigal, Vickers and other stars. Finally, it was announced that both machines had been tested for compliance with TTT and transferred to military trials. The final appearance of the machine was unknown, and the appearance of his people was promised at the exhibition "Army-2016".
Part Three. Apotheosis.
And everyone saw the final version of the “fifth generation” machine gun. But only no one saw in him ambidextrality, modularity, multi-caliberity and, all the more, the possibility of “one-handed reloading”. Before us is the good old AK-74 with modifications that do not pull at rearmament, but at least look like a normal military weapon, uncorrupted by sports or glamorous Wishlist.
What happened? Apparently, it has come to the concern’s management that the engineers are developing weapons, not athletes or ambitious single designers. Sliding butt, Picatinny rail, diopter sight, shooting mode with a cut-off in two rounds and a lightweight slide frame. This is the result of several years of the creation of a fifth-generation automaton. But this was the only way to get out of the impasse in which ambitious DIY-made and effective managers drove "ak-12".
Analysis of all the features of the construction of "ak-12" will take a separate topic. Limited to small.
Picatinny Plank. There are no more stupid innovations in military small arms than the Picatinny rail and front "tactical" handle. Both came from sports. The effectiveness of the front handle was tested in the era of the AK-47 and AKM. Then it was found that the weapon needs it as a cow saddle. Romanians are not convinced. At the beginning of a new century, marketing geniuses convinced sportsmen that they would look cooler with their arms. And until 2015, the athlete was not an athlete, if he did not hold his carbine in the manner of the German MP-40. At the World Championships 2015, a massive enlightenment happened - the handles disappeared. But they appeared in the set of the famous AK-74M modernization in the Russian Army. In soldiers, enlightenment comes much faster than in athletes.
And yet, picatinny. A universal interface to connect, it's great, be it a USB connector or a docking station on a space station. But not in arms.
Here is the hand of an athlete with the grip of the opposed forearm.
And this is the hand of a field fighter.
With such a grip on the forearm, he not only shoots, but can also lean his weapon against the ground or hit with a butt or bayonet. What kind of blisters he rubbed with, I think, no need to explain.
The distance from the eye to the rear sight of the open sight or collimator is uncritical. The length of the butt does not play any role. But when using a diopter, a too long butt will not allow the eye to reach the diopter, and too short will allow the same diopter to drop into the eye when it returns. So these two innovations (diopter and sliding butt) are interconnected. If the diopter and allows you to more accurately aim, then in turn requires more time to do this, moreover, after the dirt gets into the hole, it is not cleaned with bare fingers. These truths are already a hundred years old. These innovations do not give any advantage.
Cut-off for two rounds. I have already said that only the high-tempo (1800 high / min) two makes sense. Another position of the switch, of course, diversifies the number of manipulations when handling weapons, that's just why it is necessary at the usual rate of 600-700 high / min?
Lightweight bolt carrier, "recycled" gas outlet and other trifles, this is not something that can fundamentally change the tactical and technical characteristics of the weapon.
Concerns about the mythical twofold superiority of ak-12 over AK-74 are nothing more than a bluff. If you wish, you can more accurately calculate this "superiority" in specific figures, as was the case with the cut-off example. Obviously, there is no multiple superiority. He does not have AEK. Further development of thoughts about the position of the Customer or his competence is not desirable. But we love Wang. Wangju, story with AN-94 will repeat. Like a farce. It does not matter what they will receive: "ak-12" or AEK. They will release a couple of years and will announce the next "Warrior".
The damage of the sample, which was presented for the first time under the brand name “ak-12” in 2010, was immediately visible to specialists. Chief editor of the magazine "Kalashnikov" M.Ye. Degtyarev was the first to speak out about the idea of a new machine gun in a negative way and, in order not to weaken the glorious brand, he wrote it in small letters. I joined this symbolic gesture, so hereinafter we will speak about “ak-12”.
Part one. Phenomenon.
The emergence of the idea of a new machine is inextricably linked with two processes taking place in parallel. The collapse of the army by its minister and the destruction of Izhmash's engineering school was gaining momentum. In the Ministry of Defense, not only whole institutions were destroyed, but the functions of the Defense Ministry as a customer were also reviewed. If in the system created by D.F. Ustinov, the army and the developer worked in symbiosis, creating and selecting the best, then in the system created by Serdyukov, the army turned into a merchant. Previously, the army was a generator of ideas, with a powerful analytical apparatus, it could forecast trends in the development of weapons, process huge amounts of information and clearly develop tactical and technical requirements for new weapons. As an example. The firing efficiency of a high-rate deuce in the AN-94 seems obvious, but in fact the initial task was to cut off three shots. When adopting a model with the best characteristics, the customer cannot operate with comparative or superlative degrees. We need specific numbers. After a lot of work at the training ground under the Abakan program, it was found that shooting with a high-speed two from AN-94 is 1,4 times more effective than shooting with a regular AK-74 triple. That's why the initial requirements for a cutoff of three shots were changed in favor of the deuce right in the test process.
Under the new minister, the ministry has turned into a naughty young lady, who knows what she wants, but does not know what she wants. The functions of the customer were not limited to the development of requirements, but to the evaluation of the proposed. "You will offer, and we will see whether to buy or not to buy." It is possible to forgive such a point of view if we recognize that common sense is finally conquered in Russia by capitalism. But the lordly manner of modern compradors, sewn at the gene level, cannot but humiliate the manufacturer. “Your machine is outdated. Come up with something new. Otherwise, we will purchase French FAMAS. ”
The manufacturer also often gets rid of the red lid Picatinny rail. There are no normal engineering personnel for a long time, and where they are, there is no normal funding for R & D. That is why all manufacturers tread around the once created and tested AK or SVD scheme. In fairness, it is worth noting that our eventual opponents cannot tear themselves away from the decisions of half a century ago.
With the appearance of Serdyukov in the Ministry of Defense and Kuzyuk on Izhmash, some movements began at the plant in the coma. How and from where Kuzyuki and other General-Dima come from is unknown. Kuziuk, frightened by his appointment to such a position, appointed the chief designer of the Tula engineer Zlobin, and began to search for a sissy that needed to be eaten and “works of the human mind”, which needed to be “dumped” into the waste pit ”(c). This is from Saltykov-Shchedrin, if someone has not read the classics. The workers of KOTS Izhmash, the designers of gunsmiths of the highest class, turned out to be Siskin, head and shoulders above Zlobin. They were forced to leave the factory. This was written in his blog by Alexey V. “They killed the Izhmash plant, the manufacturer of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.” This blog is now unavailable for obvious reasons, but a copy of the article can be easily found on the Internet. A work of mind, I suppose, was the work on the AK-200, which were conducted on Izhmash. I suspect that it was a machine with a balanced automatics, perhaps from the backlog of the battery, which participated in the competition "Abakan". The ambition of the new gun genius declared AK-200 a myth (dumped into a pit) and revealed to the world "ak-12".
The analyzes of the first photos and the informative information about “ak-12” caused the first doubts, and the interview of Kuzyuk and Zlobin - the confidence that the people slipped the chupa-chups. For example, it was stated that on the basis of "ak-12" "we will create a submachine gun and a sniper rifle." In the machine planned double-shooting. Why is she a sniper rifle or a submachine gun?
MO claimed that they issued the requirements for the new machine in 2010 year. What are the requirements? New weapons have always been developed through competition or in the light of new commodity-money relations through government orders. And only with the advent of the “Warrior” theme did something more or less orderly begin in the dances around the new machine gun. There was a normal competitor - AEK.
In the very first trials, something happened that should have happened. Automatic failed tests. But not because of the discrepancy between the technical requirements parameters, but according to the key indicator of all Kalashnikovs - reliability!
Part two. Convulsions.
In further tests, "ak-12" was refused. Rather, denied government funding for development and testing.
Kuzuk finally got rid of the need to pose in front of the cameras, clumsily holding the machine gun.The appearance of Busygin on Izhmash introduced a fresh stream in the media space. Once a month I started issuing PRs from the oven: cooperation with Beretta, our own cartridge production, our own testing and certification center, to which all Americans must come with their weaponry novelties, and so on. Zlobin was marked by two models of bullpaps, which surfaced at some exhibition and sunk into eternity. Meanwhile, the working class, driven to despair by non-payment of the already beggarly wages, found in itself the last strength to go on a picket in Moscow. Mikhail Timofeevich addressed a direct request to the authorities to save Izhmash. Rogozin intervened in the case, he not only knew how to hold the machine gun, but also shot well.
Rogozin proposed to create a concern on the basis of two factories, one of which was completely bankrupt, and the other Izhevsk mechanical was rather dead. The old designer still believed in the decency of the leaders of his fatherland and gave the concern his name. He did not live to see the time when the concern’s leadership began a shameful trial with his relatives for a trademark with his name, which belonged to them by law and law. The pinnacle of the Bousygin government was the logo of the concern developed by an unknown student, who was mocked by the whole world. Compradors did not understand what they became the owner. After all, there were agencies and designers who were ready to develop the concern's logo for FREE, just because their name stood next to the name of Kalashnikov! And if this were the only stupidity of the new leadership!
So, on the official website of the concern, a West German company was listed as a trading partner. When clicking on the link to this company, the user got directly to the site of a small arms manufacturing company - Izhmash’s direct competitor. The name of this company is Schmeisser GmbH. On the promotional materials Izhmash flaunted American rifle M-16.
Saving an ordinary concern from bankruptcy looks like this. He receives a guaranteed order from the state and a financial loan from Sberbank, and the concern is transferred with giblets and debts to private hands for the obligation to participate with its capital. Be that as it may, Busygin dissolved after Kuzyuk. The failure of Zlobin’s trials was so obvious that his departure was a matter of time. Before the new leadership again got a toothache with a gun. From the same place where Kuzyuk pulled out engineer Zlobin, Krivoruchko pulled out an athlete-consultant Kirisenko. This immediately affected the machine. Multi-caliberity, modularity, ambidextrality, and other picatinas appeared, including the ability to "recharge with one hand." The deadlines for the AEK and the decision on the “Warrior” began to move suspiciously. In the media space again began PR. Glimpsed Kirisenko, Sigal, Vickers and other stars. Finally, it was announced that both machines had been tested for compliance with TTT and transferred to military trials. The final appearance of the machine was unknown, and the appearance of his people was promised at the exhibition "Army-2016".
Part Three. Apotheosis.
And everyone saw the final version of the “fifth generation” machine gun. But only no one saw in him ambidextrality, modularity, multi-caliberity and, all the more, the possibility of “one-handed reloading”. Before us is the good old AK-74 with modifications that do not pull at rearmament, but at least look like a normal military weapon, uncorrupted by sports or glamorous Wishlist.
What happened? Apparently, it has come to the concern’s management that the engineers are developing weapons, not athletes or ambitious single designers. Sliding butt, Picatinny rail, diopter sight, shooting mode with a cut-off in two rounds and a lightweight slide frame. This is the result of several years of the creation of a fifth-generation automaton. But this was the only way to get out of the impasse in which ambitious DIY-made and effective managers drove "ak-12".
Analysis of all the features of the construction of "ak-12" will take a separate topic. Limited to small.
Picatinny Plank. There are no more stupid innovations in military small arms than the Picatinny rail and front "tactical" handle. Both came from sports. The effectiveness of the front handle was tested in the era of the AK-47 and AKM. Then it was found that the weapon needs it as a cow saddle. Romanians are not convinced. At the beginning of a new century, marketing geniuses convinced sportsmen that they would look cooler with their arms. And until 2015, the athlete was not an athlete, if he did not hold his carbine in the manner of the German MP-40. At the World Championships 2015, a massive enlightenment happened - the handles disappeared. But they appeared in the set of the famous AK-74M modernization in the Russian Army. In soldiers, enlightenment comes much faster than in athletes.
And yet, picatinny. A universal interface to connect, it's great, be it a USB connector or a docking station on a space station. But not in arms.
Here is the hand of an athlete with the grip of the opposed forearm.
And this is the hand of a field fighter.
With such a grip on the forearm, he not only shoots, but can also lean his weapon against the ground or hit with a butt or bayonet. What kind of blisters he rubbed with, I think, no need to explain.
The distance from the eye to the rear sight of the open sight or collimator is uncritical. The length of the butt does not play any role. But when using a diopter, a too long butt will not allow the eye to reach the diopter, and too short will allow the same diopter to drop into the eye when it returns. So these two innovations (diopter and sliding butt) are interconnected. If the diopter and allows you to more accurately aim, then in turn requires more time to do this, moreover, after the dirt gets into the hole, it is not cleaned with bare fingers. These truths are already a hundred years old. These innovations do not give any advantage.
Cut-off for two rounds. I have already said that only the high-tempo (1800 high / min) two makes sense. Another position of the switch, of course, diversifies the number of manipulations when handling weapons, that's just why it is necessary at the usual rate of 600-700 high / min?
Lightweight bolt carrier, "recycled" gas outlet and other trifles, this is not something that can fundamentally change the tactical and technical characteristics of the weapon.
Concerns about the mythical twofold superiority of ak-12 over AK-74 are nothing more than a bluff. If you wish, you can more accurately calculate this "superiority" in specific figures, as was the case with the cut-off example. Obviously, there is no multiple superiority. He does not have AEK. Further development of thoughts about the position of the Customer or his competence is not desirable. But we love Wang. Wangju, story with AN-94 will repeat. Like a farce. It does not matter what they will receive: "ak-12" or AEK. They will release a couple of years and will announce the next "Warrior".
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