Ultimate assault rifle for special forces
How much does the car that the couriers use or the entry-level taxis use? Usually this is the most inexpensive car of category "A" or "B" costing, by today's standards, about 500-700 thousand rubles (excluding used cars). What do Formula 1 pilots drive? So, the price of a Formula 1 race car is about $10–15 million – a very significant difference, right?
Different tasks, different levels of training of specialists - different means for their solution. Image by wikipedia.org
Another example is that cooks in a factory canteen use 3–4 inexpensive Chinese knives for 300–500 rubles when cooking, and are quite satisfied with them. A Japanese professional chef in his work uses half a dozen or a dozen professional knives, the cost of which can be 100-200 thousand rubles each.
And what do we see when it comes to the armed forces (AF)? In the armed forces, both a conscript who has served six months and a professional commando with 5–10 years of experience are armed with approximately the same rifle weapons: in Russia - this is a Kalashnikov assault rifle, in the USA - the M-4 carbine. Someone may object that the conscript will receive an outdated AK-74M from the warehouse, and the newest AK-12 will be issued to the special forces, but is the difference between the AK-74M and AK-12 so fundamental?
Of course, special operations forces (SOF) units receive special supplies - sniper rifles, optical sights, communications equipment, but now we are talking about the main small arms - submachine gun / assault rifle. Is it possible to equip the MTR with Western machine guns / assault rifles? Yes, probably, but, in principle, at the moment there is simply nothing in the world that is radically superior to the weapons of the AK series. The NGSW program can give some results, but here too revolutions are not expected.
How much does a modern assault rifle cost? We will focus on the civilian market with similar models and open data available on the Internet.
Models and prices
For example, Saiga-5,45 isp. 30 costs about 50 thousand rubles, respectively, we can assume that the cost of the AK-74M is approximately at the same level. The cost of a 50-series Kalashnikov assault rifle purchased for the Russian Guard, according to various sources, is 75-75 thousand rubles. Approximately 1 thousand rubles or 000 dollars, according to open data, is the latest AK-12.
A civilian SR1 carbine with balanced automatics in caliber 223 Rem costs a little more - about 110-120 thousand rubles, or about 1500 dollars. It can be assumed that the cost of the A-545 Kovrov assault rifle with balanced automation is somewhere at this level.
From top to bottom: Saiga-5,45 Spanish. 30, AK-74M, AK-200, AK-12, SR1, A-545. Image by wikipedia.org
What about "they"?
The cost of the main weapon of the US Army - the M-4 carbine, is about 800-1500 US dollars, that is, approximately the same or slightly more expensive than the cost of Russian weapons (we are talking only about the cost of a rifle, without the cost of additional accessories). The cost of the German rifle Heckler & Koch G36 is even less - about 600 euros or about 60 thousand rubles. The newest German HK416 is much more expensive - about 3 US dollars. The Belgian FN SCAR rifles cost about the same. The civilian version of the SIG Sauer NGSW-R MCX Spear, that is, the rifle actually being developed under the NGSW program, has been announced at a price of $000.
From top to bottom: M-4, Heckler & Koch G36, Heckler & Koch 416, FN SCAR-L, FN SCAR-H, SIG Sauer MCX Spear
Perhaps the fact that the military weapons used in the armed forces of Russia and NATO countries, comparable in cost, has a basis - more is not needed? Or maybe the armed forces of the countries of the world are still mired in the concept of mass armies and are not ready to abandon equipping them with a single model of small arms, despite the fact that in the XNUMXst century the role of special operations forces has increased more than ever, and often it is on them are the most difficult and most responsible tasks that can change the balance of power on the world stage?
Why in general can and should the cost of an automatic rifle for MTR increase? Of course, we are not talking about covering weapons with gold patterns and rhinestones (although, if we talk about export, you should not disdain such “improvements” - to each his own). First you need to understand why small arms are generally extremely conservative and what makes it difficult to develop.
Growth problems
Technological barriers - this is not about revolutionary developments, for example, energy sources that will allow you to create a conditional "blaster". No, everything is much more prosaic, technological limitations are machine tools and production lines on which small arms and cartridges are now mass-produced.
For example, designers have developed some promising design, and at the stage of approval of design documentation, technologists tell them: “Are you crazy, what are we going to do this for you? Get out of here, redo it all over again, and more stamping ... ". And as a result, no matter how you scoff, the output will again be AK. Technological limitations are especially relevant when we plan to produce ten million machine guns and several billion cartridges for them.
Regulatory Barriers - these are various GOSTs, the requirements of the armed forces for the duration of storage, the possibility of manufacturing in a nuclear war, and so on and so forth. What does this mean in practice? For example, some requirement for the storage of cartridges without loss of their properties for 50 years at a storage temperature of -60 to +70 degrees Celsius (conditionally). And cartridges in a polymer sleeve are guaranteed not to withstand such a requirement (yet). But if we are talking about a cartridge for MTR, which will not be produced in the amount of 10 billion units, then this requirement is not essential and can be reduced to 5-10 years, at temperatures from -40 to +50 degrees Celsius. And as a result, a cartridge with a polymer sleeve may well go into series, use MTR, and due to its lower mass, it will be possible to increase the wearable ammunition load by 30–40% and increase the effectiveness of combat operations now, and not when the “last and decisive battle” comes ".
Cost-effectiveness - This is one of the most important criteria in the development of weapons and weapons. It would seem that everything is logical, the effectiveness of the weapon should grow in proportion to the growth of its cost? But it's not that simple.
For example, we have a standard magazine for 30 rounds. We take and replace the used spring with a flat wave spring made of a more expensive material, which increases the magazine capacity by 3 rounds. Wonderful? But there is a problem - with a new spring, the store costs three times more.
It turns out that according to the cost-effectiveness criterion, we do not pass - the efficiency (store capacity) increases by 10%, and the cost by 200%? But can this question be looked at from another angle? Plus 3 rounds is plus 30 rounds for 10 magazines, that is, in fact, one more additional magazine. This is plus 300 rounds of ammunition for a combat group of 10 people, that is, in fact, the full ammunition load of one more fighter. Moreover, cartridges equipped in magazines that do not need to be additionally equipped during the battle.
In practice, this means a better chance of winning: the enemy may run out of ammo a little earlier. During large-scale hostilities, these values can be averaged, but when solving MTR tasks of particular importance, as a cost-effectiveness criterion, it is necessary to consider not only the performance characteristics (TTX) of the weapon, as such, but also the nature of the tasks solved with its help - hostage rescue, destruction of critical facilities, regime change in a hostile country. And then it becomes clear that you should not save 200% of the cost on improving individual performance characteristics of weapons by 10%.
Remove restrictions
What do we need in order to create promising small arms for professionals?
1. It is necessary to establish a marginal cost for "weapons for professionals". Of course, the machine gun should not cost as much as a tank or a nuclear submarine, but the idea of a small-scale "consumer goods" for the MTR must also be abandoned. It is conditionally possible to accept the cost of a promising machine for MTR at the level of high-tech infantry weapons - an anti-tank missile system (ATGM) or a man-portable air defense system (MANPADS), for example, about 100 US dollars.
This does not mean that this is how much the machine itself should cost. This cost should include the results of research and development work (R & D), distributed by the cost of purchased machines. And depending on the volume of purchase, it can be 10/30/50/70% of the total cost of the machine.
Someone will say that such a cost for small arms is prohibitive? But his opinion will definitely change if he or someone close to him is taken hostage, and it will depend on the effectiveness of the actions of the special forces whether the hostages survive or not. And a significant increase in the characteristics of small arms will definitely have a positive impact on the effectiveness of the actions of the MTR.
2. Volumes of purchases - you must initially understand that this is not a weapon for mass armies, but a weapon of professionals, and the number of purchased copies will be limited to batches of thousands - a maximum of tens of thousands of units. During the development process, you should not "drive" about mass production in the style of the Second World War or the Cold War.
3. Proceeding from paragraphs 1 and 2, it is necessary to abandon the manufacture of weapons and cartridges for them under the existing technological processes at the enterprise-developers / manufacturers. The possibility of acquiring the most modern equipment and materials available in our country should act as a limiter to the imagination of designers and developers.
4. It is necessary to adjust the regulatory requirements for weapons for MTRs, which should differ significantly from the requirements for weapons for the bulk of the armed forces, taking into account the fact that weapons for MTRs must show extreme characteristics, while its shelf life and service life will be shorter from -for small production volumes, as a result of faster wear due to intensive operation, as well as the rapid development of technology (in 5–10–15 years, the MTR should already have a new automatic machine).
5. Apply the latest technologies in small arms, including microelectronics, taking into account the principle of "three-loop" outlined in the article From the machine gun to the rifle-information complex.
What kind of shooting systems can be developed taking into account the above provisions?
Old cartridge - new machine
Cartridges of calibers 5,45x39 mm, 5,56x45 mm, 7,62x39 mm and 7,62x51 mm are firmly established in the armies of Russia and NATO countries. Despite numerous attempts, it has not yet been possible to replace them with something fundamentally new. There is a high probability that, even in the event of the appearance of fundamentally new ammunition, the “good old” cartridges of caliber 5,45x39 mm, 5,56x45 mm, 7,62x39 mm and 7,62x51 mm will be used in combat for many decades.
Cartridges of caliber 5,56x45 mm, 5,45x39 mm, 7,62x39 mm and 7,62x51 mm
Based on this, the first type of weapons designed for the MTR should be samples for the existing cartridges 5,45x39 mm, 5,56x45 mm, 7,62x39 mm (optionally 7,62x51 mm).
If we use "old" cartridges, then what can we achieve from a new weapon, won't the result be the same AK, only worth a million rubles?
The use of the latest materials and technological processes will allow for a "redistribution of mass" inside the weapon so that it is used to maximize its performance within the capabilities provided by the selected ammunition.
In practice, this means, for example, that a significant part of the weapon structure can be made of aluminum, titanium and steel alloys by printing on a 3D printer, followed by processing on high-precision milling machines. It can be not only elements of the receiver, stock, but even, for example, an underbarrel grenade launcher. Reinforced units made of high-strength alloys of steel and tungsten can be installed at critical points. The saved mass reserve must be directed to strengthening the barrel.
3D printing makes it possible to obtain products of the most complex configuration. Image 3dtoday.ru
The barrel itself can also be made from stronger grades of steel, which are much more difficult to machine and wear. Or it could be a "sandwich" including a high-strength steel liner, a carbon fiber jacket, heat pipes for cooling, a perforated and profiled aluminum or titanium alloy guard. From the inside, the barrel can be coated with special coatings to improve survivability (carbonitriding of the barrel or something else).
Proof Research carbon composite barrels. Image proofresearch.com
The specific technology at this stage is not important, since the optimal one can be chosen only in the process of developing and testing promising weapons, what is important is what it will give us in the end.
The SSO assault rifle should initially be focused on working with a closed-type silencer / DTK when using all types of cartridges.
The use of high-tech materials will make it possible to reconsider some weapon schemes that increase the accuracy and accuracy of fire, including from unstable positions - schemes with the accumulation of recoil momentum, balanced automation, etc. If using existing "mass" materials and technical processes in such schemes could failure of any elements, for example, gears, then the use of advanced materials and technical processes will allow them to fully reveal their potential without compromising reliability.
Advanced weapon magazines must be compatible with regular weapon magazines chambered for the appropriate cartridge. At the same time, flat or wave springs can be used in regular stores of the MTR assault rifle, which, with the same dimensions, can increase the capacity by 2–5 rounds.
Comparison of conventional and wave springs. Image by smalley.com
The resulting weapon must provide:
- a mass comparable to the mass of existing automata;
- single-shot accuracy at the level of high-precision sniper rifles, which is about 0,5–0,7 MOA (when firing with the appropriate cartridge);
- the highest survivability of the barrel, which makes it possible to use the machine gun as a light machine gun with high-capacity magazines;
- the possibility of more accurate and accurate firing bursts, including from unstable positions;
- 5-15% or more larger capacity of a standard magazine.
In fact, a promising MTR assault rifle should largely combine an assault rifle, a Marksman rifle and a light machine gun. And all this in the weight and size characteristics of a standard machine.
This means that each MTR fighter will have an advantage over the enemy, armed with "mass" weapons, at short and medium range - due to more accurate and accurate bursts of fire, including from unstable positions, and at long range - due to more high accuracy of firing single fire. Each MTR fighter, if necessary, can perform the functions of a sniper, hitting targets at a greater range and with a higher probability than the enemy, or perform the functions of a machine gunner, if there is sufficient ammunition, without risking overheating or incapacitating their main weapon due to conducting intense fire.
Despite the fact that this weapon is being developed for existing cartridges of 5,45x39 mm, 5,56x45 mm, 7,62x39 mm and 7,62x51 mm calibers, this does not mean that new cartridges in the corresponding calibers cannot be developed for it - with polymer or metal-composite sleeve, with bullets of improved ballistics and accuracy, with a core of increased armor penetration, with new gunpowder. We agree in advance that such cartridges will be more expensive. If a regular cartridge is purchased conditionally at 4 rubles per piece, then we are ready for the fact that a special cartridge will cost 1-40, or even 120 rubles apiece (for some options), but the tasks solved with its help justify this.
Thus, a promising MTR assault rifle, when using special cartridges developed for it, will show even better performance characteristics. But even in the absence of special cartridges, it will in many ways surpass the "mass" weapons of a similar class.
New machine - new cartridge
On the basis of the decisions obtained in the course of the work on the previous paragraph, a weapon-cartridge complex for a new ammunition can be created, taking into account the work carried out within the framework of the American NGSW program. This does not mean that it is necessary to follow “follow-after” - a compromise option can be implemented. For example, a new cartridge can be developed on the basis of a previously discussed Soviet cartridge 6x49 mm Or it could be something fundamentally new. Within the framework of this paragraph, both a new promising cartridge and weapons for it must be carried out in existing traditional layouts (no telescopic cartridges and feathered sub-caliber bullets).
Cartridge mm 6x49
A weapon implemented according to the concept of the previous paragraph, but chambered for a new, more powerful cartridge, with better ballistics and armor penetration, will further increase the advantages of the MTR over the enemy, especially in terms of high-precision and machine-gun fire over a long distance. In this case, the best defeat of the enemy in the means of individual armor protection (NIB) will be ensured.
Weapons, both created under the previous paragraph for the existing ammunition of 5,45x39 mm, 5,56x45 mm, 7,62x39 mm and 7,62x51 mm, and weapons created for the new cartridge, conditionally 6x49 mm, can exist in parallel and be used by MTR depending on the problem being solved.
If the new cartridge does not become widespread, but receives a relatively limited distribution, then this can even be considered an advantage in some ways - if an MTR machine falls under a new cartridge into the hands of the enemy, he will not be able to use it - he simply will have nowhere to get cartridges.
Promising Concepts
In the third iteration, a promising automaton for SSO can be created using the most bold technical solutions, materials and layouts - telescopic ammunition, polymers, ceramics, feathered sub-caliber bullets and so on.
Telescopic ammunition and cartridges with feathered sub-caliber bullets
The development of such weapons will take a lot of time, it is possible that in the near future it will not be possible to bring it to mass production at all. But the very development of such weapons is extremely important, because, without trying to jump “over our heads”, we will never go anywhere from the conditional “Kalashnikov assault rifle”.
And yes, even experimental models of promising small arms need to be tested in real combat conditions, of course, not quite “raw” specimens, but those that have reached a certain degree of technical maturity. It is quite possible that it is in the course of real hostilities that promising weapons will turn out to be so convenient and effective that the need for its priority development to the series will become obvious to everyone.
Approximate timing of the creation of machines for MTR
Conclusions
The existing approach to the initial design of small arms for mass armies leads to a dead end. In reality, hostilities are often conducted between highly professional specialists of special operations forces and hastily trained militants of numerous terrorist groups. And now both of them are fighting with small arms of about the same level.
It is necessary to create preferential conditions for the actions of the special operations forces of the Russian Federation by equipping them with small arms and ammunition of increased efficiency, in particular, the main weapon of ground units - the SSO assault rifle.
Information