Serial microwave rifles enter the troops
Microwave rifle chambered for 7,62x54 mm R
The Kalashnikov Concern has launched mass production of the latest microwave sniper rifles and is beginning to supply such products to the customer. First batch of promising weapons manufactured, passed the necessary tests and accepted by the defense department. In the near future, these rifles will end up in combat units of the Russian army, and they will be followed by products from new batches. Over time, such supplies will ensure the rearmament of snipers and give them all the necessary capabilities.
From project to series
The development of a promising sniper rifle, now known as the microwave, started in 2016 and was carried out under the leadership of A.Yu. Chukavina. Already in 2017, the finished sample was first shown to specialists and the public at the Army forum. By that time, the rifle had entered factory testing and demonstrated its capabilities.
The refinement and fine-tuning of the new model was carried out with the participation of specialists from the Ministry of Defense and took several years. In 2020-21 The rifle was submitted for state testing. In October 2021, it became known about the completion of this stage of work and about preparations for the future adoption of the rifle for service, the launch of mass production, etc.
A certain number of microwave products were transferred to sniper units of the Russian army for trial operation and collection of feedback. According to known data, a variant of the rifle chambered for 7,62x54 mm R was used. Since last year, such weapons have been used as part of the Special Operation for the Defense of Donbass. Operation in real combat conditions helped to collect valuable information for further improvement of the design.
In February 2023, the management of the Kalashnikov concern announced that the microwave project was entering the stage of preparation for mass production. One of the enterprise's sites in Izhevsk began to be prepared for the full-scale production of new weapons. According to various estimates, it took at least several months to launch the series.
The success of the Kalashnikov designers did not go unnoticed. In March 2023, by presidential decree, the head of the sniper weapons design bureau of the Design and Technology Center of the Kalashnikov concern A.Yu. Chukavin was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky.
In May, the development concern announced the start of deliveries of rifles to the customer. Details of an organizational nature and the affiliation of weapons to particular parties were not specified. It also became known about the preparation of a decree of the Russian government, by which the microwave product will be adopted by the army.
Finally, on December 26, the Kalashnikov concern published news, which had been expected since 2016. The weapons production division produced the first production batch of new rifles. It successfully passed military acceptance and was shipped to the customer. Accordingly, in the near future, serial microwaves will be supplied to units of the Russian army and will go into full operation.
Plans for the future
At the end of May, Kalashnikov held a large presentation of modern models of small arms. During this event, they not only showed the latest developments in their serial form, incl. microwave rifle, but also revealed some plans for the future. For obvious reasons, they did not name exact dates and numbers, but in general they gave reasons for optimism.
It was reported that in the current year 2023, the production rate of new sniper rifles will gradually increase. Compared to the previous year, production volumes were going to increase tenfold. For the next 2024, a new growth in volumes and reaching a serial rate that meets customer requirements is planned. However, the exact figures remained unknown due to the sensitivity of the topic.
The developer of the new rifle, A. Chukavin, noted that launching and setting up mass production is a rather complex process. In turn, an established production line can be loaded at different rates, incl. increase output in accordance with customer requirements.
Previously, it was repeatedly reported that the microwave rifle was being created as a modern replacement for the well-deserved, but aging SVD. In the foreseeable future, the new model will gradually replace existing weapons, which should have a positive impact on the combat capabilities of snipers. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense and Kalashnikov have not yet clarified whether a complete transition to the Chukavin rifle is planned, and how long the planned rearmament may take.
Modification with a short barrel
Technical potential
The SHF product is a self-loading sniper rifle for infantry snipers, designed to destroy enemy personnel and unprotected materiel at distances of up to 1000-1200 m. During its development, the operating experience of the existing SVD rifle and the wishes of future users were taken into account. In addition, to expand the technical and commercial potential, three modifications of the rifle were created for different ammunition of domestic and foreign types.
To obtain maximum technical and combat characteristics, the rifle is built according to the so-called. curtain pattern. The barrel and bolt group are placed in the upper part of the receiver with a U-shaped cross-section. At the bottom it is supplemented with a cover on which parts of the trigger mechanism are mounted. The upper part of the box takes on all the loads and has appropriate strength, while the entire lower unit is made lightweight.
The rifle received automation based on the removal of powder gases with a short piston stroke. The energy of the gases is transferred to the bolt frame, which carries a rotating bolt with three lugs. The system is equipped with a gas regulator, which ensures reliable operation of the automation in any conditions. The type of firing mechanism was not reported; Probably, the trigger design, traditional for such weapons, is used. The controls are standard - the trigger and safety flags on both sides of the weapon. The trigger has a mechanism for adjusting the trigger force.
The serial microwave for the Russian army uses the 7,62x54 mm R cartridge. Ammunition is fed from a 10-place box magazine borrowed from the SVD. Modifications of the rifle have also been developed for the 7,62x51 mm NATO and .338 Lapua Magnum cartridges. They use specially designed magazines of other dimensions, other barrels and bolts.
Microwave chambered for .338 LM
The upper part of the receiver has a full-length Picatinny rail on which sighting devices can be mounted. A short bar is also located on the forend under the barrel. The rifle is equipped with a folding telescopic buttstock with an adjustable cheekpiece.
Both 7,62 mm modifications of the Chukavin rifle have a length of at least 940 mm (depending on the position of the butt) with a barrel length of up to 620 mm (81 klb). The weight of the product without cartridges and sight is 4,8 kg. The microwave version chambered for .338 LM is larger and heavier than the base product due to the use of more durable parts that correspond to a different load level.
The microwave sighting range is stated to be 1000-1200 m. Due to the technical solutions of the rifle itself, sighting devices and the cartridge used, high accuracy is achieved. Fire accuracy is up to 1 MOA. At a distance of 100 m, dispersion does not exceed 30 mm. In terms of accuracy, the new weapon is 25-30 percent. superior to the SVD product.
New era
The current main sniper rifle of the Russian army, the SVD, was put into service back in 1963. At that time, it was the most advanced example of its class, created using advanced solutions. Over the past decades, new experience has been accumulated and other technologies and materials have been created, on the basis of which a modern microwave rifle has now been developed. Its creators managed to obtain a serious increase in the main characteristics, as well as create a foundation for further development.
To date, the new domestic rifle has reached mass production. Full deliveries to the troops are beginning, followed by the replacement of old weapons. In fact, right now in stories A new era begins for domestic small arms for snipers. Whether the new microwave will be able to repeat the successes of the previous SVD, time will tell - and this may take decades.
Information