MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. A shortened version of the AK-19 assault rifle for the foreign market is currently undergoing tests, Alan Lushnikov, the head of the Kalashnikov Concern, told reporters.

The AK-19 was showcased at the Army exhibition in August, he said.

"I want to say that the project for which we made it, for a foreign customer, it is being tested, and we hope for success," Lushnikov said.

Kalashnikov Concern first presented the new, short-barreled version of the AK-19 assault rifle before the Army conference in August of this year. The AK-19 is an export version of the AK-12 assault rifle adapted for the 5.56x45 mm caliber cartridge, which is in service in NATO countries and widely used around the world. The model differs from previous generations in its well thought-out ergonomics, adaptation to all-day use, and increased accuracy and density of hits.