MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. Russia’s Kalashnikov Group has developed and successfully tested multi-bullet assault rifle cartridges for countering drones in the special military operation zone in Ukraine, the company told TASS.
"The Kalashnikov Group has successfully tested its proprietary 5.45mm multi-bullet cartridges to determine their effectiveness against a fast-moving and maneuvering target—an FPV-type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The AK-12 assault rifle fired single shots and bursts, first at a hovering UAV, and then at a drone with preset speed and altitude parameters, which was simulating an attack on the shooter. The bullet segments struck the drones, damaging their engines, batteries, electronic circuit boards, and structural components, causing the drones to crash," the group representatives noted.
According to Kalashnikov, the customer’s representatives highly praised the performance characteristics of the 5.45mm multi-bullet cartridges, as well as the accuracy and precision of their fire against aerial targets during the dynamic testing.
"The experimental 5.45mm multi-bullet cartridges are the group’s proprietary development. They are designed for individual small arms, specifically the AK-12, and contain a multi-element projectile that significantly increases the probability of hitting UAVs when fired from a Kalashnikov assault rifle in both single and burst fire. Thanks to an original design, the elements of the unique cartridge are separated in an orderly manner upon exiting the barrel bore, which improves the stability of external ballistic characteristics while maintaining the weapon’s reliability and effectiveness against Ukrainian FPV drones," the company emphasized.
Kalashnikov representatives noted that the 5.45mm multi-bullet cartridge is identical to the standard (5.45 x 39 mm) assault rifle ammunition, allowing it to be used with the standard 30-round AK-12 magazine. "As a result, a soldier can load the magazine either exclusively with multi-bullet cartridges, or alternate them with standard cartridges and use them in small arms combat against enemy personnel," they said.
Currently, the Kalashnikov Group is developing the design of 5.45mm multi-bullet assault rifle cartridges and the technology for their mass production.