Russia Legacy Tula Arms Plant
AEK-971
A gas-operated assault rifle developed by the Kovrov Mechanical Plant using a balanced-recoil action that cancels reciprocating-mass momentum for improved automatic-fire accuracy. It competed against the AN-94 in the Abakan program and remains used in limited numbers by Russian special units.
In service since 1978 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
600
m range
900
rpm
890
m/s
30
rds
💲 ≈ $2,500 — Approximate export unit price estimate
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 1978. Status: legacy · ~5,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 600 m Stronger than 71% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 900 rpm Stronger than 87% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 890 m/s Stronger than 50% of rifles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 5.45×39 mm
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 5.5 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 30 Stronger than 58% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.97 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 4 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 415 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $2,500 Stronger than 53% of rifles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 5,000 Bottom 5% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 2 Stronger than 15% of rifles
Specifications compiled from public Tula Arms Plant and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Brugger & Thomet APC9 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 require? +
The Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Tula Arms Plant AEK-971? +
The Tula Arms Plant AEK-971's primary weapon is the 5.45×39 mm.
What is the Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 used for? +
The Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Tula Arms Plant AEK-971? +
The Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 cost? +
The Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 has an approximate unit cost of 2,500 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
