Kalashnikov AK-103 Rifles to Be Manufactured in Armenia

In early July, the production of Kalashnikov rifles, specifically the AK-103 variant, will commence in Armenia. This was officially announced by the spokesperson for Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation.

The official assured that the production capacity in Armenia could reach an annual output of 50,000 rifles, and the granted license is valid for a period of 10 years.

The assembly of AK-103 rifles in Armenia will begin in July. The agreement for supplying components for the phased assembly of AK-103 rifles was signed on May 15, 2020, based on the relevant decision of Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, as reported by the Zvezda TV channel.

The AK-103 is an export version of the AK-74M, differing by utilizing 5.56×45 mm (NATO standard SS109) and 7.62×39 mm caliber ammunition (the Soviet cartridge from the 1943 model).

The AK-74 is one of the most widely used rifles in the world and was the first in the USSR to be created with a small caliber cartridge. Globally, there are over 18 million samples of AK and AK-74 rifles.