Russia: Journalists visit AK-47 manufacturers
According to Russian media reports on the 12th, the United States passed a defense budget for the 2017 fiscal year, one of which is "prohibiting the cooperation between the Ministry of Defense and Rosoboronexport." To this end, Russian media visited Russia's "ace" arms factory and AK-47 manufacturer - Kalashnikov company, which said that the sanctions were just an "empty bullet".
The AK-47 is an assault rifle with a short body and short range, suitable for close-range combat, and is known as the "king of the long gun".
According to Russian media reports, despite the "ban" imposed by the United States, orders for AK rifles continue to flow, and exports have even doubled. Why is it so popular? It starts with the quality of the AK. According to the report, beginning in 1985, the AK gradually removed the wood from the stock and handle of the rifle and replaced it with a hard plastic. With this modification, the AK was lighter and more capable of trouble-free firing.
So, how good is the AK-47? There are reports that during the Vietnam War, American soldiers preferred to use captured AK-47s rather than American-made F-16s. The AK-47 was described in a Russian media documentary about Mikhail Kalashnikov, the "father of the AK-47," who died in December 2013. "I am very professional. Whether it is a single shot or automatic rapid fire, I can always hit the target accurately. I don't know fatigue and I don't know failure. I am a submachine gun and my name is a Kalashnikov."
The "Kalashnikov" has arguably become the unofficial symbol of Russia, Russian media say. In September 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally inspected the company, it is worth mentioning that before Putin's visit, the workshop had just undergone modernization, greatly shortening the production line and improving production efficiency.
According to Sergei Chemezov, Kalashnikov is facing a transition "from military to civilian", with plans to increase the proportion of civilian production to 50 percent, including medical equipment, security scanners, and wireless electronics capable of destroying small drones. Instead of counting on war to boost the company, it wants to rely on peace to grow it, the company said.