New Delhi: The ever-dependable AK-47 assault rifle of the Army has just become deadlier and more stable, thanks to an indigenous upgrade solution brought in by an Indian company.
The Bengaluru-based SSS Defence, which won a contract from an elite unit of the Army — beating an Israeli firm — in October last year, delivered its upgrade kits to the Army Wednesday, the company said.
The new kit includes a new foldable buttstock for the rifle, which allows the soldier to operate it better.
The upgrade also comes with a new dust cover that will allow mounting of sights, a feature that the AK-47 lacked until now. The sights will help the soldier aim.
There have been changes to the front part, which will allow mounting of a bipod or a knife when needed.
The upgrade kits include a hand-guard and vertical grip, which allow the soldier a better and stable firing position.
Until now, Israel’s Fab Defense had a monopoly in the Indian market over the upgrade of AK-47s.
Multiple units of the Army have been upgrading their Kalashnikovs to suit modern warfare, and Fab Defense had managed to upgrade a few thousand rifles over the last decade.
The upgrades are mostly done by Jammu-&-Kashmir-based units because, even though the AK-47s are deadly, they lacked many features that a modern rifle would have.
“The AK-47s are a preferred choice because of their dependability and ease of use. The upgrades allow the soldier better grip, firing position, and accuracy. These upgrades are being done at the unit level,” a source in the defence and security establishment said.
The source added that the upgrade kits make the rifle look and feel completely new.
SSS Defence is also eyeing a possible contract from the Indian Army for the upgrade of the legendary Dragunov rifle, commonly known in the armed forces as DSR.
The Northern Command has come out with a Request for Proposal (tender) for the upgrade of 90 pieces of the nearly three-decade-old rifle. Overall, the Army is estimated to have anywhere between 6,000 and 7,000 pieces of the DSR.
While the Russian manufacturer of the Kalashnikov rifle has also come up with an upgrade, the upgrade programme is mentioned in the negative import list put out by the defence ministry in August 2020.
According to SSS Defence, its upgrade significantly reduces recoil with a new tactical buttstock with a built-in monopod and adjustable cheek rest.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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