Automatkarbin 24
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| Automatkarbin 24 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin | Finland |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Swedish Armed Forces |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | SAKO |
| Variants | Automatkarbin 24A Automatkarbin 24B |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.2 kg (7.05 lb) empty |
| Length | 800 mm (31.5 in) |
| Barrel length |
|
| Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO |
| Action | Gas-operated, short-stroke piston, closed rotating bolt |
| Sights | Rödpunktsikte 18 EHV B (Aimpoint Comp M5) |
The Automatkarbin 24 (Ak 24; lit. 'Automatic Carbine 24'), initially the Självskyddsvapen 24 is a Swedish version of the Finnish Sako M23 assault rifle that is expected to enter service with the Swedish Armed Forces by 2025, partially replacing the Automatkarbin 4 and Automatkarbin 5 along with the Automatkarbin 25.[1][2]
History
[edit]Since 2012 it was well known that the ageing Ak 5 and Ak 4 were in dire need of replacement. As part of the Nordic defence strategy, Finland and Sweden signed an agreement in April 2021 regarding information exchange of future procurements of personal equipment of soldiers, followed in September by an arrangement for common procurement and an implementation document in December of the same year.[3] Therefore in the spring of 2023 the Swedish Armed Forces along with the Finnish Defence Forces, who were also looking to replace their Cold War-era rifles, signed a contract with the Finnish firearms manufacturer SAKO to supply each respective armed force with firearms of the newer M23 family which had entered production just one year earlier.[4] The rifle is planned to be adopted in two different versions, the Ak 24A with a 292 millimetres (11.5 in) barrel and the Ak 24B with a 368 millimetres (14.5 in) barrel. Implementing the A-variant has already started in the last two quarters of 2024 in four platoons across three regiments and one air wing. The B-variant on the other hand is expected to be implemented later in the third quarter of 2025.[5]
The first 200 units were delivered to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) in April 2024, with a further 7,500 to be delivered by the end of the year and a further 7,500 in 2025.[6]
Feedback on the rifle from testing in the Swedish Army has been positive, noting that it is light compared to the Ak 5, well balanced, easy to shoot, and has overall good ergonomics, which was a primary goal of the rifle according to FMV.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Nya eldhandvapen". fmv.se (in Swedish). Swedish Defence Materiel Administration. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
- ^ "SSV 24 is Dead, Long Live AK 24". Corporal Frisk. 2024-07-07. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "Finland and Sweden signed an Arrangement regarding weapons systems". puolustusvoimat.fi. Puolustusvoimat.Finnish Defence Forces. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
- ^ "Nya eldhandvapen – införandeledare är utsedd". forsvarsmakten.se (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
- ^ "automatkarbin – Taktisk.se" (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-26.
- ^ "POTD: Sweden's New Automatic Carbine 24". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ stefankarlsson (2024-08-05). "Här är nya AK 24". Reservofficeren (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-26.
External links
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