The RPK-16 is a 5.45mm caliber light machine gun (LMG) designed and manufactured by the Russian small arms manufacturer Kalashnikov Group, a subsidiary of the Russian ROSTEC state corporation. The RPK-16 was unveiled during Army-2016, the International Military Technical Forum which was held near Moscow in September 2016. It was especially developed to replace the old Soviet-made RPK 7.62x39mm caliber light machine gun developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s. The RPK-16 has a maximum firing range of 800m and a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute. In january 2017, the Russian Defense Ministry has ordered a pilot batch of up-to-date RPK-16 light machineguns for delivery in 2017, according to the press office of the Kalashnikov Corporation.
The RPK-16 light machine uses the standard design and layout of Kalashnikov assault rifle family. it uses traditional gas operated action with rotary bolt locking. The RPK-16 has barrel change capability, so it can be uses as a standard light machine gun with a long barrel or as an assault machine gun with a short barrel. A Picatinny bipod is mounted at the front of the weapon. The RPK-165 can fire in single shot or automatic mode. It has a combat weight of 6 kg or 4 kg without bipod and accessories, a length of 1,076 mm, a barrel length of 370 mm with the short barrel or 550 mm with the long barrel. It has a new ergonomic pistol grip and a folding stock.
The RPK-16 is fitted with a Picatinny rail to mount different types of sights or optics.
Ammunition
The RPK-16 is chambered for 5.45x39mm M74 ammunition. It can fire a full range of ammunition as the 7N6, 7N10, 7T3, and 7T3M munitions. The Soviet original military issue 7N6 cartridge variant introduced in 1974 are loaded with full metal jacket bullets that have a somewhat complex construction. The 7N10 "improved penetration" cartridge was introduced in 1992. The 7N10 boat-tail bullet weighs 3.60 g (55.6 gr) and the weight of the lengthened sleeker steel (high-carbon steel U12A) penetrator made of steel 70 was increased to 1.80 g (27.8 gr) and the lead plug in front of it was discarded. the 7T3 and T73M are tracer cartridges. The 3.23 g (50 gr) tracer projectile has a shorter ogival profile and for 7T3 ammunition burns out to 800 m and for 7T3M ammunition ignites at 50 m burning out to 850 m. The RPK-16 can use two types of magazine with 30 or 96 rounds drum box magazine.
Close view of the RPK-16 drum box magazine of 96 rounds.
Accessories
A Picatinny rail is mounted on the top of the receiver of the RPK-16 which can be fitted with optical/red dot scopes or different types of sight. It can be also equipped with sound suppressor. A folding stock is available with length adjustments of 60mm.
