The Short-lived RPK-16 Light Machine Gun / Automatic Rifle

By Lynndon Schooler

RPK-16 on the range. Photo by Lynndon Schooler.

The RPK-16 was first unveiled in 2016. It appeared to be a successor to the RPK-74, following the typical design trends in Russian firearms. “RPK” refers to Kalashnikov’s hand-held machine gun, commonly categorized as a light machine gun. However, the RPK series, including the RPK-16, is more accurately classified as an automatic rifle.While it looks like a light machine gun, it lacks many advantages typically associated with a light machine gun. The original intent behind the design of the RPK was to ensure compatibility with the service rifle, which ultimately limited its combat effectiveness. This led to multiple attempts to address these shortcomings in the 1970s Izhmash “Poplin” R&D program for the Soviet Army. This program attempted to improve the light machine gun by the famous improvement range of 1.5 to 2 times and incorporated magazine and belt dual feed systems. Unfortunately, this didn’t lead to any adopted solutions, leaving a vulnerability in Soviet infantry squad firepower until more recently being supplemented with PKMs.

Source: The Firearm Blog