ADS amphibious rifle

The ADS is a Russian assault rifle specially made for combat divers. It is of a bullpup layout and is chambered in the 5.45×39mm M74 round. The ADS can adapt a silencer and optical sights.

History

For several decades, Soviet and then Russian combat divers and naval commando units were armed with special weapons for underwater combat, including the SPP-1 pistol and APS underwater assault rifle. The main drawback of these weapons is that their effectiveness (and life expectancy) for use above the water is severely degraded compared to standard 'above water' weapons. Therefore, combat divers and other Spetsnaz units, when engaged in amphibious operations (below the water and above), had to carry on the mission two types of weapons - one for underwater use and another for use when on shore or on board of enemy surface vessels. The first known attempt to produce a single weapon which could be effectively used either below or above the water was the ASM-DT experimental 'dual-medium' or amphibious assault rifle, developed in Tula in around 2000. The main problem with ASM-DT was that it still had to use extremely long, specially designed underwater ammunition when submerged, which necessitated an overlong receiver, complicated magazine well of adjustable size and two types of magazines. This was found unsuitable for combat use, and further development commenced at the famous arms development facility KBP (Instrument Design Bureau) in Tula. By 2005, the design team at KBP has successfully developed effective underwater ammunition which retains the compact size of the standard issue 5.45×39mm rounds, and thus can be loaded and fired from standard AK-74-type box magazines, and, more importantly, fired from the same chambers and barrels that would accept the 'above-water' ammunition.

Description

The rifle was designed by Russia's Tula Instrument Design Bureau. It is equipped with a 40 mm grenade launcher which has a range of 400 m and fires various modifications of VOG-25 grenade (no mention is made of grenades for underwater use).^[1] The weight of the gun including the grenade launcher and without sight is approximately 4.6 kg. The weapon uses 5.45×39mm bullets and fires at a firing rate of 700 rounds per minute with a range on land of 500 m. The weapon's effective underwater firing range when using the specially designed cartridge is about 25 meters at a depth of 30 meters and 18 m at a depth of 20 m (the underwater cartridge very similar in external appearance to the standard 5.45×39mm ammunition except for a different specially calculated bullet shape). The length of the bullet is 53.5 mm compared to an overall cartridge length of 57 mm.^[2] Fired cartridge extraction to the forward makes ambidextrous shooting convenient and reduces gas pollution in the face of the shooter region.^[3]

Trials and adoption

The ADS was under extensive field trials by undisclosed units of Russian Naval special forces. It will replace APS underwater weapons and, possibly, some AK-74M general issue assault rifles in service with Russian Navy special operation units and other Russian special forces, which might be engaged in underwater operations (security, counter-terrorism in the sea, etc.). Entered service in August 2013.^[4] “Rosoboronexport” signed a contract with one of the CIS countries for the supply of ADS.^[5] As of September 2016, ADS entered service with the Russian Ministry of Defence Special Operations Force Command combat divers.^[6]

Gallery

• 

  Another picture of the ADS amphibious rifle.

• 

  The ADS amphibious rifle placed underwater at Interpolitex 2013.

• 

  Another angle of the rifle placed underwater at Interpolitex 2013.

See also

• A-91
• List of bullpup firearms
• List of assault rifles

References

• Gunworld
• Weaponland

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to ADS assault rifle.

• List of Russian weaponry

Bullpup firearms
Rifles	A-91 Advanced Individual Combat Weapon Armtech C30R ASh-12.7 BMCR Bushmaster M17S EM-2 EM-4 EMERK FAMAS FB MSBS FN F2000 Heckler & Koch G11 HS Produkt VHS IWI Tavor IWI X95 Interdynamics MKR K-3 KAL1 GPIR Kel-Tec RDB Kel-Tec RFB KH-2002 L64/65 L85 L98 LA-1 LA-4 LAPA FA-03 Magpul PDR MAS-54B Model 45A NIVA XM1970 Norinco Type 86S OTs-14 Groza PAPOP QBZ-95 S&T Daewoo XK8 SA80 SAR 21 Sieg SLEM-1 Steyr ACR Steyr AUG TKB-011 TKB-0146 TKB-022PM TKB-059 TKB-408 Type 11 Valmet M82 VB Berapi LP06 Vektor CR-21 Vepr W+F C42 (Stgw 90 "kurz Version C 2") Walther G22
Carbines	AGM-1 L22 Thorneycroft
Machine guns	L86 LSW Pecheneg Bullpup QBB-95 SAR 21 LMG Steyr AUG HBAR Steyr AUG LMG Steyr AUG LMG-T
Submachine guns	FN P90 IWI X95 SMG JS 9 mm QCW-05 Steyr AUG Para Steyr AUG A3 Para XS
Handguns	Bushmaster Arm Pistol Remington XP-100
Sniper rifles	Bor Desert Tactical Arms Stealth Recon Scout SVU DSR-Precision GmbH DSR-1 M89SR OTs-48K QBU-88 VSSK Vykhlop Walther WA 2000
Anti-materiel rifles	Barrett M90 Barrett M95 Barrett XM500 Denel NTW-20 DSR-Precision GmbH DSR-50 Falcon Gepárd KSVK Mambi MICOR Leader 50 RT-20 Solothurn S-18/100 Solothurn S-18/1000 Solothurn S-18/1100 Steyr IWS 2000 WKW Wilk
Shotguns	ENARM Pentagun Franchi mod .410 Heckler & Koch HK CAWS High Standard Model 10 Kel-Tec KSG Kushnapup KS-23K Mossberg 500/590 Bullpup NeoStead 2000 Pancor Jackhammer UTAS UTS-15
Other	ADS amphibious rifle S&T Daewoo K11 Special Purpose Individual Weapon XM25 CDTE XM29 OICW