AK-74
The AK-74 (Russian: Автомат Калашникова образца 1974 года, romanized: Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1974 goda, lit. 'Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974') is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974 as a successor to the AKM. It is chambered for the 5.45×39mm cartridge, which replaced the 7.62×39mm cartridge of Kalashnikov's earlier automatic weapons for the Soviet Armed Forces. The rifle first saw service with Soviet forces in the Soviet–Afghan War from 1979.