| Ak 5 | |
|---|---|
A Swedish marine carrying an Ak 5 with the old tubular steel stock, and fitted with a blank-firing adaptor with a protective shroud. |
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| Type | Assault rifle [1] |
| Place of origin | |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Swedish Armed Forces, Swedish Police, Norwegian Police |
| Wars | Kosovo War, Afghan War, Chad War Operation Artemis |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Bofors Carl Gustav [1] |
| Produced | 1984-present [1] |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3.9 kg (8.60 lb) [1] |
| Length | |
| Barrel length | 450 mm (17.7 in) [1] |
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| Cartridge | 5.56x45mm NATO [1] |
| Rate of fire | 650 rounds/min [1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 930 m/s (3,051 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 450 m |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable STANAG magazine [1] |
| Sights | Iron sights |
The Ak 5 (sometimes AK5) is the Swedish version of the FN FNC assault rifle with certain modifications, mostly to adapt the weapon to the Swedish climate. The Ak 5 is the service rifle of the Swedish Armed Forces. Ak 5 is an abbreviation of automatkarbin 5 (literal translation "automatic carbine 5", "automatic carbine" being the Swedish term for assault rifle).[2] The Ak 5 replaced the Ak 4 (a licensed G3 copy) in Swedish service.
A modified version of the Colt M203 grenade launcher can also be attached to the Ak 5. This setup is simply designated Ak 5 med granattillsats (literal translation "Ak 5 with grenade [launcher] attachment").
Contents |
The first version of the AK5 family is in the inventory of the Swedish Armed Forces, but is no longer issued to soldiers, having been replaced by the AK5C and AK5D. This version uses fixed iron sights, and the Swedish Armed Forces have estimated that the maximum practical distance is 400 meters, but it can be used at longer ranges. This brings it in line with the M16, using the Swedish Armed Forces definition of maximum practical distance.[3]
The Ak 5B is the designated marksman version of the Ak 5. Modifications include fittings for a 4x SUSAT L9A1 tritium sight, a cheek pad on the buttstock, and removal of the iron sights. This weapon is typically carried by squad leaders.
The Ak 5C is the modernized version of the original Ak 5, following the trend of modular weapons. Therefore, one of the most significant improvements is the MIL-STD-1913 rail system on to which a variety of different optics, lights and sights can be mounted, such as telescopic sights and image intensifiers. For a comprehensive list of other improvements, see below.
Before the Ak 5C went into mass production, it was thoroughly evaluated. This was done by having certain units use an experimental model designated Ak 5CF where "F" stands for the Swedish word försök (in this context, experiment or trial). These tests were completed in June 2005 and four months later, FMV signed a contract with Saab Bofors Dynamics covering the modification of nearly 40,000 AK 5 assault rifles, which will take the company approximately 4 years to implement. Serial deliveries were scheduled to begin in June 2006 and will first be issued to priority units which are stationed in Afghanistan (ISAF), Chad (EUFOR Chad/CAR), and Kosovo (KFOR). The Ak 5C is now the standard-issue rifle of the Swedish armed forces, and production of the A and B versions are currently discontinued.
New features of the Ak 5C compared to the original Ak 5:
Contrary to popular belief, an Ak 5 mounted with a Colt M203 grenade launcher is not called the Ak 5C.
The Ak 5D has a shortened barrel and handguard. It also features the MIL-STD-1913 rail system for easy mounting of a variety of sights.
Due to the smaller dimensions of the carbine, the Ak 5D is especially suited for ranger/urban warfare units and vehicle crews who often benefit from a more lightweight & compact weapon when taking into account the nature of their assignments and the environments in which they often operate. The Swedish police are also equipped with a version of the Ak 5D, see below.
There is also a Ak 5D Mk2 version available today. It has the same upgrades as the "C" but retains the shorter barrel.
The CGA5C2 (Carl Gustav Automatic Carbine 5 C2) was a prototype model during the development of the replacements/modifications to the original Ak 5 described in this article.
The Swedish police are equipped with a special version of the Ak 5D called CGA5P or sometimes, incorrectly named, Ak 5DP. Essentially it is a black Ak 5D (instead of the regular military green) with automatic fire capability disabled by a hex screw. Unlike the Ak 5D, the police version has fixed sights but is still equipped with the MIL-STD-1913 rail system to allow the use of telescopic sights or red dot sights. Unlike its military counterparts, except for the AK5C version, the police version also has safety catches on both sides of the weapon.