Infantry Weapons

AK-74

Also known as
  • AK74
  • AK-74 rifle
  • AKS-74
  • AKS-74U
  • AK-74N
  • 6P20
  • 6P21

The AK-74 is a Soviet 5.45x39 mm assault rifle family built around a lighter small-caliber cartridge, 30-round magazines, and the familiar Kalashnikov operating pattern. Public conflict evidence spans its Soviet-Afghan combat debut, continuing 2014 Russia-Ukraine War service on both sides, Syrian Civil War AK-74M and AKS-74U use, Islamic State possession, ISWAP imagery, PKK raid footage, and Azerbaijani AK-74M fielding around Hadrut.

AK-74, Assault rifle, Infantry Weapons
Image source: AK-74 DA-ST-89-06610

Role in Conflicts

2009 Boko Haram Insurgency
Role in conflict
Small-unit rifle fire

Fielded by ISWAP fighters as a 5.45 mm assault rifle in Lake Chad propaganda imagery, with Nigerian reporting also describing an AK 74 recovered after Borno operations against ISWAP and Boko Haram fighters.

1984 Kurdish-Turkish Conflict
Role in conflict
Small-unit rifle fire in raids

Used by PKK fighters as a 5.45 mm Kalashnikov-family assault rifle in 2021 1984 Kurdish-Turkish Conflict raid imagery, including AK-74 rifles and AKS-74/AKS-74U variants documented around attacks on Turkish Armed Forces positions.

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
Role in conflict
Small-unit rifle carried by Azerbaijani troops

Bellingcat's open-source analysis of Hadrut footage during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh fighting identified Azerbaijani soldiers carrying AK-74M rifles, including one with a Rakurs sight.

1979 Soviet-Afghan War
Side
Soviet Union and Afghan government forces
Role in conflict
Soviet infantry service rifle

HistoryNet describes the AK-74 as adopted by the Soviet army in 1979 and making its combat debut in Afghanistan, with Afghan mujahedeen later capturing examples.

Profile / Specs

Specifications

Operator
1
Caliber
5.45x39 mm
Dimensions
About 940 mm length; 415 mm barrel
Weight
About 3.07 kg empty for AK-74; AK-74M about 3.4-3.6 kg depending source/configuration
Performance
About 600-650 rpm cyclic rate; effective range about 500 m point target
Feed
Standard 30-round detachable box magazine
Action
Gas-operated, rotating bolt Kalashnikov action
Designation Notes

AK-74 family designations usually mark stock, sight-rail, compact, or modernized configurations rather than wholly separate rifle families.

DesignationConfigurationDocumented context
AKS-74Side-folding stock branchModern Firearms describes it as the folding-stock 5.45 mm branch, and CAR later documented AKS-74 rifles in Ukraine.
AKS-74UCompact carbine branchModern Firearms treats it as the compact AK-74-family weapon, while Bellingcat documents AKS-74U distribution alongside AK-74Ms in Syria.
AK-74NOptics-rail branchCAR documented AK-74N rifles among 5.45 mm weapons in Ukraine, distinguishing the rail-equipped branch from baseline AK-74 rifles.
Variants

The AK-74 line starts with the fixed-stock 5.45 mm rifle and expands through folding-stock, night-sight, compact, and modernized branches.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
AK-74M, 5.45 mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsAK-74MModernized side-folding variant

Bellingcat describes the AK-74M as a modernized AK-74 variant that entered production in 1991 with a synthetic side-folding stock and broader optics/attachment compatibility.

Sources: From Russia with Love, Syria's AK-74Ms, Kalashnikov AK-74M - Weaponsystems.net

Compatible Ammunition

The AK-74 family is documented as a 5.45 mm rifle line, so it sits on the firing end of the 5.45×39 mm cartridge relationship.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
5.45×39 mm cartridge, Soviet intermediate rifle cartridge, Munitions5.45×39 mm cartridgeIntermediate rifle cartridge

Kalashnikov Group identifies the AK-74M as a 5.45 mm rifle, and Modern Firearms describes the AK-74 family as chambered for the 5.45x39 mm cartridge.

Sources: AK-74M Specifications, AK-74 / AK-74M Rifle

Underbarrel Grenade Launchers

AK-74-family rifles are commonly documented with GP-series 40 mm launchers, while the exact launcher model depends on rifle generation and operator configuration.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
GP-25 Kostyor, 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher, Infantry WeaponsGP-25 Kostyor40 mm underbarrel launcher

Modern Firearms documents the GP-25/GP-30 family as underbarrel launchers for Soviet and Russian Kalashnikov rifles, including AK-74-family hosts.

Sources: GP-25 and GP-30 - Modern Firearms

GP-30 Obuvka, 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher, Infantry WeaponsGP-30 Obuvka40 mm underbarrel launcher

Bellingcat documents Syrian AK-74M rifles fitted with GP-30M launchers, and Modern Firearms describes the GP-30 as a lighter GP-series launcher for Kalashnikov rifles.

Sources: From Russia with Love, Syria's AK-74Ms, GP-25 and GP-30 - Modern Firearms

GP-34 underbarrel grenade launcher, 40 mm underbarrel grenade launcher, Infantry WeaponsGP-34 underbarrel grenade launcher40 mm underbarrel launcher

Weaponsystems.net lists GP-34 compatibility within the AK-74M family, which keeps the later launcher relationship inside the modernized AK-74 branch.

Sources: Kalashnikov AK-74M - Weaponsystems.net

Timeline

AK-74 Key Events

  1. Soviet adoption and Afghan combat debut

    HistoryNet describes the AK-74 as adopted by the Soviet army in 1979 and making its combat debut in Afghanistan.

  2. AK-74M modernized branch enters production

    Bellingcat identifies the AK-74M as the modernized AK-74 variant that entered production in 1991 with a synthetic side-folding stock.

  3. AK-74M documented across Syrian Civil War actors

    Bellingcat reported AK-74M and AKS-74U rifles with Syrian government units and Islamic State fighters during the Syrian Civil War.

  4. CAR publishes Ukraine documentation

    Conflict Armament Research documented AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74N, and AK-74M rifles in Ukraine among 5.45 mm weapons recorded between 2018 and 2020.

Media

AK-74 Videos

AK-74 Images

AK-74, Assault rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 1
Source: AK-74-013242
AK-74, Assault rifle, Infantry Weapons - view 2
Source: Servicerifle-ak-74.png
Related Weapon Systems
AKM, 7.62x39mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAKM7.62x39mm assault rifleThe AKM is the stamped-receiver modernization of the Soviet Kalashnikov assault rifle, chambered for 7.62x39mm and built around a long-stroke gas piston and rotating bolt. Adopted in 1959, it reduced production burden compared with earlier milled-receiver AK rifles and became a widely licensed baseline for later 7.62mm Kalashnikov-pattern weapons. CAR and ARES field documentation continues to place AKM and AKM-pattern rifles in modern conflict stocks, from Islamic State recoveries in Iraq and Syria to Taliban captures in Afghanistan.
AK-47/AKM rifle family, Selective-fire assault rifle family, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAK-47/AKM rifle familySelective-fire assault rifle familyAK-47/AKM-family rifles are Kalashnikov-pattern small arms derived from the Soviet AK-47 and 1959 AKM modernization, usually chambered in 7.62 x 39 mm. In the post-2015 catalog they appear with FARC dissidents in Colombia, gangs in Haiti, PKK fighters, GNA scouts in Libya, insurgents in Mali, Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, militants in Sinai, RSF units in Sudan, Hamas fighters in Gaza, Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, Boko Haram-linked militants in the Lake Chad basin, and Houthi-linked supply chains in Yemen.
RPK/RPK-74, Squad automatic weapon / light machine gun, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsRPK/RPK-74Squad automatic weapon / light machine gunThe RPK and RPK-74 are Kalashnikov-pattern squad automatic weapons that extend the AK family with a longer, heavier barrel, bipod, and higher-capacity magazines for infantry fire support. The 7.62 x 39 mm RPK paralleled the AKM, while the 5.45 x 39 mm RPK-74 followed the AK-74; Conflict Armament Research later documented both RPK and RPK-74 examples in Ukraine, and Amnesty International listed both types among Islamic State machine guns in Iraq and Syria.
AKMS, Folding-stock 7.62x39mm assault rifle, Infantry WeaponsInfantry WeaponsAKMSFolding-stock 7.62x39mm assault rifleThe AKMS is the under-folding-stock member of the Soviet AKM assault-rifle family, retaining the stamped receiver, long-stroke gas system, select-fire controls, and 7.62x39mm chambering while shortening the rifle for airborne troops, vehicle crews, and compact carry. Conflict Armament Research and ARES documentation places AKMS-family rifles in Islamic State stocks around Kobane and in a 2022 Ukrainian police seizure from an alleged Russian saboteur, showing how older Kalashnikov-pattern rifles remain visible in modern war.

Sources

AK-74M SpecificationsPublisher: Kalashnikov Concern | Note: Supports general system specifications and background. | Accessed: 2026-06-19AK-74 / AK-74M RiflePublisher: Modern Firearms | Note: Supports AK-74-family background, operating action, chambering, variant structure, and baseline specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Kalashnikov AK-74M - Weaponsystems.netPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports AK-74M variant context, 5.45 mm chambering, and GP-series underbarrel grenade launcher compatibility. | Accessed: 2026-06-30GP-25 and GP-30 - Modern FirearmsPublisher: Modern Firearms | Note: Supports GP-25 and GP-30 underbarrel grenade launcher compatibility with AK-family rifles including the AK-74 branch. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Islamic State Province's Media in Africa: Comparing Trends in West and Central AfricaPublisher: Jamestown Foundation via ecoi.net | Note: Supports 2009 Boko Haram Insurgency direct-use context by reporting AK-74 rifles fielded by ISWAP in photographs and videos from the Lake Chad conflict. | Accessed: 2026-06-217000 ISWAP, Boko Haram Terrorists Surrender In Last Two WeeksPublisher: Independent Newspaper Nigeria | Note: Supports 2009 Boko Haram Insurgency direct-use context by reporting an AK 74 recovered from operations against ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State, indicating it was used by the insurgent side. | Accessed: 2026-06-21AK-74 DA-ST-89-06610Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary AK-74 image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21AK-74-013242Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for an additional AK-74 gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Servicerifle-ak-74.pngPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the AK-74 service-rifle gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-21Weapons Used and Captured by the PKK in 2021Publisher: Militant Wire | Note: Supports 1984 Kurdish-Turkish Conflict direct-use context by documenting AK-74 and AKS-74-family rifles used by PKK fighters in 2021 raids and imagery against Turkish Armed Forces positions. | Accessed: 2026-06-22The Mainstay Assault Rifle of Both Sides in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine WarPublisher: HistoryNet | Note: Supports 1979 Soviet-Afghan War direct-use context by describing the AK-74's Afghanistan combat debut, and 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct-use context by describing AK-74 rifles as common to both sides in Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Weapons of the War in UkrainePublisher: Conflict Armament Research | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct-use context by documenting AK-74, AKS-74, AK-74N, and AK-74M rifles in Ukraine between 2018 and 2020. | Accessed: 2026-06-30From Russia with Love, Syria's AK-74MsPublisher: Bellingcat | Note: Supports 2011 Syrian Civil War direct-use context by documenting AK-74M and AKS-74U rifles with Syrian government units and Islamic State fighters, and supports AK-74M variant and attachment context. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Taking Stock: The Arming of Islamic StatePublisher: Amnesty International | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct-use context by documenting AK-74M rifles among Islamic State automatic rifles in Iraq and Syria. | Accessed: 2026-06-30An Execution in HadrutPublisher: Bellingcat | Note: Supports 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict direct-use context by identifying AK-74M rifles carried by Azerbaijani soldiers in geolocated Hadrut conflict footage. | Accessed: 2026-06-30