Malyuk
Malyuk | |
---|---|
![]() Malyuk on display at the 2021 'Zbroya ta Bezpeka' military fair. | |
Type | Bullpup assault rifle |
Place of origin | Ukraine |
Service history | |
Used by | Ukrainian Army |
Wars | 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine |
Production history | |
Designer | Interproinvest (IPI) |
Manufacturer | Krasyliv Assembly Manufacturing Plant |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3.8 kg (8.38 lb) |
Length | 712 mm (28 in) |
Barrel length | 415 mm (16 in) |
Cartridge | 5.45×39mm 7.62x39mm 5.56×45mm NATO |
Rate of fire | 660 rounds/min |
Effective firing range | 500m |
Feed system | 10/30/45 round detachable box magazine |
Sights | Iron sights and Picatinny rail, others as required by end user. |
References | [1][2] |
The Malyuk (Ukrainian: Малюк), also known as Vulcan[3] or Vulcan-M,[4] is an assault rifle developed by the Ukrainian arms company Interproinvest (IPI).[5]
The Malyuk is a development of the Russian Kalashnikov assault rifle, reconfigured into a bullpup layout.
History[edit]
According to IPI Vice CEO Serhiy Luhovskoy, development of the Malyuk started in 2005. It was based on an earlier attempt for a bullpup rifle known as the Vepr and the mistakes made with it.[6] The development was based on a contract placed by the Security Service of Ukraine with prototype rifles provided before inquiries were made by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence in 2008.[7] In February 2015, feedback was provided by then president Petro Poroshenko and the Department of State Security Guard.[7] Production was made in cooperation with the Electron Corporation as they can quickly produce the rifles with modern manufacturing equipment[7] with the Krasyliv Assembly Manufacturing Plant.[8]
The Malyuk debuted in 2015 at the Arms & Security Expo in Kyiv in 2015.[9] The rifle was first seen in public outside of Ukraine at the International Defence Industry Fair in May 2015 at Istanbul, Turkey[10] and at the Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition in September 2016 at Baku, Azerbaijan.[5]
In 2016, it was known that 200 Malyuks were delivered to the Ukrainian Army.[5] Limited trials were conducted on the Malyuk with the Ukrainian Army in the same year.[11]
The Malyuk has been used in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine by Ukrainian special forces units;[12] the National Guard of Ukraine, including the Azov Battalion;[4] and the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces.[13] The Rapid Operational Response Unit has been reportedly using it in the war.[14]
On February 27, 2022, an alleged saboteur was arrested in Odesa by the State Border Guard Service and the National Police of Ukraine in a joint operation.[15] Among the items confiscated included a loaded Malyuk rifle with a Makarov PM, an RPG-22 and two T-62M anti-tank mines.[15]
The weapon has been demonstrated in Indonesia[16] and Sri Lanka[3] for potential contracts.
Design[edit]
The Malyuk is made from polymer materials and is chambered in 7.62x39mm, 5.45×39mm and 5.56×45mm NATO ammo[4] and has an AK-74-type flash hider.[17] Malyuks chambered in 7.62x39mm and 5.45x39mm use AK-47/AKM/RPK and AK-74-based magazines[9][18] while those chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO use AK-100-based magazines.[17]
It can be equipped with an IPI-made suppressor as required.[5] It weighs 3.8 kilograms and has a total length of 712 mm and barrel length of 415 millimetres (16.3 in).[17] The Malyuk is cooled by air convection, which allows the rifle to have a longer barrel life.[5]
The rifle's effective firing range is 500 m[18] at a rate of 700 rounds/minute. The magazine release button is located next to the trigger. As the magazine well is specifically designed to facilitate better loading, it allows the magazine to drop by itself.[5] To solve the problem of excessive gas emissions, a deflector shield is placed over the ejection port.[6] This allows spent cartridge cases to fall alternatively between 45 degrees or downward while reduced gas is sent to the receiver.[6]
Recoil is reduced by 50% and the design allows the user to fire the rifle, unload and load the magazine with one hand.[8] The Malyuk can either retain the AKM-based fire selector or an ambidextrous low-profile two-position selector for semi and full auto fire.[9] The upper receiver has a full-length Picatinny rail with three short Picatinny rails on the handguard.[17]
The Malyuk can be equipped with a RSP2W Shoot Corner for the user to fire it from around a corner.[16] It is possible to mount an underbarrel grenade launcher.[2]
Left or right-handed shooters can easily use the Malyuk as it is ambidextrous.[5]
A commercial[clarification needed] version of the Malyuk was developed at the Krasyliv Assembly Manufacturing Plant in cooperation with Electron Corporation.[8]
Variants[edit]
- Malyuk - Assault rifle variant
- Malyuk K-01/02 - Semi-automatic civilian variant.[19] The K-01 variant is chambered in 7.62x39 and the K-02 variant is chambered in 5.56x45[19]
- Shepit - Meaning "whisper" in Ukrainian; Malyuk built with a long barrel, bipod, and suppressor[9]
- Riff - Man-portable anti-drone weapon powered by a 100-watt portable battery[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Vulcan".
- ^ a b Our goal is to have the Malyuk Rifle replace Soviet-designed 5.45/7.62mm AK weapons in Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Review. Vol. 2. April–June 2015. p. 49. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ a b "Ukrainian assault rifle Vulcan presented in one of the countries of Southeast Asia". 2022-02-01.
- ^ a b c Suresh, Meera (2022-03-14). "Homegrown Malyuk Assault Rifle Is Ukrainians' Prized Weapon To Fight Russia". International Business Times.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Ukraine-made Malyuk assault rifle makes first public appearance at ADEX 2016 22909164". Army Recognition. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Our goal is to have the Malyuk Rifle replace Soviet-designed 5.45/7.62mm AK weapons in Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Review. Vol. 2. April–June 2015. p. 47. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c Our goal is to have the Malyuk Rifle replace Soviet-designed 5.45/7.62mm AK weapons in Ukraine. Ukrainian Defense Review. Vol. 2. April–June 2015. p. 48. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c Interproinvest Malyuk Assault Rifle. Ukrainian Defense Review. Vol. 1. January–March 2016. p. 39. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Small Arms Defense Journal" (PDF).
- ^ "The new Malyuk bullpup design assault rifle from the Ukrainian defense industry 05051510 | IDEF 2015 Show Daily News Coverage Report | Defence security military exhibition 2015". www.armyrecognition.com.
- ^ "Malyuk assault rifle (Ukraine)". January 2018.
- ^ Neville 2019, p. 173.
- ^ Trevithick, Joseph (11 March 2022). "Ukraine's Indigenous "Malyuk" Bullpup Rifle Is The Weapon Of Choice For Its Special Operators". The Drive. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "Vulcan / Malyuk: Ukraine's Bullpup". April 10, 2022.
- ^ a b "Weapons & equipment seized from alleged Russian saboteurs in Ukraine". Armament Research Services. 2022-03-25.
- ^ a b "News - EGI OPTICS". Archived from the original on 2022-03-22.
- ^ a b c d "IPI Malyuk bull-pup assault rifle: Kyiv's defender". GUNSweek.com.
- ^ a b "Malyuk bullpup out of the Ukraine -". October 2015.
- ^ a b "MALYUK K-01/02 hunting rifle – Interproinvest".
Bibliography[edit]
- Neville, Leigh (2019). The Elite: The A–Z of Modern Special Operations Forces. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1472824295.
External links[edit]
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