Rosoboronexport has unveiled a new ADS 5.45 mm amphibious assault rifle. The ADS was designed by Russia’s Tula Instrument Design Bureau. It is of a bullpup layout and is chambered in the 5.45×39mm M74 round. The ADS can adapt a suppressor and optical sights. The assault rifle is capable to fire in the air by all types of standard 5.45×39 cartridges, for underwater firing uses 5.45×39, PSP special underwater cartridges, and PSP-UD special underwater cartridges of reduced range, and equipped with an under-barrel grenade launcher to strengthen combat abilities by VOG grenade rounds.
The weapon’s effective underwater firing range when using the specially designed cartridge is about 25 meters at a depth of 5 meters and 18 m at a depth of 20 m (the underwater cartridge is 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. Fired cartridge extraction to the forward makes ambidextrous shooting convenient and reduces gas pollution in the face of the shooter region. It is equipped with a 40 mm grenade launcher which has a range of 400 m and fires various modifications of the VOG-25 grenade.
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. “Rosoboronexport” signed a contract with one of the CIS countries for the supply of ADS. The Russian armed forces have received the first batch of ADS amphibious assault rifles in December 2019.
JSC Konstruktorskoe Buro Priborostroeniya (Tula KBP Instrument Design Bureau) is one of the main enterprises in the field of the Russian defense industry, based in Tula. It is engaged in designing high-precision weapon systems for the Army, the VMF, and the VKS, as well as anti-air defense systems, high-rate-of-fire cannons, and small arms, in addition to civilian products. In addition to these, KBP also develops modern autocannons and grenade launchers. It also manufactures automatic, hand-held, and under-slung grenade launchers, sniper rifles, submachine guns, pistols, and revolvers for law enforcement agencies.
