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History

The Soviet military have not fielded a squad-level, intermediate caliber, belt-fed machine gun since the retirement of the RPD machine gun in the early 1960s.[1][2]

Since the rejection of the PU-21 (IP-2) project[3][4][5][6] and adoption of the PKM, the Russian military has not indicated any desire for a belt-fed, intermediate caliber machine gun.

The MVD solicited designs for a similar machine gun in the beginning of 2011, for use by counter-terror teams, though it did not follow through with any actual orders.[7]

There have, however, been competitions to replace the RPK-74, leading to the selection of the RPK-16 for field trials.[8]

Kalashnikov Concern has provided video of the RPL-20 being handled and fired, demonstrating that they have at least completed a fully-functioning prototype RPL-20.

Based on feedback from these field trials, Kalashnikov Concern independently began development of the RPL-20.

The RPL-20 was unveiled at the Army-2020 event in late August, 2020.

If adopted, the RPL-20 will become the first light machine gun to be used by Russian forces since the RPD machine gun that isn’t magazine-fed or of the standard Kalashnikov pattern.

Adoption

The RPL-20 is anticipated to serve as a squad automatic weapon in Russian military use, supplementing the heavier-caliber PK machine guns currently used for suppressive fire while still providing a higher practical rate of fire than the RPK series.

As of January 2024, Kalashnikov Concern completed preliminary tests of the RPL-20 machine gun, and Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation plans to conduct state trials of the machine gun in 2024.[9]

The first serial batch was produced in May 2025 and shipped to the Russian military the following month. The RPL-20 was ordered in MultiCam camouflage pattern.[10][11]

Design details

The RPL-20 is a belt-fed, open bolt, fully automatic light machine gun with a rotating bolt and a long-stroke gas piston.[12] Kalashnikov Concern has stated that the RPL-20 is a new design, rather than being a derivative of the ubiquitous Kalashnikov-pattern rifle series.

With an empty weight of 5.2-5.5 kg, the RPL-20 rivals the weight of an RPK-74 while providing belt-fed, open-bolt operation and quick-change barrels to enhance sustained fire.[13]

The RPL-20 uses a non-disintegrating linked belt similar to the RPD machine gun. Alternative designs experimented with a dual-feed option (i.e., capable of both magazine- and belt-feed), considered to be an improvement over the RPK-74.

The choice to keep it belt-fed only was made to lighten the machine gun and make it less complex than a dual-feed model, allowing the troops in the field to top off spent belts as a trade-off for not accepting standard-issue assault rifle magazines.[14]

The RPL-20 is designed with two barrel length options: 590 mm (23.2 in) for regular troops and 415 mm (16.3 in) for assault units.[11]

Variants

RPL-7

The RPL-7 is a 7.62×39mm variant of the RPL-20. It features 415 mm (16.3 in) and 590 mm (23.2 in) barrel lengths, and uses a soft ammunition box that holds 80-rounds through a non-disintegrating belt.

Users

See also

References

  1. ↑ “Degtyarov RPD”. Modern Firearms. 2010-10-27. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  2. ↑ The Soviet Army: Troops, Organization, and Equipment. United States Department of the Army. 1991.
  3. ↑ “Отечественные пулеметы с унифицированной подачей (Тема “Поплин”) | LiveGuns”. 2010-12-06. Archived from the original on 2010-12-06. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  4. ↑ “PK / PKM”. Forgotten Weapons. 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  5. ↑ “Kalashnikov RPK”. Modern Firearms. 2010-10-27. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  6. ↑ The Russian Way of War. Foreign Military Studies Office, United States Department of Defence. 2016.
  7. ↑ “Kord-5.45 Light Machine Gun”. Modern Firearms. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  8. ↑ “Kalashnikov RPK-16 light machine gun (Russia)”. Modern Firearms. 2016-09-01. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  9. ↑ “Вопрос закрыт. Пулемёт РПК-16 | Оружейный журнал «КАЛАШНИКОВ»” (in Russian). 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  10. ↑ Novichkov, Nikolay (2025-05-23). “Kalashnikov manufactures the first serial batch of RPL-20 light machine guns”. EDR Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  11. 1 2 “Российские военные получат новые пулеметы РПЛ-20” [Russian military to receive new RPL-20 machine guns]. Газета.Ru (in Russian). 2025-06-09. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  12. ↑ “RPL-20 Light machine gun”. militarytoday. 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  13. ↑ “Kalashnikov Concern Reveals The RPL-20 Belt-Fed 5.45x39mm LMG -“. The Firearm Blog. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  14. ↑ “RPL-20 Light Machine Gun”. Modern Firearms. 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2021-02-11.