In 2019, the Russian news agency RG.RU released a photo of several new products from Kalashnikov Concern. The weapons were displayed during a visit by Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, where the diversification and reduction of the military-industrial complex were among the topics discussed. The image showed several different weapons, including the RPK-16, an early prototype of the RPL-20, the 12.7×108/12.7×99 SV-18 large-caliber sniper rifle, and a pair of SVCh sniper rifles in different flavors. In the center of the photo sat a unique-looking light machine gun that had not yet been publicly identified. To this day, its designation has not been officially released to the public, and details about the weapon and the program behind it remain behind closed doors.
The Gun
At first glance, the unidentified light machine gun appears to follow a more traditional layout than the RPL-20. That may make it a better fit for a large conscript army. The RPL-20 seems better suited to highly trained units, while a more conventional design could offer a simpler and more familiar solution for broader service use. That would likely be the most practical outcome, though the RPL-20 is still reportedly in small-batch deployment as it is being evaluated in the context of the war in Ukraine.
Even in prototype form, the weapon already shows a few interesting design choices. One of the more noticeable features is the use of an AK-74-style compensator. The bipod also appears more substantial and possibly more robust than the one seen on early RPL-20 prototypes, which may have influenced the design adopted for the RPL-20 in its current form.
Another notable feature is the barrel arrangement. The design follows the Russian trend of offering configurable barrel lengths rather than simply providing two barrels of the same length. This suggests that the different barrels may not have been intended for rapid replacement when hot, but instead for selecting between short and long configurations depending on the role and mission set. The barrel length requirements also appear to reflect the same logic seen in other Russian weapons programs, where designers have often kept close to the length of older automatic rifles, the RPK, or sniper rifles, such as the SVD, they are replacing. The RPL-20’s long barrel and the SVCh’s long-barrel variant both seem to reflect this pattern.
From the photo, one of the most interesting changes is the feed arrangement. Unlike some earlier Russian designs, this weapon feeds from the left rather than the right. It also appears to use a push-through belt system, which gives it something of a Western-influenced appearance, even though it still retains a non-disintegrating belt in true Russian fashion. A gas system is visible, though it is difficult to tell from the image whether it is adjustable. The gas block itself appears to contain quite a bit of hardware, including the front sight, the barrel interface, and a stud underneath the gas block for mounting the bipod.
The prototype configuration also suggests an effort to modernize the interface for optics and accessories. There appears to be an M1913 Picatinny rail above the handguard, and a small section of rail may also be present on the feed tray cover near the rear sight. That, and the M1913 handguard rail, indicate the weapon was designed with integration of enablers in mind. However, this is potentially pointless unless the Russian Ministry of Defense integrates enablers more effectively.
The caliber is confirmed to be 5.45×39 and may have been intended as a more conventional alternative to the RPL-20’s underfeed system. In that case, it would make sense as a light machine gun for broader infantry use for a large conscript army. The ammunition box appears to hold roughly 200 rounds, which would be a practical capacity for any light machine gun. Like the PKM, the design also allows resting the ammunition box, acting as a monopod, when the bipod is not in use.
The receiver is stamped and the front section is similar to the RPL-20. It also seems to use a conventional feed layout, and the stock appears to be retractable. From the photo, I can’t see any controls, but it is likely the same as the RPL-20.
Final thoughts
With only a single photograph to go on, there is still far more speculation than certainty. The available image gives us clues but not answers. What can be said is that this appears to be part of a broader Russian effort to explore new light machine-gun concepts, some of which may be intended for a large conscript force rather than for special forces. Without a proper light machine gun, the infantry of any nation is vulnerable and undergunned.
In that sense, this unidentified weapon may represent a parallel development to the RPL-20 rather than a direct competitor. It looks like the kind of design that could appeal to the needs of a larger army: familiar, practical, and perhaps easier to field at scale to conscripts. Whether it ever moves beyond the prototype stage is another matter entirely. For now, it remains one of those quietly intriguing designs that surfaces once in a photograph and then disappears back into obscurity. But an acquaintance close to Kalashnikov Concern informed me it was still under development. If more information becomes available in the future, I’ll be sure to write a follow-up.
