Kalashnikov once aspired to design farm equipment. But even though his most famous invention - the AK-47 assault rifle - sowed havoc instead of crops, he often said he felt personally untroubled ...

The first model of the AK-47 assault rifle was introduced into service with the Soviet army in 1948. Designed to be cheap and reliable as well as simple to operate and produce, the AK-47 and its ...

Developed in 1947 and first used by Soviet forces in 1949, the AK-47 assault rifle and its many derivatives are now used by the armed forces of more than 80 countries, and by freelancers in many more.