The leadership of the Finnish Defence Forces plans to replace Kalashnikov-based assault rifles with Western analogues with calibers of 5.56 or 7.62 mm, Yle reported.
Finnish small arms manufacturer Sako has shown what the new Sako ARG automatic rifle will look like. The rifle has been developed for over 10 years in partnership with the Finnish and Swedish Defence Forces for operation in the Arctic.
The weapon will be released in three modifications. The first field tests of the Sako ARG are scheduled for the spring of 2026.
The assault rifle will be supplied to the Land Forces of the country. However, some units will continue to use Kalashnikov-based assault rifles.
The Rynnäkkökivääri 62 (Rk 62) assault rifle is a licensed copy of the AK-47, Rynnäkkökivääri 95 (Rk 95) is a modified version. It is produced by Valmet and SAKO. The first version differed from the Soviet assault rifle with a metal non-folding tubular stock, sights, the absence of a trigger guard, a plastic handle and forend that did not cover the gas tube.
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