Tag: Arsenal AR-M9F

Every AK the UK Procured To Train Ukrainian Troops

The UK began a training initiative with Ukraine in early 2015 with the launch of Operation Orbital. Orbital provided training in Ukraine to more than 20,000 Ukrainian personnel over eight years. Op Orbital ended in February 2022 with Russia’s full-scale invasion. In July 2022 a successor programme, Operation Interflex was launched. Interflex involves a larger, British-led multinational training programme, with training provided in the UK. It was established with the aim of training up to 10,000 Ukrainians every 120 days.

Interflex provides a variety of different specialist training elements but the primary focus is on providing Ukrainian infantry with essential soldier skills. By the summer of 2025, more than 56,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been trained by the UK and partner nations. To carry out basic infantry courses a large number of rifles which were similar to those that Ukrainian troops would be using operationally were needed.

Ukrainian troops training with Arsenal AR-M9Fs (UK MoD / Crown Copyright)

International partners from Australia and New Zealand are working with the British Army, in training scenarios with Ukrainian Forces, including Medical (involving simulated casualties) and patrolling.

Operation INTERFLEX is the UK led training programme for Ukrainian recruits. The training is for new volunteer recruits who have joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with little to no previous military experience to teach them the skills required to survive and be effective in frontline combat.

The UK-led programme trains and drills the Armed Forces of Ukraine using battle-proven British Army expertise, allowing them to accelerate their deployment, rebuild their forces, and scale-up their resistance as they continue to defend their nation’s sovereignty against Russian invaders.

The previous Operation Orbital saw the UK train more than 22,000 Ukrainian personnel from 2015 until the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The new programme would train forces outside of the country.

This led to a major procurement of AK-pattern rifles. The number of rifles procured and the sources they were procured from remains unclear. We have some clue as to the number of rifles initially acquired from a 9 July 2022 press release, in which the UK government confirmed:

“The Government has rapidly procured AK variant assault rifles for the training programme, meaning Ukrainian soldiers can train on the weapons they will be using on the front line. This effort was supported by the Welsh Guards, who tested more than 2,400 such rifles in 17 days to ensure they were ready for the Ukrainians to commence their training.”

Ukrainian soldier at the range July 2022 (UK MoD / Crown Copyright)

The types of AK-pattern rifles procured was not announced but from the photographs released it is clear that they include:

  • Serbian-produced Zastava M70, M70B, M70A and M70AB2
  • East German-produced MPi KMS-72
  • Hungarian-produced FEG AK63D

All of the above rifles are chambered in 7.62x39mm. The reasoning behind the procurement of rifles chambered in 7.62x39mm rather than the more regularly issued 5.45x39mm AK-74 pattern rifles is also unclear. Perhaps this was due to weapon availability and regardless of calibre the manuals of arms remains the same.

At the time when approached for comment on the sources and types of AK rifles procured, the Ministry of Defence told The Armourer’s Bench:

“The Government has rapidly procured AK variant assault rifles through a combination of international donations and private purchase, meaning Ukrainian soldiers can train on the type of weapons they will be using on the front line. All weapons were tested in accordance with UK legislative and safe working practices.”

In September 2022, Chinese-manufactured Type 56-1 rifles were seen in Op Interflex imagery for the first time. The Type 56-1 has an under-folding stock, stamped receiver, and enclosed front sights.

By early February 2023, the assorted various types of 7.62x39mm-chambered AK-pattern rifles were either replaced or supplemented with Bulgarian Arsenal AKs. The rifles seen in all of the available photographs appear to be basic model rifles, none of the weapons have railed handguards or Picatinny on the receiver cover for mounting optics. This suggests that they are either AR-M9Fs or AR-M14Fs (at least according to Arsenal’s website). The ‘F’ refers to the folding tube metal stock which helps identify the rifles as Arsenal-made AKs. The characteristic flash hider and furniture also identify them as Arsenal rifles.

Ukrainian soldiers during FIBUA training, c.2024 (UK MoD / Crown Copyright)

From the rifles’ handguard design it appears that the rifles are AR-M9Fs, chambered in 5.56x45mm. This chambering in theory simplified logistics, removing the need to procure 7.62x39mm ammunition. The AR-M9Fs also have a blank firing adaptor which allowed Ukrainian troops to train with AK-pattern rifles rather than SA80-series rifles when blank firing was needed. The UK has the capability to manufacture 5.56x45mm ball and blank making training simpler and cheaper. According to information shared with TAB by the UK MoD approximately 7,500 AR-M9Fs were acquired for Op Interflex.

Finally, in May 2025, the UK appears to have procured Israeli-manufactured IWI Galil ACE rifles in 5.56x45mm. When approached for comment on the procurement of the rifles the UK MoD told TAB that approximately 4,500 ACE-23 rifles had been procured. They also noted that the transition to the IWI Galil ACE 23 began in around mid-2024 and that the switch to Galil ACE rifles was made to ‘better align the weapon system used during UK-based training with equipment Ukrainian troops were using in theatre.’ This, however, seems unlikely as the Arsenal is more analogous with the AK-74 than the ACE 23. While the Galil ACE shares very few handling characteristics with AK-pattern rifles, with the exception of the magazine release location, its updated safety lever is also less akin to the AK’s. It’s action and disassembly procedure are functionally the same as an AK, however, the Galil, at 3.6kg unloaded, is somewhat heavier than an AK-74.

Ukrainian soldier with a IWI Galil ACE 23 (Danish Ministry of Defense)

Perhaps the Galil ACE 23s function better when using blank, perhaps extensive use during numerous training cycles led to issues with the AR-M9Fs. No further comment was provided on why the Galil ACE replaced the Arsenal rifles or why fewer rifles were procured. This may be explained by recent changes to the aims of Interflex as in June it was reported that the programme’s focus would shifting away from basic infantry training to more leadership and specialised training.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson concluded by telling TAB that: “We are proud that Interflex has grown to be one of the biggest training programmes of its kind, equipping Ukrainian recruits with the basic combat skills they need to defend their country against Putin’s illegal invasion.”

I thought it was worth collating all of the information available on the various rifles used to train Ukrainian troops in the UK into one place. For more detail on each of the different types of rifle used, check out my earlier article/videos on each rifle.

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Ukrainians Training with Bulgarian Arsenal AKs

At the end of January a series of photographs taken by Canadian Army photographers showed Ukrainian troops being trained at sites in the UK as part of Operation Unifier. Unifier is a training mission carried out by the Canadian Armed Forces with training currently taking place in the UK alongside the multi-national training mission Operation Interflex.

What is interesting about the new imagery is that the Ukrainian troops in training are all armed with Bulgarian-made Arsenal AK-pattern rifles. This is the firs time this particular AK has been seen in use. If you saw our earlier videos looking at the other types of AK-pattern rifles procured by the UK for their training of Ukrainian personnel you’ll have seen Zastava M70s, Chinese Type 56s and East German MPi KMS-72s are in use.

The rifles were almost certainly procured by the UK Ministry of Defence and like the other AK-pattern rifles being used for training they will probably remain in the UK to be used in the training of future Ukrainian personnel. 

A soldier with the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, instructs Ukrainian recruits during a weapons class as part of Operation UNIFIER in the United Kingdom, on January 26, 2023. (Corporal Eric Greico/Canadian Armed Forces)

The Arsenal AKs were seen for the first time in photographs taken on the 23 January, during a lesson on field craft. The Ukrainian troops can be seen taking notes with the rifles slung at their sides. 

The rifles appeared in photographs again  on 25 January, when Canadian medics were instructing Ukrainian recruits on the application of tourniquets. One of the rifles was seen slung over the shoulder of a Ukrainian soldier rendering aid. 

Subsequently on 26 January, soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were photographed instructing Ukrainian recruits during a weapons class. The class saw Ukrainian troops learning how to operate NLAWs, grounded on the floor next to them are their Arsenal AKs.

A series of images from a counter-explosive training session on searching and spotting mines and booby traps showed a platoon of Ukrainian trainees equipped with the Bulgarian AKs.

Ukrainian recruits under the supervision of Canadian soldiers from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment practice searching for and identifying booby traps, during Operation UNIFIER on 28 January 2023 in the United Kingdom. (Corporal Eric Greico/Canadian Armed Forces)

The rifles seen in all of the photographs appear to be basic model rifles, none of the weapons have railed handguards or Picatinny on the receiver cover for mounting optics. This suggests that they are either AR-M9Fs or AR-M14Fs (at least according to Arsenal’s website). The ‘F’ refers to the folding tube metal stock which helps identify the rifles as Arsenal-made AKs. The characteristic flash hider and furniture also identify them as Arsenal rifles.  It is difficult to identify what calibre the rifles are chambered in as the Ukrainians are never seen with magazines loaded into their weapons (as they’re unnecessary for the training being carried out). 

The AR-M9 and M14 are bother available chambered in 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm. Logical arguments could be made for either calibre: the UK MoD has confirmed that other AK-pattern rifles that have been procured are chambered in 7.62x39mm so this chambering would give them ammunition commonality with other AK-pattern rifles in use. Alternatively, the UK has ample stocks of 5.56x45mm and this would also more closely mimic the 5.45x39mm AK-74 rifles the Ukrainians are likely to be issued when they return home. Either way they are AK-pattern rifles which enable training on manual of arms, handling and firing with similar weapons the trainees will probably be equipped with.

Ukrainian recruits under the supervision of Canadian soldiers from 1 Combat Engineer Regiment practice searching for and identifying booby traps, during Operation UNIFIER on 28 January 2023 in the United Kingdom. (Corporal Eric Greico/Canadian Armed Forces)

The rifles have black polymer furniture and appear to be either new or in excellent condition with few visible scratches or scrapes to the finish or furniture. Notably each rifle has green tape around the base of the folding stock onto which a rack number has been written in black marker pen. 

Addendum:

As is sometimes the case with writing these articles and videos while in the process of research and production new source material emerges. On 1 February, the UK MoD shared a series of new photographs from the training of Ukrainian troops. In these a number of the Arsenal AKs were seen fitted with blank firing adapters (BFAs). This is interesting for a number of reasons – previously we have seen Ukrainian trainees using British L85A2s with BFAs for the elements of their training which required blank fire. We have covered this in an earlier article/videos – it requires additional, and largely unnecessary training on the use of the British bullpup.

Australian soldiers demonstrate section level attacks and how to handle captured enemy personnel to Ukrainian recruits during the first rotation of Operation Kudu in the United Kingdom. (UK MoD/Crown Copyright)

BFAs for the 7.62x39mm AK pattern rifles procured earlier by the UK appear to have been deemed either unsafe for use in British training areas or BFAs and blank 7.62x39mm ammunition haven’t been readily available. The new photographs show that BFAs are in use with these Bulgarian AKs – likely because they were procured with the rifles direct from the manufacturer.

These UK MoD photographs also show the rifles with magazines – which indicate the rifles are chambered in 5.56x45mm. As I theorised earlier the UK has ample stocks of both blank and ball 5.56x45mm which would simplify the logistics of training the nearly 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers expected to be trained in the UK in 2023.

Australian Army soldiers from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, receive weapon handling lessons from the British Army’s Small Arms School Corps as part of the “train the trainer” portion of Operation KUDU in the United Kingdom (Australian Department of Defence/Commonwealth copyright)

The Australian Army has also shared a large number of photographs from their involvement in the training of Ukrainian troops in the UK. The Australian military have dubbed their effort Operation Kudu. They describe Kudu as: “A contingent of up to 70 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are deployed on Operation KUDU to assist with the UK-led and based training program.” The Australian photographs show the training and familiarisation of Ukrainian troops with the Arsenal AKs with both Australian and British instructors seen in the photographs.

An Australian Army soldier from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, assists Ukrainian recruits with cleaning their rifles during Operation KUDU (Australian Department of Defence/Commonwealth copyright)

The photographs feature members of the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and senior instructors from the British Army’s Small Arms School Corps, instructing trainees in the classroom before undertaking some fire and movement drills with blanks.

Update 08/02/23:

The Canadian Ministry of National Defense has released a short video showing some of the training Canadian personnel in the UK are delivering to Ukrainian troops as part of Operation Unifier (the Canadian element of the international Operation Interflex.)

The video focuses on some of the field exercises and urban training being provided and heavily features Bulgarian Arsenal AR-M9F (5.56x45mm) AK-pattern rifles.

Update – 14/02/23: A video shared by the Australian Department of Defence showed Australian troops training Ukrainians with Arsenal AKs during Operation Kudu.

Update 15/02/23: The Danish Army has also shared several photographs of Danish troops training Ukrainians in the UK, Arsenal AKs can again be seen in the photographs (fitted with BFAs).

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Bibliography:

Assault Rifles, Arsenal, (source)

Operation Unifier, Canadian Armed Forces, (source)

Operation Kudu, Australian Defence Force, (source)