Abstract
The available published research regarding the implementation of the AK-74 rifle production programme in East Germany is very limited. The majority of what is available on the topic has only been published in German. In this short research article, the author seeks to gather together the available facts to highlight the political, industrial, and technological aspects surrounding the adoption of the AK-74 by Eastern Germany. The author also aims to highlight the challenges that resulted from this massive military acquisition programme, which placed a significant burden on the already crumbling economy of East Germany during the final years of that nation’s existence.
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Issue: Vol. VII No. 1
Published: 25 May 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52357/armax61351
Peer-reviewed?: Yes
Keywords: East Germany, Kalashnikov, AK-74, self-loading rifles, Cold War
Bibliographic Information
Kristóf Nagy, ‘Gerät 920: Licensed Production of AK-74 Rifles in East Germany’, Armax: The Journal of Contemporary Arms, Vol. VII № 1 (2021), pp. 77–84, <https://doi.org/10.52357/armax61351>.
About the Author
Kristóf Nagy is a former light infantryman who served as the head of firearms training and ballistic evaluation at the University of the German Federal Armed Forces from 2010 to 2017. He currently works in the defence sector and has been appointed a firearms expert and small arms editor for Mittler Report publishing. His primary research interest is the history of Eastern European firearms development of the 20th century, and he has authored or contributed to a variety of magazine articles, research reports, and technical documents.