AUP-71

AUP-71
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	Khyragus
Service history
In service	1971–present
Used by	See Users
Wars	See Conflicts
Production history
Designer	KVI
Designed	1966-1971
Manufacturer	KVI
Produced	1971–present
No. built	apx. 8 million
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Weight	3.10 kg (6.83 lb) empty 3.62 kg (7.98 lb) with 30 rounds
Length	855 mm (33.66 in)
Barrel length	550 mm (21.65 in)
Cartridge	5.8x45mm KVI
Action	Gas operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	600–750 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	1020 m/s (3,346 ft/s)
Effective firing range	550 m (601 yd) (point target) 800 m (875 yd) (area target)
Maximum firing range	3,600 m (3,937 yd)
Feed system	30-, 42-round detachable box magazine, STANAG magazine
Sights	Integrated 3x telescopic sight, flip up iron sights

The AUP-71, officially designated the Univerzalna Avtomatska Puška 1971 (Khyragusian: Универзална Автоматска Пушка 1971, 'Universal Automatic Rifle 1971') is a gas operated, 6.5x45mm assault rifle developed in Khyragus by the Khyragusian Military Industries Corporation in the 1960s. In 1971 the AUP-71 was officially adopted by the Khyragusian Armed Forces. The AUP-71T2M a modernized variant without integrated optics and a picatinny rail was introduced and adopted into service in 1995.

Since its introduction, the AUP-71 has been widely used by both professional militaries and insurgency groups. Because of it's low manufacture cost, simple design, and reliability the AUP was manufactured in several countries and widely proliferated.

History

Concept

In the early 1960s, the Khyragusian Armed Forces lacked a designated service rifle and were primarily organized as a militia style force, using a mix of different rifles with varying calibers. This was noted by senior Khyragusian commanders as a key weakness, which would be exploited in the event of a major conflict. To address this, the Khyragusian military initiated the New Infantry Program, which was tasked with creating modern and standardized equipment that would integrate into the broader strategic changes being made to the military.

The Khyragusian military sought a selective fire rifle that would be cheap to mass produce, easy to use, and comparable to the rifles used by contemporary militaries during this time. Military planners desired a rifle compact enough to be easily used by the newly developing mechanized infantry forces. Initially, the military sought out existing rifle designs in use by other militaries, however, they were unable to find a weapon that satisfied all of their requirements. International political difficulties during this time posed further problems. As a temporary solution, the Khyragusian Army adopted the AP-57 for units operating outside of Khyragusian borders. Following this decision, work began immediately on a new, domestic rifle which could address the military's requirements.

Development

Following the international developments in intermediate caliber rifles, the 5.8x45mm KVI round was developed for use in the new standardized rifle design. The new round showed favorable ballistics, retaining higher energy than both the 5.56x45mm NATO and the 7.62x39mm rounds at extended ranges, while also providing low recoil.

In 1966, the Khyragusian military began a design competition to develop a rifle for the new 6.5mm round. In 1968, Kuslev Design Bureau's rifle, then known as the EUP-4, was chosen as the winner of the competition. The prototype rifle had many innovative features for its time, such as lightweight aluminum alloy receivers, an adjustable gas system, and an integrated optical sight. The design was then handed over to KVI, the state operated weapons manufacturer, for further testing and design changes. Although the overall design remained similar, changes were made to make components easier to mass produce and increase the reliability.

As the design neared completion, the Khyragusian military began a test program for the AUP rifle. Infantry squads operating in Kuwazavkavan, using the AP-57, were issued the AUP rifle to determine its effectiveness in combat. Initial reports from soldiers using the rifle showed high favorability, being nearly 1.4kg (3.1 lbs) lighter, easier to control in automatic fire, and more compact. During the testing, an issue with the ejection port, which required the user to stop automatic fire and manually eject the round was discovered. Additionally, the sling mounts were prone to breaking or deforming.

Following a final round of design changes to the rifle in 1971, the AUP was officially accepted as the new service rifle for the Khyragusian Armed Forces and designated the AUP-71. Priority was given to the Khyragusian Army for the initial deliveries, and by 1973, all branches had replaced their previous stock of rifle with the AUP-71.

Design

Overview

The AUP-71 is a 6.5mm, air cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed assualt rife. The AUP-71 uses a bullpup configuration to shorten the overall length, while still maintaining a long barrel length. Although the AUP-71 is similar in length to a carbine, it is able to achieve accuracy and muzzle velocities similar to a battle rifle. A long stroke gas system was chosen for the design because of its proven reliability in other weapons. Other features, such as the large gas piston and chrome-plated internals also serve to increase the reliability of the rifle.

The upper and lower receivers are constructed of stamped aluminum alloy, which serves to reduce weight and production requirements, although some variants were constructed using stamped steel. The internals of the rifle are made from chrome-plated steel and the grip is made of plastics.

Sights

The AUP-71's telescopic sight reticle.

The AUP-71 has an integrated 3x magnification telescopic sight integrated with the carrying handle. The optic features a combination dot and horseshoe reticle, as well as a range finder. The sight is designed so that aiming at the center of a target will produce a hit within the outer horseshoe at ranges of up to 400 meters. The sight is illuminated by a tritium source so that it can be used in low-light conditions.

Because the optic on the AUP-71 was often one of the most difficult and expensive part to manufacture, many variants manufactured outside of Khyragus were equipped with iron sights on top of the carrying handle see AUP-71E.