ADS amphibious rifle

Lore & Background

For several decades, Soviet and then Russian combat divers and naval commando units were armed with special weapons for underwater combat, including the SPP-1 pistol and APS underwater assault rifle. The main drawback of these weapons is that their effectiveness (and life expectancy) for use above the water is severely degraded compared to standard 'above water' weapons. Therefore, combat divers and other Spetsnaz units, when engaged in amphibious operations, had to carry two types of weapons—one for underwater use and another for use on shore or on board enemy surface vessels. The first known attempt to produce a single weapon which could be effectively used either below or above the water was the ASM-DT experimental 'dual-medium' or amphibious assault rifle, developed in Tula around 2000.

The main problem with ASM-DT was that it still had to use long, specially designed underwater ammunition when submerged, which necessitated an overlong receiver, complicated magazine well of adjustable size and two types of magazines. This was found unsuitable for combat use, and further development commenced at KBP (Instrument Design Bureau) in Tula. By 2005, the design team at KBP successfully developed effective underwater ammunition which retains the compact size of the standard issue 5.45×39mm rounds, and thus can be loaded and fired from standard AK-74-type box magazines, and, more importantly, fired from the same chambers and barrels that would accept the 'above-water' ammunition.

The rifle was designed by Russia's Tula Instrument Design Bureau. It is equipped with a 40 mm grenade launcher which fires various modifications of VOG-25 grenades. The weapon uses 5.45×39mm bullets. The underwater cartridge is very similar in external appearance to the standard 5.45×39mm ammunition except for a different specially calculated bullet shape. The length of the bullet is 53.5 mm compared to an overall cartridge length of 57 mm. Fired cartridge extraction to the forward makes ambidextrous shooting convenient and reduces gas pollution in the face of the shooter region.

Reader's Guide

The ADS represents a significant step in equipping combat divers with a single weapon effective in both underwater and above-water environments, addressing a long-standing logistical and tactical problem. Its development at KBP in Tula overcame the limitations of the earlier ASM-DT experimental rifle by creating compact underwater ammunition that fits standard AK-74-type magazines and chambers, allowing seamless transition between environments without changing weapons or magazines. The rifle entered service in August 2013 and has been adopted by Russian Naval special forces and the Russian Ministry of Defence Special Operations Force Command combat divers. It is intended to replace APS underwater weapons and possibly some AK-74M general issue assault rifles in service with Russian Navy special operation units and other Russian special forces engaged in underwater operations such as security and counter-terrorism at sea. Rosoboronexport signed a contract with one of the CIS countries for the supply of ADS. The Russian armed forces received the first batch of ADS amphibious assault rifles in December 2019. North Korea produces the ADS locally without license.

Did You Know?

• The ADS is a bullpup layout chambered in 5.45×39mm M74.
• Its effective underwater firing range is about 25 meters at a depth of 5 meters.

From Two Guns to One: The Development Story

For decades, Soviet and later Russian combat divers and naval commando units faced an awkward logistical reality: their underwater weapons, including the SPP-1 pistol and the APS underwater assault rifle, performed poorly once the operator surfaced. Effectiveness and service life above the water were severely degraded compared to conventional firearms. This meant that any diver tasked with an amphibious mission—fighting beneath the waves and then engaging targets on a beach or aboard an enemy vessel—had to lug two separate weapons into the water. The first serious attempt to solve this problem was the ASM-DT, an experimental dual-medium rifle built in Tula around 2000. Its fatal flaw was that it still required long, purpose-built underwater cartridges, which forced an oversized receiver, a complicated adjustable magazine well, and two distinct magazine types. Combat units found the arrangement impractical. Development then shifted to the KBP Instrument Design Bureau, also in Tula. By 2005, their team had cracked the core engineering challenge: an underwater round compact enough to fit inside a standard AK-74-style box magazine and fire from the same chamber and barrel that handled conventional 5.45×39mm ammunition. That breakthrough made the ADS concept viable.

Engineering a Dual-Environment Platform

The ADS is a bullpup-configured assault rifle chambered for the 5.45×39mm M74 cartridge, placing it squarely in the AK-74 ammunition family. Its defining feature is the ability to fire a specially shaped underwater round—externally near-identical to the standard 5.45×39mm case, with a 53.5 mm bullet and 57 mm overall length—yet featuring a differently calculated projectile profile for submersion. On land the weapon achieves a 500-meter range at 700 rounds per minute. Underwater, effective reach is roughly 25 meters at a 5-meter depth and 18 meters at 20 meters. A 40 mm under-barrel grenade launcher, throwing VOG-25 rounds to 400 meters, is built into the design. The full system, launcher included but excluding any optical sight, weighs approximately 4.6 kilograms. Forward ejection of spent casings is a deliberate ergonomic choice: it keeps the gas stream clear of the shooter's face and makes the rifle comfortable for both right- and left-handed operators. The platform also accepts a suppressor and optical sights.

From Trial to Fleet: Adoption Timeline

The ADS underwent extensive field trials with undisclosed units of Russian Naval special forces before entering active service in August 2013. Its primary role was to supplant the APS underwater rifle and, potentially, to displace some AK-74M general-issue assault rifles within Navy special-operation units and other special forces tasked with underwater security or maritime counter-terrorism. By September 2016, the weapon had been formally adopted by the Russian Ministry of Defence Special Operations Force Command's combat diver element. That same period saw Rosoboronexport sign a supply contract with an unnamed CIS country, marking the rifle's first known export. The MoD also released a training video showing ADS rifles being employed underwater by Russian Submarine Forces during a defense drill, offering a rare public glimpse of the weapon in its intended environment. The first production batch was delivered to the Russian armed forces in December 2019, confirming that the ADS had moved beyond prototype and trial status into sustained operational procurement.

Beyond Russia: Legacy and Proliferation

The ADS's most striking legacy is its influence on how amphibious operations are equipped. For the first time, a single rifle could credibly cover both the submerged phase of a diver's mission and the surface engagement that followed, eliminating the need to carry two separate weapons into combat. That simplification reduced logistical burden and freed the diver's hands and attention for the task at hand. Within Russia, the rifle is expected to gradually replace the APS underwater rifle across Navy special-operation units and other special forces engaged in maritime security and counter-terrorism. Its compatibility with standard AK-74 magazines and the option to carry a 40 mm grenade launcher make it a versatile platform that can slot into existing supply chains. The weapon's reach extends well beyond Russian borders. Rosoboronexport secured a supply deal with a CIS nation, and North Korea has reportedly produced the ADS locally without a license, underscoring the design's appeal to operators seeking a compact, dual-environment rifle. The ADS thus represents a quiet but significant shift in how special forces approach the boundary between sea and land.

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