RPL-20

Lore & Background

The RPL-20 was independently developed by Kalashnikov Concern based on feedback from field trials of the RPK-16, which had been selected in a competition to replace the RPK-74. The Soviet military had not fielded a squad-level, intermediate-caliber, belt-fed machine gun since the retirement of the RPD in the early 1960s. The Russian military had not indicated any desire for such a weapon since the rejection of the PU-21 (IP-2) project and adoption of the PKM, though the MVD solicited designs for a similar machine gun in early 2011 for counter-terror teams without following through with orders.

The RPL-20 was unveiled at the Army-2020 event in late August 2020. Kalashnikov Concern has stated that it is a new design, not a derivative of the Kalashnikov-pattern rifle series. It uses a non-disintegrating linked belt similar to the RPD. Alternative designs experimented with a dual-feed option capable of both magazine and belt feed, but the choice to keep it belt-fed only was made to lighten the weapon and reduce complexity, allowing troops to top off spent belts as a trade-off for not accepting standard assault rifle magazines.

Two barrel length options are available: 590 mm for regular troops and 415 mm for assault units. A variant, the RPL-7, exists in 7.62×39mm with the same barrel lengths and uses a soft ammunition box holding 80 rounds through a non-disintegrating belt. As of January 2024, Kalashnikov Concern completed preliminary tests, and the Ministry of Defense planned to conduct state trials in 2024. The first serial batch was produced in May 2025 and shipped to the Russian military the following month, ordered in MultiCam camouflage pattern.

Reader's Guide

The RPL-20 is notable as the first belt-fed, intermediate-caliber light machine gun developed for Russian forces since the RPD. It is anticipated to serve as a squad automatic weapon, supplementing the heavier-caliber PK machine guns used for suppressive fire while providing a higher practical rate of fire than the RPK series. Its weight of 5.2–5.5 kg rivals that of an RPK-74 while offering belt-fed, open-bolt operation and quick-change barrels for enhanced sustained fire. The decision to forgo a dual-feed system in favor of a simpler, lighter belt-only design reflects a trade-off prioritizing reduced complexity over compatibility with standard assault rifle magazines. The RPL-20's development was independent, based on field trial feedback rather than a direct military requirement, and its eventual serial production and shipment in 2025 mark a potential shift in Russian squad-level firepower doctrine. The RPL-7 variant in 7.62×39mm extends the design's versatility for different operational needs.