The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970’s by Soviet weapons designer Mikahil Kalashnikov to replace the earlier AKM (a refined version of the AK-47). It uses a smaller 5.45x39mm cartridge, replacing the 7.62x39mm chambering of earlier Kalasnikov-pattern firearms. It first saw service in the 1979 Afghanistan conflict and is currently used in various countries of the former Soviet Union.