AEK-971

The AEK-971 is a Russian-made prototype assault rifle designed by Sergey I. Koksharov in the 1970s. The AEK-971 fires the 5.45x39mm M74 round, which is standard for most Russian assault rifles, and uses the 30-round magazine from the AK-74. It can fit a GP-30 40mm Grenade launcher, which can boost it's destructive capability.

Battlefield: Bad Company
In Battlefield: Bad Company's singleplayer, Russian and Serdaristani soldiers typically use this weapon. It is probably the most common weapon in the game, especially in the first few missions, though it cannot be found during Ghost Town.

In multiplayer, the AEK971 is issued as the default assault rifle to the Russian Assault kit. Its American counterpart is the M416 and its MEC counterpart is the AUG. It has 50 rounds in one magazine and the player will have 150 rounds in reserve. It has the GP30 as its grenade launcher with 8 grenades. It has very average stats, balanced between moderate power, moderate fire rate and mediocre accuracy, as well as open sights. It can kill in about 8-10 shots.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
In Battlefield: Bad Company 2's singleplayer, unlike in the previous game, it is no longer the standard weapon for Russian infantry, having been replaced in that role by the AN-94. Instead, it is primarily found in the hands of the South American militiamen. It can be found either with iron sights or a red dot sight.

In multiplayer, the AEK-971 Vintovka is the default assault rifle issued to the Assault kit. It is nearly the same as the M16A2 in terms of stats. It has 30 rounds per magazine. It has medium firepower and somewhat good accuracy. The recoil is very low for the rate of fire. It is very effective at medium range, but at long range, burst firing or even tap-firing are required to hit targets. The iron sights are regarded as very simple to use, as you simply just have to aim through the small tick. Its high rate of fire and decent hip-fire accuracy make it good at close quarters, making the shotgun attachment of limited use. Overall, it is a good weapon in any hands, though most players often overlook it for later weapons.

Trivia

 * Although the AN-94 and the AEK-971 use the same grenade launcher models (GP-30), the launchers have different sights.
 * In Battlefield: Bad Company the AEK-971 appears to be brusied and mark showing character.
 * A gold plated AEK-971 can be seen in President Serdar's palace.
 * If you have the Red Dot attachment on the AEK-971 as well as the Shotgun attachment on if you switch to the Shotgun then the Red Dot attachment will disapear.