The AK-9 is the most recent addition to the line of the Russian-made weapons, built for the family of the sub-sonic 9x39 ammunition, which includes SP-5 ball and SP-6 armor-piercing rounds. The AK-9, developed by the Izhevsk Machine building plant (IzhMash, the home of Kalashnikov assault rifles) is intended to compete with already established weapons such as AS silenced assault rifle and 9A-91 and SR-3M multipurpose compact assault rifles.