Indonesian Special Forces Field Ukrainian-Made Vulkan Assault Rifles

Ukrainian-made Vulkan bullpup assault rifles have been spotted with personnel from Indonesia’s Air Force rapid reaction corps, providing a rare documented example of the weapon being used outside Ukraine.

According to Militarnyi on October 5, photographs published by Indonesian defense outlet KERIS Reborn show members of Kopasgat, the Indonesian Air Force’s special operations and rapid reaction corps, carrying Vulkan rifles chambered in 7.62×39 mm.

The personnel were identified by their Kopasgat unit patches, while the rifles can be distinguished by their characteristic bullpup configuration, receiver design, and controls.

It remains unclear how many Vulkan rifles the Indonesian unit has received or whether they have been formally adopted. There is also no publicly available information about a serial procurement contract between Indonesia and the Ukrainian manufacturer.

Kopasgat, formally known as Korps Pasukan Gerak Cepat, is a specialized corps within the Indonesian Air Force responsible for protecting air bases and other facilities, conducting special operations, and supporting aviation missions.

The Vulkan is a Ukrainian assault rifle based on a bullpup layout, with the magazine and firing mechanism positioned behind the pistol grip. The configuration allows the weapon to retain a 415 mm barrel while keeping its overall length to approximately 712 mm.

Its operating system is derived from the Kalashnikov rifle family but was substantially redesigned for the bullpup configuration. The Vulkan is produced in 5.45×39 mm, 7.62×39 mm, and 5.56×45 mm versions and can use compatible Kalashnikov-pattern magazines.

Development began with the Malyuk project in 2005, with prototypes provided to the Security Service of Ukraine’s Alpha special operations unit for testing in 2006. The weapon underwent further development after 2014 based on requirements and combat experience provided by Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces formally adopted Vulkan rifles chambered in 5.45×39 mm and 7.62×39 mm in 2017. The weapon has since been documented with Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Special Operations Forces, Air Assault Forces, and Marine Corps.

Earlier, Ukrainian-made T-84 Oplot-M tanks and BTR-3E1 armored personnel carriers were deployed by the Royal Thai Army during fighting along the border with Cambodia, marking the first recorded combat use of the Oplot-M by a foreign operator.

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