The AS Val (Avtomat Special'nyj Val, or Special Automatic Rifle Val) is a selective fire assault rifle developed by the Soviet Union's Central Institute for Precision Machine Building (TsNIITochMash). It is also known by its code name of 'Shaft'. The AS Val was a project aimed at creating a rifle for urban combat and reconnaissance sorties. The operating mechanism of the Val is derived from the Kalashnikov rifle's gas-operated, rotating bolt design.