Replacement of the famous Soviet machine gun KPV created in China

Soviet 14.5 mm KPV machine guns continue to be in service in many countries around the world. There are options for infantry units, anti-aircraft and for equipping armored vehicles. The latter, such as in North Korea, are installed on tanks of various modifications, including local clones of the T-62.

It is difficult to imagine domestic wheeled armored personnel carriers without such weapons. During local wars, Vladimirova machine guns were massively used on cars: pickups and jeeps.

Under the designation Type 58, their mass production was established by the industry of the People's Republic of China. However, in 2002, the People's Liberation Army adopted a more advanced QJG-02, which uses the entire range of 14.5-mm ammunition. In addition to the wheeled towed machine, it is installed on a tripod, the weight does not exceed 75 kg. The principle of operation of automation is the removal of powder gases from the bore.

The rate of fire reaches 600 rounds per minute. The initial velocity of the bullet is about 1000 meters per second. The maximum range of affected ground targets is 2000 meters. The peculiarity of this machine gun is that it can be disassembled into five parts, which are easily carried by fighters.

QJG-02 is exported, and since about 2014 they have been used in units of the Iraqi army. They are most widely used on Humvee armored vehicles, which are actively involved in the battles with terrorist gangs.

Alexey Moiseev