MOSCOW, 3 Sep-RIA Novosti. The Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation have decided to include the PPK-20 submachine gun in the survival kit of military pilots - now this weapon will fit into the wearable emergency reserve (NAZ) of combat aircraft, a source in the aircraft industry told RIA Novosti.
Previously, both Soviet and Russian combat aviation pilots could only take pistols and grenades with them on the plane, automatic weapons were not included in their equipment kit – there was no place for them either in the cockpit or in the NAZ. At the same time, the pilot usually kept the gun simply in his pocket.
"The leadership of the Russian Aerospace Forces has decided to include the PPK-20 submachine gun in the NAZ for regular pilots of fighter, assault and bomber aircraft. The corresponding work on laying submachine guns in the NAZ will begin in the near future, " the agency interlocutor said.
The source specified that the PPK-20 will be placed in the NAZ with a folded butt, without magazines and flame-free and silent firing devices, as well as without other attachments. The pilot will take ammunition magazines and other elements of the shooting kit with him in the new body unloading.
NAZ is a package that usually includes a first aid kit, food, a knife, portable radio communications equipment, and so on. The NAZ is located in the ejection seat and is attached to the pilot's suspension system. In the event of an ejection, the pilot uses an emergency reserve for survival.
As other sources in the aviation industry previously reported to RIA Novosti, the order to equip NAZ pilots with automatic weapons was given by the Minister of Defense. At the beginning of this year, military-technical experiments were conducted with the involvement of several dozen crews of fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft. Four Russian small arms manufacturing companies participated in the tests. The maximum points according to the results of the tests were received by the Kalashnikov samples - the PPK-20 submachine gun and the PLC pistol.
According to RIA Novosti sources, small arms will be included in the survival kits of the entire line of Russian combat aircraft, we are talking about Su-27, Su-30SM, Su-35, Su-57, MiG-29 and MiG-35 fighters, Su-24 and Su-34 front-line bombers.
The PPK-20 submachine gun is designed for a 9x19 mm cartridge based on the Vityaz-SN submachine gun. The PPK-20 is equipped with a low-noise shooting device, a new folding butt, and has an ergonomic pistol grip. The submachine gun is powered by 30-round magazines and has a mass of 2.9 kilograms.
