The most common ceremonial weapon in the world is the Simonov self-loading carbine. The weekly "Zvezda" figured out what symbolizes the weapons that are armed with honor guards in the armies of various countries of the world.
The publication analyzed the ceremonial weapons used by the military of the Vatican, Japan, the USA, and Germany. Each country has its own weapons for honorary ceremonies.
In Russia, this is a Simonov self-loading carbine. Soviet designer Sergey Gavrilovich Simonov created it as a mass weapon for a new intermediate cartridge of 7.62 x 39 millimeters. The SCS was adopted in 1949. But in the same years, they began to supply the Kalashnikov assault rifle to the troops, which became the main small arms of the army.
And the SCS did not go into reserve. It was used by units of radio-technical air defense troops, engineering and military construction units, and today - guards of paramilitary protection of objects.
But more often, Simonov's self-loading carbine can be seen at military parades and solemn ceremonies with the participation of troops. He is armed with the honor guards of the 154th separate Commandant Regiment of the Armed Forces and the Presidential Regiment of the Russian Federation. With him, servicemen participate in protocol events at the highest state level and in military parades.
SCS was also appreciated in many foreign countries, where he is also a participant in protocol events. These are Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, North Korea, Cuba, Mongolia and dozens of Asian and African countries. In China, the Type 56 carbine of honor guards is also a slightly modified version of the Simonov self-loading carbine.
Svetlana Tsygankova