分类： bharat

Among the advanced weapon systems on display at DefExpo India 2020 is the Russian 57-mm gun turret. Action video of the shell-spewing death machine, which can target low-flying drones, was published by the producer.
The turret, or Automatic Artillery Weapon System AU-220M as the manufacturer prefers to call it, is a remotely controlled module armed with a 57mm main gun and a 7.62mm machine gun, full of sensors, stabilizer devices and other equipment.

The developer, a research subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod, says its product will be put on Russia’s future infantry fighting vehicles and other light armor to give them a firepower boost. The test video shows a land-based use of the system. But patrol boats large enough to carry the 3.65-ton module are a viable platform too.

AU-220M’s gun can fire its entire ammo reserve of 80 shells in just one minute and has an effective range of 14.5km. And if guided projectiles are used, it can effectively take out low-flying drones and other small aircraft. Potentially the turret may be operated from afar rather than by the crew of whatever craft is armed with it.

Iconic rifle of choice
Soviet tank mechanic Mikhail Kalashnikov finalized the design of the original Avtomat Kalashnikova (Automatic Kalashnikov) in 1947. Known for reliability and ease of use, his AK-47 has since become the iconic weapon of choice around the world. It is estimated that one in five firearms – about 100 million – on the planet today is a Kalashnikov of some kind.

The AK-203 is the export version of the AK-12, which is currently being phased into Russia’s own armed services as the standard assault rifle. Unlike the AK-12, it uses 7.92x39mm rounds, and India has long preferred the 7.62x51mm NATO caliber.

What the slightly shorter rounds of the AK-203 may lack in range and accuracy, the rifle makes up in reliability. It is rugged and easy to use, which is perfect in the tough conditions of the Indian frontier, such as deserts or mountains. It is also easy to repair, and if the AK-47 is anything to go by, can last 20-40 years.

Every other soldier of India’s million-strong army may soon be armed with a domestically made AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifle, as a final deal with Russia might be taking shape at the DefExpo in Lucknow.
New Delhi is keen to order 670,000 Kalashnikovs from the joint venture established last year with the eponymous Russian conglomerate. A factory has already been built for the purpose in the northern district of Amethi. However, the initial cost of production and technology transfer is driving up the prices of Kalashnikovs, arguably the most famous assault rifles in the world for over two generations.

The two partners in the joint venture are presently engaged in bringing down the cost from $1,000 per rifle to something more affordable. Even though the AK-203 is a vastly improved and advanced version of the rifle, its iconic predecessor, the AK-47, can be bought for a few hundred dollars in the global arms market.