Submarine aps. Russian special purpose weapons Underwater cartridges
Caliber: 5.6x39 mm
Automation type: gas outlet, locking by turning the shutter
Length: 823/ 615 mm (stock unfolded / folded)
barrel length: no data
The weight: 2.4kg without magazine, 3.4kg with loaded magazine
rate of fire: 600 rounds per minute (in air)
Score: 26 rounds
Since the late 1960s, developments have been carried out in the USSR aimed at creating effective weapons for combat swimmers of the Navy. The work was carried out at the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TsNIITOCHMASH) by O. P. Kravchenko and P. F. Sazonov. By the early 1970s, special ammunition for underwater firearms was theoretically and practically worked out, using elongated non-rotating bullets with hydrodynamic stabilization using a cavitation cavity generated by the movement of a bullet in water. The bullets had the form of elongated needles about 20 calibers long, with a head in the form of a truncated cone. The flat area at the head of the bullet was just responsible for creating a cavitation cavity that stabilizes the bullet while moving in the water. Initially, the 4.5mm cartridge SPS and the 4-barrel non-self-loading pistol SPP-1 for these cartridges were developed and adopted by the Soviet Navy. Approximately in 1975, a set of weapons was adopted by the Soviet Navy, consisting of an Underwater Special APS submachine gun, developed by designer V.V. Simonov, and 5.66mm MPS special ammunition. The MPS cartridge was created on the basis of the standard cartridge case 7N6 5.45x39mm, equipped with a needle-shaped bullet 120 mm long and specially sealed. Later, MPST ammunition appeared with a tracer bullet. In a submerged position at a depth of 5 meters, the MPS cartridge provides an effective firing range for scuba divers up to 30 meters, at a depth of 20 meters the effective range is reduced to 20 meters, and at 40 meters - already up to 10 meters. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that the line-of-sight range at the indicated depths without the use of special equipment does not exceed the effective firing range of the APS - that is, if the enemy is visible, he can be hit. The machine gun also allows firing in the air, however, due to the fact that the bullets do not have dynamic stabilization sufficient for a significantly less dense air environment, the accuracy of shooting turns out to be low, and the effective range in the air turns out to be significantly less than 100 meters. In addition, even taking into account the use of a gas regulator, the life of the machine when firing in the air is reduced by more than 10 times - from 2,000 shots under water to only 180 shots in the air.
Currently, the APS submachine gun is in service with special units of the Russian Navy and is produced in limited quantities at the Tula Arms Plant. APS is offered for export through RosOboronExport, but there is no data on its deliveries abroad.
The APS machine is built on the basis of automation with a gas engine and locking by turning the shutter. The design of the gas outlet path provides for an automatic gas regulator, which ensures the operation of automation in such different environments as water and air. The operation of the gas regulator uses differences in the density of the media (water or air) to automatically release part of the powder gases when firing in air.
Unlike the vast majority of modern assault rifles, the APS fires from an open bolt. The trigger mechanism is striker, provides fire with both single shots and automatic fire, is driven by a single reciprocating action spring of the bolt group. The fuse translator is located on the receiver on the left, above the pistol grip. The loading handle is located on the right side of the bolt carrier. The receiver is made by stamping from sheet steel. A design feature of the APS is that it has a smooth (without rifling) barrel, since the bullets are stabilized hydrodynamically.
Sights - the simplest design, include an unregulated open rear sight on the receiver and a front sight on the gas chamber. Butt - telescopic, retractable, steel wire.
APS cartridges are fed from attached carob (box-shaped) magazines with a capacity of 26 cartridges, which have a special design that excludes the cartridges from being skewed by the bullet upwards when feeding or double feeding of cartridges into the barrel.
It just so happens that few types of firearms designed for underwater use were developed. In addition, not all of them were able to reach mass production. The main problem that gunsmiths had to deal with was the density of water. It's no joke, almost 800 times denser than air and interacts with the bullet accordingly.
Water resistance simply does not allow the bullets of the available cartridges to accelerate to more or less decent speeds and fly (or swim) at least any acceptable distance. So the combat swimmers had to be content with what they had - to use "ordinary" weapons in the air, and to get knives under water.
But in 1971, the SPP-1M pistol and the SPS cartridge entered service with the Soviet special forces. Their main feature, which, in fact, made it possible to obtain the required characteristics of fire, is a bullet. For more stable behavior in the water, it was made long and similar to a nail.
A little later, in the mid-70s, Klimovsky TsNIITochmash developed its own version of the "needle" cartridge. Designer V. Simonov created the MPS cartridge on the basis of a standard 5.45x39 mm cartridge case. Like the SPS the bullet of the Klimovsky cartridge had a length of about 120 mm. Also, a characteristic feature of the bullet is the blunted head part - when moving in water, it creates a cavitation cavity, which sharply reduces the water resistance. In this way, at the same time, the problem of stabilizing the bullet when moving in water was solved.
After a series of studies, it was decided to change the caliber of the bullet from 5.45 to 5.66 mm. In fact, nothing had to be changed. The barrel of the machine gun designed for the MPS cartridge had to be smooth, and the real caliber of the 5.45x39 mm cartridge bullet is exactly 5.66 mm. This also made it possible to improve the sealing of the “bullet-sleeve” joint. A little later, an MPST cartridge was created, which differs from the original in the presence of a tracer.
Simultaneously with the MPS cartridge, the underwater special machine (APS). This machine was built on the basis of a gas exhaust scheme. Locking at the APS is done by turning the shutter. At first glance, nothing unusual, but the designers under the leadership of V. Simonov had to think about some details:
- firstly, over the supply of a much longer cartridge;
- secondly, ensuring the operability of the APS both under water and in the air.
The first problem was solved with the help of a magazine of a specific shape for 26 rounds and a long shutter stroke.. Because of this, the fuse-translator of fire had to be placed not on the right side of the receiver, as with Kalashnikov assault rifles, but on the left.
To enable the weapon to function in two environments, the designers introduced an automatic gas regulator into the gas exhaust system. When fired in air, it releases part of the powder gases. In water, respectively, the full amount of gases accelerates the bullet. The gas regulator was needed for the reason that when shooting underwater, the bullet needs more energy to fly out of the barrel - the bullet must push water out of the latter.
The trigger mechanism has one reciprocating mainspring and allows you to make both single shots and bursts. All the mechanics of the machine is adapted to work in a "viscous" aquatic environment.
APS sights are the simplest: an open unregulated rear sight on the receiver and a front sight on the gas outlet tube. APS also has a retractable stock. Interestingly, in the fully retracted position, the shoulder rest frame completely fits into special cutouts on the fire control handle. The trigger guard and hook were made relatively large so that the fighter could shoot without removing his gloves.
What did all these nail bullets, gas regulators, etc. give? Under water, at a depth of about 5 meters, the effective range of fire is 30 m. Deeper, at 20 meters, you can only shoot at 20 meters. In this case, in both cases, the energy of the “nail” is enough to break through a wetsuit with a foam lining or plexiglass glasses (up to 5-7 mm) and to subsequently defeat the enemy’s body. Interestingly, usually underwater visibility does not exceed the firing range of the APS.
In the air, the lethal force of a bullet is maintained at a distance of up to one hundred meters. However, a bullet, unsuitable for the air environment, at such distances gives simply an indecent deviation. So the real combat range for the APS in the air is not much different from that in the water, which is not enough for most skirmishes. Another argument against the use of APS not in water is the resource. An assault rifle capable of firing 2,000 shots under water can only fire 180 shots in air.- a tribute to the optimization for work under water.
Almost immediately, the APS was adopted. Production was established at the Tula Arms Plant, and it is carried out in small batches. At the moment, officially the machine gun is in service only in Russia. Foreign countries have the opportunity to order APS through Rosoboronexport, but so far they have only expressed the possibility of purchases.
Despite its uniqueness, APS also has disadvantages.. In particular, the disadvantage is tactical: the combat swimmers armed with it, if they have to conduct a “land” battle, are forced to carry extra weight in the form of another machine gun. At first glance, the decision was obvious - to make an amphibious assault rifle, but in reality everything was more complicated. It took a lot of time to create such a two-media system, and its first copy was presented only at the end of the 90s of the last century.
Experiments on "crossing" the APS and AK-74 were carried out at the Tula Design Technological Institute of Mechanical Engineering (TPKTIMash) under the guidance of designer Yu. Danilov. From an underwater predecessor new assault rifle, named ASM-DT "Sea Lion", received most of the structural elements, and from the Kalashnikov assault rifle a 5.45x39 mm cartridge and a magazine.
The shutter, gas exhaust system and USM migrated from APS to ASM-DT without changes, but the cartridge was finalized. In the same case from which the MPS was made, a new bullet was placed, also similar to a nail, also with a blunt end, but of a smaller caliber. From 5.66 mm it was reduced to 5.45 mm. And that's why. Since the machine was originally designed as a two-medium one, the designers took into account its capabilities for combat in the air. The 5.45x39 mm cartridge required a rifled barrel for normal performance, so it was decided to “squeeze” the nail bullet to such a size that it could simply not crash into the rifling of the barrel.
Ammunition ASM-DT under water is carried out from the stores of the APS machine gun (26 rounds). In the air, respectively, stores from Kalashnikov assault rifles of the 74th series (30 rounds) are used. Since these magazines, like cartridges, have different dimensions, the magazine receiver received a very interesting design. If you need to dock an "underwater" magazine, a special spring-loaded cover (fixed at the bottom of the receiver on the left side) is moved to the side, the magazine is inserted into the seat and secured with a latch.
If the fighter is going to shoot with 5.45x36 mm cartridges, then the magazine latch is moved all the way forward, and the spring-loaded cover closes the “extra” part of the magazine receiver window. In addition to protecting the mechanics of the machine from dirt, the cover prevents the magazine latch from moving back. Another nuance of two-mean is the following: when fired in air, part of the powder gases is redirected into the barrel in front of the bullet in order to blow it out of the water that may have remained there.
The sights of the "Sea Lion" are generally similar to the APS, but it is possible to install an optical, night or collimator sight. Also, the designer provided seats for an underbarrel grenade launcher, a tactical flashlight or laser pointer and a bayonet-knife.
Nevertheless, the "nee" ASM-DT amphibious assault rifle never went into production. The main complaints concerned the need to operate with two types of cartridges and magazines. Based on the Sea Lion, TPKTIMash began developing of the new ADS assault rifle - its main difference from the ASM-DT was the bullpup layout.
In 2005, the Tula Instrument Design Bureau presented new universal cartridge under the designation PSP. He, like previous underwater ammunition, was made on the basis of the sleeve of the "land" cartridge 5.45x39 mm. KBP employees were able to fit a new bullet into it. A steel bullet weighing 16 grams has a length of 53 mm. At the same time, the designers managed to maintain the combat characteristics of the bullet due to the large elongation and flat nose of the bullet.
Like the “nail” of ATP and MPS, a new bullet in water creates a cavitation cavity around itself. At the same time, in the air, a PSP bullet behaves in the same way as a standard one. In addition, the PSP has the same dimensions as the standard 5.45x39 mm cartridge, which allows it to be used not only in the new underwater assault rifle. A PSP-U cartridge was also created with a bronze bullet weighing 8 grams intended for educational purposes.
After the appearance of the PSP cartridge, the team of Yu. Danilov decided to finally abandon two different ammunition for different environments and make the machine again under a single cartridge. At the same time, a new prototype was chosen for the new version of the ADS - the A-91 assault rifle, developed by the Tula KBP in the early 90s. The amphibious assault rifle received from the A-91 the general layout of the bullpup circuit and a large number of plastic parts. Also, the designer left a tube that diverts spent cartridges, which allows both right-handed and left-handed people to use the machine gun.
The shutter and USM also did not undergo major changes, in addition to refinement for operation in the water. But the gas exhaust system was redesigned: a water-air mode switch appeared on the receiver. Like ASM-DT, ADS in the “air” mode dumps the volumes of powder gases that are excessive for surface firing and blows them through the barrel in front of the bullet.
Due to the dimensions of the PSP cartridge, magazines from AK-74 for 30 rounds are used on the ADS machine. Thanks to this, the ADS can use not only PSP, but also 7N6, 7N10 cartridges, etc., with the difference that the latter cannot be used under water. The underwater characteristics of the ADS with PSP cartridges remained at the APS level - a range of 28-30 meters at a depth of 5 m and 18-20 m at a depth of 20 meters. "Land" figures, in turn, have grown and are slightly inferior to the characteristics of Kalashnikov assault rifles of the 74th series. For example, the aiming range of the ADS in the air is not 30 meters, like the APS, but all 600 meters.
Due to the bullpup layout, there is a carrying handle on the A-91 and, as a result, on the ADF. An open rear sight is also installed on it. The fly is located on the trunk. It is possible to install an optical, collimator or any other compatible sight on the handle itself.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the ADS machine
- weight, kg: 4.6 (with a grenade launcher)
— length, mm: 660
- barrel length, mm: 415
- cartridge: 5.45 × 39 mm (PSP and PSP-U for underwater shooting, 7N6, 7N10 and 7N22 for firing in the air); VOG-25 (grenade launcher)
- caliber, mm: 5.45, 40 (grenade launcher)
– principles of operation: removal of powder gases, butterfly valve
- rate of fire, shots / min: 600-800
- muzzle velocity, m/s: 900 (7N6), 333 (PSP), 430 (PSP-U)
- effective range, m: 600 (on land), 25 (in water), 400 (grenade launcher)
- maximum range, m: 25 (at a depth of 5 m), 18 (at a depth of 20 m)
- type of ammunition supply: sector magazine for 30 rounds
- sight: diopter, reclining grenade launcher, there is a mount for mounting various sights
Another detail that the ADS inherited from the A-91 is an integrated 40 mm grenade launcher. The grenade launcher can use all modifications of VOG-25 grenades. The grenade launcher trigger is located under the same bracket with the machine gun trigger. If a fighter does not need a grenade launcher, you can dismantle his barrel with a sight located on it. With the grenade launcher barrel removed, a silent firing device or a blank firing attachment can be installed on the machine gun barrel.
Thus, TPKTIMash engineers have created a whole complex, which in the future can replace several types of special forces weapons at once: APS and AK-74M assault rifles, as well as GP-25 and GP-30 underbarrel grenade launchers. At the same time, a single ADS complex, with characteristics similar to other types, has advantages in terms of weight and size: it is more convenient and easier to transport and use one machine gun with several “body kit” parts than several different weapons at once.
And it seems that the Tula people really managed to please the special forces: in 2009, the two-medium special ADS assault rifle entered the Russian naval special forces units for testing, and it is known that the complex has earned a lot of positive feedback.
The APS submachine gun ("special underwater submachine gun") entered service with the Soviet Navy in the mid-1970s. V. V. Simonov was the lead designer for this machine at TsNII TOCHMASH. APS is made for special cartridges MPS and MPST type 5.66x39 with high elongation bullets (developed by P.F. Sazonov and O.P. Kravchenko). In MPS cartridges (with an ordinary bullet), a cartridge case from a standard 5.45x39 automatic cartridge was used.
The bullet is a "needle" with a narrowing of the head part in the form of a double truncated cone, it moves with a gap along the bore. This design of the bullet is associated with the peculiarities of movement in water, which differ significantly from the conditions of movement in the air. When a bullet (or other projectile) moves in water at high speed, not only a change in the shape of the oncoming flow lines is observed, but also a violation of its continuity with the formation of a cavity. The bullet of the regular cartridge of the 5.45-mm AK 74 assault rifle has an ogive warhead and a small relative length forms a cavity of large transverse dimensions under such conditions and soon capsizes. If, however, the bullet is given a greater elongation (about 20 calibers) and a flat cut in the head part, when moving in water in the developed cavitation mode, only the flat cut of the bullet is washed by water, which significantly reduces the resistance force and contributes to the formation of a cavity of smaller diameter. The stability of the movement of the bullet in the cavitation mode is ensured by its oscillating movements relative to the flat section of the head part as a result of the interaction of the tail part with the boundaries of the cavitation cavity. That is, the cavity serves as a stabilizer for the bullet. When the bullet slows down, the cavern decreases in size, and as soon as its back part "captures" the bullet shank, the bullet loses speed sharply, and the cavern completely "collapses" - the bullet is "in full washout mode."
The striking ability of a bullet depends on the depth of immersion. At depths up to 5 m, the lethal range is 30 m, at a depth of 40 m it is reduced to 10 m. But the use of an MPST cartridge with a tracer bullet allows you to adjust the shooting along the tracks.
Automatic weapon has a gas engine with the removal of powder gases through a hole in the barrel wall and a long stroke of the gas piston, there is a gas regulator. The barrel bore is locked by turning the bolt.
Automatic APS in incomplete disassembly: 1 - receiver cover; 2 - gas outlet tube; 3 - reciprocating mainspring with a guide rod; 4 - bolt carrier; 5 - shutter; 6 - barrel with receiver, pistol grip, butt; 7 - contactor; 8 - shop
The trigger mechanism of the machine is a striker type. The shot is fired from the rear sear due to the energy of the reciprocating mainspring. The trigger mechanism is assembled in a separate housing and allows for single or automatic fire, equipped with a flag non-automatic fuse-translator.
Food is from a detachable box magazine. Features of the cartridge required a number of devices to ensure reliable operation of the power system. The two rows of cartridges in the magazine are separated by a plate, the upper bullets are held by spring grips from tipping the bullets up. A cartridge cutter is mounted inside the receiver to prevent sticking or double feeding of cartridges.
The example is retractable. The machine is adapted for the day of attachment to the board of the underwater vehicle.
The production of APS assault rifles was supplied by the Tula Arms Plant. The automatic rifle is equipped with two magazines and accessories. There are no analogues of APS among serial foreign weapons.
Although firing MPS and MPST cartridges “in the air” is possible, bullets of high elongation that are not stabilized by rotation in the air turn out to be unstable. For aimed shooting in the air, other ammunition is required.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the APS machine
Caliber: 5.66 mmCartridge: MPS, MPST (5.66 x 39)
Weight without magazine: 2.46 kg
Weapon length:
with butt extended: 840 mm
with stock retracted: 620 mm
Muzzle velocity underwater: 340-360 m/s
Muzzle velocity in air: 365 m/s
Rate of fire: 600 rds / min
Sighting range underwater: 10-30 m
Sighting range in air: 100 m
Magazine capacity: 26 rounds
|
Since the late 1960s, developments have been carried out in the USSR aimed at creating effective weapons for combat swimmers of the Navy. The work was carried out at the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TsNIITOCHMASH) by O. P. Kravchenko and P. F. Sazonov. By the beginning of the 1970s, special ammunition for underwater firearms was theoretically and practically worked out, using elongated non-rotating bullets with hydrodynamic stabilization using a cavitation cavity generated by the movement of a bullet in water. The bullets had the form of elongated needles about 20 calibers long, with a head in the form of a truncated cone. The flat area at the head of the bullet was just responsible for creating a cavitation cavity that stabilizes the bullet while moving in the water. Initially, the 4.5 mm SPS cartridge and the SPP-1 4-barrel non-self-loading pistol for these cartridges were developed and adopted by the Soviet Navy.
 |
||
Approximately in 1975, a weapon complex was adopted by the Soviet Navy, consisting of an Underwater Special APS submachine gun, developed by designer V.V. Simonov, and 5.66 mm MPS special ammunition. The MPS cartridge was created on the basis of the standard cartridge case 7N6 5.45x39 mm, equipped with a needle-shaped bullet 120 mm long and specially sealed. Later, MPST ammunition appeared with a tracer bullet. In a submerged position at a depth of 5 meters, the MPS cartridge provides an effective firing range for scuba divers up to 30 meters, at a depth of 20 meters the effective range is reduced to 20 meters, and at 40 meters - already up to 10 meters. At the same time, it must be borne in mind that the line-of-sight range at the indicated depths without the use of special equipment does not exceed the effective firing range of the APS - that is, if the enemy is visible, he can be hit. The machine gun also allows firing in the air, however, due to the fact that the bullets do not have dynamic stabilization sufficient for a significantly less dense air environment, the accuracy of shooting turns out to be low, and the effective range in the air turns out to be significantly less than 100 meters. In addition, even taking into account the use of a gas regulator, the life of the machine when firing in the air is reduced by more than 10 times - from 2000 shots under water to only 180 shots in the air.
 |
||
A number of design solutions used in the APS machine, including an automatic gas regulator and a trigger device, are protected by USSR copyright certificates and RF patents.
Currently, the APS submachine gun is in service with special units of the Russian Navy and is produced in limited quantities at the Tula Arms Plant. APS is offered for export through Rosoboronexport, but there is no data on its deliveries abroad.
The APS machine is built on the basis of automation with a gas engine and locking by turning the shutter. The design of the gas outlet path provides for an automatic gas regulator, which ensures the operation of automation in such different environments as water and air. The operation of the gas regulator uses differences in the density of the media (water or air) to automatically release part of the powder gases when firing in air.
 |
||
The main parts and mechanisms of the APS assault rifle: 1 - a barrel with a receiver, a trigger, a pistol grip, a front sight and a retractable butt; 2 - receiver cover with the whole; 3 - bolt carrier with a gas piston; 4 - shutter; 5 - gas tube; 6 - reciprocating mainspring; 7 - retainer; 8 - shop; 9 - fuse-translator; |
Unlike the vast majority of modern assault rifles, the APS fires from an open bolt. The trigger mechanism is shock-operated, provides fire both with single shots and automatic fire, is actuated by a single reciprocating - mainspring of the bolt group. The fuse translator is located on the receiver on the left, above the pistol grip. The loading handle is located on the right side of the bolt carrier. The receiver is made by stamping from sheet steel. A design feature of the APS is that it has a smooth (without rifling) barrel, since the bullets are stabilized hydrodynamically.
Sights - the simplest design, include an unregulated open rear sight on the receiver and a front sight on the gas chamber. Butt - telescopic, retractable, steel wire.