NSV
NSV heavy machine gun
TypeHeavy machine gun
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In service1971–present
Used bySee Users
WarsSoviet–Afghan War
First Nagorno-Karabakh War
Gulf War
Afghan Civil War
War in Afghanistan
Lebanese Civil War
Iraq War
Russo-Georgian War
Syrian Civil War
Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017)
Russo-Ukrainian War[1]
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
DesignerG.I. Nikitin, Y.М. Sokolov, V.I. Volkov
DesignedCentral Design Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weaponry, Tula, 1969
Manufacturer"Metallist", Uralsk, Kazakh SSR
Produced1971–present
VariantsNSVT
Specifications
Mass25 kg (55.12 lb) (gun only)
41 kg (90.39 lb) on tripod
11 kg (24.25 lb) (50-round belt)
Length1,560 mm (61.4 in)
Cartridge12.7×108mm

12.7×99mm NATO

(For Polish WKM-B)
Caliber12.7 mm
ActionGas-operated
Rate of fire700–800 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity845 m/s (2,772 ft/s)
Effective firing range1500 m vs. air (maximum)
2000 m vs. ground targets
Feed system50-round belt
SightsIron sights

The NSV (Cyrillic: НСВ, initialism for Никитина-Соколова-Волкова, Nikitin-Sokolov-Volkov) "Utyos" (Russian: Cliff), is a Soviet heavy machine gun chambered in 12.7×108mm. It is named after the designers, G. I. Nikitin, Y. М. Sokolov and V. I. Volkov. It was designed to replace the DShK machine gun and was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1971.

The NSV was manufactured at the Metallist plant in Uralsk, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union. The vehicle-mounted NSVT variant is used on the T-72[2] T-64[3] and T-80[4] battle tanks. Like many Soviet weapons, the NSV was also licence produced by Yugoslavia as the M87. Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia began development on the Kord heavy machine gun, while Belarus, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Vietnam all introduced their own copies of the NSV.

The NSV weighs 25 kg (55 lb), has a rate of fire of 700–800 rounds per minute, and an effective range from 1,500 m (1,600 yd) to 2,000 m (2,200 yd) against airborne and ground targets, respectively. A loaded ammunition belt with 50 rounds weighs 11 kg (24 lb).[5]

History

The Soviet Army began looking for a new heavy machine gun to replace its older SGM and DShK machine guns in the early 1950s. The Soviet Army liked the idea behind the German MG 42; a versatile weapon used on a variety of mounts to perform many different roles. Two Soviet weapon designers were asked to design one weapon each utilizing the same principle. Mikhail Kalashnikov's submission was approved following trials as it was found to be more reliable and cheaper to manufacture than the design of Grigory Nikitin and Yuri Sokolov. Kalashnikov's machine gun became the new standard machine gun, and was named PK.

Nikitin's and Sokolov's design was, however, not forgotten. It was eventually developed into the NSV heavy machine gun about 10 years later and selected in 1969 as the successor to the DShK and DShKM machine guns. It was accepted in service by the Soviet Army in 1971.

Following the break-up of the Soviet Union, Russia began developing the Kord heavy machine gun to replace the NSV "Utyos" and which entered service in 1998. The Metallist factory in what is now Oral, Kazakhstan struggled to find customers in the 1990s. The factory was converted to focus on industrial production in the oil and gas sector in 2003.

Use in Finland

The NSV is called 12,7 Itkk 96 or 12,7 ilmatorjuntakonekivääri 96 (12,7 anti-aircraft machine gun 96) in Finland. It is often used as a vehicle-mounted machine gun, and can be seen on the Pasi armoured personnel carrier, the Nasu transport vehicle and the Leopard 2R tank.

Due to its high rate of fire, the NSV is intended to be used as a close-range anti-aircraft weapon against helicopters, UAVs and aircraft. In dismounted ground combat it is placed on a special mount.

The Finnish Navy also uses the NSV in the anti-aircraft role, where it complements other unguided anti-aircraft weapons like the 23 ITK 95, Bofors 40 Mk3 or Bofors 57 Mk2 and Mk3.

NSV machine gun on mount

Variants

  • NSV 12.7: Baseline variant, currently produced by West Kazakhstan Machine Building Company. Available in both 12.7×108mm and .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO).[6]
  • NSVS-12.7 (Russian > Nikitina-Sokolova-Volkova Stankovy 12.7 = "NSV-designed mounted 12.7mm machinegun"): Used on tripod mount.
  • NSVT-12.7 (Russian > Nikitina-Sokolova-Volkova Tankovy 12.7 = "NSV-designed coaxial 12.7mm machinegun"): Used on T-72 and T-80 main battle tanks.
  • 12.7 Itkk 96: Finnish designation. Guns acquired from Soviet Union, Russia and Germany (Ex-Nationale Volksarmee).[7]
  • M87 NSVT: Serbian license built version by Zastava Arms. The M87 has seen use with the armies of the former Yugoslav states. Available in both 12.7×108mm and .50 BMG.[8]
  • NSW: Polish copy
  • WKM-B: Polish copy adapted for NATO-standard .50 BMG ammunition.
  • KT-12.7: Ukrainian copy
  • MG-U: Bulgarian copy

Users

Map with NSV machine gun users in blue
Polish NSW on an anti-aircraft mount

Current users

Former users

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to NSV.

References

  • Koll, Christian (2009). Soviet Cannon: A Comprehensive Study of Soviet Arms and Ammunition in Calibres 12.7mm to 57mm. Austria: Koll. p. 67. ISBN 978-3-200-01445-9.
  1. ↑ UKRAINE HOT NEWS (8 April 2015). "NSV 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun. Donetsk today". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 7 October 2018 – via YouTube.
  2. ↑ "T72 Tank Characteristics". Archived from the original on 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2017-06-26.
  3. ↑ "T64 Tank". Archived from the original on 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2017-06-26.
  4. ↑ "T80 Tank Characteristics". Archived from the original on 2017-02-14. Retrieved 2017-06-26.
  5. ↑ "12.7 ITKK 96". Finnish Army. Archived from the original on 2016-07-07. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
  6. ↑ "NSV 12.7 "UTYOS" HEAVY MACHINE GUN". West Kazakhstan Machine Building Company. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "NSV AAMG". Finnish Defence Forces. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Machinegun M87". Zastava Arms. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "12,7 mm Arsenal Multi-purpose Machine Gun MG-U". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  10. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Croatia". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002.
  11. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Czech Republic". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002.
  12. ↑ Debay, Yves (2004). VBL Panhard (in French). Histoire et collections. p. 120. ISBN 9782913903166.
  13. 1 2 Jane's Armour and Artillery, Volume 23, p. 450
  14. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Finland". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002.
  15. ↑ "Georgian Army". Georgian Army. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2007-06-25.
  16. ↑ de Tessières, Savannah (April 2012). Enquête nationale sur les armes légères et de petit calibre en Côte d'Ivoire: les défis du contrôle des armes et de la lutte contre la violence armée avant la crise post-électorale (PDF) (Report). Special Report No. 14 (in French). UNDP, Commission Nationale de Lutte contre la Prolifération et la Circulation Illicite des Armes Légères et de Petit Calibre and Small Arms Survey. p. 97. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  17. ↑ Small Arms Survey (2012). "Blue Skies and Dark Clouds: Kazakhstan and Small Arms". Small Arms Survey 2012: Moving Targets. Cambridge University Press. p. 133. ISBN 978-0-521-19714-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  18. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2014-01-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. ↑ bmpd – Монгольская армия получает танки Т-72 и БТР-70М Archived 2016-01-12 at the Wayback Machine. Bmpd.livejournal.com (2012-09-23). Retrieved on 2013-06-04.
  20. ↑ Defence Web (June 2016). "Namibia receives Russian small arms". defenceweb.co.za. defenceweb. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  21. ↑ "North Korean Small Arms (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)". Small Arms Review. Vol. 16, no. 2. June 2012. Archived from the original on 2019-02-02. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  22. ↑ "Machine Gun M02 Coyote - 12.7x108 mm /.50 Browning". Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "World Infantry Weapons: Sierra Leone". 2013. Archived from the original on 24 November 2016.
  24. ↑ 국방TV (29 November 2017). "[선진강군 24시] 육군제3기갑여단 불곰대대 전차포 사격훈련". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 7 October 2018 – via YouTube.
  25. ↑ Neville, Leigh (19 Apr 2018). Technicals: Non-Standard Tactical Vehicles from the Great Toyota War to modern Special Forces. New Vanguard 257. Osprey Publishing. p. 9. ISBN 9781472822512. Archived from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  26. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (14 December 2001). "National inventories, Syria". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2003-2004.
  27. ↑ "NSV - Weaponsystems.net". Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  28. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web20180720165840/http://infonet.vn/tim-hieu-5-loai-sung-duoc-viet-nam-cai-tien-nang-cap-gan-day-post207846.info
  29. ↑ "BAODATVIET.VN | Sức mạnh T-54/55 Việt Nam tăng đáng kể". Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  30. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (4 May 2001). "Zastava 12.7 mm machine gun NSV-12,7". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002-2003.
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