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The weapon of future which is necessary today From the very beginning of
development of human race the man always applied the weapon for protection,
attack, obtaining of food. About its evolution, history of development,
parameters, combat qualities we can familiarize in whole mass of the appropriate
literature, and also visually by a review of museum exhibits and collections. There are every possible configurations and sizes of
weapon, but practically in the course of the history of weapon it has not
changed its applicability: to strike reliably a potential enemy and to withdraw
him from action, that is to make disabled. The changes in the doctrine of
application of the weapon followed parallel in a proportion with a level of
progress in that or other region of globe, and, means, that all discoveries,
inventions and new technologies in this or that branch the man tried to apply to
the newly created weapon. As an example for this can be technologies: metal
casting, heat treatment, creation of alloys etc. Certainly, not all samples of
the weapon got admission. On many reasons, which are known for a wide circle of
the experts, the most part of them was nbt admitted as unsuitable for
performance of tactical and strategic tasks taking into account the factors:
time, place, target. Basing on above mentioned, we come to a conclusion, that
the level of development of industrial technologies promotes changes in
construction of fire-arms, though it by the basic principle of action remains
practically constant, that is throwing of a body (bullets, shells etc.) to cause
damages or total destruction of the target. But the basic concept of design of
fire-arms remained the same since its creation: cylindrical guide, in which with
the force of the energy of gunpowder gases (products of a gunpowder mix
combustion) a shell is thrown in the given direction. Actually there is a high level of progress in
designing of new samples of the small-arms-weapon, including its minimization,
electrification and computerization, but let’s think, whether is it
stagnation, and the mankind simply again and again” invents a bicycle “? We
are at the beginning of the 21st century, and the following questions arise,--
what kind should and can the service weapon of new age be? These two questions
are very actual for today for the experts of very different branches, whose
creative activity directly or indirectly is connected to creation or designing
of the small-arms- weapon. I apologise to the analysts, and experts -
development engineers in the field of the small-arms creation, but nobody can
concrete answer a question, what kind should be the armament of an infantryman
of the 21st century. In this case I ask development engineers and users not to
confuse word collocations, “what kind it can be” and” how you imagine it
“. We should state that an individual, multi-purpose, universal for all cases
of military actions hand fire arms does not exist and can not exist yet by the
following raw of reasons: 1. An
infantryman shouldn’t be overloaded, he should be mobile and capable to
execute a combat mission. Any additional cargo holds him down and proportionally
reduces efficiency of combat unit and figuratively speaking makes a target of
him. 2. The
strategy and tactics of possible future wars, taking into account a modern level
of scientific and technical progress, speaks about an obligatory ability of
combat unit to withstand both ground light armoured-, and low-altitude airborne
targets of conventional enemy, that is an individual weapon should have some
parameters of the weapon of support (minor-calibre of artillery, grenade
launcher, general-purpose machine gun). 3. It
should be arms of precision (principle “shot
- forgot“), but it does not mean, that every infantryman should be a sniper, -
the weapon itself should have the technical ability to defeat the potential
enemy protected by means of individual protection with one squeezing the trigger
snap impromtu shooting, because the battle collision can be very short. All above mentioned calls
an imagination about any inconceivable hybrid, which practically simply cannot
be designed with the requirements of technical parameters. But nobody says that
it is possible now, and as a source of energy should be only gunpowder. The main
subject is that we stand on a threshold, when the small-arms will function on
other physical principles and phenomena. It will give an opportunity to embody
in its design all those combat possibilities, about which we have just spoken. But let’s come back to
earth and think about real present possibilities in designing of the modern
small-arms, as according to the forecast of the analysts, gunpowder as the basic
element in the small-arms will be used in nearest fifty years. If taking for the
basic concept an aspiration to transform every infantryman into an independent
combat unit and at the same time to make a division as uniform combat body, the
most suitable scheme of configuration of the new weapon can be a union of the
small-caliber submachine gun and an automatic grenade launcher. An idea itself
of a combination of two barrels in one weapon is not new, but it allows to
ensure a possibility to defeat effectively the open pin-point targets, defiladed
targets, group targets. I want to present in the given material my concept of a
small-arms system of new generation, on which I’m systematically working now.
To somebody’s mind it differs only a little from similar systems, but it is
not true. The differences are rather essential. The system itself being designed
represents the twin mount of two calibres with a vertical arrangement of
barrels, with a common loading, twin (synchronized) trigger mechanism and united
magazine. The top barrel is a small calibre bullet one, for use of an
intermediate high-speed cartridge with a size averaging between a pistol
cartridge and a submachine gun cartridge. The lower barrel is intended for the
delivery of an automatic fire with grenades of calibre 20mm. On the basis of the
analysis of last military conflicts I consider, that the infantryman weapon will
be applied on difficult country, in woods, populated points mainly in
close-range combat at distances up to 300-400M. The enemies can object and
dispute such distances, but let’s really consider a subject and put the
following question to ourselves. Is there a possibility in conditions of modern
battle to take an aimed shot with high factor of defeat 0,9 at a distance of 400
meters and more? Even in the process of practice shooting in a shooting gallery
the probability of guaranteed hitting in the target at a stipulated distance is
very low, and previous tactics of firing at random became already obsolete and
does not meet the requirements of conducting modern combat. Somebody can oppose a
counterargumeflt that a bullet intermediate cartridge can not effective defeat
the enemy wearing an armoured garment. Yes, I agree with this, but then let’s
remember, which requirements on efficiency are made to the service small-arms.
There’s the only task: to put out of action! I emphasize: not to kill, but to
make so that the potential enemy could not show any resistance, that is he would
be incapable and neutralized both in direct, and in a figurative meaning. And
now I’d like to tell about the second grenade launching barrel, which being
used in a synchronous mode (fixed bullet three cartridge burst + one shot of the
grenade launcher) not only will supplement the damage of the target, but also
with high factor of a defeat will fix guaranteed success. Such tactics of
delivery of fire makes the whole system multifunctional. Moreover, at detection
and defeat of the target the doubts in ability of the soldier correctly to
choose “barrel” according to character of the target are swept aside and can
not cause hitch, this, in fact, explains the determination of the efficiency of
the weapon. To understand the sense of
above mentioned I think it’s just a moment to return to a problem of
ammunition used in the given project. In the system being designed for comfort
in bearing, loading and feeding of an ammunition to the line of fire one common
magazine with capacity of 30 cartridges + 10 grenade-launching rounds (20
cartridges + 7 grenade-launching rounds) is provided. Proceeding from that the
dimensions and weight of the whole system together with magazine should be in
strict limits: the length with folded stock to be 450-500mm, weight with the
filled magazine — 3,5-4kg, the demands made of an ammunition are rather
unusual. So, for example, no one of the serial cartridges manufactured in
different countries, meets laid down conditions. But there are samples, which
after making of changes and finishing can be used in the given system. I want
also to illuminate somewhat non-traditional approach and requirements to the
grenade-launching rounds. Their difference from nowadays existing ones consist
in the following: the safety releasing should occur by the shot at a distance of 15-20 meters from a barrel, the shell itself except an outer case and detonator consists of especially high-strength explosive which on an equivalent 20-30 times exceeding the strength of trinitrotoluene. The defeat of the potential enemy should occur at the expense of a shock wave, splinters formed by this from splitting of environmental subjects, and also sound wave. It is theoretically proved, that the sound wave in a range of noise level of 200-220dB can cause dangerous traumas and even death. For aiming, guiding, vision
devices and another ones there is stipulated to arrange the fasteners from above
along a system, from below and from the left side.. But, on my opinion I
consider that it is impossible to abuse with different computer devices, because
such an “universality” is a dangerous trap for the developing engineers,
manufacturers and users. The overlapping of various properties in one sample
will result in deterioration of each property separately, and also increase of
weight and cost, and to achieve serious results it is possible only by the
compromises. Not the secret, that creation of the weapon for a long time has
ceased to be business of the separate developing engineers and requires a
participation with support of various firms, companies, corporations and
establishments. In summary I want to tell,
that I am ready to consider and answer all remarks, offers and critical
responses, which can arise by readers, but as especially valuable I always
consider the characteristics given by the users, having applied the described
system in real combat conditions. I wish to hope, that the given sample will
have life. Pavel Makarov Firearms and ammunition designer Levanevskogo Street, 11 Nikopol, Dnepropetrovsk Region, Ukraine, 53200
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