PKA (7.62 mm)

Description

The 7.62 mm PKA is a variant of the Soviet PK machine gun series meant to be mounted on aircraft.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

• IAR 316B

General info

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Available ammunition

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Comparison with analogues

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Usage in battles

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Pros and cons

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History

The Soviets sought a replacement for the RP-46 and SGM machine guns in 1955. That replacement was the PK (Pulemyot Kalashnikova, or "Kalashnikov's machine gun") developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, the designer behind the famous AK-47, in 1961. Using an enlarged and inverted version of the AK action, the PK differs because it is an open-bolt design to reduce the risk of rounds "cooking off". In 1969, the improved PKM was introduced to simplify production and reduce weight. Lengthwise ribs were added to the receiver cover to make it more rigid, a hinged buttrest was added, the barrel was not fluted and had a new flash hider. Later models would further improved with the laminate wooden stock and pistol grip replaced version made from fibreglass polymide. The PK was once the main Soviet general-purpose machine gun and still sees service in Russian Ground Forces and multiple nations that used to form the Warsaw Pact including Romania.

The PKA saw mounted used on the Mi-8 "Hip", one of the most produced helicopters in the world, and frequently sees use as a door gun on Soviet helicopters. Romania had a specific licensed version of the PK called the Mitraliera md. 66, sometimes called the Cugir machine gun after the arms factory that made this licensed version. The PKA is used on Romania's helicopters built by IAR. The IAR 316B, a licensed-built copy of the French SA 316B Alouette III utility helicopter that entered service in 1971, was armed with either one PKA with 1,000 rounds while the attack helicopter prototype variant, the 317, was armed with two PKAs with 500 rounds each. It also saw in Romania as a door gun for the IAR 330 (a licensed Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma) transport helicopter that entered service in 1975.

Media

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See also

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• reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
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External links

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