The main handgun of Soviet operatives, the Makarov pistol is the maker’s most famous, but far from the only thing created by the renowned designer. Makarov was also brains behind a few bigger guns you may not have known about.
After World War II, the Soviet armed forces were in need of
The new gun was named AM-23 (after its designers Afanasyev and Makarov and reflecting its 23 mm caliber). It was a gas-operated gun, built on the same principle as some other famous Soviet weapons (the AK and other weapons of the time). The gun had a fire rate of 1,200 rounds per minute and its design featured a gas block for the first time, which softened the impact on parts and increased the AM-23's energy output which, as a result, prolonged the gun's service life.
Furthermore, the gun used
After its creation in the late 1950s, the AM-23 served the Soviet armed forces for a quarter of a century and was installed as a defensive weapon in the back section of heavy military transport aircraft and giant bombers, including the Tu-16 and Tu-95 bombers, Tu-142 anti-submarine aircraft, Il-76
Together with his colleagues, Makarov created a new-generation anti-tank system, called 9K111. In it, unlike its predecessor, missiles were guided not by a human, but by one of the first ever infrared seekers.
In effect, the 9K111 is a portable system, which requires three people to operate it: two are responsible for carrying bulky anti-tank missiles to the position, while the third one carries the launcher itself. At the same time, it takes about 30 seconds to get a 9K111 system into a firing position and start shelling the enemy.
Thanks to this system, the Soviet army was able to quickly and effectively eliminate enemy tanks and armored vehicles at a distance of 2.5 km and then disappear undetected and return to base.
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