Russian Underwater Weapon SSP-1 and APS

After the breakdown of the Eastern Bloc Russia tried to sell on international weapon expositions the underwater handgun SSP-1 and the underwater assault rifle APS. Both weapons use the priciples of supercavitation. The weapons apparently use the method of stabilisation described in the last side. According to Wikipedia the weapons were developed by Vladimir Simonov in the late 60's and introduced in the russian army in 1971.

Handgun SSP-1

The handgun exists of a bundle of 4 barrels from which dartlike missiles with the following data can be fired:

      length     :    115 mm
      diameter :        4.5 mm
      mass       :      12.8 g
The muzzle velocity is 250 m/s.
The handgun can be loaded under water.

The range is:

      17 m in   6 m depth,
      11 m in 20 m depth and
        6 m in 40 m depth.

Assault Rifle APS

The assault rifle APS is a "Kalaschnikow" modified for underwater application. It has a magazin for 26 cartridges. The rifle is capable for single shot and bursts of 3 - 10 shots. It was introduced in the middle of the 70's. The missile equates the missile of the handgun but seems to habe a somewhat larger mass.

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