NSV machine gun#variants

{{Infobox weapon

| name = NSV

| image = NSV machine gun-04.jpg

| image_size = 300

| caption = NSV heavy machine gun

| origin = Soviet Union

| type = Heavy machine gun

| is_ranged = yes

| service = 1971–present

| used_by = See Users

| wars = Soviet–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{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_Q1n4Aw7ck |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/d_Q1n4Aw7ck |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=NSV 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun. Donetsk today|last=UKRAINE HOT NEWS|date=8 April 2015|access-date=7 October 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

| designer = G.I. Nikitin, Y.М. Sokolov, V.I. Volkov

| design_date = Central Design Bureau of Sports and Hunting Weaponry, Tula, 1969

| manufacturer = West-Kazakhstan machine building company JSC (ZKMK)

| unit_cost =

| production_date = 1971–present

| number =

| variants = NSVT

| weight = {{convert|25|kg|lb|2|abbr=on}} (gun only)
{{convert|41|kg|lb|2|abbr=on}} on tripod
{{convert|11|kg|lb|2|abbr=on}} (50-round belt)

| length = {{convert|1560|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}

| part_length =

| cartridge = 12.7×108mm

12.7×99mm NATO

(For Polish WKM-B)

| caliber = 12.7 mm

| action = Gas-operated

| rate = 700–800 rounds/min

| velocity = 845 m/s (2,772 ft/s)

| range = 1500 m vs. air (maximum)
2000 m vs. ground targets

| max_range =

| feed = 50-round belt

| sights = Iron sights

}}

The NSV Utyos ({{lang-cyrl|НСВ}}, initialism for {{langx|ru|Никитин-Соколов-Волков|translit=Nikitin-Sokolov-Volkov|label=none}}; {{langx|ru|Утёс|lit=Cliff|italic=yes}}), 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,{{Cite web |url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t72tank.htm |title=T72 Tank Characteristics |access-date=2017-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019041534/https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t72tank.htm |archive-date=2017-10-19 |url-status=live }} T-64{{Cite web |url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t64tank.htm |title=T64 Tank |access-date=2017-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715072238/http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t64tank.htm |archive-date=2016-07-15 |url-status=live }} and T-80{{Cite web |url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t80tank.htm |title=T80 Tank Characteristics |access-date=2017-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214183907/https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t80tank.htm |archive-date=2017-02-14 |url-status=live }} main 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.

File:New iraqi army tank.jpg

The NSV weighs {{convert|25|kg|abbr=on}}, has a rate of fire of 700–800 rounds per minute, and an effective range from {{convert|1500|m|yd|abbr=on}} to {{convert|2000|m|yd|abbr=on}} against airborne and ground targets, respectively. A loaded ammunition belt with 50 rounds weighs {{convert|11|kg|abbr=on}}.{{cite web |url=http://maavoimat.fi/itkk |title=12.7 ITKK 96 |publisher=Finnish Army |access-date=2016-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160707142915/http://maavoimat.fi/itkk |archive-date=2016-07-07 |url-status=dead }}

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 {{langx|fi|12,7 ilmatorjuntakonekivääri 96|label=none}} ('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 Mk 3 or Bofors 57 Mk 2 and Mk 3.

Variants

File:NSV machine gun on 6T7 mount - RaceofHeroes-part2-10.jpg

NSV-12.7: Baseline variant, currently produced by West-Kazakhstan machine building company JSC (ZKMK). Available in both 12.7×108mm and .50 BMG (12.7×99mm NATO).{{cite web|url=https://utyos.zkmk.kz/|title=NSV 12.7 "UTYOS" HEAVY MACHINE GUN|publisher=West Kazakhstan Machine Building Company|access-date=13 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430014913/https://utyos.zkmk.kz/|archive-date=30 April 2023|url-status=live}}
NSVS-12.7 ({{langx|ru|Никитина-Соколова-Волкова станковый — 12,7|translit=Nikitina-Sokolova-Volkova Stankovy – 12.7|lit=NSV-designed 12.7 mm mounted machine gun|links=no}}): Used on tripod mount.{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=383}}
NSVT-12.7 ({{langx|ru|Никитина-Соколова-Волкова танковый — 12,7|translit=Nikitina-Sokolova-Volkova Tankovy – 12.7|lit=NSV-designed 12.7 mm tank-mounted machine gun|links=no}}): Used as a vehicle-mounted machine gun for tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles.{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=383}}

File:Balaklava Patrol boat BG116 IMG 4508 1725.jpg Zhuk-class patrol boat {{Transliteration|uk|Darnytsia}} (BG116)]]

Utyos-M: Naval twin 12.7 mm machine gun turret (2 × {{nowrap|NSV-12.7s}}; 10 × 100-round belts) used on the {{sclass2|Zhuk|patrol boat|5}}, {{sclass2|Yaz|river gunboat|5}}, {{sclass2|Vosh|river patrol craft|5}}, {{sclass2|Ogonek|river patrol craft|5}} classes, etc.{{citation|author=Alexander Shirokorad|editor=Anatoly Taras|year=2001|script-chapter=ru:{{nowrap|12,7-мм}} турельно-башенная установка {{nowrap|«Утёс-М»}}|trans-chapter=12.7 mm {{nowrap|Utyos-M}} Machine Gun Turret|script-title=ru:Оружие отечественного флота, {{nowrap|1945—2000}}|trans-title=Weapons of the Fatherland's Navy, {{nowrap|1945–2000}}|language=ru|location=Minsk/Moscow|publisher=Harvest/AST|pages={{nowrap|15–18}}|isbn=985-13-0183-3|postscript=.}}
12.7 Itkk 96: Finnish designation. Guns acquired from Soviet Union, Russia and Germany (ex-Nationale Volksarmee).{{cite web|url=http://maavoimat.fi/itkk|title=NSV AAMG|publisher=Finnish Defence Forces|access-date=12 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113060329/http://maavoimat.fi/itkk|archive-date=13 November 2017|url-status=dead}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/machinegun-m87/|title=Machinegun M87 |publisher=Zastava Arms|access-date=13 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210727161218/https://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/machinegun-m87/|archive-date=27 July 2021|url-status=live}}
NSW: Polish copy.{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|pages=378, 383}}
WKM-B: Polish copy adapted for NATO-standard .50 BMG ammunition.{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=378}}
KT-12.7: Ukrainian copy.{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=383}}
MG-U: Bulgarian copy.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

Users

File:NSV machine gun Users.png

=Current users=

File:Machine gun NSV.jpg

{{ARM}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=903}}
{{AZE}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=903}}
{{BLR}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=904}}
{{flag|Bulgaria}}: Produced by Arsenal.{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal-bg.com/defense_police/mg-u.htm|title=12,7 mm Arsenal Multi-purpose Machine Gun MG-U|access-date=26 November 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055150/http://www.arsenal-bg.com/defense_police/mg-u.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016}}
{{flag|Croatia}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=906}}
{{flag|Czech Republic}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=906}}
{{flag|Djibouti}}{{cite book|author-link=Yves Debay|first=Yves|last=Debay|title= VBL Panhard|publisher= Histoire et collections|year=2004|isbn=9782913903166|language=fr|page=120}}
{{ERI}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=907}}
{{EST}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=907}}
{{flag|Finland}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=907}}Jane's Armour and Artillery, Volume 23, p. 450
{{flag|Georgia}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=908}}
{{IND}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=909}}
{{flag|Ivory Coast}}{{cite report|language=fr|title=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|first=Savannah|last=de Tessières|publisher=UNDP, Commission Nationale de Lutte contre la Prolifération et la Circulation Illicite des Armes Légères et de Petit Calibre and Small Arms Survey|date=April 2012|series=Special Report No. 14|url=http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/C-Special-reports/SAS-SR14-CoteIvoire.pdf|page=97|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009102938/http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/C-Special-reports/SAS-SR14-CoteIvoire.pdf|archive-date=2018-10-09|url-status=dead}}
{{flag|Kazakhstan}}: Locally produced by West-Kazakhstan machine building company JSC (ZKMK).{{cite book|url=http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/publications/by-type/yearbook/small-arms-survey-2012.html|chapter-url=http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/A-Yearbook/2012/eng/Small-Arms-Survey-2012-Chapter-04-EN.pdf|chapter=Blue Skies and Dark Clouds: Kazakhstan and Small Arms|title=Small Arms Survey 2012: Moving Targets|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2012|author=Small Arms Survey|author-link=Small Arms Survey|page=133|isbn=978-0-521-19714-4|access-date=2018-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831002411/http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/publications/by-type/yearbook/small-arms-survey-2012.html|archive-date=2018-08-31|url-status=dead}}
{{flag|Kuwait}}: Mounted and used on M-84 tanks.{{Cite web |url=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Kuwaiti_M-84.JPEG |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606045131/http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Kuwaiti_M-84.JPEG |archive-date=2014-06-06 |url-status=live }}
{{flag|Kyrgyzstan}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=910}}
{{LAT}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=910}}
{{LIT}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=911}}
{{flag|Moldova}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=912}}
{{flag|Mongolia}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=912}}
{{flag|Montenegro}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=912}}
{{flag|Namibia}}: Used by Namibian Marine Corps.{{cite web|last1=Defence Web|title=Namibia receives Russian small arms|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43723&catid=74&Itemid=30|website=defenceweb.co.za|date=June 2016|publisher=defenceweb|access-date=18 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812195403/http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43723&catid=74&Itemid=30|archive-date=12 August 2016|url-status=live}}
{{PRK}}{{cite magazine|title=North Korean Small Arms (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)|magazine=Small Arms Review|volume=16|issue=2|date=June 2012|url=https://smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=1108|access-date=2019-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190202212301/https://smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=1108|archive-date=2019-02-02|url-status=dead}}
{{flag|North Macedonia}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=911}}
{{flag|Poland}}: Manufactured at ZM Tarnów as NSW. Poland also developed their own machine gun based on NSV and chambered to .50 BMG NATO round, known as WKM-B.
{{flag|Russian Federation}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=914}}
{{flag|Serbia}}: Manufactured at Zastava Arms. Copies were produced as the M02 Coyote.{{cite web|url=http://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/militaryproduct/machine-gun-m02-coyote-127x108-mm-50-browning|title=Machine Gun M02 Coyote - 12.7x108 mm /.50 Browning|access-date=26 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230162456/http://www.zastava-arms.rs/en/militaryproduct/machine-gun-m02-coyote-127x108-mm-50-browning|archive-date=30 December 2014|url-status=dead}}
{{flag|Sierra Leone}}{{cite web|title=World Infantry Weapons: Sierra Leone|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161124203938/https://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_af_sierraleone|archive-date=24 November 2016|url=https://sites.google.com/site/worldinventory/wiw_af_sierraleone|date=2013}}
{{SVK}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=915}}
{{flag|South Korea}}: Mounted and used on T-80U tanks.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO-3T3vnCUo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/vO-3T3vnCUo |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=[선진강군 24시] 육군제3기갑여단 불곰대대 전차포 사격훈련|last=국방TV|date=29 November 2017|access-date=7 October 2018|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
{{flag|Syria}}{{cite book|title=Technicals: Non-Standard Tactical Vehicles from the Great Toyota War to modern Special Forces|series=New Vanguard 257|first=Leigh|last=Neville|date=19 Apr 2018|isbn=9781472822512|publisher=Osprey Publishing|page=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mGlPDwAAQBAJ|access-date=25 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181026064443/https://books.google.fr/books?id=mGlPDwAAQBAJ|archive-date=26 October 2018|url-status=live}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=916}}
{{TJK}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=916}}
{{TKM}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=916}}
{{flag|Ukraine}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=917}}
{{UZB}}{{sfn|Jones|Ness|2010|page=917}}
{{flag|Vietnam}}: Reverse-engineered copy produced by Z111 Factory. Built with DShK-style butterfly trigger and shoulder stock while retaining other majority properties of the NSV.https://web.archive.org/web20180720165840/http://infonet.vn/tim-hieu-5-loai-sung-duoc-viet-nam-cai-tien-nang-cap-gan-day-post207846.info{{cite web|url=http://quocphong.baodatviet.vn/Home/QPCN/Suc-manh-T5455-Viet-Nam-tang-dang-ke/20123/197418.datviet |title=BAODATVIET.VN | Sức mạnh T-54/55 Việt Nam tăng đáng kể |access-date=April 25, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315231502/http://quocphong.baodatviet.vn/Home/QPCN/Suc-manh-T5455-Viet-Nam-tang-dang-ke/20123/197418.datviet |archive-date=March 15, 2012}}

=Former users=

{{flag|Soviet Union}}
{{flag|Yugoslavia}}{{cite encyclopedia|title=Zastava 12.7 mm machine gun NSV-12,7|encyclopedia=Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002-2003|date=4 May 2001|first=Terry J.|last=Gander}}