Istiglal Anti-Material Rifle
| Istiglal Ist-14.5 (Independence) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Anti-materiel rifle |
| Place of origin |
 Azerbaijan |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2008–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | RPE Automatic Lines |
| Designed | 2008 |
| Manufacturer | Azerbaijani Defense Industry |
| Produced | 2008–present |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight |
33.8 kg (74 lbs) [1] 28 kg (61.6 lbs) (New Version) [2] |
| Length | 2256 mm (89") |
| Barrel length | 1300 mm (51") |
|
| |
| Cartridge | 14.5x114mm, 12.7x108mm |
| Action | Recoil-operated, rotating bolt |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,132 m/s (3,714 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range |
(14.5x114mm) 3,000 m (9,843 ft) - 4,000 m (13,123 ft)+ |
| Feed system | 5-round detachable box magazine |
The Istiglal IST-14.5 Anti-Material Rifle (also known as the Istiglal) is a recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-material sniper rifle developed by the Azerbaijani Defense Industry.The meaning of the word Istiglal's meaning is "Independence" in Azerbaijani.
History
Although developed in 2008, it was only revealed in 2009 during the International Defense Exhibition Fair.[3][4] Its appearance has attracted a huge number of visitors.[5]
The Istiglal anti-material rifle uses the powerful 14.5x114mm round.[6][7]
It has been exported to the Turkish Armed Forces and the Pakistan Armed Forces.[8]
Variants
Mubariz sniper rifle: A 12.7x108mm version of the Istiglal 14.5mm anti-material sniper rifle introduced by the Ministry of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan. The 12.7mm Mubariz sniper rifle is much lighter in comparison to the Istiglal at 15 kg (33 pounds) with a five-round magazine.[2]
Technical description
The Istiglal can be taken down into 2 separate components for easy transportation.[9][10] The rifle is said to be operable in adverse weather such as rain and dirt with temperature ranges from 50 to -50 degrees Celsius.[9][10]
Users
- Azerbaijan: In use by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.[6]
-
Pakistan: Used by the Pakistan Army; more planned to be procured.[8] -
Turkey: The Turkish Armed Forces is interested in importing the rifle and is having talks with the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.[11] An unknown number of Istiglals were purchased.[8] In April 2011, Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation announced that sniper rifle, which will be produced jointly, will differ much from the model that is being tested in Azerbaijan.[12][13] Changes will be made in the design, weight and some systems of the weapon. The production of IST-12.7 sniper rifle in Turkey is the first military production transfer of Azerbaijan.[14] 
Jordan: Used by some Special Ops and SRR-61 Snipers .
See also
- NTW-20
- RT-20
- Anzio 20mm. Vulcan Anti Material Rifle
- PTRS-41 / PTRD
- KSVK 12.7
- Barrett M82
- Gepard anti-materiel rifle
- Pindad SPR
References
- ↑ Modern Firearms
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Bigger Is No Longer Better". strategypage.com. May 22, 2013. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- ↑ "Azerbaijan-produced sniper rifles and armors to be demonstrated at an exhibition in Istanbul". Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ "Products being produced in the Facilities of the Ministry of Defense Industry will be showcased for the first time in the 9-th International Defense Exhibition Fair". Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense. 2009-04-24. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ "International Defense Exhibition Fair (IDEF-2009) was over". Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense. 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Azerbaijan to produce new version of Istiglal rifle". Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ↑ Азербайджан готовится представить новую версию снайперской винтовки (in Russian). Retrieved 2009-10-13.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Necessary to prepare for war inside the country even in Baku, military expert". Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Azerbaijan’s "Istiglal" rifle becomes interesting for the world". 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "AZERBAIJAN’S "ISTIGLAL" RIFLE BECOMES INTERESTING FOR THE WORLD". 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ Rashad Suleymanov (2009-02-10). "Turkey takes interest in Azerbaijan-made sniper rifle". Retrieved 2009-07-03.
- ↑ "Production of Azerbaijan-made sniper rifle IST-12.7 likely to start in Turkey". news.az. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ↑ "В этом году в Турции могут начать производство азербайджанской снайперской винтовки". Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ↑ "Azerbaycan mühendislerinin yaptığı "İstiklal" snaypırı Türkiye’de seri üretime girebilir". 1News.com.tr. Retrieved 4 May 2011.