UKM-2000
| UKM-2000 | |
|---|---|
|
UKM-2000P | |
| Type | General-purpose machine gun |
| Place of origin |
 Poland |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Poland |
| Wars | Iraq War, War in Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 2000 |
| Manufacturer | Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów |
| Variants | UKM-2000P, UKM-2000D, UKM-2000C |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 8.4 kg (18.52 lb) |
| Length | 1,203 mm (47.4 in) |
| Barrel length | 547 mm (21.5 in) |
|
| |
| Cartridge | 7.62×51mm NATO |
| Action | Gas-actuated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 600-700 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 840 m/s (2,756 ft/s) |
| Feed system | Belt (100, 200 or 250-round) |
The Zakłady Mechaniczne "Tarnów" UKM-2000 is a 7.62×51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun designed in Tarnów, Poland.
Development
On March 12, 1999 Poland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. A problem arose with modifying the weapons of the Polish Army to use the standard NATO ammunition. A decision was made to develop a new general-purpose machine gun. The construction was based on the design of the successful PK/PKS machine gun.
The UKM-2000 is a primary GPMG on most vehicles used by Polish Forces in Afghanistan (Cougar H, MaxxPro Dash, M-ATV, Humvee) and is a coaxial machine gun in KTO Rosomak and Polish-modernized BRDM-2.
There is a proposal of modernization of the Polish UKM-2000 general purpose machine gun (GPMG) fed by 7.62×51mm NATO to the new UKM-2013 standard. The upgraded GPMG will be equipped with a new folding and telescopic buttstock with a cheekpiece and additional grip/pod, the integrated Picatinny rail with iron sight and 3-rail forehand attached to the gas tube, new grip, new cocking handle new safety switch selector, a new 440-mm barrel (as an option) plus some additional internal changes. The Polish Army is interested in this machine gun fed from the 100-round soft ammo bag instead of a steel box. Because of external similarity to the Russian PKM GPMG chambered to the 7.62×54mmR some elements like a buttstock, a grip or a forehand with rails will able to be used with the Kalashnikov design.[1]
Variants
- UKM-2000C - coaxial version of UKM-2000, successor of the PKT. Use on KTO Rosomak and some Polish modernized BRDM-2
- UKM-2000D - airborne version with folding stock, limited use in Polish Armed Forces
- UKM-2000P - standard GPMG version, some also equipped with MIL-STD-1913 rail.
- UKM-2000Z - first attempt to modernization of UKM-2000, new telescoping stock and black polymer pistol grip. It wasn't adopted.
- UKM-2013C - modernization of UKM-2000C presented in 2012
- UKM-2013P - modernization of UKM-2000P presented in 2012, better ergonomy and functionality, new folding and telescopic buttstock with a cheekpiece and additional grip/pod, the integrated Picatinny rail with iron sight and 3-rail forehand attached to the gas tube, new grip, new cocking handle new safety switch selector, a new 440-mm barrel (as an option) plus some additional internal changes, new soft ammo bag instead of typical for PK family steel box magazine
- UKM-2000M/UKM-2015 - version that will be in tests in mid-2014, probably to introduction in 2015[2]
Operators
- Poland - around 1200 examples used by Polish Land Forces and Military Gendarmerie.
References
- ↑ "Polish Modernised UKM-2013 Machine Gun - The Firearm Blog". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
- ↑ "Zmodyfikowany UKM-2000M od 2015? - Altair Agencja Lotnicza". Retrieved 8 October 2014.