NSVT Tank Heavy Machine Gun
Soviet State Arsenals (Metalist Plant, Uralsk) · Machine Gun · In Service · 1972
Also known as: NSV-T, NSVT-12.7, Utes (tank variant), 6P17
Overview
The NSVT is the tank-mounted variant of the Soviet NSV 'Utes' 12.7x108mm heavy machine gun, adopted in 1972 and named for its designers Nikitin, Sokolov and Volkov. Gas-operated, air-cooled and belt-fed, it fires from an open bolt and is used as a roof-mounted self-defense and anti-aircraft weapon on Soviet and Russian main battle tanks including the T-64, T-72 and T-80. Compared to the infantry NSV, the NSVT differs in its mounting: a buffered cradle, an electrical solenoid trigger, and mechanical/powered traverse and elevation mechanisms operated from inside the turret.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 25000 g (881.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1560 mm (61.42") |
| Barrel Length | 1100 mm (43.31") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Long Stroke |
| Firing Mechanism | Solenoid Fired |
| Magazine Capacity | 50 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Belt |
| Muzzle Velocity | 845 m/s (2772 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 17200 J (12686 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 6000 m (6562 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 800 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 8 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 12.7x108mm · primary — also known as 12.7 Soviet, 12.7mm DShK, 12.7x108mm Russian
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Non Disintegrating Metal Link Belt
- Safety mechanisms: Solenoid Interlock
- Features: Anti Aircraft Capable, Solenoid Electric Trigger, Quick Change Barrel, Open Bolt Operation, Buffered Cradle Mount, Powered Traverse And Elevation
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Soviet Armed Forces · adopted 1972 · as NSVT
- Russian Armed Forces · as NSVT-12.7
Conflicts
- Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989)
- Russo-Ukrainian War (2014-present)
Production
Production years: 1972-present
Mass-produced for Soviet/Russian armour; original NSV production line was located at the Metalist Plant in Uralsk, Kazakhstan
Origin
Country of origin: Soviet Union
Designer: Nikitin, Sokolov, Volkov
Notes
Gun body weighs about 25 kg; the cartridge is sometimes quoted as 12.7x109mm in older Western sources but is the standard Soviet 12.7x108mm. The NSV replaced the heavier DShKM on tanks, saving roughly 100 kg in the complete mount. Barrel length is approximately 1100 mm (overall ~1560 mm).
Background
When the Soviet Union dissolved, the original NSV production line ended up stranded in newly independent Kazakhstan, forcing Russia to develop the 12.7mm Kord as a domestic replacement for the tank gun it could no longer build at home.