According to the Russian News Agency TASS, The Elektromachina NPO (a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod, UVZ) has successfully finalized the trials of the Okhotnik combat module for Typhoon-K armored vehicles, equipped with the 6P49 machine gun. The plant carried out the improvement of the combat module on its own initiative. The machine gun producer obtained serial production permission in November 2020. The Okhotnik combat module recently passed trials in Nizhny Tagil. The Elektromachina expected the increase in accuracy when using the new machine gun and the firing trials confirmed it.
The Okhotnik combat module is one of the most modern remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), developed in Russia. Its main weapons are stabilized in two planes, making it possible to hit moving targets at over 1,000 meters. It is equipped with a television camera with identification range of up to 5,000 meters, a thermal vision device with identification range of 2,500 meters and a laser distance meter. The module’s naval version is called Narval. The hit efficiency increased by 20-30%. The company will ship a batch of Okhotnik combat modules for Typhoon-Ks with the new machine gun shortly. The modules for the Navy and other special vehicles will be shipped in the new modification as well.
The 6P49 machine gun is a Kord-12.7 mm heavy machine gun baseline variant for vehicle mounting developed at the Degtyaroyov Plant.The weapon employs new construction, and consequently is significantly lighter than its predecessor. Externally the weapon resembles the NSV; however, the internal mechanism has been extensively reworked, changing from a horizontally pivoting breech block to a rotating bolt design. Additionally the gas system has been changed and the muzzle baffle redesigned. These changes give the weapon reduced recoil compared with the older NSV machine gun, allowing greater accuracy during sustained fire.
Typhoon is a Russian family of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicles in service since 2014. Around 120 Russian companies including KamAZ, Gaz-Group, and Bauman University, etc. are taking part in Typhoon program. The main aim of the program is to design a fundamentally new unified platform for all Russian armored wheeled vehicles. All Typhoon variants use the same family of engines (JMZ-536), information and management system, mine protection and suspension. Mine protection is provided by a V-shaped bottom, energy absorbing seats and explosion corresponds to 3b in accordance with STANAG 4569 (explosive device up to 8 kg of TNT).
