“Ukrainian Forces Forge Ahead with Innovative Polymer Machine Gun Belts on the Frontlines”
Modern combat encompasses the integration of advanced technological advancements. One notable innovation is the distinct creation by the Ukrainian firm «Kharkiv Factory of Personal Protective Equipment», specifically an ammunition logistics system for machine guns PK/PKM.
The metal belt for the PK, PKM, and SG acts as the foundation for outfitting machine guns; however, it is neither produced in Ukraine nor in the vast majority of the 53 nations that possess machine guns in their military inventories. Alongside the scarcity prompted by production deficits and ongoing battlefield losses, the metal belt presents several considerable drawbacks, such as the necessity of removal from the front lines, manual loading of ammunition, cumbersome weight, noise during movement, susceptibility to rust, and more.
Experts at the Kharkiv Factory of Personal Protective Equipment have addressed all these challenges by creating an innovative polymer disintegrating link for machine gun ammunition belts, which substantially enhances the agility and efficiency of machine gunners on the battlefield. This assertion has been validated through field tests and real combat situations.
The polymer machine gun belt consists of a sequence of links, each comprised of three rings connected by a crossbar. The links are articulated and joined by cartridges placed into the aligned rings. This belt is three times lighter than its metal counterparts, boasts a lower cost and higher manufacturing speed, generates minimal noise during transport, resists corrosion, and prevents tangles during use. A significant distinction of this system is that the belts can be delivered to the combat zone pre-loaded, negating the need for soldiers to allocate time to this process.
The development and evaluation phase of the polymer belt required considerable time, as our objective was to guarantee optimal usability, dependability, and effectiveness of our product. We maintain ongoing communication with Ukrainian defenders engaged in military operations across various segments of the frontline and continually gather their insights. Throughout the conflict, the polymer belt produced by the Kharkiv Factory of Personal Protective Equipment has been utilized by soldiers from the Airborne Assault Forces, 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade, 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, and other units. Service members have commended the ergonomic design, ease of transport, and adaptability of the polymer machine gun belt.
The opposition did not overlook our advancement. In 2022, a feature was released on the platform of the prominent Russian publication «Kalashnikov», where the writer, a firearms authority and editor-in-chief of the magazine, Mikhail Degtyaryov, criticized us for «insufficient professional expertise and disregarding historical precedents», while also asserting that substituting the conventional metal belt with a significantly lighter and more affordable polymer alternative was implausible due to several critical deficiencies.
Nevertheless, two years later, various Russian firms unveiled their «new products» – imitations of our creation, one of which even graced the cover of the previously mentioned expert publication.
