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KBP AGS-17 Plamya (Flame)

1970 COLD WAR MODERN

History

The Soviet equivalent of the American 40mm Mk 19 grenade launcher became the AGS-17 "Plamya" ("Flame"). The weapon entered service on a limited basis in 1970 and continues to be produced today (2013) for the modern Russian military. Since its inception, the AGS-17 has been used in several major conflicts, including the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s, the First Chechen War (1994-1996), the Second Chechen War (1999-2000), and more recently with Syria Armed forces in the Syrian civil war (since 2011). This family of weapons is favored by armies in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, as well as European countries formerly allied with the Soviet Union.

Notable operators include Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, North Korea, Serbia, and Vietnam, among others.

The design and manufacture of the AGS-17 series is attributed to the famous KBP Instrument Design Bureau Tula (formerly known as OKB-16 during the Soviet Empire). Design work of this type began in 1967, and quantitative series production began in 1971. The weapon was specifically designed to counter the utility of the American Mk 19 series, which proved very effective against enemy infantry build-ups during the Vietnam War (1955-1975).

The AGS-17 essentially follows the same form and function of the American design, with an automatic grenade delivery system at its heart that provides artillery-like support/suppression fire at medium and long ranges in support of Allied infantry operations.

Externally, the AGS-17 features a rectangular receiver of heavy duty, durable construction. The action is contained in the rear of the frame, and the feed (identifiable by the obvious "hump" above the receiver) is managed in the central part of the weapon. Ribbon grenades are fed from the right side of the receiver, and spent cartridges are ejected from the left. The barrel is short and internally rifled, while in the middle it has a small finned section (the barrel is removable).

The AGS-17 is typically mounted on an adjustable, trainable, heavy-duty tripod, allowing direct and indirect fire as needed. The operator manages the weapon through a pair of horizontal grips (ribbed), while the internal action is a simple recoil operation, allowing it to achieve a rate of fire of 400 rounds per minute. It has an effective range of up to 1,700 meters and is aided by adjustable iron sights, although optics are optional and mounted on the rear of the receiver for more accurate fire at range.

The entire system weighs 31 kg.

The AGS-17 utilizes a 30x29mm steel shell and is available in standard high-explosive fragmentation form and "enhanced" fragmentation variants (VOG-17M and VOG-30 respectively). They are fed via a 30-round conveyor belt and are usually housed in a "snail-type" metal can attached to the right side of the receiver.

During the bloody Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989), the AGS-17 received a baptism of firepower in the Soviet Army and quickly proved its tactical value. It is an effective suppression weapon and is equally useful in dispersing enemy forces hidden on mountainsides or under cover. Over time, special vehicle mounts came into play, allowing the AGS-17 to be launched from utility vehicles, transport vehicles and armored vehicles.

In addition, airborne assemblies developed for the Mil Mi-8 and Mi-24 transport/attack helicopters were introduced and deployed with equally good results. The vehicle/aircraft version can also be fitted with electric operation for firing within range of a vehicle or aircraft.

The AGS-17 is manufactured locally in Bulgaria (Arsenal AD), China (NORINCO), Cuba and Iraq. In service with the Finnish army, the AGS-17 was known as "30 KrKK AGS-17", while Montenegro and Serbia referred to their systems as "M93".

The current Russian stock of AGS-17s will be replaced by the more modern AGS-30 series - a similar recoil-operated weapon that retains the same 30mm shell support, albeit much lighter. Nonetheless, the AGS-17 is likely to serve on the modern battlefield for some time to come.