The AEK-999 'Barsuk' (Badger) is a Russian machine gun chambered for the 7.62x54mmR round. It is a modernized version of the PKM machine gun, developed during the 1990s in order to improve its capabilities in the LMG/SAW role. It was to be capable of sustained automatic fire without requiring a quick-change barrel, and better suited for assault operations where it could be fired from the hip or from the integral bipod. The AEK-999 was developed at the Kovrov Machinebuilding Plant, but lost in military trials to the Pecheneg machine gun, which was developed under same requirements at the TsNIITochMash research institute. In 2006 KMZ ceased all military production, but small batches of the AEK-999 were manufactured by KMZ before 2006 for Russian MVD troops.
Design[]
The AEK-999 uses the same receiver group as the PKM. The most important change is a new barrel, made of the same steel used in aviation machine guns for greater durability. This new barrel is partially fluted to save weight and improve heat dissipation and is provided with a mirage top cover and more effective muzzle brake. This new barrel can be removed from the gun for inspection or maintenance, but it is not a quick-change barrel for swapping out in combat situations. To further enhance its capabilities, the AEK-999 is fitted with a small polymer forend under the barrel, and the folding bipod is moved forward and attached to the barrel rather than the gas tube. If necessary, the AEK-999 can be equipped with a suppressor. It can accept all standard PKM accessories, including tripod mount and 100-round clip-on belt boxes.