– Indeed, the UAG– 40 is much lighter weight than same-generation counterparts. The UAG-40 weighs 17kg (including tripod – 33 kilograms) and is able to launch its grenade out to 2,200 meters. This was made possible through the use of new currentgeneration technology and materials. We also produce a variant designed specifically for special operations units. This weighs 15 kg, with a high content of titanium. More, the muzzle recoil compensator is designed such that – exploiting powder gases – to reduce recoil momentum, reduce upward barrel jump and reduce soil injection effects under the barrel. Another advantage is that it uses friction-damped cantilever springs located in the receiver walls to help reduce rearward bolt travel velocity. The UAG– 40 provides high accuracy of fire due, inter alia, to a unitized design of the barrel and progressivetwist rifling, with the pitch commencing at 1 turn in 8 calibres at the breechend, through 1 turn in 16 at mid-barrel to 1 turn in 24 at the muzzle. This “know-how” solution proved to be effective, and our grenade launcher was the first to have it applied. The weapon is fired using either a pair of handgrips at the rear of the weapon, or a single handgrip and extended shoulder-rest. The grips can be installed in a vertical or horizontal position depending on operator preferences. The dual-mode Grenade release button, which is on the righthand grip, supports single-shot and burst modes of firing. The Grenade release button and the bolt are both outfitted with safety locks to preclude any uncontrolled discharge as a result of the weapon being dropped or fell down, or subject to vibration, jolting or shock impacts from any direction. For reliability and operator comfort, both of the safety locks share a common control handle. One more advantage is that the grenade launcher is compatible with any of NATO standard rounds of ammunition in 40 mm caliber, made in the U.S.A., SAR, France or Bulgaria.
This is what makes the UAG40 truly versatile. Grenade
ket for weapons in the 40 mm caliber. With this in mind, we and KB Luch intend to focus precisely on grenades of these types. A little bit of patience is required. I hope that right next year it will be possible to speak that Ukraine has an indigenous, fully functional 40 mm ammunition round, and that the whole [UAG-40] system is completed.
The 40 mm caliber is NATO’s launcher is compatistandard caliber. It is not ble with any of common in Ukraine, be NATO standard cause its military relies rounds of on the existing invento ammunition ry of 30mm AGS-17 launch in 40 mm ers. With the UAG-40 en caliber tering service, there will be an acute requirement for 40mm ammunition. How Who else in Ukraine attempted this challenge is being handled now? – Indeed, ammunition is the tightest to make a 40 mm grenade? bottleneck. Basically, it is ammunition that makes any weapon marketable. We are now engaged with “KB Luch” Design Bureau to create a 40 mm grenade. Now the situation is as follows: An inert training grenade has been created and test fired, but the situation is more complicated as regards the ball grenade. It is known that hollow charge, fragmentation and high explosive dual purpose grenades are most demanded ammunition types on the global mar-
– As far as I know, no one. This is an initiative of ours and KB Luch. You have to understand that this is about a huge amount of work that includes design and development, low-rate initial production, testing and subsequent refining of the design, certification for service entry, pre-production works and setting up series production. For example, a seemingly simple component such as connector requires a considerable amount of effort
Ukrainian DEFENSE REVIEW / OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2013 / 19