On Tuesday, April 2nd, Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów (ZM Tarnów or ZMT, Tarnów Mechanical Works), a part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), delivered to the Armament Agency the first batch of 7.62mm modified UKM-2000P machine guns for this year, following the schedule. The contract was concluded on June 13, 2023, and deliveries are expected to be completed by September 30th of this year.
Photos and Images Aneta Gawle, ZMT
The subject of the contract is the delivery of several hundred sets of general-purpose machine guns UKM-2000P. The value of the order is approximately 55 million PLN gross. The first batch, consisting of 215 sets, was delivered on November 30, 2023.
The general-purpose machine gun UKM-2000P is designed to engage personnel, firepower, and technical equipment. It is chambered for 7.62mm x 51 NATO ammunition, in magazines of 100 or 200 rounds, depending on their size. It enables engagement of targets at distances up to 1500 meters with a firing rate ranging from 700 to 900 rounds per minute.
The UKM-2000P is the primary squad-level support weapon in the Polish Armed Forces, designed as a successor to the Russian PK/PKM. Its design was introduced into service by order of the Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces No. 73/GZL-P4 on November 7, 2005. Development of the universal machine gun began in 1998 as part of the Rod program, and the UKM-2000 successfully passed qualification tests in 2004.
The UKM-2000P underwent its baptism of fire during missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, where, following feedback from soldiers regarding ergonomics and functionality, the manufacturer implemented a total of 26 modifications. Modified weapons began to be supplied to the military from 2016 onwards.
The UKM-2000 weapon family includes: the UKM-2000P (Infantry) with a fixed, wooden stock (weighing 8.4 kg, with a 547 mm barrel), used as a light machine gun; the UKM-2000D (Airborne) with a folding wooden stock on the right side (547 mm barrel, weighing 8.9 kg); and the UKM-2000C (Tank) variant, which is a vehicle-mounted version equipped with an electric trigger (636 mm barrel, weighing 10.7 kg). The latter is installed in the turrets of the Rosomak M1/M1M vehicles. They were designed as replacements for Soviet designs: the first and second replacing the PK/PKM, and the third the tank-mounted PKT.
In 2022, the Border Guard also received the latest version of the UKM-2020S machine guns, lighter and more ergonomic for the user. This rifle will complement the UKM-2000 family of rifles.
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