NOTE: This is based on my previous post in Militaria section

Q: What is this all about?

A: A Soviet-made KPV Heavy Machine Gun-!

Q: Is it included/available in PR:BF2?

A: YES! In BTR APC series, BRDM-2 and anti-air quad guns (ZPU/ZPTU series)

The KPV-14.5 heavy machine gun (KPV is an initialism for Krupnokaliberniy Pulemyot Vladimirova*, in Russian as Крупнокалиберный Пулемёт Владимирова, or КПВ) is a Soviet designed 14.5×114mm-caliber heavy machine gun, which first entered service as an infantry weapon (designated PKP) in 1949. In the 1960s, the infantry version was taken out of production because it was too big and heavy. It was later redesigned for anti-aircraft use, because it showed excellent results as an AA gun, with a range of 3,000 meters horizontally and 2,000 meters vertically against low flying planes. It was used in the ZPU series of anti-aircraft guns. Its size and power also made it a useful light anti-armour weapon on the BTR series of vehicles and the BRDM-2 scout car.

*Literally means Vladimir Heavy Machine Gun

Now let's go to the main gun topic, KPVT-!

The version for use in armoured vehicles is called the KPVT (tankoviy, 'tank'). KPVT is used for armoured vehicle installations, boats, movable and stationary mounts and various anti-aircraft mounts. It features a shorter receiver and a heavier barrel jacket. TheKPVT also uses a 50-round belt instead of the original 40-round belt. KPVT's are the primary armament of the wheeled BTR-60PB/70/80 series armoured personnel carriers* and BRDM-2 armoured reconnaissance vehicles*. It is intended for fighting against light armoured targets, weapons systems and light shelters at the distances of up to 3000 m, as well as air targets at distances up to 2000 m.

The distance at which the bullet retains lethal force is 8 km. The maximum flight range of the bullets is 9 km.

*Which uses BPU-1 Turret, conical-type turret along with PKT 7.62mm Coaxial General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG)

- Mechanics of KPV Heavy Machine Gun:

The development of the machine gun began in 1944. The 14.5×114mm M41 cartridge can be used with High Explosive Incendiary - Tracer (HEI-T) or Armour-Piercing Incendiary (API) bullets, and they have approximately twice the energy of a 12.7 mm (.50 BMG) projectile. The KPV is air-cooled and fitted with barrel with a hard chrome plated bore. It uses a short recoil operation system with gas assistance and a rotary bolt. It can be fed with the 40-round metallic belt from either the left or right side. The barrel can be removed by turning the prominent latch on the forward end of the receiver and pulling on the barrel's carrying handle.

- Versions of KPV Heavy Machine Gun:

The ZPU** is a towed anti-aircraft gun based on the KPV. It entered service with the Soviet Union in 1949 and is used by over 50 countries worldwide.

*Quadruple- (ZPU-4), Double- (ZPU-2) and single-barreled (ZPU-1) versions of the weapon exist.

*BTR-40A SPAAG - A BTR-40 APC with a ZPU-2 gun mounted in the rear. Entered service in 1950.

*BTR-152A SPAAG - A BTR-152 with a ZPU-2 mounted in the rear. Entered service in 1952.

**History of ZPU right here:

1. Precursors:

The first dedicated Soviet mount for anti-aircraft machine guns was developed around 1928 by Fedor Tokarev and was adopted for service in 1931. It was a base for mounting up to four 7.62 mm PM M1910 (Russian Maxim) guns. This was also called a ZPU, although the name М-4 was also assigned to it. It served the Soviet armed forces in all major conflicts until 1945.

2. Description:

Development of the ZPU-2 and ZPU-4 began in 1945, with development of the ZPU-1 starting in 1947. All three were accepted into service in 1949. Improved optical predicting gunsights were developed for the system in the 1950s.

All weapons in the ZPU series have air-cooled quick-change barrels and can fire a variety of ammunition including API (B32), API (BS41), API-T (BZT) and I-T (ZP) projectiles. Each barrel has a maximum rate of fire of around 600 rounds per minute, though this is practically limited to about 150 rounds per minute.

The quad-barrel ZPU-4 uses a four-wheel carriage similar to that once used by the obsolete 25 mm automatic anti-aircraft gun M1940. In firing position, the weapon is lowered onto firing jacks. It can be brought in and out of action in about 15 to 20 seconds, and can be fired with the wheels in the traveling position if needed.

The double-barrel ZPU-2 was built in two different versions; the early model has large mud guards and two wheels that are removed in the firing position, and the late model has wheels that fold and are raised from the ground in the firing position.

ZPU-2 turned out to be too heavy for the Airborne Troops, so a new UZPU-2 (later redesignated as ZU-2) was developed from ZPU-1.

The single-barrel ZPU-1 is carried on a two-wheeled carriage and can be broken down into several 80-kilogram pieces for transport over rough ground.

Versions of the weapon are built in China, North Korea and Romania.

3. History:

The series was used during the Korean War by Chinese and North Korean forces, and was later considered to be the most dangerous opposition to U.S. helicopters in Vietnam. Later it was used by Morocco and the Polisario Front in the Western Sahara War. It was also used by Iraqi forcesduring Operation Desert Storm and again in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 1974 the Cyprus National Guard artillery batteries used their ZPU-2's against the Turkish air force. In the Russian military, it was replaced by the newer and more powerful ZU-23 23 mm twin automatic anti-aircraft gun.

The type has seen widespread use by all sides in the 2011 Libyan civil war and Syrian Civil War often mounted on pickup-truck technicals with plenty of videos showing the gun engaging different targets. The Lebanese Army has mounted the ZPU-2 and ZPU-4 on M113 armored personnel carriers to create armored self-propelled AA vehicles.

Literally means Zenitnaya Ustanovka/ZU or Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka/ZSU years later (if you familiar with the assets name, in-game)

- Specifications of KPV Heavy Machine Gun:

Weight: 49 kg (108.03 lb)

Length: 1,980 mm (78.0 in)

Barrel length: 1,346 mm (53.0 in)

Width: 162mm

Height: 225mm

Cartridge: 14.5×114 mm

Caliber: 14.5 mm

Action: Short recoil operation

Rate of fire: 600 rpm

Muzzle velocity: 1,005 m/s (3,297 ft/s)

Effective firing range: 3000m

Maximum firing range: 4000m

Feed system: 40-round belt

Thanks for reading, hope that helps people that unfamiliar with the guns in-game (Project Reality). Please leave any comments below on this thread-!

Sources: Wikipedia, tank-encyclopedia and many other sources..

Regards,

InchPincherToo