Yak-B 12.7mm machine gun

Yak-B Gatling gun
300px Yakushev-Borzov YakB-12.7 machine gun in the Prague Aviation Museum)
Type	Gatling gun
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Production history
Manufacturer	Instrument Design Bureau
Specifications
Weight	45 kg (99 lbs), cartridge weight 0.130 kg, bullet weight 0.048 kg
Cartridge	12.7×108mm
Barrels	4
Rate of fire	4000–5000 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	810 m/s (2,657 ft/s)

The Yakushev-Borzov YakB-12.7 mm is a remotely controlled 12.7×108mm caliber four-barrel Gatling gun developed by the Soviet Union for the Mil Mi-24 attack gunship and low-capacity troop transporter, with 1470 rounds, which can also be mounted in GUV-8700 machine-gun pods with 750 rounds. It has a high rate of fire and is also one of the few self-powered guns of the Gatling type (i.e. it is gas-operated, rather than requiring an external motor to operate).

On the Mi-24 it is mounted in the VSPU-24 undernose turret, with an azimuth of 60° to either side, an elevation of 20°, and a depression of 60°. The gun is slaved to the KPS-53AV undernose sighting system with a reflector sight in the front cockpit.

It was replaced by the fixed, chin-mounted GSh-30K or the smaller caliber but swivel-mounted GSh-23L in the late mark of the Mi-24 helicopters, as it did not provide enough firepower against dug-in or lightly armored targets that did not necessitate a rocket attack.

See also

• GAU-19, a Western 12.7 mm powered Gatling gun
• List of Russian weaponry
• List of multiple barrel firearms

External links

• KBP machine guns Yak-B
• Enemy Forces Mi-24