GarryB Wed Sep 19, 2012 11:15 pm
Based on Vlads answer I would say Kord and Utes are not general issue to VDV.
There could be exceptions of course where a specific situation might make the issue of such weapons practical.
I remember seeing Utes on a tripod on a BMP-2 in Afghanistan. It was a photo book about armour in Afghanistan in the 1980s when the Soviet forces were there but the Concord publication misidentified the weapon as being a PKM.
Obviously with photos it is quite hard to distinguish size properly but the ammo belt hanging from the weapon was rather wider than the width of the mans hand who was standing next to it, which meant either he has the hands of a child or the ammo was 12.7 x 108mm.
I mention this because in Afghanistan at least some VDV units traded in their BMDs for BMP-2Ms because it was found that the very rough country often resulted in damage to the BMD hull structure, with a few cracked hulls just from going too fast over rough ground.
In a combat zone the TOEs become rules of thumb, and even in peacetime if something is not available then it might not be there either.
Obviously you want accuracy, but if no one can tell you what is right, then they wont be able to tell you it is wrong... or when they do you can change it...
Note the PKB already has a stock and pistol grip but is designed to be fired from a pintle mount... except the versions used in Mi-8s which had spade grips.
The PKT in the bow position of the BMD were solenoid fired, so to remove them and use them as a GPMG you would need to add a shoulder stock and pistol grip, but the PKT has a very heavy barrel and no iron sights so dismounting it would be only for emergencies.
Using PKBs makes much more sense... see... you can learn new things every day...