Russian Armed Forces To Put Newest Grenade Launcher Balkan Into Service In 2022 - Rostec

Russia's newest grenade launcher Balkan may be deployed into service by the Russian armed forces in 2022, Bekkhan Ozdoev, state corporation Rostec's industrial director of the cluster of weapons, told Sputnik in an interview.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2020) Russia's newest grenade launcher Balkan may be deployed into service by the Russian armed forces in 2022, Bekkhan Ozdoev, state corporation Rostec's industrial director of the cluster of weapons, told Sputnik in an interview.

"We plan to resume experimental military operation [of the grenade launcher] in 2021. If all goes well, Balkan could be taken into service in 2022," Ozdoev said.

Ozdoev explained that at present the grenade launcher is being finalized after experimental military operation, and fragmentation grenades in a combat and inert state have been created for use with this weapon.

The new grenade launcher has an increased shooting range of 2.5 kilometers (1.55 miles) compared to its predecessor, AGS-17 grenade launcher with a shooting range of 2.3 kilometers.

The new weapon was designed to destroy and suppress manpower and destroy fire weaponry and enemy vehicles located outside shelters, in open trenches, hollows and ravines.