AEK-999
AEK-999 on display with a bipod and suppressor
Type	General purpose machine gun
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
In service	2008-present
Wars	Russo-Georgian War Syrian Civil War 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
Manufacturer	Kovrov Mechanical Plant
Unit cost	$50,000
Specifications
Length	1188 mm
Barrel length	605 mm
Shell	7.62×54mmR
Calibre	7.62mm
Action	Gas-Operated, open bolt
Rate of fire	650 rpm
Muzzle velocity	825 m/s
Effective firing range	1500 m
Feed system	Belt-fed
Sights	Rear leaf, front post

The AEK-999 Barsuk (Russian: Барсук, "badger") is a Russian machine gun chambered for the 7.62×54mmR round. It is a general-purpose machine gun, developed during the 1990s as a modernized version of the PKM to improve its capabilities in the LMG/SAW role. The AEK-999 was to be capable of sustained automatic fire without requiring a quick-change barrel, and better suited for assault operations where it could be fired from the hip or from the integral bipod.

The AEK-999 was developed in the Kovrov Mechanical Plant for the Russian Armed Forces, but lost in military trials to the Pecheneg machine gun which was developed under the same requirements. Kovrov produced small batches of the AEK-999 for the Ministry of Internal Affairs to equip special forces units of the Internal Troops of Russia, but all military production ceased in 2006.

Design

The AEK-999 uses the same receiver group as the PKM. The most important change is a new barrel, made of the same steel used in aviation machine guns for greater durability. This new barrel is partially fluted to save weight and improve heat dissipation, and is provided with a mirage top cover and more effective muzzle brake. This new barrel can be removed from the gun for inspection or maintenance, but it is not a quick-change barrel for swapping out in combat situations. To further enhance its capabilities, the AEK-999 is fitted with a small polymer forend under the barrel, and the folding bipod is moved forward and attached to the barrel rather than the gas tube. If necessary, the AEK-999 can be equipped with a suppressor. It can also accept all standard PKM accessories, including tripod mount, and 100-round clip-on belt boxes.