5 symbolic weapons of Soviet defense

The Soviet Union possesses a series of powerful weapons systems, leaving many imprints in world military history.

The Soviet army was one of the most powerful military forces in the world in the 20th century. The country invested a lot of money in science and technology and industrial production, creating a variety of iconic weapons in the World military history, according to National Interest.

Ak 47 gun

Kalashikova Avtomat assault rifle (AK) is a simple infantry weapon, which is considered one of the myths of the Soviet defense industry. It was also the most popular, most easily recognizable rifle in the post-World War II era, with about 75 million guns built.

AK gun is one of the most famous weapons of the Soviet Union.(Photo: Tampabay).

Many Western experts believe that the AK-47 was inspired by Nazi model Sturmgewehr STG-44, while designer Mikhail Kalashnikov completely dismissed this claim. The AK-47 uses a new and lighter 7.62x39mm bullet than previous rifle bullets, while also incorporating a shot-shot mode. Cheap, light, easy-to-use gun, has very high durability and does not require too much maintenance.

These properties create a great weapon for Soviet troops and allied nations. It is also popular for many military forces around the world, becoming one of the most famous weapons in the 20th century.

Nuclear submarine Project 941 "Akula"

As the largest submarine ever built in the world, Project 941 "Akula" (NATO identifier: Typhoon) plays an important role in the Soviet nuclear deterrent force. At 175m long, 48,000 tons of water stretch when diving, Akula class has nearly three times the amount of water stretching compared to the American class Ohio ballistic missile submarine.

Submarine Dmitriy Donskoy went to sea to test.(Photo: Oleg Kuleshov).

Akula submarine has a creative design with 20 R-39 Rif ballistic missiles placed in front, instead of behind the command tower like other Soviet submarines. Each R-39 rocket has a range of 8,300km, carrying 10 nuclear warheads with a total power equivalent to 133 atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima city.

A total of 6 Project 941 submarines were built and staffed for the Soviet Navy during 1981-1989. Today, only Dmitriy Donskoy is still in operation, after being upgraded to 941UM to make the RSM-56 Bulava test platform. Three were dismantled, while Arkhangelsk and Severstal were in the North Sea Fleet's reserve force.

T-55 main battle tank

From the T-54 medium tank that proved effective in World War II, the Soviet Union carried out a series of major improvements, including strengthening its ability to protect the crew before biochemical and nuclear agents ( NBC), to produce the main battle tank model T-55.

T-55 tanks of Syrian government troops.

The T-54/55 was the pillar of the Soviet army from the end of World War II until its T-62, its descendant, was put into use in 1961. Some experts believed that the tanks Russian moderns like T-80 and T-90 are direct descendants of T-55.

The Soviet Union and Eastern European countries and China built about 42,000-100,000 T-55s. This tank is also widely exported to dozens of countries around the world. Although obsolete, cheap, easy to maintain and many modern upgrade packages help T-55 still be used by many countries' military.

Tu-160 strategic bomber

"The White Swan" The Tu-160 is the last strategic bombardment designed and manufactured by the Soviet Union, which is also a symbol of the country's power of nuclear deterrence. The nickname "White Swan" originates from its anti-radiation coating and its slender design.

Russian "Tu-160" white swan.

The Soviet Union began designing the Tu-160 in the early 1970s, just before the US began developing the B-2 stealth aircraft. The first prototype flew on October 18, 1981. By 1984, a total of 19 Tu-160s were recruited for the 184 heavy bombing regiment stationed in Pryluky, Ukraine. Russia is currently the only country that owns the Tu-160, after upgrading its new weapons and electronics systems.

The Tu-160 relies on a combination of superior speed and long-range cruise missiles to destroy the enemy. Equipped with 4 NK-32 Kuznetsov turbo engines, "White Swan" can reach speeds of more than 2,500km / h.

This type of aircraft is not for normal bombing missions. It is considered a cruise missile launcher with 12 Kh-101s with a maximum range of 2,500-5,500km. This ability allowed the Tu-160 to strike from outside the defenses of all nations, without even leaving the Soviet airspace.

M1938 howitzer

Artillery was one of the main forces of the Soviet Union during World War II. The types of artillery can be cheap, easy to produce and have great influence on the battlefield. At the Battle of Stalingrad alone, the Soviet Union deployed 13,000 types of guns. In the Kursk belt, more than 25,000 guns were mobilized by the Soviet Union to stop the German attack.

The M1938 Cannon is one of the main types of Soviet firepower.(Photo: Wikipedia).

The caliber M1938 (M30) cannon of 122mm is the most popular heavy artillery in the Soviet army, representing the Soviet artillery in general. M1938 has a range of 11.8km, a firing rate of 5-6 shots / minute. During World War II, each Soviet infantry division was staffed to 32 M1938 artillery pieces, which could fire up to 4 tons of bullets down the target within a minute.

In the case of an emergency, the M1938 can also be lowered to shoot straight into tanks that crossed the first line. The Soviet Union built a total of 19,266 M1938 artillery pieces, mainly during World War II.