14.5mm ZPU-2

The ZPU-2 is a Soviet-designed twin-barreled 14.5mm anti-aircraft heavy machine gun, developed for air defense against low-flying aircraft and ground targets. It is a towed weapon system known for its high rate of fire and effectiveness against light armored vehicles and personnel.

Developed in the immediate aftermath of World War II to counter low-flying ground-attack aircraft, the ZPU-2 was designed around the powerful KPV 14.5mm heavy machine gun and officially entered Soviet service in 1949. The system saw extensive combat deployment during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, where its high velocity and mobility proved highly lethal against United States helicopters and low-altitude fighter-bombers. It was also widely utilized throughout the Soviet-Afghan War and numerous regional conflicts across Africa and the Middle East. While largely superseded in modern regular militaries by guided missiles, the ZPU-2 remains in active service globally, frequently modified as a vehicle-mounted weapon in asymmetric warfare.