Russia's Balkan grenade launcher successfully passes state trials

Russia’s newest 40-mm caseless automatic grenade launcher (AGL) Balkan has successfully passed state trials, Executive Director of the Tecmash Research and Production Association (part of Technodinamika Group within the state tech corporation Rostec) Alexander Kochkin said.

"State trials of this piece of weaponry have been successfully completed, with recommendations to introduce it into service with the Russian armed forces," TASS cited him as saying.

Kochkin added that the weapon had earlier been adopted for operational evaluation by the Russian military.

Balkan is Russia’s newest automated grenade launcher designed to replace 30 mm AGLs (AGS-17 Plamya (Flame) and AGS-30) currently in service. According to Kochkin, its fire range is 25% wider and ammunition two times as powerful as that of AGS-17 and AGS-30.