Type 54 12.7mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun

Last updated: 13 August 2007

The Type 54 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun (AAMG) is a Chinese copy of the Soviet DshK-38/46. The PLA obtained a large number of the DshK-38/46 during the 1950s Korean War. Highly impressed by its excellent performance in combat, the PLA decided to produce the weapon locally after the war. A Chinese copy of the DshK-38/46 was introduced in 1954 using the technical documents provided by the Soviet Union, and the weapon was officially designated Type 54 by the PLA.

The Type 54 machine gun was equipped by the PLA in mass numbers in the 1960s/70s, and was used for both air defence and infantry fire support roles. Later an improved variant Type 54-1 with some modifications was also introduced. The weapon has been gradually replaced by the by the Type 77, Type 85 and Type 89 AAMGs, though a small number can still be found in service with the reserved forces.

The Type 54 is a gas-operated, belt-fed, crew-served automatic weapon designed to engage airborne targets within the range of 1,600m and surface targets with the range of 800m. The weapon has a maximum range of 7,000m. The machine gun could be fired on a tripod, or mounted on a two-wheel carriage. The cartridge case has a capacity of 70 rounds.

The machine gun used the Type 54, 12.7 X 108mm machine gun cartridge, including armour-piercing and incendiary round and armour-piercing and incendiary round with tracer. The machine gun has a sustained rate of fire of 80 rounds per minute. In practice, the machine gun was usually fired in 5~10 rounds burst or 11~20 rounds burst. A standard firing unit was equipped with 10 cartridge cases and two gun barrels.

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