One area of military research and development in which the Russian arms industry excels is small arms and light weapons. The Russians have paid particular attention to developing infantry weapons with powerful armor-piercing capabilities. Unlike their Western competitors, the Russians develop weapons that are durable, reliable, effective, and affordable. A Russian firm has developed the GYURZA automatic pistol as a weapon that can penetrate modern body armor. The pistol was originally designed just for the Russian Army and special forces, but is now offered foreign customers. The 9mm weapon fires a bullet designed to penetrate most existing protective vests (flak jackets). The special 9mm ammo can penetrate up to two 1.4mm titanium plates and 30 layers of Kevlar. The pistol can also be used with some limited success against unarmored vehicles and radars. A regular sidearm with this kind of penetrative power is almost unheard of and gives the user a distinct advantage troops wearing protective vests. A matter of concern, however, as with all weapons developed and marketed by the Russian Federation, is the possibility that criminal or terrorist groups will get these weapons and use them against troops and police. This would be an especially worrisome development for police departments, since few Western policemen wear protective vests that can stop this kind of ammunition. Only the body armor using the ceramic plates can stop this new ammo. Tests have shown that the new GYURZA pistol is durable and reliable and has a good degree of accuracy. The pistol weighs about 2.5lbs, is about 7.67 inches long, and is most accurate and effective f used at ranges under a hundred meters. The pistol has a magazine capacity of 18 rounds.
