FORT-230: the Ukrainian-made 9mm submachine gun

The submachine gun is a type of military weapon that has known alternating fortunes, mainly linked to changing conditions and theaters of combat. It was born at the beginning of the 20th century in Italy. The first firearm of this kind to be massively employed in a conflict was in fact the double-barrel Villar Perosa Mod. 1915 in 9mm Glisenti, which nevertheless had major limitations: conceived for use as an aeronautical weapon, it was not designed to be held like a rifle and had to be used on tripods or shield mounts whose bulk made it impossible to follow the infantry in actions requiring high mobility. The very high rate of fire emptied its magazines quickly and the weak cartridge did the rest. But the basic idea proved to be very interesting and laid the foundations for a new type of individual weapon, the submachine gun, or SMGs. Within a few years, efficient, compact and reliable SMGs were produced, such as the German MP18, the Beretta MAB, the British STEN (particularly inexpensive and easy to make), up to more sophisticated recent models such as the Heckler & Koch MP5 and the UZI from the Israeli IMI. Even today, thanks to its compact dimensions, the 9 Para submachine gun is the military weapon par excellence for support troops and those aboard vehicles or aircraft. Its great maneuverability even in confined spaces and the ease with which it can be effectively silenced make it the preferred choice for special forces engaged in close quarters battle (CQB). After this brief introduction, let's go on to examine the FORT-230, a submachine gun manufactured in Ukraine and embodying many of the typical characteristics of this type of individual weapon.

The FORT-230 Ukrainian submachine gun

Let's start by saying that the FORT-230 submachine gun is not strictly speaking a new product, having been presented to the world for the first time in 2021, designed and built by RPC Fort (Science Industrial Association of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine). The FORT-230 is designed to replace old Soviet-era models, such as the AKS-74U in 5.45x39mm, with a weapon chambered in a ubiquitous, European-sourced cartridge. The FORT-230 is a SMG with a "UZI-style" design, i.e. with the magazine housed inside the pistol grip. The gun is blowback-operated with telescopic bolt: to keep the size down, the bolt partially encloses the barrel and allows the latter to be long enough to ensure sufficient energy and accuracy for the 9 Para bullets, while keeping the weapon very short (410mm when the stock is closed, with a 190mm barrel).

The FORT-230 is offered in two versions, standard and an "A" variant, which differ in the stock. The former has a three-position telescoping stock, while the A model has a stock that folds to the right side. The lower receiver is made of polymer and features a fire selector and an ambidextrous magazine release, while the non-reciprocating charging handle is easily reversible to suit left-handed shooters. On the receiver we also find QD sling mounts. On the front end of the receiver, there is an additional folding handle (adjustable to four positions) and a small hook that acts as a stop for the operator's weak hand. This prevents your supporting hand from slipping dangerously towards the muzzle. The muzzle is threaded, as can be expected, and is fitted with a muzzle brake that can be replaced with a proprietary quick-release silencer. The upper receiver is made of steel and has a Picatinny rail along its entire length to which mechanical, optical or electronic sights can be fitted. If necessary, an additional rail can be mounted on the side.

The FORT-230's fully automatic rate of fire is around 900 rounds per minute, which is an ideal compromise: it is fast enough to saturate a target in the CQB, but manageable enough not to exhaust the magazine (20 or 30 rounds) in a few seconds. The weight is approximately 3.2 kilograms for the standard version and 3.0 for the A version. In conclusion, the FORT-230 is a classic example of a modern military weapon that combines classic mechanical and operational characteristics, such as the magazine inside the grip and the telecopic bolt, updated according to today's dictates, which require flexibility and the ability to adapt to new accessories, red dot sights in primis.

FORT-230 technical specs