A Russian weapons manufacturer has launched serial production of a special double-barreled anti-saboteur grenade launcher, the DP-64 Nepryadva, after receiving a large order for the niche weapons from Russia's Defense Ministry, news agency RIA Novosti reported Tuesday.
"The DP-64 grenade launcher is now in serial production," said Pavel Sidorov, a representative of NPO Bazalt, the designer of the DP-64, at the 2015 International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi.
Sidorov said that the company received a large order from Russia's Defense Ministry for the weapons, but declined to elaborate on the size of the order or which units will receive them.
The weapons may be destined for Russia's Navy, for whom the double-barreled anti-saboteur weapon was designed.
According to the Degtyarev weapons factory, which manufactures the DP-64, it is designed to defend ships, submarines, docks and other coastal installations from combat divers and other special forces units.
The two grenades launched from the weapon, which have a range of 400 meters, act as mini-depth charges designed to harm enemy divers the way larger depth charges damage submarines.
The Defense Ministry order marks the first large-scale commission of the novel weapon. Previously, the DP-64 has only been built in small numbers for the Russian coast guard, Federal Security Service, and a handful of marine units.