After the end of World War II and the widespread introduction of the AK family of small arms into the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union, there were no serial submachine guns (PP) left in service. After the creation of the AK-74, the idea came up to create a weapon for the paratroopers / tank crew, armored personnel carriers, etc. The use of the AKS (After Folding Kalashnikov) was canceled due to the 7.62 × 39 mm cartridge, which was replaced by the 5.45 × 39 mm cartridge. The dimensions of the weapon did not fit either. Then they came up with the idea of “cutting off” part of the barrel and the length of the machine and using a folding butt for the compactness of the machine. In 1980, under the brand name AKS-74U (6P26), the machine gun began to enter the USSR troops. Initially, the AKS-74U was equipped with a plastic pistol grip, a wooden handguard and a handguard, later, around 1991, on the AKS-74U, as well as on other members of the AK74 family, the wood was replaced with glass-filled polyamide. Plastic parts increased wear resistance and somewhat reduced the weight of the machine. Although such versions of the forearm and lining still did not go into the mass.
