OTs-14 Groza

Lore & Background

The Groza was developed by Valery Telesh and Yuri Lebedev, who had previously designed the GP-25 and GP-30 under-barrel grenade launchers. Their earlier attempt at a modular close-combat weapon, the OTs-12 Tiss, did not enter mass production. Work on the Groza began in December 1992, prototypes were ready in less than a year, and production was ready by early 1994. It was first publicly shown at the MILIPOL Moscow trade show in April 1994 and adopted shortly after by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) for use in Chechnya. The Ministry of Defence later adopted it for Spetsnaz, airborne, and specialist front-line units.

The weapon uses the internal mechanism of the AKS-74U in a bullpup configuration. Its modular design includes a trigger and pistol grip unit that can be swapped with one incorporating a 40mm grenade launcher; a selector switch determines whether the rifle or launcher fires. The barrel can accept a quick-detach suppressor. The carrying handle mounts optical sights, red dot sights, or night vision devices. The Groza shares three-quarters of its components with the AKS-74U, simplifying production and reducing cost.

The OTs-14 saw limited use in the Second Chechen War and Russo-Georgian War before being phased out, but it remains in service with some Russian police forces.

Reader's Guide

The OTs-14 Groza represents a significant attempt to create a compact, modular close-combat weapon system for Russian special forces and police. Its bullpup layout, derived from the AKS-74U, provided a short overall length while retaining a full-length barrel, and the ability to swap between rifle, silenced, and grenade-launcher configurations made it adaptable to various mission profiles. The use of subsonic 9×39mm ammunition addressed the need for silent engagement in urban and Chechen conflicts. However, the weapon's weight and the unusual position of the action near the user's face were noted drawbacks. Despite being largely phased out of military service, the Groza's derivatives—including the 7.62×39mm Groza-1—saw limited adoption by the Russian Army for airborne and Spetsnaz troops. The Groza's legacy lies in its innovative modularity and its role as a specialized tool for close-quarters battle, though it never achieved widespread replacement of standard-issue rifles.

Did You Know?

• The weapon was designed by Valery Telesh and Yuri Lebedev, who also designed the GP-25 and GP-30 grenade launchers.
• The Groza was originally intended to use four different cartridges, but the idea was dropped and it was first chambered in 9×39mm.
• The OTs-14-1A Groza-1 chambered in 7.62×39mm was adopted by the Russian Army in 1998 for airborne, combat engineering, and Spetsnaz troops.