They Saw Their First Combat Action in Ukraine. The Czech Army has Received the Latest DSS Machine Guns

The Czech Army has received the latest machine guns manufactured by DSS. DSS machine guns have already been tested in combat conditions in Ukraine.

The new weapons were delivered to the 42nd Mechanized Battalion “St. Wenceslas.”

The battalion’s mission is to conduct intensive testing of the machine guns, gain practical experience in their use, and provide the manufacturer with valuable insights gained during actual combat operations.

“We are extremely proud that the 42nd Mechanized Battalion is one of only two combat units in the entire Czech Army entrusted with these weapons for prolonged and rigorous testing,” the battalion reported.

Specifically, the 42nd Battalion received the following from DSS:

• the PZD 556 machine gun chambered for 5.56×45 mm ammunition;
• the PZD 762 machine gun chambered for 7.62×51 mm ammunition;
• the Mk.24 machine gun chambered for 5.56×45 mm ammunition.

DSS is a new, ambitious Czech designer, developer, and manufacturer of small arms.

As early as 2023, Ukrainian units received Czech PZD 556 machine guns, which are being used in combat.

The PZD 556 machine gun, chambered for the 5.56×45 mm cartridge, weighs 6.8 kg, has an effective range of 600–1,200 meters, and a rate of fire of 800–1,100 rounds per minute.

The weapon’s length is 875–975 mm / 935–1015 mm, depending on the configuration.

The PZD 762 machine gun, chambered for the 7.62×51 mm cartridge, weighs 7.3 kg, has an effective range of 800–3,500 meters, and a rate of fire of 800–1,100 rounds per minute. Its length is 935–1,015 mm / 1,085–1,165 mm.

DSS’s latest machine gun—the Mk.24, chambered for the 5.56×45 mm cartridge—was unveiled in 2024.

It weighs 6.4 kg, has an effective range of 600–1,200 meters, and a rate of fire of 550–900 rounds per minute. The weapon’s length is 913–998 mm / 970–1,055 mm.