Alexey Sudayev

Alexey Ivanovich Sudayev (Russian: Алексей Иванович Судаев) (August 23, 1912 - August 17, 1946) was a Russian weapons designer. He created the PPS submachine gun and the AS-44 assault rifle.

He lived in Leningrad, and participated in the defense of the city. The PPS was developed to be mass-produced for the defense of Leningrad.

Sudayev designed one of the first Soviet assault rifles for the new intermediate cartridge 7.62×39mm, the AS-44. The first prototype was tested in 1944, and found to function adequately by the Soviet army, though it was considered too heavy at 5.6 kg. Sudayev then worked on a second, lighter prototype that weighed only 5.35 kg. However, the second prototype had accuracy and reliability problems, which needed to be resolved. Unfortunately, Sudayev became seriously ill and died in 1946 (a week before his 34th birthday) before his design could be finalized.

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