The SKS is a semi-automatic carbine that was developed in the Soviet Union by Sergei Gavrilovich Simonov in 1945, seeing combat in the last months of the Great Patriotic War. It uses the 7.62×39mm cartridge and has a 10-round internal box magazine that can be loaded with stripper clips. SKS rifles have a short stroke gas piston system, a tilting bolt locking mechanism, and a folding bayonet attached to the barrel. Its internal workings are very similar to the PTRS-41 semi-automatic anti-tank rifle, also designed by Simonov; indeed, it is said that the SKS is just a minified PTRS. They remained the standard issue rifle of Soviet infantrymen from their introduction to their replacement by Kalashnikov's AKM in the mid-1950s. However, it remains in service with the Border Troops, Internal Troops, and reserve units, and will probably remain in mass storage in case of a general conflict with NATO. The SKS was also widely exported and manufactured by various countries, such as China, Yugoslavia, Romania, North Korea and Oceanyka.
Within the latter, the SKS is a popular rifle due to its portability, reliability, medium-range firepower and the increasing availability of 7.62x39mm. Many regular units of the Oceanykan People's Army were issued this rifle, though it is disliked as it is inferior to both the AKM (which is gradually replacing it) and to the previous L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle in 7.62mm NATO.