Zastava M84

The Zastava M84 is a Yugoslav/Serbian general-purpose machine gun based on the Soviet PKM design and produced by Zastava Arms. It entered service as a belt-fed 7.62x54R weapon for infantry, vehicle, and support roles. The M84 reflects Yugoslavia's broader pattern of adapting Soviet-origin concepts into local production while retaining ruggedness and battlefield familiarity.

The M84 fires 7.62x54R ammunition from belts and can be used from bipods, tripods, or vehicle mounts. Like the PKM, it is air-cooled, gas-operated, and designed for sustained support fire with barrel changes and crew ammunition management. Zastava has also shown modernized M84M variants with rails and updated sights, extending the platform's usability without changing its core role.

Operationally, the M84 gives Serbian and former Yugoslav forces a reliable source of medium machine-gun fire for suppression, defensive positions, vehicle mounts, and infantry support. Its PKM lineage means it is familiar, durable, and compatible with widely available ammunition. Modernization improves optics and accessory use, but the weapon's primary value remains dependable sustained fire.