The VSS (Russian: Винтовка Снайперская Специальная, Vintovka Snayperskaya Spetsialnaya or "Special Sniper Rifle"), also called the Vintorez ("thread cutter"), is a silent sniper rifle developed in the late 1980s by TsNIITochMash and manufactured by the Tula Arsenal. It is issued primarily to Spetsnaz units for undercover or clandestine operations, a role made evident by its ability to be stripped down for transport in a specially fitted briefcase. The VSS Vintorez was designed from the start to be a suppressed, flashless, sniper rifle. Taking advantage of the heavy subsonic 9 x 39 mm cartridge in combination with its integral sound suppressor.