According to Western intelligence sources, the German prototype gun 5.5 cm Gerät 58 formed the basis for the design.

[4] The Soviets were also able to study earlier German 5 cm FlaK 41 guns that had been captured following the Battle of Stalingrad.

The fire direction device was developed from the German Lambda calculator (Kommandogerät 40 [de], 40A, and 40B) and was called PUAZO-5A.

The fire direction was also made more effective by including Grom-2 (10 cm wavelength) radars with the AA batteries.

The Afghan People's Army received twenty-four 57 mm guns in 1958, and deployed it during the Bajaur Campaign.

[5] The Islamic State allegedly shot down a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by the Iraqi Air Force near Hawija, Iraq on 16 March 2016 with a truck-mounted S-60.

It has been used by the Luhansk People's Republic to shoot at Ukrainian drones and provide infantry with fire support.

Modern anti-aircraft rounds have not been developed for the gun; the main characteristics of the Soviet-era ammunition are listed in the table below.