This lens was designed at Krasnogorsky Mechanical Plant. This is a representative of vast "Helios-44" family, that was based on German Carz Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58. Firstly it has a name "BK" - Biotar from Krasnogorsk.

Optical scheme was calculated in 1951 at State Optical Institute (USSR). Lens was produced in 1958-1994 at three plants: KMZ, BelOMO, Jupiter. This is one of the most popular lenses in the world.