Modern artillery systems. Modern artillery systems with increased barrel length. Largest towed weapon: M-Gerat Siege Mortar

For hundreds of years, artillery has been an important component of the Russian army. However, she reached her power and prosperity during the Second World War - it was not by chance that she was called the "god of war." An analysis of a long-term military campaign made it possible to determine the most promising areas of this kind of troops for decades to come. As a result, modern Russian artillery today has the necessary power both for effective combat operations in local conflicts and for repelling massive aggression.

legacy of the past

New samples of Russian weapons "lead a pedigree" from the 60s of the XX century, when the Soviet army leadership set a course for high-quality rearmament. Dozens of leading design bureaus, where outstanding engineers and designers worked, laid the theoretical and technical foundation for the creation of the latest weapons.

The experience of previous wars and the analysis of the potential of foreign armies have clearly shown that it is necessary to rely on mobile self-propelled artillery and mortar installations. Thanks to decisions made half a century ago, Russian artillery acquired a solid fleet of caterpillar and wheeled missile and artillery weapons, the basis of which is the “flower collection”: from the nimble 122-mm Gvozdika howitzer to the formidable 240-mm Tulip.

Barrel field artillery

The barrel artillery of Russia has a huge number of guns. They are in service with artillery units, units and formations of the Ground Forces and represent the basis of the firepower of the units. marines and internal troops. Barrel artillery combines high firepower, accuracy and accuracy of fire with simplicity of design and use, mobility, increased reliability, flexibility of fire, and is also economical.

Many samples of towed guns were designed taking into account the experience of the Second World War. In the Russian army, they are gradually being replaced by self-propelled artillery guns developed in 1971-1975, optimized for performing fire missions even in a nuclear conflict. The towed guns are supposed to be used in fortified areas and in secondary theaters of military operations.

Armaments

At present, the barrel artillery of Russia has the following types of self-propelled guns:

• Floating howitzer 2S1 "Carnation" (122-mm).
• Howitzer 2SZ "Acacia" (152 mm).
• Howitzer 2S19 "Msta-S" (152 mm).
• Gun 2S5 "Hyacinth" (152 mm).
• Gun 2S7 "Peony" (203 mm).

A self-propelled howitzer with unique characteristics and the ability to fire in the “flurry of fire” mode 2S35 “Coalition-SV” (152 mm) is undergoing active tests.

The 120-mm self-propelled guns 2S23 "Nona-SVK", 2S9 "Nona-S", 2S31 "Vena" and their towed analogue 2B16 "Nona-K" are intended for fire support of combined arms units. A feature of these guns is that they can serve as mortars, mortars, howitzers or anti-tank guns.

anti-tank artillery

Along with the creation of highly effective anti-tank missile systems, considerable attention is paid to the development of anti-tank artillery guns. Their advantages over anti-tank missiles lie primarily in their relative cheapness, simplicity of design and use, and the ability to fire around the clock in any weather.

Russian anti-tank artillery is moving towards increasing power and caliber, improving ammunition and sighting devices. The pinnacle of this development was the 100-mm anti-tank smoothbore gun MT-12 (2A29) "Rapier" with increased muzzle velocity and effective range up to 1500 m. 660 mm.

The towed PT 2A45M Sprut-B, which is in service with the Russian Federation, also has even greater armor penetration. Behind dynamic protection, it is capable of hitting armor up to 770 mm thick. Russian self-propelled artillery in this segment is represented by the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled gun, which has recently been put into service with paratroopers.

mortars

Modern Russian artillery is unthinkable without mortars for various purposes and calibers. Russian samples of this class of weapons are exclusively effective tool suppression, destruction and fire support. The troops have the following samples of mortar weapons:

• Automatic 2B9M "Cornflower" (82 mm).
• 2B14-1 "Tray" (82 mm).
• Mortar complex 2S12 "Sani" (120-mm).
• Self-propelled 2S4 "Tulip" (240 mm).
• M-160 (160 mm) and M-240 (240 mm).

Characteristics and features

If the mortars "Tray" and "Sled" repeat the designs of models of the Great Patriotic War, then the "Cornflower" is a fundamentally new system. It is equipped with automatic reloading mechanisms, which allows firing with an excellent rate of fire of 100-120 rds / min (compared to 24 rds / min for the Tray mortar).

Artillery of Russia can rightly be proud of the self-propelled mortar "Tulip", which is also a original system. In the stowed position, its 240-mm barrel is mounted on the roof of an armored tracked chassis, in combat it rests on a special plate resting on the ground. In this case, all operations are carried out using a hydraulic system.

Coastal troops in the Russian Federation as a branch of independent forces of the Navy was formed in 1989. The basis of its firepower is made up of mobile missile and artillery systems:

• "Redoubt" (missile).
• 4K51 "Frontier" (missile).
• 3K55 "Bastion" (missile).
• 3K60 "Ball" (missile).
• A-222 "Coast" (artillery 130-mm).

These complexes are truly unique and represent real threat any enemy fleet. The newest Bastion has been on combat duty since 2010, equipped with Onyx/Yakhont hypersonic missiles. During the Crimean events, several "Bastions", defiantly placed on the peninsula, thwarted plans for a "show of force" by the NATO fleet.

The latest Russian coastal defense artillery A-222 "Bereg" effectively works both on small-sized high-speed vessels moving at a speed of 100 knots (180 km / h), and medium surface ships (within 23 km from the complex), and ground targets.

Heavy artillery is always ready to support powerful complexes as part of the Coastal Forces: self-propelled guns "Hyacinth-S", gun-howitzer "Hyacinth-B", gun-howitzer "Msta-B", howitzers D-20 and D-30, MLRS.

Multiple launch rocket systems

Since the Second World War, Russian rocket artillery, as the successor to the USSR, has had a powerful group of MLRS. In the 1950s, a 122-mm 40-barrel system BM-21 "Grad" was created. The ground forces of the Russian Federation have 4,500 such systems.

BM-21 "Grad" became the prototype of the "Grad-1" system, created in 1975 to equip tank and motorized rifle regiments, as well as a more powerful 220-mm Uragan system for artillery units of the army level. This line of development was continued by the Smerch long-range system with 300-mm projectiles and the new Prima divisional-level MLRS with an increased number of guides and increased power rockets with a detachable warhead.

Procurement of a new MLRS "Tornado" is underway - a bicaliber system mounted on the MAZ-543M chassis. In the Tornado-G variant, it fires 122-mm rockets from the Grad MLRS, three times as effective as the latter. In the Tornado-S variant, designed for firing 300-mm rockets, it is 3-4 times superior to the Smerch in terms of combat effectiveness. "Tornado" strikes targets with a volley and single high-precision rockets.

Flak

Russian anti-aircraft artillery is represented by the following self-propelled small-caliber systems:

• Quadruple self-propelled installation "Shilka" (23 mm).
• Self-propelled twin installation "Tunguska" (30 mm).
• Self-propelled twin installation "Pantsir" (30 mm).
• Towed twin installation ZU-23 (2A13) (23 mm).

Self-propelled units are equipped with a radio instrumentation system that provides target acquisition and auto-tracking, generation of data for aiming. Automatic aiming of guns is carried out with the help of hydraulic drives. Shilka is exclusively an artillery system, while Tunguska and Pantsir are also armed with anti-aircraft missiles.

Artillery is not in vain called the "god of war." It has long been one of the main and most important strike forces of the ground forces. Despite the rapid development of military aviation and missile weapons, modern gunners still have a lot of work to do, and this situation is unlikely to change in the near future.

It is believed that Europe got acquainted with gunpowder in the XIV century, which led to a real revolution in military affairs. Fire-breathing bombards were first used to destroy enemy fortresses and other fortifications, and it took several centuries for the guns to be able to move along with the army and participate in land battles.

For centuries, the best minds of mankind have been improving artillery pieces. In this article we will talk about the largest and most famous artillery pieces in the history of mankind. Not all of them turned out to be successful or even useful, but this did not prevent the giants from arousing universal admiration and admiration. So, what is the largest cannon in the world?

Top 10 largest artillery pieces in the history of mankind.

10. Self-propelled mortar "Karl" (Gerät 040)

This is a German self-propelled gun from the period of World War II. "Karl" had a caliber of 600 mm and weighed 126 tons. In total, seven copies of this system were built, which would be more correctly called a self-propelled mortar. The Germans built them to destroy enemy fortresses and other fortified positions. Initially, these guns were developed to storm the French Maginot Line, but due to the transience of the campaign, they were never used. The debut of these mortars took place on the Eastern Front, where the Nazis used them during the assault on the Brest Fortress, and then during the siege of Sevastopol. At the end of the war, one of the mortars was captured by the Red Army, and today anyone can see this self-propelled gun in the armored museum in Kubinka near Moscow.

9. "Mad Greta" (Dulle Griet)

In ninth place in our ranking is a medieval tool made in the 14th century on the territory of modern Belgium. “Mad Greta” is one of the few medieval forged tools that have survived to this day. large caliber. The cannon fired stone cannonballs, its barrel consists of 32 forged steel strips fastened with numerous hoops. The dimensions of the Greta are really impressive: its barrel length is 5 meters, its weight is 16 tons, and its caliber is 660 mm.

8. Howitzer "Saint-Chamon"

The eighth place in the ranking is occupied by a French 400 mm gun, created in 1884. This cannon was so large that it had to be mounted on a railway platform. The total weight of the structure was 137 tons, the gun could send shells weighing 641 kg to a distance of 17 km. True, in order to equip a position for Saint-Chamond, the French were forced to lay railroad tracks.

7. Faule Mette ("Lazy Mette")

In seventh place in our rating is another famous medieval large-caliber gun that fired with stone cannonballs. Unfortunately, none of these guns has survived to this day, so the characteristics of the gun can only be restored from the descriptions of its contemporaries. "Lazy Metta" was made in the German city of Braunschweig at the beginning of the 15th century. Its creator is the master Henning Bussenshutte. The cannon had impressive dimensions: weight about 8.7 tons, caliber from 67 to 80 cm, the mass of one stone core reached 430 kg. For each shot in the cannon, it was necessary to lay about 30 kg of gunpowder.

6. "Big Bertha" (Dicke Bertha)

The famous German large-caliber gun of the First World War. The gun was developed at the beginning of the last century and manufactured at the Krupp factories in 1914. "Big Bertha" had a caliber of 420 mm, its projectile weighed 900 kg, the firing range was 14 km. The gun was intended to destroy especially strong enemy fortifications. The gun was made in two versions: semi-stationary and mobile. The weight of the mobile modification was 42 tons; the Germans used steam tractors to transport it. During the explosion, the projectile formed a funnel with a diameter of more than ten meters, the rate of fire of the gun was one shot in eight minutes.

5. Mortar "Oka"

The fifth place in our rating is occupied by the Soviet self-propelled large-caliber mortar "Oka", developed in the mid-50s. At that time, the USSR already had nuclear bomb, but had difficulty with the means of its delivery. Therefore, Soviet strategists decided to create a mortar capable of firing nuclear charges. Its caliber was 420 mm, the total weight of the vehicle was 55 tons, and the firing range could reach 50 km. The Oka mortar had such a monstrous return that its production was abandoned. In total, four self-propelled mortars were manufactured.

4. Little David

This is an American experimental mortar from World War II. It is the largest gun (in caliber) of modern artillery.

"Little David" was intended to destroy especially powerful enemy fortifications and was developed for the Pacific theater of operations. But in the end, this gun never left the range. The barrel was installed in a special metal box dug into the ground. "David" fired special cone-shaped shells, the weight of which reached 1678 kg. After their explosion, a funnel with diameters of 12 meters and a depth of 4 meters remained.

The dimensions of the gun are impressive: the length of the gun is 5.34 meters, the caliber is 890 mm, and the total weight is almost 40 tons. This weapon really deserves the respectful prefix "king".

The "Tsar Cannon" is decorated with intricate patterns, several inscriptions are engraved on it. Experts are confident that the gun was fired at least once, but historical evidence for this has not been found. Today, the Tsar Cannon is listed in the Guinness Book of Records; it is one of the main Moscow attractions.

The second place in our rating is occupied by a super-heavy German gun from the period of the Second World War. This gun was created by Krupp engineers in the mid-30s. She had a caliber of 807 mm, was installed on a railway platform and could shoot at 48 km. In total, the Germans managed to make two "Dora", one of them was used during the siege of Sevastopol, and possibly during the suppression of the uprising in Warsaw. The total weight of one gun was 1350 tons. The gun could make one shot in 30-40 minutes. It should be noted that the combat effectiveness of this monster raises doubts among many experts and military historians.

1. "Basilica" or Ottoman cannon

In the first place of our rating is another historical tool of the Middle Ages. It was made in the middle of the 15th century by the Hungarian craftsman Urban, specially commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II. This artillery piece had colossal dimensions: its length was approximately 12 meters, its diameter was 75-90 cm, and its total weight was about 32 tons. The bombard was cast in bronze; 30 bulls were needed to move it. In addition, the “calculation” of the gun included another 50 carpenters, whose task was to make a special platform, as well as up to 200 workers who moved the gun. The firing range of the Basilica was 2 km.

However, the Ottoman cannon did not come to the first place in our rating because of its size. Only thanks to this weapon, the Ottomans managed to destroy the strong walls of Constantinople and capture the city. Until that moment, the walls of Constantinople were considered impregnable, the Turks unsuccessfully tried to capture it for several centuries. The fall of Constantinople marked the beginning of the Ottoman Empire and became a major moment in the history of Turkish statehood.

"Basilica" did not serve its owners for long. The very next day after the start of its use, the first cracks appeared on the trunk, and after a few weeks it fell into complete disrepair.

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Most advanced self-propelled gun: PZH 2000 self-propelled howitzer

Country: Germany
designed: 1998
Caliber: 155 mm
Weight: 55.73t
Barrel length: 8.06 m
Rate of fire: 10 rds / min
Range: up to 56,000 m

The mysterious letters PZH in the name of the self-propelled howitzer, which is considered today the most advanced of the mass-produced self-propelled systems, are deciphered simply and in a businesslike way: Panzerhaubitze (armored howitzer).

If you do not take into account exotics like the Paris Cannon or the experimental US-Canadian HARP gun, which threw shells to a height of 180 km, then the PZH 2000 holds the world record for firing range - 56 km. True, this result was achieved during test firing in South Africa, where a special V-LAP projectile was used, which uses not only the energy of powder gases in the barrel, but also its own jet thrust. In "ordinary life", the firing range of a German self-propelled gun is within 30-50 km, which approximately corresponds to the parameters of the Soviet heavy 203-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S7 "Pion".

Of course, in terms of the rate of fire, Pion up to PZH 2000 is like the moon - 2.5 rds / min versus 10. On the other hand, the “classmate” of the German howitzer, the modern Msta-S with 7-8 rounds per minute, looks quite good , although inferior in firing range.

The gun was developed by the German company Krauss-Maffeu Wegmann under the so-called Joint Memorandum of Understanding in the field of ballistics, concluded between Italy, Great Britain and Germany. The self-propelled gun is equipped with a 155-mm L52 gun manufactured by Rheinmetall Corporation. The 8-meter (52 caliber) barrel is chrome-plated along the entire length and is equipped with a muzzle brake, as well as an ejector. The guidance drive is electric, the loading is automatic, which ensures a high rate of fire. The machine uses a multi-fuel diesel engine MTU-881 with a hydromechanical transmission HSWL. Motor power - 986 hp The PZH2000 has a range of 420 km and can travel at a maximum speed of 60 km/h on roads and 45 km/h on rough terrain.

Fortunately, big wars, where, like the PZH 2000, there would be a worthy application, the world has not yet happened, however, there is experience in the combat use of self-propelled guns as part of the international peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan. This experience brought with it reasons for criticism - the Dutch did not like that the protection system against radioactive, biological and chemical effects was defenseless against the all-pervading dust. It was also necessary to equip the gun turret with additional armor to protect the crew from mortar attacks.

The heaviest self-propelled gun: self-propelled mortar Karl-Gerat

Country: Germany
start of production: 1940

Caliber: 600/540 mm
Weight: 126 t
Barrel length: 4.2 / 6.24 m
Rate of fire: 1 shot / 10 min
Range: up to 6700 m

A tracked vehicle with an awkwardly large-caliber gun looks like a parody of armored vehicles, but this colossus has found combat use for itself. The production of six self-propelled 600-mm Karl-type mortars was an important sign of the militaristic revival of Nazi Germany. The Germans were eager for revenge for the First World War and were preparing suitable equipment for future Verdun. Hard nuts, however, had to be cracked at a completely different end of Europe, and two of the "Karls" - "Thor" and "Odin" - were destined to unload in the Crimea to help the Nazis take over Sevastopol. Having fired several dozen concrete-piercing and high-explosive shells at the heroic 30th battery, the mortars disabled its guns. The mortars were indeed self-propelled: they were equipped with caterpillars and a 12-cylinder Daimler-Benz 507 diesel engine with an HP 750 power. However, these giants could move under their own power only at a speed of 5 km / h, and then for short distances. Of course, there was no question of any maneuvering in battle.

The most modern Russian self-propelled gun: "Msta-S"

Country: USSR
adopted: 1989
Caliber: 152 mm
Weight: 43.56t
Barrel length: 7.144 m
Rate of fire: 7-8 rds / min
Range: up to 24,700 m

The Msta-S self-propelled howitzer (index 2S19) is the most advanced self-propelled gun in Russia, despite the fact that it entered service in 1989. "Msta-S" is designed to destroy tactical nuclear weapons, artillery and mortar batteries, tanks and other armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, manpower, air defense and missile defense systems, command posts, as well as to destroy field fortifications and impede the maneuvers of enemy reserves in the depth of his defenses. It can fire at observed and unobserved targets from closed positions and direct fire, including work in mountainous conditions. The reloading system allows you to fire at any pointing angles in the direction and elevation of the gun with a maximum rate of fire without returning the gun to the loading line. The mass of the projectile exceeds 42 kg, therefore, to facilitate the work of the loader from the ammo rack, they are fed automatically. The mechanism for supplying charges is a semi-automatic type. The presence of additional conveyors for supplying ammunition from the ground allows you to fire without spending internal ammunition.

The largest naval gun: the main caliber of the battleship "Yamato"

Country: Japan
adopted: 1940
Caliber: 460 mm
Weight: 147.3 t
Barrel length: 21.13 m
Rate of fire: 2 rds / min
Range: 42,000 m

One of the last dreadnoughts, the battleship Yamato, armed with nine guns of an unprecedented caliber - 460 mm, could not effectively use its firepower. The main caliber was launched only once - on October 25, 1944 near the island of Samar (Philippines). The damage inflicted on the American fleet was extremely insignificant. The rest of the time, the aircraft carriers simply did not let the battleship close to them at a shot distance and, finally, they destroyed it with carrier-based aircraft on April 7, 1945.

The most massive gun of World War II: 76.2-mm field gun ZIS-3

Country: USSR
designed: 1941
Caliber: 76.2 mm
Weight: 1.2t
Barrel length 3.048 m
Rate of fire: up to 25 rds / min
Range: 13,290 m

Tool designed by V.G. The grabina was distinguished by its simple design, it was not very demanding on the quality of materials and metalworking, that is, it was ideally suited for mass production. The gun was not a masterpiece of mechanics, which, of course, affected the accuracy of shooting, but then quantity was considered more important than quality.

Biggest Mortar: Little David

Country: USA
start of testing: 1944
Caliber: 914 mm
Weight: 36.3t
Barrel length: 6.7 m
Rate of fire: no data
Range: 9700 m

Someone who, and the Americans during the Second World War, were not noticed by the gigantomania of guns, but still one outstanding achievement belongs to them. The giant Little David mortar with a monstrous caliber of 914 mm was the prototype of a heavy siege weapon with which America was going to storm the Japanese islands. A shell weighing 1678kg, of course, “would have made a rustle”, but “little David” suffered from the diseases of medieval mortars - it hit close and inaccurately. As a result, something more interesting was found to intimidate the Japanese, but the super mortar did not fight.

Largest railroad implement: Dora

Country: Germany
trials: 1941
Caliber: 807 mm
Weight: 1350 t
Barrel length: 32.48 m
Rate of fire: 14 rounds/day
Range: 39,000 m

"Dora" and "Heavy Gustav" are two supermonsters of the world's artillery of 800 mm caliber, which the Germans prepared to break through the Maginot Line. But, like self-propelled guns "Thor" and "Odin", "Dora" was eventually driven near Sevastopol. The gun was directly served by a calculation of 250 people, ten times more fighters performed auxiliary functions. However, the accuracy of firing 5-7-ton shells was not very high, some of them fell without bursting. The main effect of the shelling of the "Dora" was psychological.

The heaviest Soviet gun of World War II: Howitzer B-4

The 203.4 mm howitzer is probably one of the main contenders for the title of "weapon of Victory". While the Red Army was retreating, there was no need for such a weapon, but as soon as our troops went west, the howitzer was very useful in order to break through the walls of Polish and German cities turned into “festungs”. The gun was nicknamed "Stalin's sledgehammer", although this nickname was given not by the Germans, but by the Finns, who met the B-4 on the Mannerheim line.

Country: USSR
adopted: 1934
Caliber: 203.4mm
Weight: 17.7t
Barrel length: 5.087 m
Rate of fire: 1 shot / 2 min
Range: 17,890 m

Largest towed weapon: M-Gerat Siege Mortar

Country: Germany
adopted: 1913
Caliber: 420 mm
Weight: 42.6t
Barrel length: 6.72 m
Rate of fire: 1 shot / 8 min
Range: 12,300 m

"Big Bertha" was a successful compromise between power and mobility. This is exactly what the designers of the Krupp company sought, inspired by the successes of the Japanese, who stormed Port Arthur with the help of large-caliber naval guns. Unlike its predecessor, the Gamma-GerKt mortar, which fired from a concrete cradle, the Big Bertha did not require a special installation, but was towed to a combat position by a tractor. Its 820-kg shells successfully crushed the concrete walls of the Liege forts, but in Verdun, where reinforced concrete was used in the fortifications, they were not so effective.

Longest range weapon: Kaiser Wilhelm Geschotz

Country: Germany
adopted: 1918
Caliber: 211–238 mm
Weight: 232 t
Barrel length: 28 m
Rate of fire: 6–7 rounds/day
Range: 130,000 m

The barrel of this gun, also known as the "Paris Cannon", "Colossal" or "Kaiser Wilhelm Gun", was a set of pipes inserted into the drilled mouth of a naval gun. This "lash", so as not to dangle too much when fired, was strengthened with a stretch, like the one used to support crane arrows. And all the same, after the shot, the barrel was shaken by vibrations that did not die out for a long time. Nevertheless, in March 1918, the gun managed to stun the inhabitants of Paris, who thought that the front was far away. 120-kg shells flying 130 km killed more than 250 Parisians in a month and a half of shelling.

Here is the news today:

Artillery units of the Eastern Military District (VVO) received a batch of 203-mm Pion self-propelled artillery mounts.

This was reported to Interfax-AVN on Thursday by the head of the press service of the district, Colonel Alexander Gordeev. »Today, the Pion self-propelled gun is considered the most powerful self-propelled artillery mount in the world. Its main armament is a 203-mm cannon, weighing more than 14 tons. It is located in the aft part of the installation. The gun is equipped with a semi-automatic hydraulic loading system, which allows this process to be carried out at any elevation angles of the barrel,” A. Gordeev said.

He noted that in the development of the undercarriage of the installation, components and assemblies of the T-80 tank were used. “The self-propelled gun has an individual torsion bar suspension,” the officer specified.

Learn more about this weapon:

On August 29, 1949, the first Soviet atomic bomb was tested: both opposing groups began to possess nuclear weapons. With the build-up of strategic nuclear weapons by both sides of the conflict, it became clear that an all-out nuclear war was unlikely and pointless. The theory of "limited nuclear war» with limited use of tactical nuclear weapons. In the early 1950s, the leaders of the opposing sides faced the problem of delivering these weapons. The main means of delivery were B-29 strategic bombers, on the one hand, and Tu-4, on the other; they could not effectively strike at the advanced positions of enemy troops. Hull and divisional artillery systems, tactical missile systems and recoilless guns were considered as the most suitable means.

The first Soviet artillery systems armed with nuclear weapons were the 2B1 self-propelled mortar and the 2A3 self-propelled gun, however, these systems were bulky and could not meet the requirements for high mobility. With the beginning of the rapid development of rocket technology in the USSR, work on most of the samples of classical artillery was stopped at the direction of N. S. Khrushchev.

Photo 3.

After Khrushchev was removed from the post of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPSU, work on artillery topics was resumed. By the spring of 1967, a preliminary design of a new heavy-duty self-propelled artillery mount (ACS) based on the Object 434 tank and a full-size wooden model were completed. The project was an ACS closed type with cutting installation guns design OKB-2. layout received negative feedback from representatives of the Ministry of Defense, however, the Ministry of Defense of the USSR became interested in the proposal to create a self-propelled guns of special power, and on December 16, 1967, by order No. 801 of the Ministry of Defense Industry, research work was started to determine the appearance and basic characteristics of the new self-propelled guns. The main requirement put forward for the new self-propelled guns was the maximum firing range - at least 25 km. The choice of the optimal caliber of the gun, at the direction of the GRAU, was carried out by the M. I. Kalinin Artillery Academy. In the course of the work, various existing and developed artillery systems were considered. The main ones were the 210 mm S-72 gun, the 180 mm S-23 gun and the 180 mm MU-1 coastal gun. According to the conclusion of the Leningrad Artillery Academy, the ballistic solution of the 210-mm S-72 gun was recognized as the most suitable. However, despite this, the Barrikady plant, in order to ensure the continuity of manufacturing technologies for the already developed B-4 and B-4M guns, proposed reducing the caliber from 210 to 203 mm. This proposal was approved by the GRAU.

Simultaneously with the choice of caliber, work was carried out on the choice of chassis and layout for the future self-propelled guns. One of the options was the chassis of the MT-T multi-purpose tractor, made on the basis of the T-64A tank. This option received the designation "Object 429A". A variant based on heavy tank T-10, which received the designation "216.sp1". According to the results of the work, it turned out that an open installation of the gun would be optimal, while none of the existing types chassis, due to the high recoil resistance force of 135 tf when firing. Therefore, it was decided to develop a new undercarriage with the maximum possible unification of the nodes with the tanks in service with the USSR. The resulting studies formed the basis of the R&D under the name "Peony" (GRAU index - 2C7). "Pion" was supposed to enter service with the artillery battalions of the reserve of the Supreme High Command to replace the 203-mm B-4 and B-4M towed howitzers.

Photo 4.

Officially, work on the new self-propelled guns of special power was approved on July 8, 1970 by the Decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 427-161. The Kirov Plant was appointed the lead developer of the 2S7, the 2A44 gun was designed in OKB-3 of the Volgograd plant "Barricades". March 1, 1971 were issued, and by 1973 approved tactical and technical requirements for a new self-propelled guns. According to the assignment, the 2S7 self-propelled gun was supposed to provide a ricochet-free firing range from 8.5 to 35 km with a high-explosive fragmentation projectile weighing 110 kg, while it should have been possible to fire a 3VB2 nuclear round intended for the 203 mm B-4M howitzer. The speed on the highway had to be at least 50 km / h.

The new chassis with a stern gun mount received the designation "216.sp2". In the period from 1973 to 1974, two prototypes of the 2S7 self-propelled guns were manufactured and sent for testing. The first sample passed sea trials at the Strugi Krasnye training ground. The second sample was tested by firing, but could not fulfill the requirements for the firing range. The problem was solved by selecting the optimal composition of the powder charge and the type of shot. In 1975, the Pion system was put into service. Soviet army. In 1977, at the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics, nuclear weapons were developed and put into service for the 2S7 self-propelled guns.

Photo 5.

Serial production of self-propelled guns 2S7 was launched in 1975 at the Leningrad plant named after Kirov. The 2A44 gun was produced by the Volgograd plant "Barricades". 2S7 production continued until the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1990, the last batch of 66 2S7M vehicles was transferred to the Soviet troops. In 1990, the cost of one 2S7 self-propelled artillery mount was 521,527 rubles. Over 16 years of production, more than 500 2C7 units of various modifications were produced.

In the 1980s, there was a need to modernize the ACS 2S7. Therefore, development work was started under the code "Malka" (GRAU index - 2S7M). First, there was the question of replacing power plant, since the V-46-1 engine did not have sufficient power and reliability. For the Malka, the V-84B engine was created, which differed from the one used in the T-72 tank by the features of the engine layout in the engine compartment. With the new engine, the self-propelled guns could refuel not only diesel fuel but also kerosene and gasoline.

Photo 6.

The undercarriage of the car was also upgraded. In February 1985, the self-propelled guns with a new power plant and an upgraded undercarriage were tested. As a result of the modernization, the ACS motocross resource was increased to 8,000-10,000 km. To receive and display information from the vehicle of the senior battery officer, the gunner's and commander's positions were equipped with digital indicators with automatic data reception, which made it possible to reduce the time it took to transfer the vehicle from traveling to combat position and back. Thanks to the modified design of the stowage, the ammunition load was increased to 8 rounds. The new loading mechanism made it possible to load the gun at any angle of vertical pumping. Thus, the rate of fire was increased by 1.6 times (up to 2.5 rounds per minute), and the mode of fire - by 1.25 times. To monitor important subsystems, routine control equipment was installed in the car, which carried out continuous monitoring of weapon components, the engine, the hydraulic system and power units. Serial production of self-propelled guns 2S7M began in 1986. In addition, the crew of the car was reduced to 6 people.

In the late 1970s, on the basis of the 2A44 gun, a project was developed for a shipborne artillery mount under the code "Pion-M". The theoretical weight of the artillery mount without ammunition was 65-70 tons. The ammunition load was to be 75 rounds, and the rate of fire was up to 1.5 rounds per minute. The Pion-M artillery mount was supposed to be installed on Project 956 ships of the Sovremenny type. However, due to the fundamental disagreement of the leadership of the Navy with the use of a large caliber, they did not advance beyond the project of work on the Pion-M artillery mount.

Photo 7.

armored corps

The 2S7 Pion self-propelled gun was made according to a turretless scheme with an open installation of the gun in the aft part of the self-propelled guns. The crew consists of 7 (in the modernized version 6) people. On the march, all crew members are housed in the ACS hull. The body is divided into four sections. In the front part there is a control compartment with a place for a commander, a driver and a place for one of the crew members. Behind the control compartment is the engine compartment with the engine. Behind the engine-transmission compartment there is a calculation compartment, in which the stacks with shells are located, the gunner's place for the marching and places for 3 (in the modernized version 2) members of the calculation. In the aft compartment there is a folding coulter plate and a self-propelled gun. The hull 2S7 is made of two-layer bulletproof armor with a thickness of outer sheets of 13 mm, and internal sheets of 8 mm. The calculation, being inside the self-propelled guns, is protected from the consequences of the use of weapons mass destruction. The case weakens the effect of penetrating radiation by a factor of three. The loading of the main gun during the operation of the self-propelled guns is carried out from the ground or from a truck using a special lifting mechanism installed on the platform, on the right side of the main gun. In this case, the loader is located to the left of the gun, controlling the process using the control panel.

Photo 8.

Armament

The main armament is a 203-mm 2A44 cannon, which has a maximum rate of fire of 1.5 rounds per minute (up to 2.5 rounds per minute on the upgraded version). The gun barrel is a free tube connected to the breech. A piston valve is located in the breech. The barrel of the gun and recoil devices are placed in the cradle of the swinging part. The swinging part is fixed on the upper machine, which is mounted on the axis and fixed with basting. The recoil devices consist of a hydraulic recoil brake and two pneumatic knurlers located symmetrically with respect to the bore. Such a scheme of recoil devices makes it possible to reliably hold the recoil parts of the gun in the extreme position before firing a shot at any angles of vertical guidance of the gun. The recoil length when fired reaches 1400 mm. Lifting and turning mechanisms of the sector type provide gun guidance in the range of angles from 0 to +60 degrees. vertically and from -15 to +15 degrees. along the horizon. Guidance can be carried out both by hydraulic drives powered by the SAU 2S7 pumping station, and by manual drives. The pneumatic balancing mechanism serves to compensate for the moment of imbalance of the swinging part of the tool. To facilitate the work of crew members, the self-propelled guns are equipped with a loading mechanism that ensures that shots are fed to the loading line and delivered to the gun chamber.

The hinged base plate, located in the stern of the hull, transfers the forces of the shot to the ground, providing greater stability to the self-propelled guns. On charge number 3, "Pion" could fire direct fire without installing an opener. The portable ammunition of the Pion self-propelled gun is 4 shots (for the modernized version 8), the main ammunition of 40 shots is transported in the transport vehicle attached to the self-propelled guns. The main ammunition includes 3OF43 high-explosive fragmentation shells, in addition, 3-O-14 cluster shells, concrete-piercing and nuclear ammunition can be used. Additionally, the 2S7 self-propelled guns are equipped with a 12.7-mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun and 9K32 Strela-2 portable anti-aircraft missile systems.

Photo 9.

To aim the gun, the gunner's position is equipped with a PG-1M panoramic artillery sight for firing from closed firing positions and an OP4M-99A direct-fire sight for firing at observed targets. To monitor the terrain, the control department is equipped with seven TNPO-160 prismatic periscope observation devices, two more TNPO-160 devices are installed in the hatch covers of the calculation department. For operation at night, some of the TNPO-160 devices can be replaced by TVNE-4B night vision devices.

External radio communication is supported by the R-123M radio station. The radio station operates in the VHF band and provides stable communication with stations of the same type at a distance of up to 28 km, depending on the height of the antenna of both radio stations. Negotiations between crew members are carried out through the intercom equipment 1V116.

Photo 10.

Engine and transmission

The 2C7 used a V-shaped 12-cylinder four-stroke V-46-1 liquid-cooled supercharged diesel engine with an HP 780 power as a power plant. The V-46-1 diesel engine was created on the basis of the V-46 engine installed on the T-72 tanks. Distinctive features B-46-1 were small layout changes associated with its adaptation for installation in the engine compartment of the 2S7 self-propelled guns. Of the main differences was the changed location of the power take-off shaft. To make it easier to start the engine winter conditions in the engine compartment, a heating system was installed, developed on the basis of a similar system of the T-10M heavy tank. In the course of modernization on the 2S7M self-propelled guns, the power plant was replaced with a V-84B multi-fuel diesel engine with an HP 840 power. The transmission is mechanical, with hydraulic control and a planetary rotation mechanism. It has seven forward and one reverse gears. The engine torque is transmitted through a bevel gear with a gear ratio of 0.682 to two onboard gearboxes.

Photo 11.

Chassis 2S7 is made on the basis of the main tank T-80 and consists of seven pairs of dual rubber-coated support rollers and six pairs of single support rollers. In the rear of the machine are the guide wheels, in the front - the drive. In the combat position, the guide wheels are lowered to the ground to make the ACS more resistant to the loads during firing. Lowering and raising is carried out with the help of two hydraulic cylinders fixed along the axles of the wheels. Suspension 2C7 - individual torsion bar with hydraulic shock absorbers.

Photo 12.

Special equipment

The preparation of the position for firing was carried out with the help of an opener in the aft part of the self-propelled guns. Raising and lowering the coulter was carried out using two hydraulic jacks. Additionally, the 2S7 self-propelled gun was equipped with a 9R4-6U2 diesel generator with an HP 24 power. The diesel generator was designed to power the main pump hydraulic system ACS during parking, when the engine of the car was turned off.

Machines based

In 1969, in the Tula NIEMI, by decree of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR of May 27, 1969, work began on the creation of a new S-300V front-line anti-aircraft missile system. Studies conducted at the NIEMI together with the Leningrad VNII-100 showed that there was no chassis suitable for carrying capacity, internal dimensions and cross-country ability. Therefore, KB-3 of the Kirov Leningrad Plant was given the task of developing a new unified tracked chassis. The following requirements were imposed on the development: gross weight - no more than 48 tons, carrying capacity - 20 tons, ensuring the operation of equipment and crew in the conditions of the use of weapons of mass destruction, high maneuverability and maneuverability. The chassis was designed almost simultaneously with the 2S7 self-propelled gun and was unified with it as much as possible. The main differences include the rear location of the engine compartment and the drive wheels of the caterpillar mover. As a result of the work carried out, the following modifications of the universal chassis were created.

- "Object 830" - for self-propelled launcher 9A83;
- "Object 831" - for self-propelled launcher 9A82;
- "Object 832" - for the radar station 9S15;
- "Object 833" - in the basic version: for the multi-channel missile guidance station 9S32; performed by "833-01" - for the radar station 9S19;
- "Object 834" - for the command post 9S457;
- "Object 835" - for launchers 9A84 and 9A85.
The production of prototypes of universal chassis was carried out by the Kirov Leningrad Plant. Serial production was transferred to the Lipetsk Tractor Plant.
In 1997, by order of the Engineering Troops of the Russian Federation, a high-speed trenching machine BTM-4M "Tundra" was developed for making trenches and digging in frozen soil.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in Russia, the financing of the armed forces was sharply reduced, and military equipment practically ceased to be purchased. Under these conditions, a military equipment conversion program was carried out at the Kirov Plant, within the framework of which civil engineering machines were developed and began to be produced on the basis of the 2S7 self-propelled guns. In 1994, the highly mobile crane SGK-80 was developed, and four years later its modernized version appeared - SGK-80R. The cranes weighed 65 tons and had a lifting capacity of up to 80 tons. By order of the Department of Traffic Safety and Ecology of the Ministry of Railways of Russia, in 2004, self-propelled tracked vehicles SM-100 were developed, designed to eliminate the consequences of rolling stock derailments, as well as to carry out emergency rescue operations after natural and man-made disasters.

Photo 13.

Combat use

During the operation in the Soviet army, Pion self-propelled guns were never used in any armed conflict, but were intensively used in artillery brigades high power GSVG. After the signing of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, all Pion and Malka self-propelled guns were withdrawn from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and redeployed to the Eastern Military District. The only episode of the combat use of the 2S7 self-propelled guns was the war in South Ossetia, where the Georgian side of the conflict used a battery of six self-propelled guns 2S7. During the retreat, Georgian troops hid all six self-propelled guns 2S7 in the Gori region. One of the 5 self-propelled guns 2S7 discovered by the Russian troops was captured as a trophy, the rest were destroyed.
In November 2014, in connection with the armed conflict, Ukraine began the reactivation and bringing into combat condition of its existing 2S7 installations.

In the 1970s, the Soviet Union made an attempt to re-equip the Soviet army with new models of artillery weapons. The first example was the self-propelled howitzer 2S3, presented to the public in 1973, followed by: 2S1 in 1974, 2S4 in 1975, and in 1979 the 2S5 and 2S7 were introduced. Thanks to new technology Soviet Union significantly increased the survivability and maneuverability of their artillery troops. By the time the mass production of the 2S7 self-propelled guns began, the 203-mm self-propelled gun M110 was already in service with the United States. In 1975, the 2S7 was significantly superior to the M110 in terms of the main parameters: the firing range of the OFS (37.4 km vs. 16.8 km), the ammunition load (4 shots vs. 4), however, at the same time, the 2S7 self-propelled guns served 7 people against 5 on the M110. In 1977 and 1978, the US Army received improved M110A1 and M110A2 self-propelled guns, which were distinguished by a maximum firing range increased to 30 km, however, they could not surpass the 2S7 self-propelled guns in this parameter. An advantageous difference between the Pion and the M110 self-propelled guns is a fully armored chassis, while the M110 only has an armored engine compartment.

In North Korea, in 1978, on the basis of the Type 59 tank, a 170-mm self-propelled gun "Koksan" was created. The gun made it possible to fire at a distance of up to 60 km, but had a number of significant drawbacks: low barrel survivability, low rate of fire, low chassis mobility and the lack of portable ammunition. In 1985, an improved version was developed, this gun resembled the 2S7 self-propelled gun in appearance and layout.

Attempts to create systems similar to the M110 and 2C7 were made in Iraq. In the mid-1980s, the development of the 210 mm AL FAO self-propelled gun began. The gun was created as a response to the Iranian M107, and the gun had to be significantly superior to this self-propelled gun in all respects. As a result, a prototype ACS AL FAO was manufactured and demonstrated in May 1989. The self-propelled artillery mount was a G6 self-propelled howitzer chassis, on which a 210-mm gun was mounted. The self-propelled unit was capable of speeds up to 80 km/h on the march. The barrel length was 53 caliber. Shooting could be carried out both with conventional 109.4-kg high-explosive fragmentation shells with a bottom notch and a maximum firing range of 45 km, and shells with a bottom gas generator with a maximum firing range of up to 57.3 km. However, the economic sanctions against Iraq that followed in the early 1990s prevented the further development of the gun, and the project did not go beyond the prototype stage.

In the mid-1990s, the Chinese company NORINCO based on the M110 developed a prototype 203-mm self-propelled gun with a new artillery unit. The reason for the development was the unsatisfactory firing range of the M110 self-propelled guns. The new artillery unit made it possible to increase the maximum firing range of high-explosive fragmentation shells to 40 km, and of active-reactive shells to 50 km. In addition, the self-propelled guns could fire guided, nuclear projectiles, as well as cluster anti-tank mines. Further, the production of a prototype development did not advance.

As a result of the completion of the Pion R&D, the Soviet Army received self-propelled guns, which embodied the most advanced ideas for designing high-powered self-propelled guns. For its class, the 2S7 self-propelled guns had high performance characteristics (maneuverability and a relatively short time for transferring self-propelled guns to a combat position and back). Thanks to the caliber of 203.2 mm and the maximum firing range of high-explosive fragmentation shells, the Pion self-propelled gun had a high combat effectiveness: for example, in 10 minutes of a fire raid, the self-propelled guns are capable of delivering about 500 kg of explosive to the target. The modernization carried out in 1986 to the level of 2S7M allowed this self-propelled guns to meet the requirements for advanced artillery weapons systems for the period up to 2010. The only drawback noted by Western experts was the open installation of the gun, which did not allow the crew to be protected from shell fragments or enemy fire when working in position. Further improvement of the system was proposed to be carried out by creating guided projectiles of the "Smelchak" type, the firing range of which could be up to 120 km, as well as improving the working conditions of the ACS crew. In fact, after the withdrawal from the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and redeployment to the Eastern Military District, most of the self-propelled guns 2S7 and 2S7M were sent for storage, and only a small part of them remained in operation.

Photo 14.

But look at what an interesting sample of weapons:

Photo 16.

Experimental self-propelled artillery mount. The development of the self-propelled guns was carried out by the Central Design Bureau of the Uraltransmash plant, the chief designer was Nikolai Tupitsyn. The first prototype of the self-propelled guns was built in 1976. In total, two copies of the self-propelled guns were built - with a gun from the Acacia self-propelled guns of 152-mm caliber and with a gun of the Hyacinth self-propelled guns. ACS "object 327" was developed as a competitor to the ACS "Msta-S", but turned out to be very revolutionary, it remained an experimental self-propelled gun. The self-propelled guns were distinguished by a high degree of automation - the reloading of the gun was carried out regularly by an automatic loader when external location guns with the placement of the ammunition rack inside the body of the self-propelled guns. During tests with guns of two types, the self-propelled guns showed high efficiency, but preference was given to more "technological" samples - 2S19 "Msta-S". Testing and design of ACS were discontinued in 1987.

The name of the object "puck" was unofficial. The second copy of the self-propelled guns with the 2A37 gun from the self-propelled guns "Hyacinth" since 1988 stood at the training ground and was preserved in the Uraltransmash museum.

There is also such a version that the prototype of the self-propelled guns shown in the photo is the only mock-up image that was also worked out on the topics “object 316 ″ (prototype self-propelled guns “Msta-S“), “object 326″ and “object 327″. During the tests, guns with different ballistics were installed on a rotating platform tower. The presented sample with a gun from the self-propelled gun "Hyacinth" was tested in 1987.

Photo 17.

Photo 18.

The development of foreign cannon artillery since the 60s was characterized by two features. On the one hand, the United States and its European allies in the NATO bloc - Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and, to a lesser extent, Spain and France, acted as the main center for the development and production of artillery systems. Most widespread received 155-mm towed howitzers (BG) M114, M198 (USA), FH-70 (jointly developed by Great Britain, Germany and Italy), self-propelled howitzers (SG) of the M109 series (USA), MkF3 and GCT (France). The vast majority of these samples, especially systems such as M114, M109, M109A1 and MkF 3, became obsolete by the beginning of the 80s, which necessitated their comprehensive modernization.

The most modern of the existing cannon artillery systems have ballistic characteristics that meet the requirements of the agreement signed by NATO countries on the unified ballistics of 155-mm artillery guns (barrel length 39 klb, volume of the charging chamber 18 liters, etc.). The maximum firing range of such systems with conventional projectiles is about 24 km and with active-rocket projectiles (ARS) - up to 30 km. However, experts believe that these characteristics do not meet modern requirements. In the early 90s, it was decided to switch to a new system of ballistic characteristics (barrel length 52 klb, volume of the charging chamber 23 liters, etc.), which would increase the firing range and, accordingly, the depth of destruction of the enemy by cannon artillery fire.

On the other hand, already in the mid-70s, the ground forces of some non-NATO countries were armed with fairly simple and reliable artillery systems, which, in a number of characteristics, and primarily ballistic, surpassed the American and Western European models existing at that time. . Their characteristic feature was the use of barrels with a length of 45 klb or more, which, depending on the type of projectile, ensured the ability to fire at a maximum range of 30-40 km.

To a large extent, this technical leap was initiated by the talented designer J. Bull and his colleagues in the Canadian company Space Research Corporation headed by him. To one degree or another, their developments were used by almost all major manufacturers of artillery weapons. Some of the most successful designs designed by J. Bull and their later counterparts are today considered one of the best artillery pieces in the world.

This process began in the 60s, when the Institute for Space Research, led by J. Bull, began work on the HARP program ( research project Upper Atmosphere Research Institute), which was funded by the governments of the United States and Canada. It was supposed to develop a cannon-type throwing device with the aim of launching small satellites into near-Earth orbit. In particular, three experimental samples of the "supergun" were created, for which barrels from 406 mm caliber guns taken from American battleships during the Second World War were used. The largest gun had a barrel about 50 m long, which ensured the delivery of a projectile weighing up to 2 tons to a height of 180 km.

However, the rapid development of rocket technology weakened the interest of the military circles of the United States and Canada in guns of this type, and since 1967, funding for the program has ceased. After that, J. Bull organized the Space Research Corporation already mentioned above, which, among others, also solved problems related to the development of cannon artillery. In the late 60s and early 70s, she began work on the creation of a new artillery system with an increased firing range and ammunition for it.

With the exception of the large volume of the charging chamber, deeper rifling of increased steepness and an elongated barrel, the rest of the design of the projected gun was traditional. The developed projectile had no analogues.

It was assumed that the projectile improved aerodynamic shape will have an initial speed of 800 m / s or more, and a length of 6 kb. There is practically no cylindrical part in it, instead of a centering thickening, centering protrusions are made, the shape of the leading belt has been changed, which has increased strength. According to experts, such design improvements make it possible to reduce air resistance and, consequently, increase the firing range by 12-15 percent. To reduce bottom suction, bottom recesses can be used, which provides an increase in the firing range by another 5-8 percent. (projectile ERFB). The use of a bottom gas generator makes it possible to practically eliminate bottom suction and increase the firing range by about 15 percent. (projectile ERFB-BB). In the optimal variant, the total gain in increasing the firing range is 25-30 percent, but for this it is necessary to increase the barrel length to at least 45 klb. Otherwise, it is not possible to obtain a significant increment initial speed projectile.

The main disadvantages of such projectiles include a decrease in barrel survivability and certain restrictions on the type of ammunition used due to an increase in overloads in the bore. Currently, high-explosive fragmentation and cluster shells of improved aerodynamic shape are used.

Initially, all work was carried out in Canada. However, in the early 1980s, due to serious problems mainly connected with the violation of the embargo on the supply of South African military products, the corporation announced its self-dissolution, but in 1982 it was restored in Belgium. Around the same period, a series of active consultations began with the main manufacturers of artillery products, as a result of which the corporation's branches appeared in South Africa, Switzerland, Spain, Chile and some other countries. As for the new gun, two samples of towed howitzers were assembled in Canada, components for the rest were supplied to the enterprises of the Austrian corporation NORICUM, where they were finally assembled. The towed 155-mm howitzer cannon, named GC-45, had a 45 klb barrel, providing a maximum firing range of ERFB-BB projectiles up to 39 km.

Despite the fact that the created 155-mm towed howitzer gun (BPG) was a fairly successful system, experts from a number of countries believed that some improvements would be required for large-scale production. The sample presented by the corporation did not meet all European standards for towed artillery systems and was not perfect in terms of ergonomic requirements. In total, only 12 GC-45 BPGs were produced, after which it was decided to consider it as the base model when creating new 155-mm guns with an increased firing range. Practical experience corporation was later used by specialists from Austria, South Africa, Spain, China and some other countries.

In this article, the reader is offered both existing artillery systems with an increased barrel length (45 klb and more), and those that in the near future (two or three years) may appear in the armament of the ground forces of various states under certain conditions.

Austria. The 155 mm GH N-45 towed gun-howitzer was produced by the Austrian company West-Alpin AG (later NORICUM) from 1979 to 1990. At different times, such countries as Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Thailand acted as customers of these products. The last deliveries were made in 1990 to Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian company ENGESA bought a license for the production of GH N-45 in the early 90s, so in the future it is possible that this system will appear in the ground forces of Brazil and some other countries. The BPG received a fairly high rating when used in the Iran-Iraq war and in the fighting of the Iraqi armed forces in the Persian Gulf. It is a significantly improved version of the 155 mm GC-45 artillery system. In particular, the lower machine was reconstructed (strength increased and weight reduced), additional base plates were added, a new rammer and a lightweight balancing mechanism were used, the dimensions were somewhat changed.

The barrel of the gun is made of high-strength steel obtained by electroslag cleaning, autofretted (autofrettage is a process of strengthening the inner walls of the barrel by creating residual stresses), has a length of 45 klb. It is possible to fire all standard NATO ammunition. The maximum firing range of ERFB-BB projectiles reaches 39.6 km. Barrel survivability 1500 shots on full charges. The median deviations of dispersion during firing at the maximum range are 0.35 percent. in range and 0.007 in direction.

The piston gun breech is equipped with semi-automatics, which allows firing at a rate of fire of 6-7 rounds per minute for 15 minutes at all elevation angles. According to the developers, when firing at the maximum range with the maximum rate of fire, it is possible to fire about ten shots before the first projectile reaches the target. Normal rate of fire 2 rds / min.

The maximum towing speed of the GHN-45 gun-howitzer is about 90 km/h on asphalt roads, 50 km/h on dirt roads and 15 km/h on sand. For towing, a 10-ton vehicle with a 6x6 wheel arrangement is used.

In addition to the traditional towed version, Austrian specialists have developed a sample equipped with an auxiliary power unit with wheel drive. R as it is a four-cylinder Porsche engine with a power of 125 hp, mounted in front of the lower machine. The design of the gun provides for the possibility of using the power plant for the operation of vertical and horizontal aiming mechanisms, lowering the main and auxiliary base plates, as well as a mechanism for supplying ammunition to the charging tray. Motion control can be carried out both from a special remote control placed directly on the sample, and from the cab of a towing vehicle. When overcoming difficult terrain, in addition to the undercarriage of the vehicle, the undercarriage of the howitzer gun, powered by its own power plant, can be used.

Thanks to the presence of an auxiliary engine, the time for transferring the gun from traveling to combat position and back was significantly reduced, the procedure for this operation itself was simplified (if necessary, two crew numbers can be dispensed with), it also became possible to quickly change firing positions on its own. The maximum speed of movement is 35 km / h, the cruising range for fuel is 150 km in terms of movement on asphalt roads and 100 km - on rough terrain.

Israel. The Israeli company "Soltam", using the 155-mm towed gun-howitzer of its own design as the base model, in the early 80s introduced a new 155-mm artillery towed howitzer mod. Main Feature system in comparison with the samples previously developed by the Israeli company Soltam is the use of an autofretted monoblock barrel 45 klb long with an ejector device, which allows firing projectiles of improved aerodynamic shape at a maximum range of up to 39.6 km.

When creating the sample, the carriage of the previously developed M-71 towed howitzer was used, some changes were made to the design of which made it possible to install an 80 hp diesel engine on the left frame. With. air-cooled, providing autonomous movement of the sample at distances up to 70 km at a speed of 8-17 km/h. The four main wheels are hydraulically steerable. In addition, the auxiliary power unit is used to remove the implement from the wheels and install it on the support platform, connect the beds to the tractor, spread the beds, raise the coulters, control the lifting crane and feed the projectiles.

Although under normal conditions all these operations are carried out from the auxiliary power unit, if necessary, the drive can be carried out from a separate hydraulic electric pump, which is powered by two 12- volt battery recharged from the auxiliary power unit. In emergency situations, a manual hydraulic pump can be used to control these operations.

Otherwise, the design of the sample is largely traditional for systems of this class. At the beginning of 1994, BG mod.845R was in serial production.

In the early 1990s, the Soltam company introduced two new self-propelled 155 mm cannon artillery systems, which use a 45 klb barrel, which provides a maximum firing range of up to 39.6 km.

Self-propelled howitzer "Raskel" (Fig. 1), according to a number of foreign experts, was developed with the aim of exporting to countries in which the use of fairly heavy and bulky 155-mm artillery systems for a number of reasons (geographical conditions, lack of a well-developed road network and etc.) is not possible.

When creating the sample, it was decided to dispense with the turret or casemate installation of the main armament and return to the design variant of the American M107 and M110 self-propelled systems. At the same time, the overall level of security decreased, but in the end the howitzer turned out to be the lightest (20 tons) and the smallest of the existing 155-mm self-propelled systems.

The second sample of the howitzer - "Slammer" (Fig. 2) - was developed on the basis of a modified chassis of the main tank "Merkava" (Israel) with the installation of an artillery unit in a fully armored turret. The barrel and recoil devices are identical to those used in the mod.845R towed howitzer. Wedge-type shutter, with semi-automatic (it is possible to automatic feeding ignition tubes).

Due to the presence of an automatic loader for shells (the charge is supplied manually), the maximum rate of fire is 9 rds / min (the first three shots - in 15 s). To perform all operations, only two crew members are required, all systems have manual duplication, providing a rate of fire of 4 rds / min with three crew members. Ammunition capacity is 75 rounds (all types of 155 mm shells can be used). "Slammer" is equipped with a complex of electronic data processing equipment for controlling the loading process and performing navigational tasks, and protection against weapons of mass destruction is provided. According to the developers, if necessary, a 45-klb barrel can be replaced with a 52-klb barrel.

The final decision on the start of mass production depends on which howitzer (Slammer or the modernized version of the American M109) will be preferred, but in any case, there is a significant superiority of the first sample.

Saltam specialists propose to use the artillery part of the system, the automatic loader for the modernization of obsolete SG M44, M109A2 and A3 of American design.

Iraq. The industry created two self-propelled artillery systems with increased ballistics: the 155-mm self-propelled gun "Mainun" (Fig. 3) and the 210-mm self-propelled gun "El Fao". A feature of both systems is the use of a wheeled chassis (6 x 6) as a running gear. At the time of the creation of the sample, this was the third case of abandoning the tracked base for artillery systems of this class (the first two were the Czechoslovak 152-mm Dana SG and the South African 155-mm G-6 LNG). The 210-mm self-propelled gun is the only gun of this caliber in the world (Russian artillery systems are not considered), the development of which was dictated by the need to create an artillery system that is significantly superior in firepower to the 175-mm SP M107, which is in service with the Iranian ground forces. For the first time, both samples were shown at an exhibition of weapons in Baghdad in May 1989.

Some foreign experts claim that, in addition to the Space Research Corporation, Spanish specialists who worked on the assembly of the undercarriage and French designers took part in the creation of new systems, whose responsibility included a range of issues related to the problems of production of the guns themselves.

According to Western observers, Iraq did not use these artillery pieces during the military crisis in the Persian Gulf. While there is no information about the mass production of new systems. Some foreign experts believe that all further work in this area is frozen.

Both samples have identical chassis, the driver's seat is moved far forward, the propulsion system is located behind him (a Mercedes-Benz diesel engine with a power of 560 hp is used). Such a layout scheme provides a fairly wide field of view when controlling self-propelled guns. The driver's compartment is isolated from the combat one, where the main crew is located.

The turret is mounted at the rear of the hull, two access hatches are located on the left and right, one large hatch for loading ammunition is located in the rear of the turret. For the emergency exit of the crew, two small hatches are provided in the lower part of the hull. The self-propelled howitzer uses tires of type 21.00 XR25, there is also equipment for automatically maintaining the necessary pressure in them. Additional stabilization of samples with base plates or auxiliary coulters, according to the developers, is not needed.

Both howitzers differ from each other mainly in the artillery unit. The Mainun system has a 155 mm barrel with a length of 52 klb, equipped with an ejector device and a transverse slotted muzzle brake, while the main armament of the El Fao system uses a 210 mm gun with a barrel length of 53 klb, also equipped with an ejector device and a two-chamber single-row window muzzle brake. In both cases, the sight for direct fire is located to the left of the gun.

Both samples were designed to fire ERFB and ERFB-BB projectiles (155 mm caliber), which have been used in the Iraqi ground forces for a long period as the basis of the ammunition load for the GH N-45 and G-5 towed howitzer guns. The performance characteristics of the howitzers "Mainun" and "El Fao" are given in the table.

Comparative characteristics of howitzers "Mainun" and "El Fao"

Most interesting page The activities of the Space Research Corporation is the history of the unfinished project "Big Babylon" - the creation of a supergun, with which it was originally supposed to shell the territory of Iran, and then Israeli cities. The author of the project was J. Bull. The length of the gun should be 160 m, and the caliber should be about 350 mm. Thus, after almost 30 years, J. Bull tried to complete the work begun in the early 60s as part of the HARP project. According to foreign experts, the main problems of creating a superweapon have been resolved. One could only argue about its expediency, but the ultimate feasibility of the project was beyond doubt. During the Persian Gulf War, the anti-Iraqi coalition forces discovered an unfinished model of a supergun 200 km from Baghdad. Apparently, Iraq did not have enough time or money to complete the work.

Spain. In 1985, the Spanish company SITEXA, with the active participation of the Space Research Corporation, began developing its own 155-mm artillery system with a barrel length of 45 klb. Firms from Austria, China, France and Yugoslavia were also involved in the research to a greater or lesser extent. A sample was developed, which received the name 155-mm towed gun-howitzer 155/45 ST (Fig. 4), which was supposed to be used either in the classic towed version or with an auxiliary power unit.

This system is seen as a much improved modification of the 155mm BPG GC-45. When creating a sample, the developers proceeded from the requirement to introduce the latest technologies into the design of the system, which at the same time should be as simple as possible. Compared to its analogue (GC-45), the number of components has been reduced by 30 percent.

The technological process of barrel production was significantly improved, autofrettation was carried out mechanically, uncharacteristic for Western-developed artillery systems. In addition, it was decided to abandon the traditional rifling of constant steepness and use the Soviet practice of progressive rifling (the depth of the rifling in this case is 1.6 mm, which is slightly more than that of the 155-mm gun barrels of NATO countries). Taking into account the use of new propellant charges designed specifically for the gun being created, the survivability of the barrel when firing at the maximum range increased to 3000-4000 shots.

The new 155 mm autofrettated 45 klb barrel allows firing both ERFB-BB improved aerodynamic shells and standard NATO ammunition. The maximum range when firing a high-explosive fragmentation projectile is 24 km, with an ERFB projectile - 30 km, ERFB-BB - 39.6 km.

Options for using two types of valves were studied: piston and wedge. On this moment Preference is given to a wedge-shaped breech with case obturation, similar to that used on the Soviet-designed 130 mm M46 towed gun and its licensed variants. According to experts, piston-type closures used on such 155-mm towed artillery systems as the FH-70, GC-45 and some others are less reliable when operating in adverse climatic conditions. As a basis for this statement, the experience of using artillery systems with both one and another type of shutters during the conduct of hostilities between Iran and Iraq was considered. Subsequently, as possible option a gun with a bayonet-type piston breech was offered, if the customer for some reason is not satisfied with the wedge breech. The carriage design has also undergone certain changes, which mostly affected the upper machine. In particular, the balancing mechanism was replaced, due to which the torque on the flywheel of the hoist drive was significantly reduced. New recoil devices were developed, it is possible to change the length of the rollback depending on the elevation angle of the gun.

On the new gun and the rear of the cradle, a pneumatic-type ramming mechanism is installed, similar to that used in the 155-mm self-propelled howitzer M109A2 / AZ of American design, and the cylinder compressed air attached to the left side. The maximum rate of fire is 5 rds/min for the first 60 seconds of firing and 2 rds/min for extended periods of time.

When modernizing the lower machine, additional openers were installed to better stabilize the gun when firing from loose soil (sand), the design of the swivel mechanism was improved, and thanks to the installation of an auxiliary hydraulic drive, the procedure for expanding the beds was facilitated, which ultimately reduced the time to transfer from traveling to combat ( up to 4 min) and somewhat improved the ergonomics of the process.

After creating a prototype of the 155-mm BPG 155/45 ST, SITEXA specialists, as a separate development, proposed a variant of a new carriage for 155-mm artillery systems, on which it is possible to mount new recoil devices and barrels in the following versions: 39 klb long with a charging chamber volume of 18 l; 45 or 52 klb with a charging chamber volume of 23 l; 50 klb with a charging chamber volume of 32 l; piston valve with semi-automatic.

According to the developers, the time required to replace the barrel in the field with three people does not exceed 60 minutes. In order to rebuild the recoil devices for normal operation with a new barrel, no more than 5 minutes are required.

The design of the 155-mm BPG carriage provides, if necessary, for the installation of an auxiliary power unit (air-cooled diesel engine with a power of 125 kW) in front of the lower machine tool. In this case, according to SITEXA specialists, the sample will be able to move at a maximum speed of 35 km/h and overcome slopes up to 40°. In addition, the processes of spreading and bringing together the beds, as well as lowering the support platform, are mechanized.

Currently, SITEXA is working on the creation of a 203.2 mm towed system using a 155 mm BPG 155/45 ST carriage. At the same time, the developers are not embarrassed by the fact that the United States and most other NATO countries consider 203.2-mm guns as unpromising and are pursuing a policy of gradually withdrawing them from service.

It is assumed that the firing range of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with a mass of about 88 kg using a 45 klb barrel will be 40 km, and for a projectile of optimal aerodynamic shape with a bottom gas generator - 50 km.

At the beginning of 1993, three experimental samples were created, one of which is described as a mechanized system capable of using wheeled and tracked carriage types.

(Ending to follow)

Senior Lieutenant M. Kurylev

"Foreign military review" No. 3 1994