The Chinese defense industry has completed the development of a new self-propelled artillery unit and built a prototype. In the near future, a promising self-propelled gun is planned to be presented at the AirShow China 2018 military-technical exhibition, which will be held in November in Zhuhai. It is reported that a promising sample on a wheeled chassis was named SH11. At the same time, a few weeks before the first official show, certain materials on the new project, as well as photographs of the prototype, became public.
The first information about a promising project appeared at the very end of September. One of the specialized Chinese resources published a short note and several photos from the assembly shop of the NORINCO corporation. It was reported that the company is completing the assembly of a prototype of a promising self-propelled artillery unit carrying a 155-mm gun. A sample called SH11 is planned to be shown at a future military-technical exhibition in Zhuhai. The few published photographs made it possible to understand the main features of the new ACS.
Experienced self-propelled gun SH11 dj turret installation time
A few days later, the Jane's news agency, citing Chinese sources, clarified some of the features and characteristics of the project. So, the self-propelled gun is built on the basis of the 8x8 "Type 08" wheeled chassis, also known under the designations ZBL-08 and VN-1. It is proposed to mount a completely new inhabited tower on it. At the same time, the fighting compartment is said to have an increased level of automation. The combat weight of such a vehicle reaches 36 tons. The crew consists of 3 people.
A little later, a new photograph of a promising sample appeared. The finished car was captured, probably at a training ground, against the backdrop of nature. In the new photo, it was possible to notice that over the past time, the prototype received some of the necessary units, and was also painted. At the same time, there were no significant changes in the architecture, for obvious reasons.
The international military-technical exhibition AirShow China 2018 will open on November 6 and will run for several days. During this event, the NORINCO Corporation, as always, will show a number of already known and completely new designs. A promising ACS at a future exhibition will act as a new development, which, nevertheless, is already known to specialists and the public. It is expected that at the exhibition in Zhuhai, the development organization will reveal the main features of the project and the technical characteristics of the finished sample.
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According to the published data, the basis for the promising SH11 self-propelled artillery mount was the wheeled chassis of the Type 08 infantry fighting vehicle. Apparently, the equipment necessary for the transport of personnel is being removed from the standard armored corps, and new equipment is being placed instead. In addition, it is necessary to modify the roof, providing for the installation of a larger shoulder strap. Despite this restructuring, the overall chassis layout remains the same. The engine compartment remains at the front of the hull, with a control compartment next to it. All other volumes are now given to equip the fighting compartment.
The chassis body has a shape characteristic of today's wheeled armored vehicles. The frontal projection is formed by several inclined armor plates of different sizes, which provide protection against bullets and shrapnel, as well as small-caliber projectiles. The side part of the hull is made in the form of box-shaped units over large wheel arches, separated by boxes for spare parts and equipment. A large horizontal roof area simplifies the installation of a large combat module. A large hatch remains in the vertical stern sheet, which can be used to load ammunition.
The chassis of the future prototype during rework
In the basic configuration, the VN-1 BMP is equipped with a Deutz BF6M1015C diesel engine with a power of 440 hp. Which motor is used on the heavier ACS is unknown. A mechanical transmission distributes the torque to all eight drive wheels. The transmission for the SH11 has been slightly tweaked. The self-propelled gun cannot float and therefore is not equipped with stern water cannons, which made it possible to remove the corresponding power supply means.
The chassis has a four-axle undercarriage with individual suspension of large diameter wheels. The suspension uses torsion bars and spring dampers. It can be assumed that when the chassis is rebuilt into a turret carrier with a gun, the suspension undergoes some changes and increases in accordance with the increase in loads. However, the exact data on this matter has not yet appeared.
Even if the undercarriage is strengthened due to the use of a heavier turret, its strength is insufficient for firing from wheels. Before starting shooting, it is proposed to hang the car on four jacks. A pair of such devices is placed between the second and third axles of the chassis, another one - at the level of the rear hull sheet.
A completely new turret with an installation for a 155-mm gun was developed especially for the promising self-propelled gun. Apparently, this tower is made in the form of a combat module with all the necessary devices, suitable for installation on any compatible platform. In this case, the latter, in addition to the tower, must carry some other devices necessary to ensure the operation of the gun. In particular, part of the transportable ammunition can be located inside the body of the base chassis.
The published photos show that the new tower is being built on the basis of an armored hull of a relatively large size and a relatively complex shape. In terms of armor, the new turret probably does not differ from the used hull and provides protection against bullets and shrapnel. It can be assumed that the front of the turret accommodates the gun mount and crew seats, while other volumes are given for various instruments and ammunition.
New tower
A 155-mm rifled howitzer with a barrel of 39 calibers is mounted in the turret of the new ACS. It can be assumed that this product was created on the basis of one of the existing developments used in other self-propelled complexes. The barrel of the gun is equipped with a developed slot-type muzzle brake and
ejector. To reduce the negative impact on chassis with limited performance, advanced recoil devices are used. Their large cylinders protrude beyond the fighting compartment and are protected by a rectangular casing. In the stowed position, the barrel is fixed on a folding holding device.
From the published data, it follows that the guidance of the gun in two planes is carried out using remotely controlled drives controlled by the fire control system. The permissible aiming angles are still unknown, but there is reason to believe that the chassis design in a certain way limits the horizontal firing sector. At the same time, shooting with large elevation angles along hanging trajectories is possible.
In the well-known reports about the SH11 project, the presence of an automatic loader is mentioned, which provides preparation for a shot. Thus, the shots of separate loading should be in the aft mechanized stacking and fed to the gun using automatic equipment. Perhaps the automatic loader allows you to work with variable charges. One way or another, such devices drastically reduce the workload on the crew.
The composition of the fire control system has not yet been specified, but it most likely corresponds to current trends. So, it is proposed to install two blocks of optoelectronic devices on the roof of the tower. One of them should be used by the gunner, the other by the commander. In this case, the commander has a full-fledged panoramic sight. All of these devices are connected to electronic control panels at the work stations in the tower. The consoles must ensure the processing of all incoming data and calculate various parameters. The composition of the onboard equipment will allow the self-propelled gun to fire direct fire or shoot from closed positions.
The auxiliary armament of the new type of self-propelled guns is quite simple. An open mount with a large-caliber machine gun is mounted on the roof of the tower. On the frontal plates of the tower, two rows of smoke grenade launchers are provided, aimed at the front hemisphere. It is also possible to transport the crew's personal weapons in the fighting compartment.
Ready SH11 prototype at the proving ground
Thanks to automated systems for various purposes, the designers from NORINCO managed to reduce the crew to three people. The first one is the driver and is located at the front of the hull. Above its place, a hinged glazed hatch cover is provided. For greater driving comfort, the driver has a pair of rear-view mirrors with a distinctive exterior.
Only the gunner (probably on the right) and the commander (on the left) are in the turret. Above their places are their own hatches. In addition, access to the tower is provided by a pair of large side hatches. Also, the fighting compartment can be accessed through the aft landing gear hatch. It has been retained and is likely to be used for loading ammunition or when feeding ammunition from the ground.
A promising self-propelled gun is seriously different from the base BMP in terms of size and weight. So, the length of the vehicle due to the protruding gun should increase from the original 8 m to 9-10 m. The width may remain the same, at the level of 3 m. The new tower can bring the height of the ACS to 3-3, 2 m, taking into account all devices on her roof. The declared combat weight reaches 36 tons - 10-12 tons more than that of older modifications and vehicles based on the BMP "Type 08".
The existing wheeled infantry fighting vehicle is capable of speeds up to 100 km / h. A significant increase in mass in the new project should significantly reduce mobility. The maximum speed of the SH11 can be tens of kilometers per hour lower than that of the base model. In addition, a certain decrease in cross-country ability should be expected. Finally, a heavy self-propelled gun cannot swim.
The combat characteristics of the self-propelled guns are still unknown. The new 155-mm howitzer complies with the existing Chinese standards, and therefore should be able to use all the rounds of the corresponding caliber in service. The barrel length suggests that the firing range of a conventional projectile can reach 15-20 km. When using an active-rocket projectile, an increase in the range of several kilometers should be expected. In addition, an increase in combat effectiveness can be achieved with the help of corrected projectiles.
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According to the latest data, the NORINCO corporation has already built a prototype of a new self-propelled artillery installation and should soon bring it to testing. In addition, the first public demonstration of this product will take place in a matter of weeks. At the upcoming AirShow China 2018, the SH11 ACS will be shown to domestic and foreign visitors for the first time. Perhaps it is after the upcoming exhibition that the prototype will be sent for full tests, during which it will be able to show its capabilities.
Equipment of the tower close-up. The panoramic sight of the commander is clearly visible
The prospects for the new project are still unknown. Not too much information has been published, and therefore the future of the SH11 ACS is difficult to predict. At the same time, you can make some assumptions. First of all, there is reason to believe that the new self-propelled gun will be able to interest the People's Liberation Army of China. She already has several wheeled self-propelled guns of different types in service, but she does not yet have 155 mm caliber systems. Perhaps the promising SH11 machine will occupy the remaining niche, as a result of which the Chinese artillery troops will be able to use a full fleet of wheeled and tracked vehicles with different types of howitzers. Ground artillery will become a more flexible tool capable of solving all assigned tasks.
The use of the Type 08 / ZBL-08 / VN-1 chassis can be a kind of hint. This wheeled infantry fighting vehicle and some samples based on it are offered to foreign customers. Thus, the SH11 ACS has every chance of becoming an export model. Moreover, this project could initially be created for the sale of equipment abroad. An indirect confirmation of this version may be the fact of the publication of data on the self-propelled gun before the official display. China usually does not show ahead of time new samples intended for its own army.
The available information about the NORINCO SH11 self-propelled gun project allows you to draw up an approximate picture, but does not provide answers to a number of important questions. The purpose of the project, the exact characteristics and combat capabilities of the promising model remain unknown. Fortunately, all this information will be published in the very near future. On November 6, a new AirShow China exhibition starts in Zhuhai, at which an official presentation of a promising ACS will take place. Then the organization-developer will announce all the information of interest. Only a few weeks are left before the official data are published.
