As it became known, the Russian industry is working on the creation of promising ultra-long-range artillery systems. They will be based on the newest self-propelled gun 2S35 "Coalition-SV", and the required characteristics will be provided with special projectiles. According to the domestic press, new types of ammunition will be able to hit targets at ranges of more than 100 km.
Special projectiles
Izvestia reported on the work to create new artillery ammunition on March 5, citing unnamed sources in the defense industry. Provides some technical details and main features of the projects. At the same time, the timing of the completion of work and the arrival of shells for service is not specified.
It is argued that the industry is developing several long-range projectiles at once with different features. While we are talking about design work, but soon it is planned to conduct the first tests of prototypes.
The new shells are made in 152 mm caliber, which will allow them to be used together with modern artillery pieces. They can be used by the promising 2S35 "Coalition-SV" self-propelled guns, the 2S19 "Msta-S" serial self-propelled guns and the 2A65 "Msta-B" towed guns. It is argued that due to such ammunition, the firing range will be increased to 100 km or more.
For comparison, the maximum tabular firing range of the 2S19, depending on the type of shot, reaches 25-30 km. For 2С35, about twice as large numbers were named. The possibility of reaching the level of 70-80 km was also mentioned.
Technical details
Provides some technical information. One of the projects of the ultra-long-range shot provides for the creation of a telescopic ammunition with a ramjet engine. At the same time, such a product by its design as a whole does not correspond to the generally accepted definition of a telescopic projectile.
Telescopic, i.e. the body of the ammunition is sliding - during the flight it must open and increase its size. A ramjet engine is placed in a similar case. The telescopic design of the ammunition allows to improve the main characteristics of the engine in comparison with other configurations, which makes it possible to increase the flight characteristics. To ensure the required accuracy, the projectile is equipped with an unnamed type of control system.
How other ultra-long-range shells are built and look is not reported. It can be assumed that several designs are being worked out at once, allowing to obtain certain advantages. How soon such details of the project will become known is unknown.
Against the background of analogs
It is known that in several foreign countries they are also working on the issue of increasing the range of barreled artillery systems. Various ideas and solutions are proposed and tested in practice to ensure the desired performance increase. Through the use of several approaches, it has already been possible to exceed the range of 70 km, and in the near future, firing at 100 km is expected.
So, in the USA, a towed and self-propelled gun of the ERCA (Extended Range Cannon Artillery) family is being successfully tested. In this project, an increase in the firing range is provided by an increase in the length of the barrel and the use of an active-rocket projectile. The ammunition from the ERCA complex is compatible with the existing self-propelled guns of the M109 family. In their case, a significant increase in range is also achieved.
In different countries, various designs of promising ammunition are being worked out that can contribute to increasing the firing range. First of all, a search is underway for more advanced designs of an active-rocket projectile. Ammunition of the "traditional" type and equipped with a ramjet engine is offered. Some of these products have already been tested and confirm the calculated characteristics.
It is expected that over the next few years, new projects will increase the characteristics of barreled artillery. So, the US army should receive a new modification of the M109 self-propelled guns with a firing range of 40 km, and in the future, fundamentally new systems are expected that hit targets 80-100 km or further.
Domestic specifics
According to the latest reports, Russian and foreign gunsmiths use different approaches. In foreign projects, maximum performance is planned to be obtained through a special development of a full-fledged artillery complex, including a new type of weapon and projectile. Promising Russian projects provide for the use of ready-made guns, possibly with minimal modifications, and fundamentally new ammunition.
Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, but they produce the desired results. The Russian approach has an important advantage in the absence of the need to develop a new weapon and / or self-propelled gun. A promising projectile is created taking into account the requirements of existing weapons. This can lead to some difficulties or limitations, but in general, it provides significant savings in design, manufacture and operation.
Obvious advantages
The complex in the form of an existing weapon, initially capable of using a wide range of 152-mm ammunition for various purposes, and a new ultra-long-range projectile should show high combat qualities and flexibility in solving all major tasks. He must retain the positive features of artillery systems and get new opportunities due to the increased firing range.
Replenishment of the Msta or Coalition-SV ammunition load with a new ultra-long-range projectile will lead to an obvious increase in their combat potential. Divisional artillery will be able to hit targets at a greater depth of enemy defense or work from a greater distance from the line of contact, outside the zone of responsibility of enemy guns. In this regard, the modernized self-propelled guns will be a good addition to the operational-tactical missile systems.
The loss in the power of the ammunition is compensated for by other advantages. Despite the significant increase in the range, the new projectile will be much cheaper than the rocket, the deployment of artillery to the position will continue to be fast, and the projectile flight time will remain at the required level. In addition, the enemy will not be able to reflect the blow by intercepting the incoming projectiles - the technologies required for this are not yet available.
Timing issue
According to the latest news, domestic projects of ultra-long-range artillery shells are still in their early stages, but prototypes are expected to be transferred for testing in the near future. Checking and comparing several designs, as well as choosing and fine-tuning the most successful one, will take some time. This process is likely to take several years.
It can be assumed that, in the absence of serious difficulties, new ammunition will reach adoption by the middle of the decade. By this time, the army artillery will be ready to receive and use them.
In service there are already systems of the "Msta" family. Supplementing their ammunition range is unlikely to be difficult and time-consuming. In fact, to use the new projectiles, only some refinement of the fire control system is required. After such modernization, towed and self-propelled guns will be able to use the potential of fundamentally new ammunition.
Not so long ago it was reported about the readiness of a new batch of ACS 2S35 "Coalition-SV", intended for military trials. These events will last until 2022, after which the launch of serial production is expected. By the mid-twenties, the army will receive sufficient quantities of new equipment. Apparently, ensuring the compatibility of the 2S35 and new ammunition will also not be particularly difficult and will not slow down the introduction of new technologies.
Thus, in the future, the Russian army will be able to receive not only promising self-propelled artillery installations with modern weapons and equipment, but also ammunition with increased characteristics. The introduction of all these products will be carried out gradually and over time, but the result of such measures is already clear. However, in order to obtain the desired results, it is necessary to carry out all the required stages of work. So far, the industry is planning the first tests in the near future, which means that much remains to be done.
