155 mm shells, like the artillery caliber of the same name, are among the most popular in the world. They are produced by a variety of countries, many of which, keeping up with the times, have made these ammunition adjustable. Introducing a version of the top 5 most successful 155mm projectiles in terms of efficiency.
Since the late 20th century, most NATO armies have adopted 155mm weapons as the universal standard. The 155mm is a compromise between range and destructive power, and using only one caliber simplifies logistics. It is in this caliber that the M109 howitzer is made - the most common indirect support weapon in Western countries. In addition, the relatively low velocity of the initial shot makes it possible to increase the survivability of the electronic filling in guided projectiles.
Krasnopol: laser-guided missiles
Krasnopol M1 and M2 are modifications of the Russian guided artillery shell for 155-mm NATO standard. The design of the projectile uses semi-active guidance to a target illuminated by a laser. The bottom gas generator made it possible to reduce the length of the projectile.
Laser guidance has a number of tactical disadvantages: the gunner must constantly "highlight" the target throughout the entire shot; bad weather and terrain conditions can make it difficult to hold the target; hitting moving targets can also be problematic as they can go beyond line of sight. In addition, armored vehicles are now equipped with equipment that allows you to determine whether an object is in the radiation zone of laser observation devices.
Nevertheless, shells of this type were successfully used in battle by both India (Krasnopol) and the United States (Copperhead).
The maximum firing range of the Krasnopol is 25 km. Compared to the Excalibur, the range is almost twice as low. However, due to the possibility of laser guidance, the ammunition is capable of striking both stationary and mobile targets. For overseas deliveries, the DHY307 laser targeting system, developed in France, was used. The undoubted advantage of Krasnopol is the price, which is almost two times lower than the cost of the American-Swedish shell.
The projectile was supplied to various countries, including the aforementioned India, and the People's Republic of China, and the production of ammunition under license was also established in China.
Krasnopol also includes two Chinese shells GP1 and GP6, the production of which on the basis of the Russian design was established by the Chinese Norinco. The GP1 has a maximum range of 20 km (GP6-25 km) and a claimed 90% hit probability at maximum range. The use of these shells was recorded in Libya.
M982 Excalibur: GPS-guided corrected projectiles
The M982 Excalibur is perhaps one of the most famous guided missiles in the world. Ammunition development began in 1992. The projectile is manufactured by Raytheon Missile Systems and BAE Systems Bofors, in addition to the United States, Sweden actively participated in the development. Thanks to the special design, which uses a bottom gas generator, the Excalibur's firing range can reach 60 km.
The projectile uses a combined control system (satellite GPS and inertial). Combined warhead. Initially, the cost of the projectile was excessively high, about $ 258,000 per unit. However, then, by about 2016, the cost was reduced to 63 thousand.for one shell. The projectile shows a high level of accuracy - already at the initial stage of application, in 92% of cases at a distance of 40 km, the maximum deviation did not exceed 4 meters. At the moment, the development of the fifth version of this ammunition is underway: it is intended for naval artillery guns. However, its GPS guidance is now being labeled as a flaw - following claims that "the Russians are violating GPS signals."
TopGun: conversion modules for standard 155-mm shells
Top Gun corrected projectiles (top photo in the material), manufactured by the Israeli company IAI, in fact, are not projectiles, and this is their plus and minus. This is a conversion kit that can convert any NATO-standard 155mm projectile into a spot-on ammunition relatively cheaply. Works on the GPS principle. Thanks to this, the KVO of the projectile is less than 10 meters.
Top Gun has been in development since about 2010. Conversion kits with a control unit cost from $ 20,000 per unit, which is significantly lower than the cost of most corrected ammunition. The module is screwed on instead of the fuse, therefore it also performs its functions. Small retractable handlebars are mounted in the TopGun design. They are controlled by miniature avionics built into the module.
Avionics accurately calculates the position of the projectile in space and plans the optimal course to accurately hit the projectile on the target. The target coordinates are set in the module in advance, i.e. before the shot.
HE-ER Nammo 155 mm: improved standard rounds
The improvement of conventional unguided 155-mm artillery shells also plays an important role. The new projectile of the Norwegian company Nammo, due to a different, more streamlined shape and modern processing methods at a distance of 20 km, was able to reduce the deviation from the target from +/- 80 m to +/- 30 m.
In addition to increased accuracy, the HE-ER projectile also has an improved fragmentation effect against a wide range of targets on the battlefield. It has a modular design, equipped with a screw-on replaceable block that allows you to change the range of distances at which the projectile can be fired.
Bofors 155mm BONUS / SMArt 155: homing shells for heavy armored vehicle destruction
155mm BONUS - 155mm artillery shell co-ordinated by Bofors from Sweden and Nexter from France. It is designed for indirect long-range destruction of armored vehicles. The basic BONUS projectile contains two submunitions that descend over the battlefield in winglets and attack programmed targets over an area of up to 32,000 square meters.
As it descends, the submunition rotates, scanning the area using multi-frequency infrared sensors that compare the detected vehicles to a programmable target database. Each of the submunitions contains a highly penetrating warhead capable of destroying heavy armored vehicles, including tanks. The ammunition also has a design that increases its range to 35 kilometers.
BONUS is currently in use in several countries, including Finland, France, Norway and Sweden, and the US is preparing to purchase this ammunition.
The German SMArt 155 has a similar device. Its main difference is that it descends by parachute, and does not plan on the winglet system. In addition to the Bundeswehr, the armies of Switzerland, Greece and Australia also have it in their arsenal.
