The MT-12 100-mm anti-tank gun (ind. GRAU - 2A29, in some sources referred to as "Rapier") is a towed anti-tank gun developed in the late 1960s in the USSR. Serial production began in the 1970s. This anti-tank gun is a modernization of the T-12 (ind. GRAU - 2A19). The modernization consisted of placing a gun on a new carriage.
An anti-tank gun is a type of artillery weapon designed to destroy enemy armored vehicles. As a rule, this is a long-barreled gun with a significant initial projectile velocity. In most cases, firing from such a weapon is direct fire. When developing anti-tank weapons, special attention is paid to minimizing its size and weight. This should make it easier to camouflage the gun on the ground and transport it.
This article will talk about the MT-12 anti-tank gun, which entered service in the early 1970s.
The development of anti-tank guns as a type of artillery weapon took place at the end of the 1930s. The main impetus for the intensive development of this weapon was the increasing role of armored vehicles on the battlefield. By the beginning of the Second World War, the main anti-tank weapon was a 45-millimeter cannon, also known as the "forty-five". At the initial stage of the war, she successfully fought the tanks of the Wehrmacht. Over time, the armor of German tanks increased, and this required more powerful anti-tank guns. This could be achieved by increasing their caliber. The main factor in the development of anti-tank weapons is the opposition of armor and projectile.
After the end of the war, the development of anti-tank guns did not stop. Artillery designers offered various options. They experimented with both the artillery unit and the gun carriage. For example, a motorcycle engine was installed on the carriage of the D-44 cannon. Thus, the speed of self-propulsion of the gun at 25 kilometers per hour was ensured. With regard to the caliber of anti-tank guns, by the mid-1950s, it reached 85 mm.
In the mid-1960s, the development of barrel artillery slowed down somewhat. The reason for this was the rapid development of missile weapons. The troops practically ceased to receive new barreled weapons, while missiles were becoming more widespread. For example, ATGM systems (anti-tank guided missile) entered service with the Soviet army.
It is not known how the history of the development of anti-tank guns would have turned if the designers had not applied one technical innovation to the creation of guns. Until a certain time, the barrels of anti-tank guns had rifling. The grooves impart rotation to the projectile, thereby ensuring its stable flight. In 1961, the T-12 cannon was adopted. The barrel of this gun has no rifling - it is a smoothbore gun. The stability of the projectile is achieved by the stabilizers that open in flight. This innovation made it possible to increase the caliber up to 100 mm. The muzzle velocity has also increased. In addition, a non-rotating projectile is more suitable for a shaped charge. In the future, smooth-bore guns began to be used to fire not only shells but also guided missiles.
The T-12 cannon project was developed at the design bureau of the Yurginskiy machine-building plant. The work was supervised by V. Ya. Afanasyev. and Korneev L. V. For the new gun, a double-sided carriage and a barrel from an 85-mm rifled anti-tank gun D-48 were used. The barrel of the T-12 differed from the D-48 only in a 100-mm smooth-walled monoblock tube and a muzzle brake. Channel T-12 consisted of a chamber and a smooth-walled cylindrical guide part. The chamber was formed by two long and one short cones.
In the late 1960s, an improved carriage was developed for the cannon. Work on the new carriage began in connection with the transition to a new tractor with high speed. The upgraded gun was designated MT-12. Serial production of this anti-tank gun began in 1970. The shells included in the ammunition capacity made it possible to hit modern tanks at that time - the American M-60, the German Leopard-1.
The MT-12 anti-tank gun is also known as the Rapier. The gun carriage has a torsion bar suspension that locks to ensure stability when firing. In the course of modernization, the length of the suspension stroke was increased, for which it was necessary to introduce hydraulic brakes for the first time in artillery. Also, during the modernization, they returned to the spring balancing mechanism, since the hydraulic balancing mechanism at various elevation angles needed constant adjustment of the compensator. The wheels were borrowed from the ZIL-150 truck.
The smooth barrel (length 61 caliber) is made in the form of a monoblock tube assembled with a muzzle brake, clip and breech.
The tractor is MT-L (light multipurpose conveyor) or MT-LB (armored version of the conveyor). This transporter was very widespread in the Soviet army. On its basis, self-propelled gun mounts and missiles were created. The caterpillar track provides the conveyor with excellent cross-country ability. The tractor is capable of towing the MT-12 anti-tank gun at a maximum speed of 60 km / h. The power reserve of this conveyor is 500 km. The calculation of the implement during transportation is placed inside the machine. During the march, the gun is covered with canvas covers that protect the gun from dust, dirt, snow and rain.
The time to transfer the anti-tank gun from the traveling position to the combat position is no more than 1 minute. Upon arrival at the position, the artillerymen remove the covers and open the beds. With the raised beds, the tool has greater stability. After that, the lower armor shield is lowered. The shield cover protects the crew and mechanisms from being hit by shrapnel and bullets. The calculation opens viewing windows in the shield and mounts sighting devices.
When firing direct fire in sunny weather or when shooting against the sun, the OP4M-40U sight is additionally equipped with a special light filter. The APN-6-40 night sight, which the gun can be equipped with, increases the combat qualities of the gun. For shooting in adverse weather conditions, a version of the weapon with a radar sight was developed.
The crew of the anti-tank gun includes: the commander in charge of the operations of the crew; gunner using flywheels for guidance; charging.
The shot is fired by pressing the trigger or using a cable (remotely). The shutter of the wedge-type tool, semi-automatic. When preparing for a shot, the loader only needs to send a projectile into the chamber. Before the first shot, the shutter is opened manually. After the shot, the cartridge case is automatically ejected.
To reduce the recoil energy, the barrel of the gun was equipped with a muzzle brake. Because of its rather interesting shape, the muzzle brake has received the nickname "salt shaker". At the moment a shot is fired, a bright flame bursts out of the muzzle brake.
The MT-12 cannon ammunition consists of several types of ammunition. Armor-piercing projectiles are used to destroy tanks, self-propelled guns and other armored targets. Direct fire range - 1880 m. A shot with a cumulative fragmentation projectile, as a rule, is used for direct fire at targets with powerful armor protection. Manpower, firing points, field structures of an engineering type are destroyed with the help of high-explosive fragmentation shells. When a special targeting device is installed on the gun, shots with an anti-tank missile can be used. The missile is controlled by a laser beam. The maximum firing range is 4000 m. The casings are reusable. After firing a shot, they are placed in special containers and sent for repair.
The MT-12 anti-tank gun is capable of firing not only direct fire, but also from closed positions. For this, the gun is equipped with a S71-40 sight with a PG-1M panorama.
The MT-12 anti-tank gun has been in service for over 40 years.
Tactical and technical characteristics:
Caliber - 100 mm.
The muzzle velocity of the sub-caliber projectile is 1575 m / s.
Weight - 3100 kg.
The vertical guidance angle is from –6 to +20 degrees.
The horizontal guidance angle is 54 degrees.
Rate of fire - 6 rounds per minute.
The greatest firing range is 8200 m.
Prepared based on materials:
gods-of-war.pp.ua
militaryrussia.ru
www.russiapost.su
zw-observer.narod.ru
