What is artillery today?
Today artillery is a highly complex complex system. Indeed, the process of delivering the right warhead to the target at the right moment and synchronizing the fire with all the other elements present on the battlefield involves more than just firing a cannon. It starts with logistic and technical support, effective systems and methods of observation and target designation, then command, control and communication systems come into play, capable of coordinating firing in a complex space, which the ammunition flies before reaching its goal and, finally, ends with effective, reliable and accurate weapon systems.
At the same time, it is impossible to include all of the above elements in one review without turning it into something akin to a thick multivolume encyclopedia. Not to mention the fact that logistics is an integral part of the military-industrial system, and detection and targeting is entrusted to platforms, which are mostly equipped with sensors that allow them to accurately pinpoint the target and transmit coordinates up the command chain, not to mention about drones, aviation and satellites!
Thus, in this series of articles we will restrict ourselves to handheld binoculars for target acquisition and laser pointers (just a small part), although special radars for artillery are also noteworthy.
The chain of command and control for the most part consists of many complex systems that are closely interconnected, so we will give here only a general description of what is needed today to perform a fire mission in a combined arms battle.
On the other hand, weapons systems and their ammunition form the core of this series of articles. These include self-propelled guns and howitzers (wheeled and tracked), towed guns and howitzers, self-propelled heavy mortars, and towed rifled mortars. The latter are now often referred to as artillery, but as alternative systems. And finally, missile systems close the line.
More range and accuracy
What armies have always demanded from their artillery is long firing ranges and increased accuracy. But today, these two important elements that allow fire from closed positions to maintain their importance should become an integral part of scenarios where minimizing indirect losses is at the forefront and where the full area of responsibility is not always clearly defined. Target striking time is another issue and as highly mobile targets have become the norm, the sensor-to-gun cycle needs to be shortened as much as possible. In other words, the entire chain, from target detection to the final impact of a projectile or warhead on it, has been reduced.
Although some armies, such as the Western ones, have completed the reduction of their artillery arsenals and now have significantly fewer systems on their balance sheet than they did during the Cold War era, other armies intend to make huge investments in this area. Of course, India will become the main potential customer for manufacturers of artillery systems in the coming years. It should be noted that this country will finally be able to complete its long-awaited procurement process. In November 2014, after years of requests for proposals and cancellations, the Indian Ministry of Defense approved the purchase of one of the components of the Artillery Modernization Plan (the plan was drawn up back in 1999). It includes 100 self-propelled tracked howitzers, 180 self-propelled wheeled howitzers (with an option of 120 more), 814 cannons mounted on a truck chassis, 1,580 towed howitzers and 145 light cannons - all 155mm caliber. The 155/52 guns mounted on the truck chassis became the first category by which the entire procurement process was determined. Since national proceedings are mandatory, numerous foreign bidders have entered into deals with local companies as part of their applications.
However, India is not the only country looking to invest in indirect fire systems. Poland is looking at self-propelled and truck-mounted howitzers, new multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) and even heavy self-propelled mortars. Asia and Latin America are also in sight of artillery system sellers. Well, God himself ordered Russia to re-arm itself.
In addition to the new systems on the market, one should not forget that as a result of the aforementioned reduction of Western armies, a significant amount of weapons, including quite modern products, fall into the list of "used" systems. In addition, as mentioned at the beginning, the science of artillery is not only about the length of the barrels of its guns. Undoubtedly, new ammunition, new targeting systems and completely updated rules and sequence of actions will play an important role. So, let's start our review.
Part 1. Hell on tracks
Tracked self-propelled howitzers (SGs) remain the main artillery component of heavy units and, despite the fact that their overall importance has diminished in many armies, including those armies of the first echelon that make extensive use of their expeditionary forces, only a few countries have decided to get rid of them. The protection these howitzers offer their crews is second to none
Italian SG PzH 2000. Many countries, including Italy, currently have limited needs for such howitzers and, as a result, some of them are now available on the market for surplus military equipment
In the United States, replacing the M109 howitzer has been a top priority in many ground vehicle programs canceled in previous years. At the 2014 AUSA Symposium, Colonel James Schirmer, Project Manager for Armored Combat Vehicles at the Office of Army Programs, reiterated the importance of indirect fire armored systems. In May 2014, the production of an installation batch of M109A7 howitzers, formerly known as the M109A6 PIM (Paladin Integrated Management), began. The heavy armored brigades of the American army will continue to rely on the system, which has undergone many upgrades. Production of the howitzer began as early as 1962, although few of its original components have made it to newer versions. The new artillery system also includes an upgrade to the M992A2 ammunition transport vehicle, which is known as the M992A3 CAT (Carrier Ammunition Tracked) in an updated version.
Compared to the original M109 howitzer, the A6 variant, also known as Paladin, included many improvements (larger turret, M284 155mm / 39 gun with semi-automatic loading system, automatic fire control system with integrated navigation and inertial positioning system, etc.). etc.). On some of the Paladin SGs, modernization kits for firing the M982 Excalibur projectile were also installed. Deployment of the M109A6 began in 1994, and the last production system left the factory in 1999.
In the M109A7 variant we find numerous suspension and powertrain components taken from the Bradley combat vehicle, some components borrowed from the "deceased" NLOS Cannon cannon, as well as new components. These include a new chassis with a maximum combat weight of 45 tons, which, which is very important, made it possible to increase the level of protection, since it has increased ground clearance and the ability to install an anti-mine kit along with additional armor. A common modular power system was installed in the machine, which includes a 70 kW starter-generator with a bidirectional conversion of 600-28 Volts. A new power system was needed because instead of hydraulics, three electrical subsystems were installed, taken from NLOS Cannon, namely an electric rammer, a horizontal guidance drive and a vertical guidance drive, all powered by a voltage of 600 volts. In addition, the new power system has also significantly increased the modernization potential for new energy-intensive subsystems. The 675 hp engine, HMPT 800-3ECB transmission, final drives and PTO were taken from the Bradley BMP, but a new cooling system was added. Also from Bradley were taken road rollers, shock absorbers, torsion shafts and 485 mm tracks, but added new swivel dampers. Most of the layout solutions for the driver's seat are also taken from Bradley, some elements have already been integrated into the Paladin SG, with the exception of the so-called driver's vision amplifier. Most of the electronics remained intact, but a friend-or-foe tracking system was added.
As for the characteristics, the maximum range has not changed, since the cannon remains the same (the M109A7 can fire standard ammunition at 24 km, active rockets at 30 km and the Excalibur projectile from Raytheon at 40 km). The rate of fire has not changed either, the A7 variant is equipped with an improved semi-automatic rammer from the NLOS-C / Crusader howitzer, but does not have an automatic loading system. Following a one-year contract in October 2013 that began production of pre-production batches of M109A7 and M992A3, BAE Systems was awarded another contract in November 2014 to continue initial production. This is the first of three one-year contracts for the production of an additional 18 kits. These contracts also provide for the production of spare parts. BAE Systems is partnering with a military plant in Anniston on these contracts, with final assembly being carried out at the company's Elgin plant. The first systems were delivered in mid-2015. It is planned to produce 450 vehicles with proper budget funding. After additional testing of the first batch of vehicles, the first division should receive the vehicles in February 2017. In 2016, the final tests of the howitzer itself and the ammunition replenishment vehicle will take place, after which in January 2017 the American army will decide on full-scale production.
BAE Systems does not exclude the appearance of the first export order; M109 users around the world only operate models up to the M109A5 standard, which features a smaller turret. But since an upgrade to the A7 standard is not possible, a completely new system is proposed. The demand for the option still needs to be looked at, given that the M109A7 retains the caliber 39 barrel versus the 52 caliber offered as an option, albeit at a higher price. Perhaps a request for a howitzer with a 52 caliber barrel will be considered individually each time, because everything here will depend on the compliance of contracts with the law on the sale of weapons and military equipment to foreign states.
There are many M109 retrofit solutions available worldwide. There are several reasons for this. For example, the smaller turret prevents some of the new ammunition from being used. Therefore, the Italian army is ready to simply hand over its M109 howitzers for scrap metal, since they cannot install the kit necessary for the new Vulcano ammunition. Italy already donated ten of its M109L SGs to Djibouti in 2013. Many used M109 vehicles may also become available in connection with programs for further reduction of the armed forces, mainly in Europe. As an example, Austria has announced a reduction in its M109A5 fleet from 136 to 106 vehicles, while Denmark is also looking for a replacement for its M109A3. On the other hand, Brazil appears to be interested in upgrading some of its M109A3 howitzers and acquiring surplus M109A5s under a foreign military property program. In early December 2014, Chile received 12 M109A5 vehicles from the surplus of the American army as part of this military assistance program. In the mid-2000s, Chile received 24 M109A3 howitzers, and in 2013 another 12 with an M284 39 caliber cannon and an M182 gun carriage.
The US Army adopted its M109A6 Paladin SGs in the mid-90s. Due to the fact that numerous attempts to replace it with new tracked howitzers failed, it will remain the main artillery of the US Army for several more years.
This howitzer was designated M109A6 PIM for some time and is now known as M109A7. It borrowed many elements from the Bradley BMP, and some components from the proprietary NLOS-C Crusader program. The first cars were to be delivered in mid-2015
The KMW PanzerHaubitze 2000 with a 155/52 mm Rheinmetall cannon is definitely the most advanced tracked self-propelled howitzer on the market.
Simply put, this Artillery Cun Systems howitzer is actually a lightweight version of the PzH2000. It has the same cannon, but its booking is lightweight.
Old Europe can argue with America about who has the best weapons system. You don't have to go far for an example. The SG PzH 2000 was developed and manufactured by Krauss Maffei Wegmann with the participation of Rheinmetall Defense, which offered an artillery unit for it. This is a much more modern and efficient system, equipped with a 52 caliber cannon, which significantly increases the range. All this, coupled with excellent crew protection, allowed the Netherlands and Germany to successfully deploy the PzH 2000 in an Afghan theater. She is also in service with Greece and Italy; also manufactured under license by Oto Melara. In total, about 400 PzH 2000 howitzers were manufactured. There could have been more, but for the Netherlands and Germany the number was initially reduced due to the reduction of the armed forces of these countries.
The automatic howitzer loading system with electric drives and digital control makes it possible to obtain a rate of fire of 8 to 10 rounds per minute in MRSI mode (simultaneous strike of several shells; the angle of inclination of the barrel changes and all shells fired within a certain time interval arrive at the target simultaneously). Taking into account the significant number of shots on board (up to 60), it is utterly superior to all other barrel artillery systems in terms of firepower. As for the range, the PzH 2000 howitzer fires 30 km with standard ammunition and more than 40 km with a projectile with a bottom gas generator. This allowed howitzers in Afghanistan to "cover" huge areas.
The two operators of this howitzer, Italy and Germany, have teamed up to develop the new Vulcano extended-range ammunition. The PzH 2000 system will soon be able to shoot at long ranges with very high accuracy. The Italian Oto Melara is developing a kit that will adapt the loading system for new shots, which requires the modification of the loading chute and the bottom at the rear of the turret, as well as the elimination of the fuse installer. Development should be completed by the end of 2015.
Like the M109, the PzH 2000 howitzer is also available as surplus property stored in the warehouses of the operating countries. Germany ordered 450 howitzers, but only 260 of them were adopted. Italy manned two of the planned three regiments, each with 18 systems; therefore, about 20 PzH 2000 vehicles are mothballed and must be sold as soon as the plan for the reorganization of the Italian army is finally approved. The Netherlands ordered 57 howitzers, but deployed only 39, resulting in 18 surplus vehicles. Croatia became the latest member of the PzH 2000 club, signing a deal with Germany for 12 systems in two batches, with deliveries in 2015 and 2016 respectively. Denmark is also considering the KMW howitzer as a possible replacement for its M109, with a requirement of 15 to 30.
Overall dimensions PanzerHaubitze 2000
With a mass of 55 tons in a combat configuration and 49 tons in a transport howitzer PZH 2000, the system is not so easy to deploy, especially when it comes to airlift. For this reason, KMW has developed a new Artillery Gun Module (AGM) system, which uses the same artillery unit, but now in a transport configuration, its weight is only 12 tons. Most of the mass was saved as a result of lower booking levels, since the AGM is remotely controlled. It has a fully automatic charge portioning station and a charge loading system, which is complemented by an automatic ammunition loading system - a variant of the loading system installed on the PzH 2000. The cannon can fire three shots in 15 seconds or six shots in less than a minute. The standard ammunition load is 30 rounds. Having a digital fire control system (FCS) and an integrated combined navigation system INS / GPS, the howitzer can fire in MRSI mode. The AGM project was postponed for some time, but revived at Eurosatory 2014. There, this system was shown on the Boxer armored personnel carrier chassis. Her firing tests were carried out in the fall of 2014. Also, this howitzer can be mounted on a tracked chassis. A similar solution based on the Ascod chassis under the designation Donar is offered by KMW together with General Dynamics European Land Systems. The empty weight of the entire system of 31.5 tons fits perfectly into the carrying capacity of the A400M Atlas transport aircraft.
Another fully autonomous artillery tower is expected to appear in Israel. Since the acquisition of Soltam, Elbit Systems has invested heavily in new areas of business, adding new capabilities through Israeli electronics and improving some existing systems. She is also working on new systems, mainly based on existing standard modules. One of them is to meet the needs of the Israeli army for a fully autonomous artillery tower designed to be mounted on wheeled and tracked chassis. Elbit Systems has already developed the barrel, recoil system, loading system, control system and electric drives. The challenge for the developers is now to develop a prototype that Elbit said at Eurosatory 2014 is at a "very advanced" stage; it is planned to be tested by the end of 2015.
In the late 1990s, the British Army decided to increase the range of their 'vintage' AS90 howitzers from the 80s and began development of a 52 caliber version called the Braveheart. It retains an electrically powered automatic loading system that can fire three rounds in less than 10 seconds or six rounds per minute for three minutes (sustained rate of fire two rounds per minute). Engine shutdown operation is provided by an auxiliary power generator, which significantly reduces fuel consumption and thermal signature. The upgrade also includes the installation of the Linaps (Laser Inertial Artillery Pointing System) from Selex ES, which provides the shooter with accurate vertical and horizontal barrel angles along with the position of the system. The all-welded steel turret provides the fourth level of protection in accordance with the NATO standard STANAG 4569. The range of Braveheart is typical for systems with a 52 caliber barrel, that is, 30 km for standard shells, 40 km for shells with a bottom gas generator and more than 50 km for active-rocket shells … Not all British Army AS90 howitzers have been upgraded; In connection with the reduction in the number of the Armed Forces in the mid-2000s, only 96 systems were modernized out of the original 179. In addition, further reductions are not excluded, as a result of which a little more than 60 howitzers will remain.
The AS90 howitzer never received export orders. However, in 1999, a licensing agreement was signed with Poland for the production of AS90 towers by Huta Stalowa Wola, armed with a 155/52 cannon. The tower was supposed to be installed on a Polish-made chassis - a modification of the Kalina tracked mine clearance vehicle with the components of the PT-91 tank developed by Bumar-Labedy. However, the delivery of 24 such howitzers under the designation Krab by 2015 was stopped due to structural defects in the chassis. Interestingly, the first eight barrels were supplied by the French company Nexter, and the next 18 were made by the German Rheinmetall. The Krab SG has 40 rounds of ammunition, 29 in the hull and 11 in the chassis.
In December 2014, a contract was signed for the production and customization of the K9 chassis of the South Korean company Samsung Techwin. The first batch of 24 chassis will be delivered in 2017 from South Korea in order to cover the needs of the first division of the Polish army. The tower is being installed on the vehicle in Poland. The remaining 96 chassis will be manufactured at a plant in Gliwice, Poland, and by 2022, five artillery divisions will receive new Krab vehicles.
Donar is based on the Ascod 2 chassis and the Artillery Gun Module (some of the components are taken from the PzH 2000), developed by KMW; Artillery Gun Module can also be mounted on wheeled platforms
The picture shows a model of the South Korean howitzer K9 Thunder, which itself was not exported, but is the base for the Turkish SG Firtina, while its chassis is adopted for the new Polish howitzer Krab
Although the Firtina howitzer is produced by the Turkish company MKEK, it is a modification of the SG K9 produced by the South Korean Samsung Techwin.
South Korea has gained quite a lot of experience in the licensed production of more than 1,000 M109A2 howitzers, known there as the K55. In the mid-90s, they were upgraded to the K55A1 standard, as well as the accompanying K56 ammunition resupply vehicle. In the early 90s, South Korea developed a new 155 mm / 52 artillery system, which began to be supplied in 1999. The K9 Thunder howitzer was accompanied by the K10 automatic ammunition replenishment vehicle on the same chassis. The K9 machine is equipped with an automatic system for processing and discharging shots, an automatic gun guidance system and an automatic control system with an inertial navigation system. This allows you to quickly open fire, as well as have a high rate of fire, three shots in 15 seconds in standard or MRSI mode. The usual rate of fire is six rounds per minute, the continuous rate of fire is two rounds per minute. There is no exact production data, although the South Korean press claims that 850 K9 howitzers were supplied to the army out of the considered need for 1200 machines.
The first foreign buyer of the K9 / K10 tandem was Turkey, where it is known as TUSpH Firtina or T-155 K / M Obus. The Turkish version is manufactured by the state-owned company Makina ve Kimya Endiistrisi Kurumu (MKEK). It differs significantly from the original system, especially in terms of the turret and electronic components; the T-155 is equipped with an MSA developed by Aselsan. Turkey's initial needs were 350 howitzers, but it is not clear whether they were all manufactured or production stopped at about 180. MKEK has also manufactured 70 ammunition resupply vehicles. This machine was developed by the Aselsan company, it reloads 48 shells and 48 charges for them in 20 minutes from its onboard set of 96 shots.
Turkey managed to sign an export contract for 36 Firtina systems with Azerbaijan in 2011, but had to resolve with Germany the issue of lifting the embargo on the MTU engine. An alternative power unit meant a partial revision of the engine compartment and corresponding delays in deliveries, which were supposed to begin in 2014.
The Singapore army had problems with the mobility of its M109 howitzer and therefore wanted a light self-propelled system. In the mid-1990s, Singapore Technologies Kinetics (STK) was commissioned to develop a Primus weighing 30 tonnes and less than three meters wide. In order to accelerate development and reduce cost, STK took as a basis the universal combat platform Universal Combat Vehicle Platform developed by United Defense (now BAE Systems), which has aluminum armor. The artillery unit was developed using the experience gained with the FH-2000, and in order to minimize the mass, a 39 caliber gun was chosen. In order to increase the rate of fire, STK has developed a 22-shot magazine and an automatic loading and discharging system that allows you to fire three shots in 20 minutes and withstand a long rate of fire of two shots per minute for half an hour. Thanks to the automated control system and navigation system, the Primus howitzer can fire its first shot within 60 seconds after stopping. The first 48 Primus SGs were delivered to the Singapore Army in 2002.
The PLZ52 howitzer is the latest development from Norinco. It is distinguished by a 52 caliber gun, and Algeria may well become its first foreign customer.
The Firtina ammunition resupply vehicle is a Turkish adaptation of the South Korean K10 vehicle; tandem works in the same way as the pair M109-M992 (see above)
For foreign customers, Russia offers two self-propelled tracked howitzers, Akatsia and Msta-S, both models dating back to the Cold War. Russia still sticks to its 152mm caliber and makes rather weak attempts to develop a 155mm version for export.
The 2S3 Akatsia is armed with a 27 caliber D-22 gun and has a maximum range of 18.5 km with conventional ammunition, which rises to 24 km with active-rocket projectiles. The Akatsia howitzer is in service with many countries, for the most part was supplied by the Soviet Union. But in the post-Soviet period, export orders were received for it from Algeria, Libya, Syria and Ethiopia, Ukraine also sold several pieces to Azerbaijan. A 155mm version has been developed, but apparently not offered on the market yet. This howitzer surpasses other 155-mm systems in terms of firepower, but it, however, remains in the Russian export catalog and more than 1000 such howitzers (some have been modernized) are in service with the Russian army.
Self-propelled howitzer 2S3 "Akatsiya"
Self-propelled howitzer 2S19 "Msta-S"
The 2S19 Msta-S howitzer is a significantly heavier weapon and although the barrel length has never been revealed, according to some estimates it is about 40 calibers. The stated firing ranges are 24.7 km for standard high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, and 30 km for projectiles with a bottom gas generator. The howitzer has an automatic loading system that works at any vertical angle. When firing from a prepared position, the conveyor allows you to fire ammunition supplied from the outside, with a rate of fire of 6-7 rounds per minute. The charges are charged by a semi-automatic system. As for exports, in 2012-2013, 18 systems were delivered to Azerbaijan, 20 systems to Ethiopia in 1999, and 48 systems to Venezuela in 2011-2013. After the collapse of the USSR, some former Soviet republics left this type of howitzer in their arsenals. The last customer of this SG was to be Morocco, which received the first systems in 2014. A new version of the 2S19M2, upgraded with a new MSA and a new signature management system, entered service with the Russian army in 2013.
In the late 90s, China switched to 155 mm caliber, adding its arsenal of new systems to the existing 152-mm howitzers of Soviet origin. Norinco has developed the PLZ45 self-propelled howitzer, armed with a.45 caliber cannon. The system has the usual layout of a tracked vehicle: the driver and the power plant are located in the front, a huge turret with the crew and ammunition in the rear. The PLZ45 howitzer comes with the PCZ45 ammunition replenishment vehicle, which carries 90 rounds and 90 rounds, which is three full ammunition. 24 rounds are placed in a semi-automatic loader, the charges are manually loaded, which allows you to achieve a rate of fire of five rounds per minute. The initial speed measurement radar provides data from the LMS, allowing to increase the accuracy of firing. The range varies from 24 to 39 km, depending on the ammunition used. The PZL45 howitzer is in service not only with the Chinese army, but also in service with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Further development of this howitzer, designated PZL52, was demonstrated in 2012. Very similar to the previous model, however, it has a modified chassis and a new power unit in order to cope with the 10 tons increase in mass. Obviously, her barrel is now 52 caliber, respectively, the range has increased to 53 km. It retains a semi-automatic loading system. Norinco claims a rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute, as well as the ability to fire in MRSI mode. It is not clear whether the SG PZL52 is in service with the Chinese army. A photograph taken in 2014 in Algeria shows a howitzer driven by a tank trailer. It is very similar to the PZL, although it is impossible to determine the length of the barrel, but one way or another, this may mean the first export success of this type of SG.
Japan developed the 155mm / 52 SG in the mid-1980s. It was manufactured under the designation Type 99 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in collaboration with Japan Steel Works. The 40-ton system is in service with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Until 2014, Japan did not export weapons, but now the Parliament of this country voted to allow Japanese companies to offer their products for export, and in this case, another potential competitor could join the fight to divide the defense pie.
The Catapult II howitzer was developed by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization as a possible intermediate solution. It is based on the chassis of the Arjun Mk1 tank, on which the 130 mm M46 cannon is installed.
Indian SG Catapult II
It is difficult to say about the Catapult II that it is a self-propelled tracked howitzer in its pure form. In fact, it is a howitzer mounted on a tracked chassis, if we use the classification for wheel systems here. It was shown at Defexpo 2014 by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization. The system consists of an Arjun Mk1 tank chassis, on which a 130 mm M46 cannon is installed. A similar operation has been done in the past with the Vijayanta tank chassis; the resulting system was designated Catapult. 170 of these vehicles were manufactured for the Indian army. A strong roof protects the crew from shrapnel, but there is no ballistic protection from the sides. The Soviet M46 field gun has a barrel of 58.5 caliber and a maximum range of 27, 15 km, vertical guidance angles are from –2, 5 ° to + 45 °; azimuth angles are limited to a sector of ± 14 °. In August 2014, India decided to purchase 40 of these howitzers, which is considered an interim solution pending the publication of an application for a modern self-propelled howitzer.
