Nowadays, part of the barreled artillery of the ground forces of foreign states includes towed and self-propelled guns, which are called "howitzers", since their main purpose is to conduct mounted fire from remote closed positions. At the same time, most of the modern howitzers are able to shoot with direct fire at a distance of up to 2 kilometers, depending on the design features. It is this feature of theirs, as well as the barrel length of foreign howitzers, in some way change their purpose, defined in the Russian classification for the concept of "howitzer" when dividing artillery pieces into howitzers and cannons.
First of all, the correction in terminology is due to the development of artillery installations, created taking into account possible rapid changes in the combat situation. In the conditions of the transience of modern combat, field artillery must correspond to the deployment capabilities and the level of mobility of the units and subunits it supports. At the same time, artillery subunits can solve their main task of providing fire support only with a sufficiently high shooting accuracy, as well as a small amount of time to prepare for opening fire and curtailing firing positions after solving all assigned tasks, so as not to fall under enemy counter-battery fire.
On the one hand, these requirements are fully met by self-propelled artillery (ACS), which theoretically has an advantage over towed guns. But at the same time, self-propelled guns have a number of disadvantages and weaknesses. For example, they are much heavier than towed howitzers. In favor of conventional towed howitzers, the fact that since the early 1980s most of them have been equipped with auxiliary propellers, which allow moving guns over short distances on the battlefield without the use of tractors and vehicles, also speaks recently.
At present, a towed 125-mm self-propelled gun PTP 2A45M "Sprut-B" and a light 152-mm howitzer 2A61 "Pat-B", which has a mechanized projectile ramming and variable recoil length, have passed the full scope of state tests in Russia. These artillery systems, mounted on three-man carriages similar to the D-30A howitzer, provide the possibility of circular firing at angles of vertical guidance from -5 to +70 degrees. At the same time, a mechanism for sending shells is mounted on the carriage, which provides the howitzer with a rate of fire of up to 8 rounds per minute. A light shield cover is installed on the upper machine of the howitzer to protect the crew from bullets and shrapnel.
At the same time, a light 152-mm howitzer "Pat-B" with a mass of 4350 kg. in power it surpasses the 122-mm howitzer D-30A twice. The entire procedure for transferring this howitzer from the traveling position to the combat position and back takes no more than 2 minutes. In addition, 152-mm Krasnopol guided ammunition can be used with this howitzer. Also, on the basis of the 2A61 Pat-B light howitzer, an experimental 155-mm model was made for NATO ammunition.
The latest advances in technology for the production of 52-caliber barrels make it possible to fire at a distance of up to 40 km. This range, in turn, allows artillery batteries to equip firing positions much farther from the front line, which reduces the risk of being hit by fragments of enemy artillery shells and small arms, and reduces the need for armor protection for artillery crews.
152-mm howitzer "Pat-B"
Many foreign experts, analyzing self-propelled guns and towed artillery, in favor of the second attribute not only the combat capabilities of howitzers, but also lower monetary costs for military equipment and armament of artillery units, for the maintenance and equipment of personnel. If we are guided by the savings in money, then we can conclude that 3 batteries of towed howitzers, which are equipped with conscripts, cost a little more than 1 battery of self-propelled howitzers, staffed by contract soldiers.
If we evaluate howitzers by the cost / efficiency criterion, then we can note the fact that for highly developed countries with a stable economy, it is preferable to have self-propelled howitzers in service. For developing countries, it is rather difficult to give an unequivocal answer to this question. To do this, it is necessary to take into account a number of points: ensuring the fulfillment of their functions throughout the entire battle, the ability to provide continuous fire support for troops over long distances; the ability to quickly change artillery positions.
At the same time, towed and self-propelled howitzers today have the same firing range. At the same time, 3 battalions of towed howitzers (BG) are able to be much more effective (in comparison with 1 battalion of self-propelled guns) due to numerical superiority in gun barrels, as well as a greater number of shots fired. The survivability preservation of the towed howitzers has also increased, since the 2-3 battalions of the BG represent a more difficult target. And the possibility of independent movement of guns (due to the presence of an auxiliary propulsion unit) at a distance of up to 500 meters significantly increases the chances of survival of the guns in battle. In addition, towed artillery is more difficult to detect with ground-based electronic reconnaissance equipment. For this, towed artillery still has some superiority over self-propelled ones.
122 mm howitzer D-30A
Main vectors of development
Currently, Western experts believe that an ideal artillery gun should have a mass comparable to 105-mm guns, and a firing range and firepower at the level of 155-mm guns. Modern achievements in the field of metallurgy, in particular titanium and aluminum alloys, according to experts, will help to make this wish come true. Today, the insufficient range of fire from light 105-mm howitzers (at the level of 20 km) limits the possibilities for their combat use, despite a number of their advantages. In addition, the effect of 105-mm ammunition on the targets being fired does not always meet the requirements of the combat situation. This disadvantage is due to the linear dimensions of the artillery shells and, accordingly, the difference in their volume. An increase in the caliber of projectiles from 105 to 155 mm is able to increase the power of the charge in the warhead of the ammunition 4 times at once.
Today, most states are modernizing the developed heavy 155-mm towed howitzers, which cannot be transported on the external sling of helicopters. The main efforts of the designers are aimed at increasing the range and increasing the accuracy of fire, achieving partial autonomy (as on the Russian Pat-B) and reducing the preparation time (readiness time) for firing.
So in South Korea, during the modernization of the American 155-mm M114A1 howitzer, the KN179 howitzer was created. As a result of the work carried out, the maximum firing range of high-explosive fragmentation ammunition was increased from 14,600 to 22,000 meters, and with active-reactive ammunition - to 30,000 meters. At the same time, as noted by Western experts, active-jet ammunition is practically not used for firing from this howitzer. It was possible to increase the firing range by using a new barrel with a length of 39 calibers.
155-mm howitzer KN179
The Swedish company "Bofors" to reduce the load on the calculation of the heavy 155-mm howitzer FH-77B with a barrel length of 39 caliber has created a special crane for lifting shells. This crane is mounted on the right side of the breech of the howitzer. In addition, the FH-77B is distinguished by the fact that it fires without lifting the wheels. At the same time, like the South Korean KN179 howitzer, when firing, active-rocket projectiles are usually not used.
In order to achieve an even greater firing range, artillery barrels with a length of 45 and 52 caliber have been developed today. However, one should take into account the fact that as the length of the barrel grows, the combat mass of the howitzers also increases. Currently, the heaviest of the 155 mm howitzers is the South African G5 Mk3 with a 45 caliber barrel. The mass of this howitzer is about 14 tons, and the range of fire with active-reactive ammunition reaches 39 km. The carriage of this howitzer allows you to mount barrels with a length of 39 and 52 calibers. Like the South African development, howitzers GH (Finland), TIG 2000 (Israel) and GH N (Austria, Belgium, Canada), if necessary, can be equipped with barrels of different lengths. At the same time, the increase in the mass of the swinging part led to an increase in the load on the gun crew when transferring from the traveling position to the combat position and vice versa, and when firing.
To facilitate the maintenance process, modern heavy howitzers with barrels of 45 and 52 caliber are equipped with an auxiliary propeller, which sets in motion the mechanisms for loading (feeding) shells and charges and guiding drives of the howitzer. In addition, this propeller allows you to move the howitzer over a limited distance with an average speed of 15-18 km / h on the highway, and 8-10 km / h on rough terrain. At the same time, a number of samples, for example GH N-45, are produced without an auxiliary propulsion device. This howitzer also differs from its counterparts in that its wheels can be equipped with special caterpillar tracks for movement on soft soils.
155 mm howitzer FH-77B
Equipping the towed howitzers with an auxiliary engine ensures their partial autonomy. At the same time, the development of automatic fire control systems is becoming increasingly important. For example, the company "Denel" from South Africa is developing and testing an MSA based on a laser ring gyroscope for a heavy 155-mm howitzer G5 Mk3. The African MSA allows you to make the first shot 2.5 minutes after the arrival of the gun at the position. In this case, the accuracy of pointing the barrel is 1 division of the protractor. However, this howitzer has a disadvantage typical of all heavy howitzers, limited air transport capabilities.
conclusions
To date, it can be concluded that in the development of towed howitzers and artillery guns, 2 main trends can be traced: the first of them concerns a decrease in the mass of artillery systems, the second - an increase in the accuracy of fire. At the same time, the mass of howitzers has a direct impact on the ability to quickly transport artillery systems, including over a long range. Also, foreign experts in the design and development of artillery pay significant attention to economic issues. With a decrease in the combat mass of artillery, the cost of transporting 1 artillery weapon also decreases.
If we talk about increasing the accuracy of fire, then this is one of the prerequisites for all modern military developments. This criterion is very important for a quick strike and a timely withdrawal of units. The higher the accuracy of firing, the less expensive ammunition will be needed to hit the target. Reducing the use of ammunition leads, in turn, to cost savings, as well as reduces the load on the rear support agencies and increases the speed of deployment of artillery units. The ability to deliver accurate artillery strikes is especially necessary during peacekeeping operations and operations at a significant distance from the main forces of the ground forces.
