The 152 mm D-20 howitzer cannon was designed at the Yekaterinburg OKB-9 under the leadership of Petrov. Serial production began in 55 at the plant number 221 in Volgograd (now FSUE "Barrikady").
The D-20 howitzer has a barrel, the length of which is about 26 calibers, consisting of a monoblock pipe, a breech, a clutch and a two-chamber muzzle brake. The shutter is wedge, vertical with mechanical semiautomatic devices. The pivoting and lifting mechanism provides vertical firing angles -5; +45 degrees, horizontal firing angle - 58 degrees.
For firing from the D-20, the same shots are used as for the 152-mm D-1 howitzer. It is possible to fire tactical nuclear weapons and Krasnopol guided missiles.
OJSC "Motovilikhinskie Zavody" in 2003 mastered and is still carrying out overhaul of the D-20 howitzer, as well as the production of its parts and command units. During the overhaul, the designers of Motovilikhinskiye Zavody OJSC performed and protected by fire tests the modernization of the D-20, which increases the operational characteristics of jacks and the reliability of the mechanisms of the bolt group systems.
The 152mm D-20 howitzer cannon is another example of the old Soviet tradition of combining existing art. systems, getting new ones. In this case, a new 152 mm barrel was installed on the carriage of a field 122 mm D-74 cannon. This 152-millimeter howitzer was developed after the end of the Second World War (1941-1945), but industrial production of the howitzer gun began only in the early 1950s, and the gun was first shown in 1955.
The basis of the D-20 is similar to the earlier model of the 152-mm D-1 howitzer, but it has a different arrangement of recoil shock absorbers, and the weight of the D-74 carriage is such that additional wheels are required to move the howitzer gun on the front of the beds. The shape of the shield is also different.
However, the main difference between the D-20 and the D-1 is the choice of ammunition. When firing from the D-20, most types of ammunition of the D-1 howitzer can be used, but it has its own family of ammunition. The D-20 cannon became the first Soviet artillery system capable of firing tactical nuclear weapons. In addition, there was a large selection of ammunition with a chemical charge, which have now been removed from service. The improved system of propelling charges of variable power made it possible to increase the maximum range to 17410 meters, and the use of an active-rocket projectile allows you to destroy targets at a distance of up to 24 thousand meters. The latest innovations include the use of a 50-kilogram anti-tank projectile guided by a Krasnopol laser beam.
Penetration of the armor-piercing tracer blunt-headed projectile BR-540B (special charge, initial speed 600 meters per second, DBR fuse, direct shot range at a target height of 2, 7 meters - 860 meters).
The thickness of the penetrated armor at a meeting angle of 90 degrees at a distance of 500 meters is 130 mm, 1000 m - 120 mm, 1500 m - 115 mm, 2000 m - 105 mm.
The thickness of the penetrated armor at a meeting angle of 30 degrees at a distance of 500 meters is 105 mm, 1000 m - 100 mm, 1500 m - 95 mm, 2000 m - 85 mm.
The 155 mm barrel, which is mounted on the 2S5 self-propelled howitzer, is a modified D-20 barrel. The former Yugoslavia exported a modification of the D-20 with a barrel length of 39 calibers, which was adopted by the army of Yugoslavia - the state of affairs is currently unknown. The Romanian army is armed with a towed howitzer developed in Romania and known as the Model M1985. In its design, some features of the D-20 howitzer cannon are visible. The Chinese version was produced under the designation 152mm Type 66.
The performance data of the 152-mm D-20 howitzer cannon:
The first prototype is the late 1940s;
Serial production began in the 54th or 55th year;
In service with: Algeria, Afghanistan, Hungary, Egypt, India, China, Nicaragua, CIS countries, Ethiopia, etc.;
Combat crew - 10 people;
Full combat weight - 5650 kg;
Barrel length - 8690 mm;
Overall length in the stowed position - 75580 mm;
Width in the stowed position - 2320 mm;
Maximum range of fire 17410 m;
The maximum range of fire ARS - 24 thousand meters;
The initial velocity of the projectile is 655 m / s;
The mass of the OFS projectile - 43, 51 kg;
Maximum elevation / declination angle + 63 / -5 degrees;
The horizontal guidance angle is 58 degrees.
The performance characteristics of the 152 mm D-20 howitzer cannon:
Ballistic data:
The initial velocity of the high-explosive fragmentation projectile:
- full charge - 655 m / s;
- reduced charge - 511 m / s;
The initial speed of the armor-piercing tracer projectile is 600 m / s;
The initial velocity of the cumulative projectile is 680 m / s;
The greatest range of fire - 17410 m;
Maximum pressure of powder gases - 2350 kgf / cm3;
The mass of the high-explosive fragmentation projectile - 43, 56 kg;
The mass of the armor-piercing tracer projectile is 48, 96 kg;
The mass of the armor-piercing tracer sharp-headed projectile is 48, 78 kg;
The mass of the cumulative projectile is 27, 439 kg.
Design data of the 152 mm D-20 howitzer cannon:
Caliber - 152 mm;
Barrel length including muzzle brake - 5195 millimeters;
The length of the threaded part is 3467 mm;
The number of grooves - 48;
The width of the grooves is 6, 97 millimeters;
The steepness of the grooves - 25 clb.;
The depth of the grooves is 3 millimeters;
Field width - 3 millimeters;
The length of the charging chamber from the beginning of the grooves to the breech cut of the pipe is 772.9 mm;
The greatest declination angle is -5 °;
The greatest elevation angle is 45 °;
Horizontal fire - 58 °;
The amount of steol in the knurler is 13.4 liters;
The amount of steol in the rollback brake is 14.7 liters;
The initial pressure in the knurler is 6Z kgf / cm2;
Maximum rollback length - 950 millimeters;
The normal rollback length is 910 + 20 / -120 millimeters;
Pressure in the balancing mechanism (elevation angle 45 °) - 62 kgf / cm2;
The pressure in the pneumatic tires is 5.6 kgf / cm2.
Dimensions of the 152 mm D-20 howitzer cannon:
Parameters of the gun in the stowed position:
Length - 8690 mm;
Width - 2317 mm;
Height - 2520 mm;
Parameters of the gun in the firing position at an elevation angle of the barrel of 0 °:
Height - 1925 mm;
Length - 8100 mm;
The height of the line of fire - 1220 mm;
Clearance - 380 mm;
Track width - 2000 mm;
Wheel diameter - 1167 mm;
Wheel tire width - 337 millimeters;
The distance from the center of gravity of the tool to the axle of the wheels when fastening in a traveling position is 182 mm;
Weight:
- guns in the stowed position - 5700 kg;
- guns in combat position - 5650 kg;
- shutter - 96 kg;
- barrel with a shutter - 2556 kg;
- retractable parts - 2720 kg;
- swinging part - 3086 kg;
- cradles - 280 kg;
- recoil brakes without barrel - 85, 4 kg;
- recoil brakes with a barrel - 101.6 kg;
- knurled roller without barrel - 88.6 kg;
- knurling with a barrel - 103, 3 kg;
- upper machine - 208 kg;
- balancing mechanism - 58 kg.
Operational data of the 152 mm D-20 howitzer cannon:
Transfer time between traveling and combat positions and back - from 2 to 2, 5 minutes;
Sighting rate of fire - about 6 rounds per minute;
Transportation speed:
- off-road - 15 km / h;
- on a cobblestone road - 30 km / h;
- on good roads - 60 km / h.
