ACS PzH-2000 (abbreviation PzH - from Panzerhaubitze, the number "2000" indicates a new millennium) is designed to destroy various point and area targets, primarily fire weapons (including tanks and other armored vehicles), fortifications, as well as live enemy forces. The gun can be fired at both mounted and flat trajectories. The ACS relatively recently adopted by the Bundeswehr combines a long firing range, increased security, operational and tactical flexibility of use and high mobility. This howitzer is recognized as one of the most advanced and rapid-fire self-propelled guns in the world.
The development of a new ACS PzH-2000, which was supposed to replace the aging American ACS M109, began in 1987. The victory in the contract for the production of self-propelled howitzers went to the Wegmann company. 4 prototypes of the new ACS were handed over to the customer in 1994. In the same year, all 4 vehicles successfully passed field tests and were recommended for military trials. Until the end of February 1995, 2 machines were operated in fairly difficult climatic conditions at low temperatures in Canada at the Shiloh training ground. In the summer of 1995, the same 2 vehicles were sent to the Yuma test site in the United States, here the self-propelled guns were tested in the hot Arizona desert. In parallel, 2 other vehicles were undergoing military trials in Germany. The final decision to launch the ACS into production was made at the end of 1995. The Bundeswehr made an order for 185 PzH-2000 self-propelled guns. Subsequently, these howitzers were acquired by Italy, the Netherlands and Greece.
The Bundeswehr command practically did not restrict the actions of the main contractor, who tried to satisfy the demands put forward by the military. An addition to the terms of reference was only the observance of 2 conditions: use the new L52 barrel in the artillery system and place the power plant in the front of the chassis. Only the use of the new L52 barrel made it possible to provide fire with standard NATO ammunition at a distance of 30 km. It was these 2 conditions that led to the basic concept of the ACS. On one side, the tower had to be located as far as possible to the stern of the vehicle in order to reduce the reach of the more than 8-meter gun barrel. On the other hand, the installation of the power plant in the front of the hull and the displacement of the turret to the stern left sufficient space for the installation of an automatic loader, ammunition rack for 60 rounds, as well as for crew accommodation.
A high degree of protection for the crew and ammunition is provided by the steel armor of the turret and self-propelled hull. The thickness of the turret armor provides the crew with reliable protection against small arms with a caliber of up to 14.5 mm. and large fragments of artillery and mortar shells. The ACS is equipped with a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction, a ventilation system, and also has a fire warning and fire extinguishing system located in the engine compartment. Artusatnovka is equipped with a combined sight (day and night vision), a laser rangefinder, and a reactive armor system that protects the vehicle from the effects of cluster munitions. Reactive armor covers the most critical places of the self-propelled gun from above. Also, to increase the protection of the crew of the ACS PzH-2000, the charges, which are located in the rear of the turret, are separated from the fighting compartment by a strong special partition. In the event of detonation of charges, the energy of the explosion will be directed backwards, which significantly increases the survival rate of the crew in combat conditions.
The main armament of the PzH-2000 is a 155-mm howitzer with a barrel length of 52 caliber (just over 8 meters), mounted in a circular rotation tower, developed by Rheinmetall Industry. The channel of the gun is chrome-plated, which prolongs its operation, prevents wear of the barrel. The volume of the charging chamber is 23 liters. At the end of the gun barrel, a special slotted muzzle brake of a new design is mounted, which reduces the intensity of the flash when the projectile leaves the gun barrel and increases the initial velocity of the projectile. The semi-automatic wedge breech is equipped with a magazine for 32 standard blasting caps with an annular conveyor, which is used to feed and remove them. A number of barrel parameters, such as the temperature of the charging chamber, are controlled by automatics and are used to control the core. In the vertical plane, the gun barrel can be guided in the range from -2.5 to +65 degrees.
Additional armament of ACS PzH-2000 includes 7, 62-mm MG3 machine gun and 8 grenade launchers designed to shoot smoke grenades (4 from each side). The vehicle's ammunition consists of 60 artillery shells, 48 full propelling charges (each consists of 6 segments), as well as 2000 rounds for a machine gun and 8 grenades for grenade launchers.
The company "Rheinmetall" has created a multilayer propellant loading system (MTLS), which increases the rate of fire, prevents the formation of carbon deposits in the bore and its rapid wear, increases the firing efficiency and eliminates the danger of fire. The propellant charge for the PzH-2000 howitzer includes 6 MTLS modules. The maximum range of fire with a standard L15A2 projectile is 30 km, and with active-rocket ammunition - about 40 km. In addition to specially designed modular charges, conventional NATO charges can also be used.
The magazine of the automatic loader of the ACS PzH-2000 is designed for 60 rounds of 155-mm caliber. From the ammunition rack in the aft part of the self-propelled gun, shots are extracted and automatically fed to the store. As part of the firing tests of the howitzer, carried out in October 1997, its rate of fire was 12 shots in 59, 74 seconds and 20 shots in 1 minute 47 seconds - an outstanding result. Moreover, all stages of loading can be performed in manual, semi-automatic and automatic modes.
The computerized control system of the PzH-2000 self-propelled guns allows its crew to quickly open fire both independently and in the framework of interaction with a battery or divisional fire control command post. The self-propelled battery takes only 2 minutes to prepare for firing from the traveling position to the combat position, fire 8-12 shots and return to the stowed position, and then leave the firing position. The muzzle velocity of the fired projectile is determined using a special radar sensor and is used to calculate the data for firing. ACS PzH-2000 can be used in automatic mode, receiving information by radio from an external command and control system.
The workplace of the ACS commander is equipped with a graphical display with a convenient MICMOS interface, which allows interaction with the on-board computer by displaying various menus on the screen. When the installation is operating in automatic mode, target guidance can be performed by 2 crew members. Applying the entered or calculated data, the on-board computer of the machine can independently transfer the weapon from one target to another. An orientation and guidance system is mounted on the howitzer cradle, which automatically determines the spatial position of the gun barrel and sets the origin point, which is necessary for the process of semi-automatic and automatic targeting. In addition, the PzH-2000 self-propelled howitzer is equipped with an internal navigation system and a global positioning system (GPS).
The chassis of the PzH-2000 self-propelled self-propelled self-propelled gun is front-wheel drive, manufactured by MAK Systems Gesellschaft GMBH. With the full combat mass of the ACS, taking into account the installed mounted reactive armor, the specific power is 13.4 kW / t, but this figure can exceed 15 kW / t, if the weight potential of the power plant is used. In front of the self-propelled body is an eight-cylinder turbo-charged MTU 881 diesel engine with a capacity of 1000 hp. The engine works in conjunction with the Renck HSWL 284 transmission and is equipped with an integrated self-diagnosis system and an electronic control system. With a full refueling of all 3 fuel tanks, the car can cover 420 km without refueling. on the highway.
Various studies carried out recently show that taking into account only such indicators as the firing range, rate of fire, the size of the ammunition carried, the PzH-2000 self-propelled gun has a firepower that is comparable to 3 self-propelled guns M109 of the latest modifications. Moreover, the German artillery system has a much better chance of surviving on the battlefield, thanks to its high mobility, better armor, the ability to act both as a stationary firing point and as a mobile weapon system. The self-propelled onboard system allows it to operate independently of external spotters and artillery observers. During the battle, the automatic guidance system introduces the appropriate corrections after each shot fired.
When comparing the German PzH-2000 with other artillery systems in service today, an important indicator is the number of its crew. Even during long-term operations, 3 people are quite enough to control the self-propelled gun - the driver, the commander and the loader. In this case, as a rule, the PzH-2000 ACS crew consists of 5 people: a driver, commander, gunner and 2 loaders. At the same time, the deployment of three American self-propelled guns M109, the total firepower of which is equal to one German installation, requires at least 24 people.
Technical characteristics of ACS PzH-2000
Weight: 55, 3 tons.
Dimensions:
Length 11, 669 m. (With a cannon forward), width 3, 48 m, height 3, 40 m.
Crew: 3-5 people.
Armament: 155-mm gun L-52, 7, 62-mm machine gun MG3
Rate of fire with a modified drive for loading shots:
- 3 shots in 8, 4 seconds, - 12 shots in 59.7 seconds, - 20 shots per minute and 47 seconds, Ammunition replenishment: 10 minutes and 50 seconds.
Maximum firing range: standard ammunition - 30 km., Active-reactive more than 40 km. Record firing active-reactive ammunition 56 km.
Ammunition: 60 rounds, 2000 rounds for the machine gun.
Engine: 8-cylinder turbo-charged MTU 881 diesel engine with 1000 hp
Maximum speed: on the highway - 61 km / h, on rough terrain - 45 km / h.
Progress in store: on the highway - 420 km.
