The Chinese self-propelled gun of caliber 122 mm type 89 (you can also hear another name for the self-propelled gun - PLZ-89) was designed and created for the Chinese armed forces in the 80s, for the first time this technique was shown to the public in 1999. Earlier, the Type 89 howitzer was adopted by the Chinese armed forces. The gun is intended to provide support to mechanized units during combat operations at long and medium firing ranges. ACS is created under the program for the construction of third-generation armored vehicles.
By the early 2000s, the PLA was armed with more than a couple of hundred of these self-propelled artillery guns, which were Chinese copies of the Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika artillery systems. Basically, they were equipped with artillery regiments, in each of which there was a battalion of type 89 self-propelled guns or a tank division and a brigade. The standard composition of such a battalion is 18 Type 89 self-propelled howitzers, divided into 3 companies. The PLA Marine brigade included a company (up to 10 units) of type 89 self-propelled guns, it was part of the equipment of one tank regiment.
Arrangement and design of ACS type 89
Self-propelled gun type 89 is built on the chassis of the Chinese self-propelled howitzer type 83, 152 mm caliber. The layout of the chassis of the classic type with the MTO front location, to the left of the MTO are the seats of the driver-mechanic and the vehicle commander, located one after the other. The fighting compartment with a circular turret is located in the rear of the hull. The design of the turret and the hull is of a welded type, which provides the vehicle crew with anti-bullet and anti-fragmentation armor protection. The self-propelled turret, made of steel armor plates, was shifted by Chinese designers closer to the bow of the hull. It was provided with a developed aft niche, where they mounted a 120 mm smoothbore gun loader, built by the NORiNCO corporation. An ACS gun of 120 mm caliber was almost completely taken from the Type 86 towed artillery mount, only the barrel length was changed - up to 32 calibers. The cannon has the ability to fire a wide variety of projectiles manufactured by the Chinese industry, for example, ammunition with half-burnt shells. The rest of these sleeves are placed in a separate basket. Used shells:
- 120 mm feathered armor-piercing projectiles with a tracer and a detachable type pallet, projectile brand 120-11 Projectile length 65 centimeters, weight 7.4 kilograms, muzzle velocity 725 m / s. It is characterized by increased penetration - when firing at a distance of 2 kilometers, it strikes through and through an armor plate made of homogeneous rolled steel 60 centimeters long. The total mass of 120-11 is equal to 22.5 kilograms, the length is 115 centimeters.
- the range of use of a standard high-explosive fragmentation ammunition is 18 kilometers, and the range of use of the same projectile with a leading belt and a recess is up to 21 kilometers.
The howitzer is provided with a vertical wedge breechblock with semiautomatic copying. To increase the speed of the separate loading process, the howitzer was provided with an electromechanical rammer. This provided the Type 89 self-propelled gun with a rate of fire of up to 8 rounds per minute. Full howitzer ammunition - 40 ammunition is located in the inner part of the fighting compartment. In addition to ammunition, there were equipped places for 3 crew members - a combat crew. Accuracy of firing is ensured by the fire control system, which includes a digital computer, sensors and electronic day and night sights. A rotating turret is installed in the upper right part of the roof of the tower, provided with observation devices and a turret mount of a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun. On each side of the tower, 2 four-barreled grenade launcher smoke screens were installed. The Type 89 self-propelled howitzer is equipped with a collective system of protection against weapons of mass destruction and a high-speed automatic fire extinguishing system. Engine 12V150L12 diesel type with water cooling and 450 hp. makes it possible for the howitzer to move on roads at a speed of 60 km / h. Transmission design - mechanical, planetary. Suspension of torsion-type track rollers. The self-propelled howitzer uses special attachments to cross water obstacles.
Main characteristics:
- main caliber 122 mm;
- barrel length 32 caliber;
- ACS crew of 5 people;
- weight 20 tons;
- length 11 meters;
- width 2 meters;
- height 3.4 meters;
- cruising range up to 500 kilometers;
- travel speed up to 60 km / h;
- additional caliber 12.7 mm.
