Modern self-propelled artillery seems to regain the title of "god of war." Judging by her super-efficiency on the battlefield, it becomes feasible for her to solve large tactical tasks through the use of tactical nuclear warheads. If we talk about conventional warheads, the most effective firing of "self-propelled guns" with guided projectiles "Krasnopol".
Since 1989, the first Soviet and then Russian armies have been armed with self-propelled guns of the MSTA-S series. It is about their combat characteristics and the transition to the status of weapons of a new generation that will be discussed in this article.
How are these self-propelled guns fundamentally different from heavy tanks, although they continue to visually resemble them? What technical and tactical features does camouflage conceal from their armor? We will begin to search for the answer to these questions from afar, from the history of the creation of this weapon.
The evolution of self-propelled guns in Russia
The concept of self-propelled artillery mounts (self-propelled guns) arose during World War I from a simple idea - to give mobility to the “god of war”, as artillery was called at that time. Improvement was achieved by placing the gun on a self-propelled chassis. It is significant that the first project - to create the first domestic stationary self-propelled guns on its own chassis - belongs to the son of the famous chemist V.D. Mendeleev. Unfortunately, this innovative concept for its time was not translated into reality.
However, the idea was realized, however, not in Russia, but already in the USSR (we will not take into account the primitive installation of guns in the truck body). The country of the Soviets managed to establish serial production of self-propelled guns. This provided the most mobile firepower to defeat enemy fortifications and armored vehicles. During the capture of Berlin , thousands of self-propelled guns interacted with the troops.
New equipment was in demand on the fronts: in the shortest time - in 2 years - evolution took place: from the SU-12 to the SU-100. The modification created by Soviet designers on the fronts was called "St. John's wort": it effectively pierced the frontal armor of the then-newest German Tiger and Panther tanks at a distance of half a kilometer. The Soviet gunners knocked down arrogance from German tankers who imagined themselves to be invincible after tank victories in France. Self-propelled guns showed themselves in the battle of Prokhorovka, and then.
Then the defense industry of our country, participating in the arms race, accentuously developed powerful strategic weapons. And only in the 70s, when both sides of the Cold War began to produce nuclear weapons of a limited radius of action, Soviet engineers returned to the modernization of self-propelled guns. The main direction of such design research was the creation of ultra-precise and super-powerful tactical weapons that can inflict damage to the enemy, comparable to the use of nuclear weapons of limited power.
A curious tendency was noticed - for some reason the new Soviet artillery mounts responsible for their creation gave strictly “floral names”: “Carnation” - 122 mm, “Acacia” - 152.4 mm, “Peony” - 203 mm. As you can see, the creation of the most effective self-propelled installations MSTA-S was, figuratively speaking, almost triumphant, i.e. "Lined with flowers."
Differences between tanks and self-propelled guns
Let's try to investigate this issue. They look like something: a tank and self-propelled guns. Only the first is more armored, has rear-wheel drive, more powerful armor ... However, if self-propelled artillery only duplicated the functions of tanks, then, in fact, there was no need to invent it. But she nevertheless arose! This means that there is a fundamental difference in the combat tasks they solve and in the methods of combat use.
Let's start with the obvious. The tank is traditionally considered the main shock military unit of the ground forces. It is maneuverable and armored as much as possible, including in a combined anti-shell way. With the help of tanks there is a breakthrough of defense, strengthening offensive power. They make their way through the enemy fortifications for infantry, fire in motion.
Thanks to the MSTA, Russian artillery troops received their essential component. In the design of these self-propelled guns, the armor / firepower ratio is clearly biased in favor of the second factor. The armor of self-propelled guns is ineffective against frontal volleys of artillery, but it is able to protect the crew from small arms fire, light armored vehicles, and all kinds of rebounds.
Tactics of combat use of self-propelled guns
Self-propelled guns (including MSTA-S) are second-line weapons. They appear where the enemy does not expect the buildup of artillery firepower. Self-propelled guns tactically operate in a completely different way than tanks. They do not "break through", but act remotely. Their style of influence on the enemy is limited to fire from positions closed from direct enemy influence. Strikes are targeted on pre-defined targets.
Modern self-propelled artillery can not only be out of line of sight of the enemy when shooting, but it also does not allow him to “shoot” on his own, as he dynamically changes his position, acting on the principle of “fired, left,” using maneuver as the neutralization of the response of fire.
Self-propelled guns can also effectively participate in tank breakthroughs, however, without being in the front line. Artillery of Russia (attached self-propelled howitzer photo), thanks to the MSTA, is also able to supplement the “tank tactical press” with accented fire support and thereby strengthen the breakdown force of a tank breakthrough to the enemy rear.
You can not remain silent about the fact that, starting from a certain time, self-propelled guns became a thunderstorm for snipers. Thanks to modern automatic systems for determining goals, recognition and guidance, the howitzer itself “calculates” them and effectively destroys them even in really hard-to-reach places.
Nevertheless, the maximum combat effectiveness of self-propelled guns is associated with the point-based use of tactical 3BV3 nuclear shells by them. The power of the nuclear charge embedded in them is 2.5 kilotons in TNT equivalent. In this way, the sectors of defense complexes, industrial and communication facilities, and troop clusters are destroyed.
Development of self-propelled guns concepts
The above impressive features were achieved by the 70-year evolution of this weapon. Back in the middle of the last century, the combat capabilities of self-propelled guns were, to put it mildly, much more modest. Then its main application was the destruction of tanks, bunkers and enemy troops.
Why, as a result of military-technical progress, was it developed such a divisional weapon as the self-propelled artillery installation MSTA-S? What criteria determined the relevance of a self-propelled howitzer? Perhaps the starting point should be sought in the fact that front-line operations significantly crossed the line of depth for a direct shot of small arms.
According to the new concept of military operations, the rear and the front have shifted: now the enemy’s defense up to 25 km in depth is subject to the active influence of divisional artillery. By the way, let us recall the difference between a howitzer and a gun - mounted shooting outside the line of sight. It is such a shot that provides the aforementioned criterion. Self-propelled guns of the middle of the last century already approximately corresponded to the tasks. Their caliber began from 100 mm, the range of the shot reached 17 km, their relatively short barrel had a very decent elevation angle - up to 75 0 . The designers understood that the further development of self-propelled guns is promising, as it is guaranteed to lead to the creation of tactical weapons of a new quality.
MSTA-S 2S19 self-propelled artillery howitzer
Progress in the development of military equipment has led to the fact that self-propelled artillery mountings were classified by their functional attribute, i.e., by the nature of the combat missions performed. Their individual design features arose for anti-tank, assault (against fortifications and infantry), anti-aircraft self-propelled guns (for firing on low- and medium-flying aircraft).
There were nuances in the evolution of this military equipment, dictated by a new round of scientific and technical progress. For example, the anti-tank specialization of self-propelled guns is hopelessly outdated (although this function is still provided for them). The fact is that modern helicopters and missile systems are more adapted to fighting tanks.
At the same time, the most popular were assault self-propelled guns. If we talk about the subject of our study, the Howitzer MSTA-S refers specifically to the aforementioned class of self-propelled guns. To complete its presentation to you, dear readers, we mention that according to the NATO classification it is called "Farm" M1990. The designers of this military equipment were employees of the Ural Machine-Building Plant Yu.Tomashov (chief designer) and G.Sergeyev (gun designer). Ural craftsmen managed to create a formidable military equipment (Object 316, as the MSTA-S self-propelled guns were called) with outstanding tactical and technical characteristics and promising potential combat capabilities (see table 1).
Table 1. Tactical and technical characteristics of 219
Tactical and technical. characteristic | Value |
Length including gun | 11.9 m |
Length (without gun) | 6.04 m |
SPG Width | 3.58 m |
Height | 2.99 m |
Track width | 2, 8 m |
Ground clearance | 0.44 m |
Howitzer ammunition | Howitzer 2A64 (heavy weapons) Ammunition 50 shells |
NSVT-12.7 machine gun anti-aircraft mount "Cliff" (300) | 300 rounds (5 strips of 60 rounds each) |
Max Shot Range | 25 km |
Minimum range shot | 6.5 km |
Gun rate | 7 - 8 rounds per minute |
Elevation angle | from +68 to -4 |
Muzzle velocity, m / s 828 | 828 m / s |
Projectile weight | 43.6 kg |
Mass of self-propelled guns | 42 t |
Masa ammunition | 2.5 t |
The number of people in the carriage | 5 people |
Motor brand | B-84A |
Motor power | 840 h.p. |
Top speed | 60 km / h |
Running stock | 500 km |
Possessing such performance characteristics, the Russian MSTA - a new generation self-propelled howitzer - has accordingly become an effective means of combating the tactical nuclear weapons of a potential enemy, its artillery, tank, infantry units, fortifications and other engineering structures, as well as army command and control and air defense units. Organizationally, it is listed in the tank and rifle divisions, while functionally possessing significant accuracy and long-range range.
Design 2s19 MTSTA-S
What measures the success of military equipment? The same thing as the hitness of books - in circulation, that is, serialization. The production of our self-propelled guns fully meets this criterion. Starting first at Uraltransmash, it then requested additional production capacities, which led to the construction of a specialized plant in Bashkiria (Sterlitamak).
What are the distinguishing features of this successful divisional self-propelled gun?
Its hull resembles the outlines of the second-generation Ural T-72 tank, the most widespread tactical offensive weapon of the second generation, the most basic in the Russian army. However, the self-propelled armor is traditionally weaker than that of the first-line military equipment - the tank. Self-propelled guns are coated with homogeneous armored steel (compare with tank double combined armor).
MSTA-S howitzer, unlike its more armored counterpart, is front-wheel drive. However, the balancing and torsion shafts were “stolen by her” from the T-80 tank. The 580 mm rubber track is also “borrowed” from him. The 840-horsepower V-84A engine is mounted in the ACS case itself, developing (for such a huge crowd!) Speed ​​up to 60 km / h, control drives, an 8-stroke gearbox and a powerful independent suspension with large torsions.
Self propelled tower
For structural reasons, this element of the self-propelled gun is much more massive than that of a tank. Of course, this is due to the caliber and power of the howitzer. Suffice it to recall that the upper plane of the tower is almost three meters above ground level. The power supply of the self-propelled unit is provided by 4 rechargeable batteries with a voltage of 27 V each. A howitzer 2A64 is mounted in a tower covered with rolled armored sheets, aiming systems, automatic ammunition supply, filter-ventilation, combined communication systems are also located here.
When the main engine is off, the on-board equipment is powered by the AP-18D unit. He charges the batteries and starts the engine. In general, as we can see, the 2C19 MSTA-S tower is a rather complex technical complex, protected by armor sufficiently for second-line weapons. Its mass is 13.5 tons.
SPG gun. Projectile delivery
A rifled gun - a howitzer with a caliber of 152 mm of the self-propelled gun we are considering uses not only an ammunition consisting of 50 shells and 300 machine gun cartridges located directly in the turret, but is also capable of firing by means of a robotic supply of heterogeneous shells brought to self-propelled guns, i.e. "From the ground."
The automatic reloading system rhythmically delivers projectiles to the gun, regardless of the angle of the howitzer barrel and the degree to which the installation itself returns to the MCTA loading line. The self-propelled howitzer is equipped with a semi-automatic dual-conveyor projectile system. Each conveyor is serviced by a separate loader. When shooting from the ground, additional conveyors are used, which saves on-board ammunition. The firepower of the self-propelled guns and its versatility in a combat situation is largely determined by the following projectiles used (see table 2).
Table 2. Shells for the MTS-S ammunition
Projectile mark | Projectile type | Firing range |
3OF45 | high-explosive fragmentation | 24.7 km |
3BOF72 | high-explosive fragmentation | 28.9 km |
ARS 3OF61 | active - reactive | 28.9 km |
3BOF73 | high-explosive fragmentation | 28.9 km |
3BOF58 | high-explosive fragmentation | 28.9 km |
3CH3O | setting r / l interference | 22.3 km |
3VDC 8 | installation of smoke curtains | 22.3 km |
3OF39 | laser-controlled "Krasnopol" | 25 km |
Howitzer guidance
The effectiveness of the gunner is determined by the use of specific sights and guidance drives. The self-propelled howitzer we are considering uses two sights: a rotating panoramic 1P22 (an increase of 3.7 times) and a fixed direct fire 1P23 (an increase of 5.5 times). A feature of the panoramic sight is a more complex structure (using derotation optics and a gyroscope), as well as the ability to rotate it 360 ° , which is an important attribute of modern tanks and self-propelled guns.
Guidance drives are extremely ergonomic for the gunner, which is important in a combat situation. It is especially practical that a vertical drive always automatically does its job. An additional convenience is the elevation angle automatically restored after each shot.
Thus, the crew remains to adjust the control device for horizontal drives so as to combine the sight and the aiming point. This is the meaning of the work of the gunner 2S19 MSTA-S. The photo, by the way, demonstrates this, indeed, his gaze practically does not take his eyes off the handles, levers, etc. It really contributes to the effectiveness of the battle.
Anti-aircraft machine gun
Not only the howitzer determines the combat capabilities of the gun. The tower is also equipped with the NSVT-12.7mm Utes guided remotely-controlled machine-gun mount, which has an impressive rate of fire from 700 to 800 rounds per minute and a decent aiming range of 2.0 km. The machine gun is located on the commander's cupola and has guidance angles from -3 0 to 70 0 . It effectively counteracts helicopters and low-flying aircraft, lightly armored targets thanks to the PZU-5 or PZU-7 sight. Thus, the MSTA-S artillery is protected from a sudden attack by the enemy on the “second line” where it is located. If, as a result of such an attack, the main engine is out of order, the self-propelled guns due to the "backup option" - the AD-18D gas turbine with a service life of 8 hours will be relocated to a place safe for the crew, suitable for repair.
Other equipment of self-propelled guns
Each additionally installed self-propelled artillery system has an objectively determined purpose. For example, there should be fire-fighting equipment on board that can automatically monitor critical temperatures. The proper level of fire protection is provided by the 3ETs11-2 installation, which guarantees threefold elimination of the ACS fire.
Given the specifics of this military equipment, namely the presence of smoke after shots for the crew, there is a potential danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. It should also take into account the necessary isolation of the crew in terms of the possible use of nuclear weapons. To eliminate these risks, self-propelled guns MSTA-S is equipped with a filtering and ventilation system consisting of two units, each of which is self-sufficient.
In addition, it is obvious that the communication of the crew in the process of combat work should occur during firing. Therefore, without internal telephone communication, providing audibility and, accordingly, coordination of the actions of the commander, gunner, charging, etc. Elementary audibility is generally impossible. Even a tank does not have such an internal communication system isolated from external noise. MSTA-S is equipped with an on-board telephone exchange 1B116, which provides internal negotiations and is designed for seven people. As you can see, apart from five full-time members, two more people temporarily staying with the crew are endowed with the possibility of internal communication.
Management and coordination with other equipment and units interacting with self-propelled guns is provided by the R-173 airborne radio station operating in the VHF band and providing stable communication within a radius of 20 km.
SPG modifications
The MSTA-S model has established itself as a powerful weapon of fire suppression of the enemy during the war in Chechnya. Testing in a combat situation encouraged designers to further improve this military equipment.
The year before last, TsKB Titan modernized a howitzer (at the same time, the 152 mm caliber was supplemented by NATO-vskiy). But the main innovation was that the factory workers equipped the self-propelled gun with an innovative fire control system. New technology has reached generation 4+.
Self-propelled artillery of Russia gained improved combat properties. As part of the LMS, stabilization is stable, i.e. ensuring the conservation of the sighting line of the howitzer during various movements, reflected in the heterogeneous dynamics of the moving platform of the self-propelled guns.
The on-board computer, using information from technical means and special sensors, automatically detects, recognizes, tracks targets, and makes weapons for firing at them.
In August 2012, after the modernization, factory tests were successfully completed, and almost immediately the Barricades software began mass production of the updated 2A64M self-propelled guns. It greatly increased the artillery of Russia, the armament of self-propelled guns was fundamentally improved. By the end of 2012, this equipment has already entered service.
Currently, the new generation self-propelled howitzer MSTA-SM is represented by the following modifications:
- self-propelled guns 2S19M - "titanium development" (described above);
- self-propelled guns 2S19M1 - guidance system "Success-S", with geographical and spatial self-orientation of self-propelled guns, digital processing of target information, improved self-organization of the system when firing from a completely unprepared position; due to a significant improvement in the quality of fire use, the time spent on self-propelled guns at the shooting line has been significantly reduced, this gives more than enough time for this equipment to complete an anti-fire maneuver immediately after firing, ahead of the enemy’s reaction;
- The 2S19M1-155 self-propelled guns is designed according to NATO standards, equipped with a 155 mm gun adapted to NATO munitions, this modification is made for export, it is competitive due to its lower price than the North Atlantic bloc’s counterparts (less than $ 3 million) and automatic feeding ammunition; more than hundreds of firing by an experimental specimen showed high self-propelled guns; the armed forces of Argentina, India, and Chile became interested in it.
Output
Considering the evolution of self-propelled guns self-propelled guns 2S19M, we can conclude that a radical change in tactics of warfare. Innovation fire control systems are beginning to take on relevance. In the literal sense, automation begins to fight. An artillery installation with a fire control system becomes the weapon of the future. It begins to resemble a fantastic movie war. The on-board computer of the self-propelled guns has the ability to instantly assess where the firing points of the enemy are located, and issue the necessary information to the sights to suppress them with fire. At the same time, the functions of a gunner begin to resemble the control duties of a PC user sitting at a monitor.
It is characteristic that this process is being improved towards the combat domination of automated systems over the human factor.