The concept of installing a 152-mm gun on a tank is not new, attempts to install this type of gun were made back in the mid-1980s, however, technical difficulties, excess power and the crisis in the country did not allow such a task to be fully realized in Soviet times.
The promising T-14 tank on the Armata platform provides for the possibility of installing a 152-mm gun, but at the moment this tank has a modernized 125-mm gun. However, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation still deliberately put the 152-mm gun on a limited number of T-14 tanks.
Attempts to introduce a 152 mm gun on domestic tanks
The first tank with a 152-mm LP-83 cannon was the Object 292 of the Leningrad Kirov Plant and the All-Russian Research Institute Transmash, created on the basis of the T-80BV tank. Due to financial difficulties in the late 1980s and early 1990s, only a single prototype tank was built in the fall of 1990. In 1991, tests began with test firing, during which a significant superiority of the 152-mm gun was revealed compared to the main tank gun with a caliber of 125 mm 2A46. In particular, this applied to a one and a half times greater shot impulse with approximately equal gun recoil, which made it possible to install a gun on T-80BV tanks without significant modifications, significantly increasing their firepower.
However, in the 1990s, due to underfunding of the armed forces, the Object 292 did not pass all the tests. In the future, the 152 mm LP-83 cannon was to be used on the "Object 477" "Hammer", and its analogue, the 152-mm cannon 2A83, on the "Object 195" "Black Eagle".
"Object 477" "Hammer" due to the unfortunate location of the ammunition did not receive development and was soon closed.
For the "Object 195" "Black Eagle" at the Yekaterinburg plant No. 9, a new 2A83 gun with a caliber of 152 mm was created, which is a modification of the 2A65 gun of the Msta-S self-propelled artillery mount (SAU). The first tests of the 2A83 gun took place on the B-4 tracked platform, where it showed the same good results as the LP-83. The range of a direct shot was 5100 m, armor penetration - 1024 mm of homogeneous steel, which exceeded the performance of 2A46. However, in 2010, work on the "Object 195" "Black Eagle" was stopped in favor of the new universal armored platform "Armata".
Comparison of 125 mm and 152 mm guns
At the moment, the T-14 "Armata" tanks have a modernized 125-mm gun 2A82-1M, developed by plant No. 9 in Yekaterinburg.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the 125-mm gun 2A82-1M:
- Weight - 2700 kg;
- Barrel length - 7000 mm;
- The initial speed of the projectile - 2050 m / s;
- shells - 4700 m;
- guided missile (URS) 3UBK21 "Sprinter" - 8000 m;
- anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) "Reflex-M" - 5500 m;
- Rate of fire - 10-12 rounds per minute;
- Muzzle energy shot - 15-24 MJ;
- Armor penetration:
- armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile (BPS) - 850-1000 mm;
- ATGM - 950 mm;
- Gun barrel resource - 800-900 shots;
- Ammunition - 45 shells;
- Automatic loader - 32 rounds.
As a 152-mm gun for the T-14 tank, the 2A83 gun, a modernized gun of the Msta-S 2A65 self-propelled guns, developed by the same Yekaterinburg plant No. 9, is considered.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the 152-mm gun 2A83:
- Type of gun - smooth-bore with a chrome-plated barrel;
- Weight - more than 5000 kg;
- Barrel length - 7200 mm;
- The initial speed of the projectile - 1980 m / s;
- Effective shot range:
- shells - 5100 m;
- URS "Krasnopol" 2K25 - 20,000 m;
- URS "Krasnopol" ZOF38 - 12,000 m;
- Rate of fire - 10-15 rounds per minute;
- Muzzle energy shot - 20-25 MJ;
- Armor penetration:
- BPS - 1024 mm;
- ATGM - 1200-1400 m;
- Gun barrel resource - 280 shots;
- Ammunition - 40 shells;
- Automatic loader - 24 rounds.
As can be seen from the characteristics of the guns, in comparison with the 2A82-1M gun, the 2A83 gun has a significant superiority in almost all parameters. It is also distinguished by the ability to fire ammunition up to 1 meter long, such as Krasnopol - before that they were used in the Msta-S self-propelled guns.
What do competitors have
The main competitors of the domestic 2A83 cannon are the German 130-mm Rheinmetall L55 gun. and 140 mm American gun XM291.
German gun L55. caliber 130 mm is based on the 120 mm predecessor. While its exact characteristics are not yet known, in addition to the fact that the gun has a barrel length of 51 calibers (6630 mm), it will have 50% more power compared to the 120 mm version, while the weight of the gun is 3000 kg. For firing from a 130-mm cannon, it is planned to use two types of promising unitary projectiles - this is an armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile (APFSDS) with an elongated tungsten core, a partially combustible sleeve using a charge on gunpowder of a new type; and a multi-purpose high-explosive fragmentation projectile with programmable air detonation, developed on the basis of the DM11 projectile. Serial production of the gun is planned to be deployed by 2025.
The American XM291 140 mm cannon is the result of work on the ATAC (Advanced Tank Cannon) project. According to the developers, this gun has twice as much power as the similar 120-mm M-256 gun mounted on the M1A2 Abrams tanks. The gun has a removable barrel, the design of the breech allows you to replace the 140-mm barrel with a 120-mm one, thereby allowing the use of both new types of ammunition and old ones. The gun has an automatic loader; during tests, the gun showed a rate of fire similar to that of the 2A83 - 12 rounds per minute. Ammunition is 22 rounds of 140 mm caliber or 32–33 rounds of 120 mm caliber. The main disadvantage of this weapon is the very high recoil energy.
The gun has been in development since 1985 and has not yet been tested, to this day it is at the stage of an experimental sample.
Prospects for the implementation and options for using the 2A83 gun on the T-14 tank
It can be quite confidently asserted that a version of the T-14 tank with a 152-mm gun will be created. Back in February 2016, the procedure for military acceptance of the T-14, including the version with a 152-mm gun, began. Rosatom specialists are already working on the creation of super-powerful explosive sub-caliber projectiles of 152 mm caliber from depleted uranium.
The problem of the low amount of ammunition in the 152 mm version of the tank can be solved by placing additional rounds in the turret niche.
Since the T-14 has its own radar station (RLS), the 152-mm version of the tank is proposed to use guided projectiles of the Krasnopol type. In this scenario, the T-14 already looks more like a self-propelled gun than a tank, so it is possible that the 152-mm version of the T-14 in the documentation will have the abbreviation "combat artillery vehicle" (BAM).
From the foregoing, we can conclude that the main gun for the T-14 tank will remain the 125-mm 2A82-1M gun. With a 152 mm 2A83 cannon, a limited series of tanks will be produced - to perform narrower tasks as part of a tank group. The scenario of using 152-mm guided projectiles is possible when destroying enemy fortifications, inflicting precision strikes on armored vehicles or enemy air defense systems at a distance of 20 km or more (the Krasnopol 2K25 projectile allows this). Therefore, the T-14 tank with a 152-mm gun will not be the main version of the tank on the Armata platform, but will serve as a highly specialized fire support vehicle.
Artillery is not in vain called the main participant in the war. From the very beginning of its history, it has become an important and integral part of any ground forces. Even despite the high-tech developments in the field of missile weapons and air aviation, gunners have enough work, and this state of affairs will not change in the foreseeable future.
In the army, size has always mattered, and regardless of the type of troops. Large bombers or massive tanks are not the most maneuverable, and sometimes not as effective tools of attack or defense, but do not forget about the psychological effect they have on enemies.
So, we present to your attention a list of the largest guns in the history of mankind, which includes artillery pieces from different eras and times. All of them have survived to this day in one form or another, and inspire fear already in museum visitors, and not in enemies on the battlefield.
- Ottoman Basilica.
- German Dora.
- Russian Tsar Cannon.
- American gun "Little David".
- Soviet mortar "Oka".
- German "Big Bertha".
Let's consider each participant in more detail.
"Basilica"
On the place of honor of our list is the Ottoman cannon "Basilica". Casting began at the beginning of the 15th century at the request of the ruler Mehmed II. The work fell on the shoulders of the famous Hungarian master Urban, and a few years later the largest cannon in the world in the history of war appeared.
The bronze gun turned out to be colossal in its dimensions: the length of the warhead was 12 meters, the diameter of the barrel was 90 cm, and the weight exceeded the 30-ton mark. For that time, it was a heavy colossus, and at least 30 tall bulls were required to move it.
Distinctive features of the gun
The calculation of the gun was also impressive: 50 carpenters to make a platform at the shooting site and 200 people to aim at the target. The firing range of the largest cannon in the world was about 2 kilometers, which at that time was an unimaginable distance for any weapon.
The "Basilica" did not please its commanders for long, because literally after a few days of a difficult siege, the cannon cracked, and after a couple of days it stopped firing altogether. Nevertheless, the gun did its service to the Ottoman Empire and brought a lot of fear to the enemies, from which they could not recover for a long time.
"Dora"
This very heavy German gun is considered the largest cannon in the World War II world. It all started in the 30s of the last century, when the engineers of the Krupp company began to design this colossus.
A gun with a caliber of 807 mm had to be mounted on a special platform that walked along railway. The maximum distance to hit targets fluctuated around 50 kilometers. German designers managed to make only two guns, and one of them took part in the siege of Sevastopol.
The total weight of the "Dora" fluctuated within 1.3 tons. With about a half-hour delay, the gun fired one shot. Despite the fact that many military analysts and specialists had a lot of doubts about the combat effectiveness and practicality of such a monster, the gun really inspired panic and disoriented the enemy troops.
Tsar Cannon
Bronze in the list of the largest artillery pieces was given to the national pride - the Tsar Cannon. The gun saw the light in 1586 thanks to the efforts of the weapons designer of those years, Andrei Chokhov.
The dimensions of the cannon make an unforgettable impression on tourists: a length of 5.4 meters, a caliber of a military gun of 890 mm and a weight of more than 40 tons will frighten any enemy. The world's largest cannon rightfully received the respectful treatment of the Tsar.
Above the appearance of the guns also tried. The cannon is decorated with complex and interesting patterns, and several inscriptions can be read around the perimeter. Military experts are confident that the Tsar Cannon once opened fire on the enemy, despite the fact that this was not confirmed in historical documents. Our gun got into the famous Guinness Book of Records and became the most visited attraction of the capital on a par with Lenin's mausoleum.
"Little David"
This cannon from the United States is a legacy of World War II and is considered the world's largest cannon in terms of caliber diameter. "Little David" was developed as a tool for the elimination of particularly powerful enemy installations on the Pacific coast.
But the gun was not destined to leave the range, where it was successfully tested, so the gun inspired fear and respect only in photographs of the foreign press.
Before firing, the barrel was mounted on a special metal frame, which was dug into the ground by a quarter. The gun fired non-standard cone-shaped projectiles, the weight of which could reach one and a half tons. At the site of the explosion of such ammunition, a deep depression remained 4 meters deep and 10-15 meters in circumference.
Mortar "Oka"
In fifth position in the list of the largest guns in the world is another domestic development of the Soviet era - the Oka mortar. In the middle of the last century, the USSR already had nuclear weapons, but experienced some problems with delivering them to the target site. Therefore, the Soviet designers were given the task of creating a mortar that could fire nuclear warheads.
As a result, they got a kind of monster with a caliber of 420 mm and a weight of almost 60 tons. The firing range of the mortar varied within 50 kilometers, which, in principle, was sufficient for mobile tank equipment of those times.
Despite the theoretical success of the enterprise, mass production of the Oka was abandoned. The reason for this was the monstrous recoil of the gun, which nullified all mobility: for a normal shot, it was necessary to properly dig in the mortar and build stops, and this took too much time.
"Big Bertha"
Another weapon of German designers, but already at the beginning of the last century, when the First World War. The gun was developed at the already mentioned Krupp plant in 1914. The gun received a main combat caliber of 420 mm, and each individual projectile weighed almost one ton. Having at the same time a firing range of 14 kilometers, such indicators were quite acceptable.
"Big Bertha" was designed to destroy especially strong enemy fortifications. Initially, the gun was stationary, but after some time, it was finalized and made possible to use on a mobile platform. The first option weighed about 50 tons, and the second about 40. For transporting the guns, steam tractors were involved, which with great difficulty, but coped with their task.
At the landing site of the projectile, a deep depression was formed with a diameter of up to 15 meters, depending on the selected ammunition. The rate of fire of the gun was surprisingly high - one shot in eight minutes. The gun was a real disaster and a headache for the allies. Machina inspired not only fear, but also demolished even the strongest walls with fortifications.
But despite its destructive power, "Big Bertha" was vulnerable to enemy artillery. The latter was more mobile and faster-firing. During the storming of the Osovets fortress, which in eastern Poland, the Germans, although they pretty much battered the fort, lost two of their guns. While the Russian soldiers great success repulsed the onslaught, while damaging only one standard artillery unit (the naval Kane).
"Colossal", aka "Paris cannon". The longest-barreled artillery gun in history, created by the Germans to bombard Paris from a distance of 130 km
It is difficult to say exactly who and when first called artillery the "God of War", however, there is no doubt that it really deserved such a formidable nickname. A powerful military weapon capable of unleashing tons of metal and explosives on the enemy - this is what artillery is. Despite the rapid development of all kinds military equipment, artillery is still one of the key players in modern military conflicts.
The appearance of artillery in Europe in the 14th century had a huge impact on the development of military affairs. Initially, the guns had a fixed carriage and were used only to destroy enemy fortifications. With the development of technology, gunsmiths made guns more mobile. Thanks to this, they could move along with the troops, participate in battles, and sometimes even decide their outcome!
Over the centuries, many talented scientists have been busy increasing the capabilities of artillery. In this article we will talk about the largest, most powerful and most impressive guns. True, not all of them were able to make a significant contribution to history, however, this does not in the least prevent us from admiring their power and size.
So, let's look at the most impressive guns and find out which gun is the largest in the world?
Self-propelled mortar "Karl" (Gerät 040)
One of the heaviest and most powerful weapons ever used on the battlefield is the Karl Mortar used during World War II. With a caliber of 600 mm, its shells weighed from 1250 to 2170 kg, having a dead weight of 126 tons. According to the original plan, such self-propelled mortars were supposed to assist the troops in destroying the fortifications of the enemy army, primarily the fortifications of the Maginot Line. It was not possible to use them in the conflict with France, and these large installations made their debut only during the attack of the Brest Fortress and the shelling of Sevastopol. Later, Soviet troops managed to capture one of these mortars, and today it can be seen in the museum of armored vehicles in Kubinka near Moscow.
"Mad Greta" (Dulle Griet)
The bombardment was created in the 14th century in the town of Ghent, which was at that time on the territory of the Holy Roman Empire. The barrel of the gun was welded from 32 forged strips, interconnected by 41 hoops. "Greta" had impressive dimensions for its time: length - 5 meters, caliber - 660 mm, weight - 16 tons. Stone cannonballs were used as projectiles.
Howitzer "Saint-Chamon"
The French long-range railway howitzer also had very impressive characteristics. Its caliber of 400 mm and the mass of the projectile of 641 kg seem not so huge in comparison with the German "Karl", however, "Saint-Chamon" had an undeniable advantage in the firing range. This parameter reached 17 kilometers. Even in our time, not every artillery piece is capable of throwing a projectile over such a long distance, while for this gun, created back in the 19th century (1884), this task was quite feasible.
Faule Mette ("Lazy Mette")
"Lazy Metta" is a weapon of impressive caliber, which consumed about 30 kilograms of gunpowder in one shot. This cannon, designed to fire stone cannonballs, was created at the beginning of the 15th century by workers under the guidance of the master Henning Bussenshutte. Due to the fact that not a single gun has survived to this day, we can only announce its approximate characteristics: caliber - 67-80 cm, weight - 9 tons, shot weight - up to 430 kg. It may not have been the largest cannon of those years, but it looked like a very serious trump card in the siege of fortified positions.
"Big Bertha" (Dicke Bertha)
The famous German cannon from the Second World War was designed and then manufactured in the amount of 9 pieces at the Krupp factories. The purpose of this weapon is the destruction of especially protected enemy targets. A caliber of 420 mm and a projectile weight of 930 kg contributed to this. In addition, it is worth noting that the gun was also long-range, hitting targets at a distance of up to 14 kilometers. The rate of fire of "Bertha" is not the highest - 1 shot in 8 minutes. The gun was produced in two versions: mobile, weighing 42 tons, and semi-stationary, which weighed about 140 tons. Falling to the ground, a high-explosive projectile of such a gun created a funnel with a diameter of more than 10 meters.
Mortar "Oka"
Self-propelled mortar 2B1 "Oka" is called "atomic", because it was intended, including for firing nuclear charges. The gun could shoot at a distance of up to 50 kilometers, and the most powerful gun could envy the destructive power of its shells. This impressive machine was created in the 50s of the XX century. Mortar caliber - 420 millimeters. The total weight of the self-propelled guns is 55 tons. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), only 4 copies were built.
Little David ("Little David")
The Little David mortar was designed and built in the United States at the height of World War II and was intended for use in the war against Japan. Caliber - a record 914 millimeters. Even such large guns as "Dora" or "Karl" are inferior in this parameter to "little David". However, we will talk about "Dora" later. The mass of a projectile fired by an American mortar was 1678 kg, and after a burst, such a projectile formed a funnel with a radius of up to 12 meters. The total weight of the gun reached 83 tons - two trucks were enough to transport it in a disassembled state. However, the military was not satisfied with the low accuracy and short firing range (8.7 km), as a result of which, in 1946, all work on this product was stopped, and it was not adopted for service.
Tsar Cannon
This legendary weapon needs no introduction. The Tsar Cannon was cast in bronze in 1586 by the talented craftsman Andrei Chokhov.
The characteristics of the Tsar Cannon are impressive: caliber - 890 mm, length - 5.34 meters, weight - 40 tons. Anyone can see this impressive beauty by visiting the Moscow Kremlin.
Both the carriage and the cannon itself are covered with skillfully made patterns, and there are also various inscriptions on them. Experts say that this weapon was originally made as a combat weapon - at least one shot was fired from it, however, documentary evidence of this was not found. The Tsar Cannon is rightfully in the Guinness Book of Records.
"Dora"
Without a doubt, the Dora is the most powerful gun in the world. According to Manstein, during the siege of Sevastopol, she destroyed an ammunition depot hidden in the rocks at a depth of 30 meters with just one shot. However, this information is most likely unreliable: the German gunners failed to provide even minimal accuracy, and most of the shells simply fell into the sea.
The length of the huge Dora trunk is 32.5 meters, the length of the entire installation is even longer - 47.3 meters. To transport this hulk, several trains were required, which is not surprising, because the mass of the entire installation was 1350 tons. Two such artillery pieces were built, each of which had a caliber of 807 mm.
Each projectile fired by Dora weighed 7 tons and pierced up to 7 meters of reinforced concrete, overcoming a distance of up to 50 kilometers before that.
The gun was planned to be used in the French campaign, however, it received its baptism of fire only in 1942 during the siege of Sevastopol. Despite the fantastic performance, the combat effectiveness of the Dora left much to be desired: its maintenance required 3-6 weeks of training and 4,000 people. To this day, the Dora is the largest cannon in the world.
"Basilica" or Ottoman cannon
"Basilica" was for its time a real miracle of technology. It was made in the 15th century by the Hungarian craftsman Urban, commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II. The gun had gigantic dimensions for its time: length - 12 meters, large caliber - 75-90 cm, weight - 30 tons. It took 30 bulls to move this bronze hulk. To service the guns, his calculation included at least 250 people. The firing range is 2 kilometers, which is very good for the fifteenth century.
"Basilica" - a cannon, remarkable not for its gigantic size. With the help of this gun, the Ottoman artillery managed to make a breach in the previously impregnable walls of Constantinople, which helped to capture the city. The fall of Constantinople led to the final collapse of the Byzantine Empire.
It should be noted that the Basilica did not fight for long. The barrel of the gun could not cope with the gigantic loads, and as it fired, it became covered with new cracks. A few weeks after the start of use, the gun became completely unsuitable for firing. But this in no way diminishes its colossal historical significance.
If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.
Everyone knows how great is the importance of artillery in modern combat. The guns are capable of hitting enemy manpower, tanks and aircraft, and destroying the enemy, located in open space and in shelters.
At the same time, a number of ordinary people mistakenly attribute all these merits to the cannon, having little idea of what a howitzer is and how they differ.
Definition
A gun- one of the types of artillery guns with a long barrel and a high muzzle velocity, good range.
Howitzer is a type of artillery gun for mounted firing outside the line of sight of the target from covered positions.
Comparison
The gun has a long barrel and a high initial velocity of the projectile, which makes it convenient to hit moving objects from it. In addition, the gun is the most long-range of all types of guns. The elevation angle of the barrel of the gun is small, and therefore the projectile flies along a flat trajectory. Such features make the gun very effective in direct fire. When firing fragmentation projectiles, the cannon is good for incapacitating enemy manpower (being at an acute angle to the surface, bursting, the projectile covers a large area with fragments).
180 mm gun S-23
The howitzer is mainly used for mounted shooting, while the servants often do not see the enemy. The length of the howitzer barrel is less than that of the cannon, as is the charge of gunpowder, as well as the muzzle velocity of the projectile. But the howitzer has a significant angle of elevation of the barrel, thanks to which it is possible to shoot from it at targets located behind shelters. The howitzer is also financially more profitable: the walls of its barrel are thinner, it requires less metal for production and gunpowder for firing than a cannon. The weight of a howitzer is much less than the weight of a cannon with the same caliber.
The gun is more suitable for defensive actions. The howitzer, on the contrary, is for the offensive - it is capable of sowing panic behind enemy lines, disrupting communications and control, and also creating a barrage of fire in front of its own attacking troops.
122 mm howitzer D-30 Findings site
- A cannon is an artillery weapon for flat firing with a high muzzle velocity.
- Howitzer - a type of gun for mounted shooting from closed positions.
- The barrel of a cannon is longer than that of a howitzer.
- The muzzle velocity of a cannon is higher than that of a howitzer.
- It is most convenient to hit moving and open targets from a cannon.
- The howitzer is designed for mounted firing at covered targets.
- The cannon is the most long-range weapon type.
- A howitzer is lighter than a cannon with the same calibers, and the charge of gunpowder of its shells is less.
- The gun is good on the defensive, the howitzer is good on the offensive.
Do you know what kind of troops are respectfully called the "god of war"? Of course, artillery! Despite the development over the past fifty years, the role of high-precision modern receiver systems is still extremely large.
History of development
The "father" of guns is considered to be the German Schwartz, but many historians agree that his merits in this matter are rather doubtful. So, the first mention of the use of cannon artillery on the battlefield dates back to 1354, but there are many papers in the archives that mention the year 1324.
There is no reason to believe that some have not been used before. By the way, most references to such weapons can be found in old English manuscripts, and not at all in German primary sources. So, especially noteworthy in this regard is the rather well-known treatise "On the Duties of Kings", which was written to the glory of Edward III.
The author was a teacher to the king, and the book itself was written in 1326 (the time of Edward's assassination). There are no detailed explanations of the engravings in the text, and therefore one has to focus only on the subtext. So, one of the illustrations depicts, without a doubt, a real cannon, reminiscent of a large vase. It is shown how a large arrow flies out of the neck of this “jug”, shrouded in clouds of smoke, and a knight stands at a distance, having just set fire to gunpowder with a red-hot rod.
First appearance
As for China, in which, most likely, gunpowder was invented (and medieval alchemists discovered it three times, no less), that is, there is every reason to believe that the first artillery pieces could be tested even before the beginning of our era. Simply put, artillery, like all firearms, is probably much older than is commonly believed.
In the era, these tools were already massively used against the walls of which by that time were no longer so effective tool protection for the besieged.
chronic stagnation
So why did the ancient peoples not conquer the whole world with the help of the "god of war"? It's simple - cannons of the early 14th century. and 18th c. little different from each other. They were clumsy, unnecessarily heavy, and provided very poor accuracy. No wonder the first guns were used to destroy walls (it's hard to miss!), As well as to shoot at large concentrations of the enemy. In an era when enemy armies marched at each other in colorful columns, this also did not require high accuracy of cannons.
Do not forget about the disgusting quality of gunpowder, as well as its unpredictable properties: during the war with Sweden, Russian gunners sometimes had to triple the sample rate so that the cannonballs inflicted at least some damage on enemy fortresses. Of course, this fact reflected frankly badly on the reliability of the guns. There were many cases when nothing was left of the artillery crew as a result of a cannon explosion.
Other reasons
Finally, metallurgy. As in the case of steam locomotives, only the invention of rolling mills and deep research in the field of metallurgy provided the necessary knowledge to produce truly reliable barrels. The creation of artillery shells provided the troops with “monarchist” privileges on the battlefield for a long time.
Do not forget about the calibers of artillery pieces: in those years they were calculated both based on the diameter of the used cores and taking into account the parameters of the barrel. Incredible confusion reigned, and therefore the armies simply could not adopt something truly unified. All this greatly hindered the development of the industry.
The main varieties of ancient artillery systems
Now let's look at the main types of artillery pieces, which in many cases really helped to change history, refracting the course of the war in favor of one state. As of 1620, it was customary to distinguish between the following types of guns:
- Guns caliber from 7 to 12 inches.
- Periers.
- Falconets and minions ("falcons").
- Portable guns with breech loading.
- Robinets.
- Mortars and bombards.
This list displays only "true" guns in a more or less modern sense. But at that time, the army had a relatively large number of ancient cast-iron guns. The most typical of their representatives are culverins and semi-culverins. By that time, it had already become completely clear that the giant cannons, which were to a large extent distributed in more early periods, are no good: their accuracy is disgusting, the risk of an explosion of the barrel is extremely high, and it takes a lot of time to reload.
If we turn again to the times of Peter, then the historians of those years note that hundreds of liters of vinegar were required for each battery of “unicorns” (a variety of kulevrin). It was used diluted with water to cool barrels overheated from shots.
Rarely found an ancient artillery piece with a caliber of more than 12 inches. The most commonly used culverins, the core of which weighed approximately 16 pounds (about 7.3 kg). In the field, falconets were very common, the core of which weighed only 2.5 pounds (about a kilogram). Now let's look at the types of artillery pieces that were common in the past.
Gun name | Barrel length (in calibers) | Projectile weight, kilogram | Approximate range of effective shooting (in meters) |
Musket | No defined standard | ||
Falconet | |||
sacra | |||
"Aspid" | |||
Standard cannon | |||
half-cannon | No defined standard | ||
Kulevrina (ancient artillery gun with a long barrel) | |||
"Half" culverin | |||
Serpentine | There is no data | ||
Bastard | There is no data | ||
stone thrower |
If you carefully looked through this table and saw a musket there, do not be surprised. so called not only those clumsy and heavy guns that we remember from films about musketeers, but also a full-fledged artillery gun with a long barrel of small caliber. After all, it is very problematic to imagine a “bullet” weighing 400 grams!
In addition, you should not be surprised at the presence of a stone thrower on the list. The fact is that, for example, the Turks, even in the time of Peter, used cannon artillery with might and main, firing cannonballs carved from stone. They were much less likely to pierce through enemy ships, but more often they caused serious damage to the latter from the very first salvo.
Finally, all the data that is given in our table is approximate. Many types of artillery pieces will remain forever forgotten, and ancient historians often did not understand the characteristics and names of those guns that were massively used during the siege of cities and fortresses.
Innovators-inventors
As we have already said, barrel artillery for many centuries was a weapon that, as it seemed, was forever frozen in its development. However, things quickly changed. As with many innovations in military affairs, the idea belonged to the officers of the fleet.
The main problem of cannon artillery on ships was the serious limitation of space, the difficulty of performing any maneuvers. Seeing all this, Mr. Melville and Mr. Gascoigne, who was in charge of his production, managed to create an amazing cannon, which historians today know as the "caronade". There were no trunnions (mounts for the gun carriage) on its trunk at all. But on it there was a small eye, into which a steel rod could be inserted easily and quickly. He firmly clung to the compact machine gun.
The gun turned out to be light and short, easy to handle. The approximate range of effective firing from it was about 50 meters. In addition, due to some of its design features, it became possible to fire shells with an incendiary mixture. "Caronade" became so popular that Gascoigne soon moved to Russia, where talented masters of foreign origin were always expected, received the rank of general and the position of one of Catherine's advisers. It was in those years that Russian artillery guns began to be developed and produced on a hitherto unseen scale.
Modern artillery systems
As we already noted at the very beginning of our article, in the modern world, artillery had to “make room” somewhat under the influence of rocket weapons. But this does not mean at all that there is no place left for the barrel and jet systems on the battlefield. By no means! The invention of high-precision GPS/GLONASS-guided projectiles makes it possible to state with certainty that the "natives" of the distant 12-13th century will continue to keep the enemy at bay.
Barrel and rocket artillery: who is better?
Unlike traditional barrel systems, rocket launchers practically do not give tangible returns. This is what distinguishes them from any self-propelled or towed gun, which, in the process of being brought into a combat position, needs to be fixed and dug in as firmly as possible on the ground, since otherwise it may even tip over. Of course, there is no question of any quick change of position here, in principle, even if a self-propelled artillery gun is used.
Reactive systems are fast and mobile, they can change their combat position in a few minutes. In principle, such vehicles can fire even when moving, but this affects the accuracy of the shot badly. The disadvantage of such installations is their low accuracy. The same "Hurricane" can literally plow several square kilometers, destroying almost all living things, but this will require a whole battery of installations with rather expensive shells. These artillery pieces, photos of which you will find in the article, are especially loved by domestic developers ("Katyusha").
A volley of one howitzer with a "smart" projectile is capable of destroying anyone in one attempt, while a battery of rocket launchers may require more than one volley. In addition, a “Smerch”, “Hurricane”, “Grad” or “Tornado” at the time of launch cannot be detected except by a blind soldier, since a noble cloud of smoke forms in that place. But in such installations, one projectile can contain up to several hundred kilograms of explosive.
Cannon artillery, due to its accuracy, can be used to fire at the enemy at the moment he is close to his own positions. In addition, a barreled self-propelled artillery gun is capable of counter-battery fire, doing this for many hours. The barrels of volley fire systems wear out rather quickly, which does not contribute to their long-term use.
By the way, in the first Chechen campaign, Grads were used, which managed to fight in Afghanistan. The wear of their barrels was such that the shells sometimes scattered in unpredictable directions. This often led to the "covering" of their own soldiers.
The best multiple rocket launchers
Artillery guns of Russia "Tornado" inevitably take the lead. They fire shells of 122 mm caliber at a distance of up to 100 kilometers. In one volley, up to 40 charges can be fired, which cover an area of up to 84,000 square meters. The power reserve is no less than 650 kilometers. Together with the high reliability of the chassis and the speed of movement up to 60 km / h, this allows you to transfer the Tornado battery to the right place and with minimal time.
The second most effective is the domestic MLRS 9K51 "Grad", infamous after the events in the South-East of Ukraine. Caliber - 122 mm, 40 barrels. It shoots at a distance of up to 21 kilometers, in one run it can “process” an area of up to 40 square kilometers. The power reserve at a maximum speed of 85 km / h is as much as 1.5 thousand kilometers!
The third place is occupied by the HIMARS artillery gun from an American manufacturer. The ammunition has an impressive caliber of 227 mm, but only six rails spoil the impression of the installation somewhat. The range of the shot is up to 85 kilometers, at one time it is possible to cover an area of 67 square kilometers. The speed of movement is up to 85 km / h, the cruising range is 600 kilometers. Well-established in the land campaign in Afghanistan.
The fourth position is occupied by the Chinese installation WS-1B. The Chinese did not waste time on trifles: the caliber of this awesome weapon is 320 mm. By appearance this MLRS resembles the Russian-made S-300 air defense system and has only four barrels. The range is about 100 kilometers, the affected area is up to 45 square kilometers. At maximum speed, these modern artillery pieces have a range of approximately 600 kilometers.
In last place is the Indian MLRS Pinaka. The design includes 12 guides for 122 mm caliber shells. Firing range - up to 40 km. At a maximum speed of 80 km / h, the car can travel up to 850 kilometers. The affected area is as much as 130 square kilometers. The system was developed with the direct participation of Russian specialists, and has proven itself excellently in the course of numerous Indian-Pakistani conflicts.
guns
This weapon has gone far from its ancient predecessors, who dominated the fields of the Middle Ages. The caliber of guns that are used in modern conditions ranges from 100 (anti-tank artillery gun "Rapier") to 155 mm (TR, NATO).
The range of projectiles used by them is also unusually wide: from standard high-explosive fragmentation rounds to programmable projectiles that can hit a target at a distance of up to 45 kilometers with an accuracy of tens of centimeters. True, the cost of one such shot can be up to 55 thousand US dollars! In this regard, Soviet artillery guns are much cheaper.
Name | Producing country | Caliber, mm | Gun weight, kg | Maximum firing range (depending on the type of projectile), km |
BL 5.5 inch (withdrawn from service almost everywhere) | ||||
"Zoltam" M-68/M-71 | ||||
WA 021 (actual clone of Belgian GC 45) | ||||
2A36 "Hyacinth-B" | ||||
"Rapier" | ||||
Soviet artillery guns S-23 | ||||
"Sprut-B" | ||||
mortars
Modern mortar systems trace their lineage to ancient bombards and mortars, which could release a bomb (up to hundreds of kilograms in weight) at a distance of 200-300 meters. Today, both their design and the maximum range of use have changed significantly.
In most of the armed forces of the world, the combat doctrine for mortars considers them as artillery pieces for mounted firing at a distance of about a kilometer. The effectiveness of the use of this weapon in urban conditions and in the suppression of scattered, mobile enemy groups is noted. In the Russian army, mortars are standard weapons, they are used in every more or less serious combat operation.
And during the Ukrainian events, both sides of the conflict demonstrated that even outdated 88 mm mortars are an excellent tool both for and for countering it.
Modern mortars, like other barreled artillery, are now developing in the direction of increasing the accuracy of each shot. So, last summer, the well-known weapons corporation BAE Systems for the first time demonstrated to the world community high-precision mortar rounds of 81 mm caliber, which were tested at one of the British training grounds. It is reported that such ammunition can be used with all possible efficiency in the temperature range from -46 to +71 ° C. In addition, there is information about the planned production of the widest range of such shells.
The military pins special hopes on the development of high-precision mines of 120 mm caliber with increased power. New models developed for the American army (XM395, for example), with a firing range of up to 6.1 km, have a deviation of no more than 10 meters. It is reported that such shots were used by the crews of Stryker armored vehicles in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the new ammunition showed its best side.
But the most promising today are the development of guided missiles with active homing. So, domestic artillery guns "Nona" can use the "Kitolov-2" projectile, with which you can hit almost any modern tank at a distance of up to nine kilometers. Given the cheapness of the gun itself, such developments are expected to be of interest to the military around the world.
Thus, to this day, an artillery gun is a formidable argument on the battlefield. New models are constantly being developed, and more and more promising shells are being produced for existing barrel systems.