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The history of the creation of ACS 2S3 Acacia
Until the mid-60s, self-propelled guns continued to serve in the troops of the Soviet Army 
,
and 
, created and put into service during the Great Patriotic War. They combined the qualities of cannon-howitzer artillery with anti-tank capabilities, and this versatility appealed to the military, whose views on the methods of warfare were formed during the war.
However, when the military generation of officers and generals began to be gradually replaced by the post-war one, new views began to take shape on the use of self-propelled artillery.
So, in particular, not an artillery shell, but an ATGM was declared the main enemy of the tank. Therefore, it was considered that self-propelled artillery, on the one hand, cannot be anti-tank, and on the other hand, it does not need anti-shell armor, since ATGMs will still pierce it, no matter how strong it is. And according to this, the self-propelled guns should be as mobile as possible, preferably floating and airborne, and therefore have only bulletproof armor. The gun, for maximum maneuverability with fire, should not be placed in an armored tube, but in a rotating turret with the possibility of circular fire and a high angle of elevation of the barrel. In addition, the gun should have been able to fire nuclear projectiles.Based on these views, by a joint resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU and the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 609-201 dated July 4, 1967, the Sverdlovsk Machine-Building Plant Uraltransmash was issued a technical assignment for the development of a self-propelled howitzer 2S3 Acacia.
Design 2S3 Acacia
Acacia was designed according to the classic tower scheme: a welded hull divided into three compartments: power (motor-transmission), control compartment and combat.
During the design of the howitzer, several chassis options were considered. Among them were: Object 118 (Crawler mine layer), Object 123 (chassis SPU 2P24 SAM "Circle"), Object 124 (chassis SNR 1S32 SAM "Circle"). The option of using the Object 432 medium tank as a chassis was also considered. After conducting research and analyzing the data obtained, it was recommended to use the chassis manufactured by the Sverdlovsk Machine-Building Plant as a base. 
When designing a serial sample, parts and assemblies of experimental self-propelled units "Object 105" (SU-100P), "Object 120" (SU-152 "Taran") were used in the design of the 2S3, the chassis of the Krug air defense system, the turret commander was taken from "Object 118" (Crawler mine layer). The designers managed to achieve permission to strengthen the armor up to 30 mm thick and, accordingly, the rejection of buoyancy. However, the military managed to defend air transportability, and Acaciacan be transported in the cargo cabins of military transport aircraft. T ak, heavy military transport aircraft
can take on board two such installations.
The engine compartment is located in the front of the chassis on the right. It contains: engine, systems power plant and transmission.
The fighting compartment is located in the aft part of the self-propelled gun, which is formed from a turret with a floor and an aft part of the hull with equipment. On the bottom of the housing there is a rotating floor platform, which is based on five rollers and mounted on a ball chase. The loader's seat is located to the right of the howitzer, and the gunner's seat is to the left. The commander is behind the gunner.
Ammunition was originally placed in two mechanized ammunition racks. For firing with the supply of ammunition from the ground, there is a special hatch in the stern of the hull.
Armament 2S3 Akatsiya
Acacia's main armament is a howitzer. 2A33(D-22)
with a barrel length of 27 calibers. The development of this artillery system was carried out by OKB-9, a 152-mm howitzer gun was used as a base D-20, was made in Perm at the Motovilikha plant. According to the design of the trunk 2A33 differs from the D-20 only in the presence of an ejector for removing powder gases from the bore after a shot, and in terms of ballistics and ammunition it is fully consistent with the D-20.A gun with a vertical wedge breech, a two-chamber muzzle brake and an ejector is housed in a swivel closed armored turret. Shooting is possible only from a place.
2A33 has hydropneumatic recoil devices, the cylinders of which are rigidly connected to the barrel and roll back with it when fired. The normal rollback length is 510-710 mm, the limit is 740 mm. To protect the calculation from the impact of the recoil parts of the howitzer, a fence is mounted on the cradle. The work of the loader is greatly facilitated by the use of a projectile rammer and a cartridge case into the barrel chamber. When firing direct fire without re-equipment of charges from the turret and hull ammunition racks, the rate of fire is 3.5 and 2.6 rounds per minute, respectively. And when firing from closed positions with the supply of shots from the ground, the rate of fire reaches four rounds per minute. When pointing the howitzer at the target, the turret is rotated manually or by means of an electric drive (horizontal angle of fire 360°), and pointing in the vertical plane - only by a manual lifting mechanism, which has one sector and a push-type balancing pneumatic mechanism. The range of vertical firing angles is from -4 ° up to +60°.
Initially, the ammunition load consisted of 40 shots: 36 shots with OF-540 high-explosive fragmentation shells (shell weight 43.56 kg, explosive- 5.86 kg)
The auxiliary armament of the self-propelled gun consists of a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun mounted on a turret on the commander's cupola. It can be fired at both ground and air targets.
A V-shaped twelve-cylinder four-stroke V-59U liquid-cooled turbocharged diesel engine is used as the Acacia power plant. This diesel engine originates from the V-2 engine, which was first on the tank
, and then on
and on
To transmit torque to the drive sprockets, a mechanical two-line transmission with a planetary rotation mechanism is used. The self-propelled gun has an individual torsion bar suspension of rollers with telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers.
Serial production of Acacia began in 1973. In 1975, the self-propelled gun was modernized. In the improved machine, two ammunition racks were replaced by one drum-type for 12 shots, active-reactive ammunition was introduced into the ammunition load. The barrel length has been increased by one caliber. The upgraded howitzer received the designation 2S3M. In 1987, equipment for receiving and displaying information and a new periscope sight were installed on the howitzer. The corrected ammunition OF-38 "Krasnopol" was introduced into the ammunition load. The modification received the designation 2S3M1.
SAU 2C3 Akatsiya is still in service with artillery regiments of motorized rifle and tank divisions. AT Soviet times the self-propelled gun was delivered to the Warsaw Pact countries, Iraq, Libya and Syria, where it is also in service.
Russian self-propelled guns
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Su-85 Combat weight - 30 tons. Crew - 4 people. Armament - one 85-mm gun. Armor thickness: forehead and side of the hull - 45 mm. Engine - V-2-34, 500 hp. With. Max, speed - 55 km / h. Cruising on the highway - 300 km. |
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Ranking of countries in the world in terms of the number of armed forces
Who sold Alaska and how
Self-propelled howitzers first found combat use during World War II. They were widely used in the German, British and American armies. In the USSR, the 152-mm M-10 howitzer was placed in the KV-2 tank, and the 122-mm M-30 howitzer in the SU-122 self-propelled gun, created on the basis of the T-34 tank. The elevation angle in these installations was very small, and there was no question of mounted shooting, so the howitzers served as guns.
In 1947-1953, the design of the first domestic self-propelled howitzers began. But in the mid-1950s, N.S. Khrushchev fell under the influence of nuclear scientists and rocket scientists, who spoke of tens of megatons, thousands of kilometers of firing range, and so on. Why do we need some kind of aircraft, surface ships, tanks, guns, when there are universal weapon capable of destroying any enemy within an hour? However, this required huge funds, and Khrushchev began " crusade» against conventional weapons. So, all work on railway and coastal artillery, on anti-aircraft guns of medium and large caliber, on naval guns of caliber over 76 mm and field artillery (hull and special power). The same applies to self-propelled artillery. It should be noted that a similar situation was developing in the United States, but they realized their mistake earlier.
The results of this policy were disastrous. In the constantly emerging local wars, the indispensability of self-propelled artillery was revealed. Moreover, in many situations, artillery became the only real force when the use of aviation and tactical missiles was impossible. There are dozens of examples of such conflicts: in the 1950s, an artillery duel in the Strait of Formosa between the PRC and the Americans and the Kuomintang who settled on the islands; 60s - battles for Damansky Island between the USSR and the PRC; 70s - "first socialist war" between Vietnam and China; in 1967-1972 - an artillery duel through the Suez Canal of Egypt with Israel, and finally, in the 90s - the war in Bosnia. Everywhere heavy artillery confirmed that she was, is and will be the god of war and the last argument of kings.
Work on the self-propelled guns resumed only after the departure of Khrushchev. The Decree of the Council of Ministers of July 4, 1967 was truly historic for the development of domestic artillery. According to it, full-scale work began on the Akatsiya, Gvozdika, Violet self-propelled guns and the Tyulpan 240-mm self-propelled mortar.
The design and manufacture of prototypes of the artillery unit of the 152-mm self-propelled howitzer 2SZ "Acacia" took place in Sverdlovsk, in OKB-9 of the plant named after. M.I. Kalinin, and the chassis - at the Uraltransmash plant.
The artillery part of the self-propelled guns was developed on the basis of the 152-mm D-20 towed gun-howitzer. The internal structure of the barrel, ballistics and ammunition were taken from the D-20 without changes. The new howitzer received the factory index D-22 and the GRAU index (Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate) - 2AZZ.
The howitzer barrel consists of a monoblock tube, a two-chamber muzzle brake, an ejector, a clutch and a breech, a vertical wedge breech with semi-automatic mechanical (copy) type, a spindle-type hydraulic recoil brake and a pneumatic knurler. The cylinders of the recoil devices are rigidly connected to the barrel and roll back with it when fired. The normal rollback length is 510-710 mm, and the maximum length is 740 mm.
The manual lifting mechanism of the howitzer is equipped with one sector and a balancing pusher-type pneumatic mechanism. The howitzer is installed in the embrasure of the tower with the help of embedded trunnions.
Howitzer loading is separate-sleeve, that is, a projectile is first sent into the bore, and then a cartridge case with a propellant charge, like the vast majority of artillery systems of this power and caliber. But the GAU (the former name of the GRAU) periodically embraced the desire to replace the separate case loading with a cap, the advantage of which is a relatively small gain in the cost of a shot. However, its introduction complicates the loading of guns, the storage of ammunition and creates serious problems with the obturation of powder gases. So, in 1938-1940, the miners from the GAU tried to introduce cap loading in the 152-mm howitzer-gun ML-20, in the D-1 howitzer and other systems. We made about a dozen experimental systems, spent a lot of money, and as a result, this idea was abandoned. In 1967, "cap disease" relapsed in the GRAU. In OKB-9 for self-propelled guns "Gvozdika" and "Akatsiya" howitzers with cartridge loading 122-mm D-16 and 152-mm D-11 were designed based on standard howitzers D-32 and D-22. Again, prototypes were made, but their field tests were unsuccessful. A lengthy revision has begun. The result was the same as in 1940. In March 1972, work on the upgraded D-16M and D-11M was stopped.
First two prototype 2СЗ were manufactured at the end of 1968. During the factory tests, which ended in October 1969, a large gas content of the fighting compartment was revealed, especially when firing with small charges. For the same reason, four more samples released in the summer of 1969 for field tests were not accepted.
In the end, they coped with the problem of gas pollution in half, and in 1971 the ACS 2SZ "Acacia" was put into service. Serial production of self-propelled guns was launched in 1970 at the head enterprise - UZTM. The first three cars were assembled in December. Nine more were made in 1971, six of them in December. In 1973, the plant received an order for 70 self-propelled guns.
The Acacia chassis was developed on the basis of the Krug air defense system launcher (object 123), which in turn was created on the basis of the SU-100P experimental self-propelled gun (object 105). The new chassis received the index "object 303". 2СЗ is divided into three compartments: control, power and combat. The control compartment is located in the bow of the hull between the port side and the engine bulkhead. It houses the driver.
The power plant compartment is located on the right in the bow. It houses the engine, transmission, fuel and air supply systems, lubrication, cooling, heating and starting.
The fighting compartment occupies the middle, aft parts of the hull and the entire turret, which is an all-welded structure. A commander's cupola and a commander's hatch are installed in the roof of the turret on the left, and a loader's hatch on the starboard side. From below, the so-called basket is attached to the tower, in which the crew of the fighting compartment and part of the ammunition are located. The tower, together with the basket, is planted in the body with the help of a ball running device. The main part of the fighting compartment is occupied by a howitzer, ammo packs and crew jobs. The gunner's seat is located to the left of the howitzer, and the loader's seat is to the right. The commander is located behind the gunner.
"Acacia" has a relatively low specific pressure on the ground, not exceeding 0.6 kg / cm2, which corresponds to the pressure on the ground of a human foot. The self-propelled guns can overcome ups and downs with a steepness of up to 30 °, ditches up to 3 m wide and vertical walls up to 0.7 m high, as well as water barriers up to 1 m deep. Permissible roll for the machine is no more than 25 °.
The installation is equipped with a system of protection against radioactive contamination, which operates automatically when gamma radiation flows appear, which occur during nuclear explosion.
To protect the crew from weapons mass destruction the body of the self-propelled guns has a tightness, which is maintained both on the march and when firing with ammunition placed inside the vehicle. However, when firing shots fired from the ground, there is no question of tightness. The self-propelled guns are equipped with an automatic fire-fighting system, which is activated when the temperature rises in the combat or power compartments.
The hull and turret are welded from rolled armor plates, which protect against armor-piercing bullets from a distance of 300 m. There is a sealing system for habitable compartments and a filter-ventilation unit.
Engine - 12-cylinder four-stroke diesel V-59. Transmission mechanical, two-line. The gearbox is in the same block with the planetary rotation mechanism. Suspension individual, torsion bar, with telescopic type hydraulic shock absorbers. The caterpillar with a rubber-metal hinge has a track width of 490 mm.
Ammunition initially consisted of 40 shots, located in two ammunition racks (in the turret and in the hull).
In 1975, instead of two mechanized ammo packs, one was introduced - a drum type for 12 shots, which made it possible to increase the ammunition load from 40 to 46 shots. The upgraded self-propelled guns received the 2SZM index, and the howitzer - 2AZZM.
The Acacia ammunition included old OF-540 high-explosive fragmentation shells (shell weight 43.56 kg, explosive mass - 5.86 kg) and new OF-25 high-explosive fragmentation shells (respectively 43.56 kg and 6.88 kg ). For firing, they provide full charges, as well as six reduced ones. The latter, with a short firing range, allow you to send a projectile along a steeper trajectory and hit targets hidden by obstacles (hills, high-rise buildings, etc.). In addition, as the angle of impact of a projectile with a horizontal target (the roof of a pillbox, house, tank, etc.) approaches the normal, the effectiveness of the projectile increases sharply. And finally, the smaller the charge, the greater the survivability of the howitzer barrel. By changing the charge, it is possible to change the initial velocity of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile from 651 m/s to 282 m/s, and the range, respectively, from 17,053 m to 6,751 m.
To fight tanks, the 2SZ ammunition includes HEAT projectile(armor penetration of which does not depend on the firing range) BP-540. They are fired with a special Zh6 charge weighing 5.6 kg, the initial velocity of the projectile is 676 m / s, the aiming range is 3000 m. Normally, it penetrates armor 250 mm thick, at an angle of 60 ° - 220 mm, at an angle of 30 ° - 120 mm.
The standard 2SZM ammunition load usually includes 42 OF-540 and OF-25 high-explosive fragmentation shells and four BP-540 HEAT shells. But the Akatsia can also fire other projectiles, such as the C1 parachute illuminator, which illuminates the area for 40 seconds; chemical 3X3, all 152-mm shells (with index 540) from howitzers ML-20 and D-20, as well as shells (with index 530) from 152-mm howitzers D-1. In addition, according to the Western press, in the 70s, the 2SZ was equipped with a round with a nuclear munition.
In 1987, the self-propelled gun index changed again to 2SM1. The number 1 means equipping the ACS with equipment for receiving command information and a new sight. The self-propelled guns are air transportable, and the An-22 aircraft can carry two units at once.
Production of "Acacia" was discontinued around 1993. From its tactical and technical data, it can be seen that it was designed as a response to the adoption in 1962 of the American 155-mm M109 and 203-mm M110 howitzers. Of course, it is not entirely correct to compare a 152-mm howitzer with a 203-mm howitzer, but, alas, we did not even have 203-mm self-propelled howitzers then.
In terms of range of fire, the Akatsiya was comparable to the M109 and surpassed the M110, and the action of our 152-mm OF-540 projectile was the same as that of the American 155-mm. Another question is that in the 60s self-propelled guns were designed not only for high-explosive fragmentation shells, their much more formidable weapons were shots with nuclear and chemical warheads.
In 1963, for the 155-mm M109 howitzers in the United States, they adopted the M-454 projectile with a W-48 nuclear weapon with a power of 0.1 kt, a length of 5.5 klb and a mass of 58 kg. Maximum range firing such a projectile was 14 km, and the minimum - 2 km.
In 1964, for the M110 203-mm howitzer, the M-442 projectile with a W-33 nuclear weapon with a capacity of 10 kt, a length of 4.5 klb and a mass of 110 kg was adopted, and in 1981 for the M110A2, the M-753 projectile with nuclear warhead W-79 with a capacity of 2.2 kt, a length of 5.4 klb and a mass of 98 kg. The United States has manufactured thousands of 155 and 203 mm caliber nuclear projectiles. In our country, the strictest taboo has always been imposed on information about nuclear and chemical weapons. Like the old women who were afraid to utter the word "hell" and called him "unclean", our generals even in top-secret documents called nuclear weapons "special munitions." According to the Western press, in the USSR nuclear munitions for artillery guns were taken up only in the 70s. As for chemical shells of 152-mm caliber, they were literally in bulk since 1916. Since the D-22 howitzer descended from the D-29 towed howitzer, and that one - from the ML-20 howitzer-gun, and that, in turn, from the 152-mm Schneider siege gun mod. 1910, the Acacia can fire all chemical munitions created since 1916.
In terms of mobility and cross-country ability, the Akatsiya is close to the M109. The reference books indicate that the M109 is a floating machine, but the Acacia is not. In fact, the M109 is rather conditionally floating, as it is kept on the water with the help of a special set of watercraft, consisting of six inflatable rubberized containers and three wave-reflecting shields. Movement afloat is carried out by rewinding the tracks. The howitzer can fire from the water, but only for the purpose of producing a noise effect due to the fact that horizontal guidance in this case fails, and guidance by turning the hull on the move leads to a loss of accuracy.
In the mid-70s, the American M109 howitzer was modernized and received the M109A2 index. Similarly, in 1978, the upgraded M110A2 was adopted. The main purpose of the modernization was to improve the ballistic data of howitzers. In both systems, the barrel was lengthened and the charge increased. The firing range of conventional 155-mm and 203-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells has become significantly greater than that of the Akatsiya (M109A2 - 22 km and M110A2 - 24 km). In addition, active rocket projectiles were included in the M109A2 and M110A2 ammunition. The mass of modernized howitzers increased slightly, but, according to American specialists, this did not affect the cross-country ability and maneuverability of the self-propelled guns too much.
"Acacia" has proven itself quite well in Afghanistan, as well as in all conflicts that took place on the territory of the former USSR. It is in service with several countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. To date, "Acacia" is considered obsolete self-propelled guns, first of all, this concerns the firing range.
Self-propelled artillery installation 2SZ "Acacia":
1 - 152-mm howitzer, 2 - sight, 3 - tower, 4 - surveillance devices, 5 - searchlight, 6 - radio station antenna, 7 - guide wheel, 8 - support roller, 9 - support roller, 10 - drive sprocket, 11 - howitzer mounting bracket in the stowed position, 12 - commander's hatch, 13 - driver's hatch, 14 - engine compartment covers, 15 - hatch for feeding ammunition from the ground, 16 - loader hatch, 17 - PKT machine gun, 18 - lattice exhaust manifold, 19 - housing.
Comparative characteristics of self-propelled guns 2S3M "Acacia" with foreign analogues
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Gun caliber, mm |
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Barrel length, klb |
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Angle VN, deg. |
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Angle GN, deg. |
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Installation weight, t: |
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Ammunition, shots |
In 1947-1953, the design of the first domestic self-propelled howitzers began. But in the mid-1950s, N.S. Khrushchev fell under the influence of atomic scientists and rocket scientists and, with his power, stopped work on the development heavy tanks and artillery. He directed the released funds to the development missile weapons. It should be noted that a similar situation was developing in the United States, but they realized their mistake earlier. The results of this policy were disastrous. In the constantly emerging local wars, the indispensability of self-propelled artillery was revealed. Moreover, in many situations, artillery became the only real force when the use of aviation and tactical missiles was impossible. There are dozens of examples of such conflicts: in the 1950s, an artillery duel in the Strait of Formosa between the PRC and the Americans and the Kuomintang who settled on the islands; 60s - battles for Damansky Island between the USSR and the PRC; 70s - "first socialist war" between Vietnam and China; in 1967-1972 - an artillery duel through the Suez Canal of Egypt with Israel, and finally, in the 90s - the war in Bosnia and Chechnya. Everywhere artillery, including self-propelled, confirmed that it was, is and will be the god of war. Work on the self-propelled guns resumed only after the departure of N.S. Khrushchev from the post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. The Decree of the Council of Ministers of July 4, 1967 was truly historic for the development of domestic artillery. According to it, full-scale work began on the Acacia, Gvozdika, Violet self-propelled guns and the Tyulpan 240-mm self-propelled mortar.
The start of work on the SG “Acacia” was preceded by comparative analysis artillery pieces created during the war (SU-100, SU-152), and artillery systems of the post-war generation. As a result, the concept of the prospective development of self-propelled artillery was chosen.
The design and manufacture of the first prototypes of the artillery unit of the 152-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S3 "Acacia" took place in Sverdlovsk, in the OKB-9 of the plant named after. M.I. Kalinin, and the chassis - at the Uraltransmash plant. The artillery part of the self-propelled guns was developed on the basis of the 152-mm D-20 towed gun-howitzer. The internal structure of the barrel, ballistics and ammunition were taken from the D-20 without changes. The new howitzer received the factory index D-22 and the index GRAU (Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate) - 2A33. The chassis was developed on the basis of the Krug air defense missile launcher, which, in turn, was created on the basis of the experimental self-propelled guns SU-100P, and received the index "Object 303".
The first two prototypes 2S3 were manufactured at the end of 1968. During the factory tests, which ended in October 1969, a large gas content of the fighting compartment was revealed, especially when firing with small charges. For the same reason, four more samples released in the summer of 1969 for field tests were not accepted. In the end, the problem of gas contamination was dealt with, and in 1971 the ACS 2S3 "Acacia" was put into service. Serial production of self-propelled guns was launched in 1970 at the head enterprise, UZTM. The first three cars were assembled at the end of the year. In 1971, nine more were made, six of them - in the month of December. In 1973, the plant received an order for 70 self-propelled guns.
The hull and turret are welded from sheets of rolled armor steel, which provide protection against armor-piercing bullets from a distance of 300 m, as well as against fragments of artillery shells and small-caliber mines.
ACS 2SZ is divided into three compartments: control, power and combat. The control compartment is located in the bow of the hull between the port side and the engine bulkhead. It houses the driver. The power compartment is located on the right in the bow. It houses the engine, transmission, fuel and air supply systems, lubrication, cooling, heating and starting. The fighting compartment occupies the middle, aft parts of the hull and the entire turret, which is an all-welded structure. A commander's cupola and a commander's hatch are installed in the roof of the turret on the left, and a loader's hatch on the starboard side. A 7.62-mm machine gun is mounted above the commander's hatch to combat air targets. From below, the so-called basket is attached to the tower, in which the crew of the fighting compartment and part of the ammunition are located. The tower, together with the basket, is planted in the body with the help of a ball running device. The main part of the fighting compartment is occupied by a howitzer, ammunition racks and crew jobs. The gunner's seat is located to the left of the howitzer, and the loader's seat is to the right. The commander is located behind the gunner.
The main armament of the Akatsiya is the 152-mm D-22 howitzer. Its barrel consists of a monoblock tube, a two-chamber muzzle brake, an ejector, a clutch and a breech, a vertical wedge gate with semi-automatic mechanical (copy) type, a spindle-type hydraulic recoil brake and a pneumatic knurler. The cylinders of the recoil devices are rigidly connected to the barrel and roll back with it when fired. The normal rollback length is 510-710 mm, and the maximum length is 740 mm. Howitzer guidance in the vertical plane is carried out in the range from -4° to +60°. The manual lifting mechanism of the howitzer is equipped with one sector and a balancing pusher-type pneumatic mechanism. The howitzer is installed in the embrasure of the tower with the help of embedded trunnions.
Howitzer loading is separate-sleeve, that is, a projectile is first sent into the bore, and then a cartridge case with a propellant charge, like the vast majority of artillery systems of this power and caliber. Ammunition consists of 40 shots, which are located in two ammunition racks (in the turret and in the hull).
In 1975, instead of two mechanized ammunition racks, one was introduced - a drum-type for 12 shots, which made it possible to increase the ammunition load from 40 to 46 shots. The self-propelled gun upgraded in this way received the index 2S3M, and the howitzer - 2A33M. The Acacia ammunition included old OF-540 high-explosive fragmentation shells (shell weight 43.56 kg, explosive mass - 5.86 kg) and new OF-25 high-explosive fragmentation shells (respectively 43.56 kg and 6.88 kg ). For firing, they provide full charges, as well as six reduced ones. The latter, with a short firing range, make it possible to send a projectile along a steeper trajectory and hit targets hidden by obstacles (hills, high-rise buildings, etc.). In addition, as the angle of impact of a projectile with a horizontal target (the roof of a pillbox, house, tank, etc.) approaches the normal, the effectiveness of the projectile increases sharply. And finally, the smaller the charge, the greater the survivability of the howitzer barrel. By changing the charge, you can change the initial speed of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile from 651 m / s to 282 m / s, and the range, respectively, from 17,053 m to 6,751 m. high-explosive fragmentation projectile is 18,500 m; when firing an active-rocket projectile, it increases to 24,000 m.
To combat tanks, the 2S3 ammunition includes the BP-540 HEAT projectile, whose armor penetration does not depend on the firing range. They are fired with a special Zh6 charge weighing 5.6 kg, the initial velocity of the projectile is 676 m / s, the aiming range is 3,000 m. Normally, it penetrates armor 250 mm thick, at an angle of 60 ° - 220 mm, at an angle of 30 ° - 120 mm . The regular 2S3M ammunition load usually includes 42 OF-540 and OF-25 high-explosive fragmentation projectiles and four BP-540 HEAT rounds. In addition, the self-propelled guns can also fire the Br-540B projectile (blunt-headed with a ballistic tip) and the Br-540 projectile (sharp-headed), which is not included in the standard ammunition load. At a distance of 1000 m, the Br-540B penetrates 120 mm armor normally, and 100 mm at an angle of 60 °; B-540 - 115 mm and 95 mm armor, respectively. In 1970, for the Acacia self-propelled guns, the development of a special ZBVZ shot with a firing range of 17,400 m was started. chemical 3X3, all 152-mm projectiles (with index 540) from howitzers MP-20 and D-20, corrected 152-mm shells Krasnopol (OF-38), as well as shells (with index 530) from 152-mm howitzers D-1 . In addition, in the 70s, a shot with a nuclear weapon with a power of 2 kT was introduced into the 2SZ ammunition load.
As a power plant, the machine is equipped with a 12-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine V-59. The engine develops a power of 382 kW, which allows the self-propelled howitzer to move on paved roads with a maximum speed of 60 km/h. A mechanical two-line transmission interacts with the engine. The gearbox is in the same block with the planetary rotation mechanism. Suspension individual, torsion bar, with telescopic type hydraulic shock absorbers. The undercarriage, in relation to one side, includes six double rubber-coated road wheels (the gaps between the first and second, second and third rollers are different and much larger than between the other rollers), four support rollers, a front drive wheel and a rear guide wheel . The width of the caterpillar with a rubber-metal joint is 490 mm. "Acacia" has a relatively low specific pressure on the ground, not exceeding 0.059 MPa, which corresponds to the pressure on the ground of the foot of an adult. The self-propelled guns can overcome ups and downs with a steepness of up to 30 °, ditches up to 3 m wide and vertical walls up to 0.7 m high, as well as water barriers up to 1 m deep. Permissible roll for the machine is no more than 25 °.
The 2S3 self-propelled howitzer is equipped with a filter-ventilation unit, an automatic fire-fighting system that turns on when the temperature rises in the combat or power compartments, and a sealing system for habitable compartments to protect the crew from damaging factors chemical, bacteriological and nuclear. AT last case it is triggered automatically by the appearance of gamma-ray fluxes arising from a nuclear explosion. If necessary, the tightness of the “Acacia” is maintained both on the march and when firing with ammunition located inside the vehicle.
In 1987, Akatsia was equipped with command information receiving equipment and a new sight, and this modification of the self-propelled howitzer was designated 2SZM1.
The 2S3 self-propelled howitzer is air transportable, and the An-22 aircraft can carry two installations at once. The Acacia self-propelled guns have proven themselves quite well during the hostilities in Afghanistan, Chechnya, as well as in other armed conflicts that took place on the territory of the former USSR.
The production of self-propelled guns 2S3 "Acacia" was discontinued in 1993. Currently, vehicles of this type are in service ground forces Russia, Hungary, Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Howitzer fire modes
Rate of fire without reloading charges:
direct fire from laying the tower, rds / min 3.5
direct fire from the laying of the hull, rds / min 2.6
when firing from closed positions and giving shots from the ground, rds / min 3.4
Average rate of fire at full consumption of transportable ammunition, rds / min 1.9
Thermal Limits:
30 shots in 10 minutes
75 shots in 60 minutes
The greatest limiting range (with a direct fire sight OP5-38), m 4000
Characteristics
Combat weight, t 27.5
Crew, pers. four
Overall dimensions, mm:
length with cannon forward 8400
body length 7765
width 3250
height 3050
clearance, mm 450
Bulletproof booking
Armament: 152-mm howitzer D-22 (2AZZ); 7.62 mm PKT machine gun
Ammunition 46 rounds, 1500 rounds
Rate of fire, rds / min 3.5
Firing range, m: 18500 high-explosive fragmentation projectile 24000 active rocket projectile V-59 engine, 12-cylinder 4-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine, power 382 kW Specific engine power, kW/t 13.89
Specific ground pressure, MPa 0.059
Max Speed on the highway, km/h 60
Range on the highway, km 500
Fuel reserve, l 830
Overcome obstacles:
rise, deg. thirty
wall height, m 0.7
ditch width, m 3.0
fording depth, m 1.0
Source: Encyclopedia of armored vehicles: Tracked combat vehicles
Based on materials from the website of OAO "Motovilikhinskiye Zavody"
M1990 "Farm" Syrian army fires direct fire by firing points of the jihadists
2С3 "Acacia" / NATO M1990 "Farm" (Object 303) - Soviet and Russian 152-mm self-propelled artillery mount.
Intended for the destruction and suppression of nuclear attack weapons, artillery and other fire weapons and manpower of the enemy; destruction of tanks and self-propelled guns; the destruction of field and long-term defensive structures, as well as the suppression of its rear and controls. Work on the creation of a 152-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S3 "Acacia" was started in the second half of 1967, simultaneously with the start of the development of a self-propelled 122-mm howitzer 2S1. The development and testing of the 152-mm 2A33 gun for the 2S3 self-propelled gun was carried out in OKB-9 under the leadership of the first deputy head of the OKB V.A. Golubev. General management and the creation of a directly self-propelled howitzer was entrusted to the Central design bureau"Transmash" of the state association "Uraltrasmash". The first two prototypes 2S3 were manufactured at the end of 1968. After testing and a fairly long refinement, which was primarily due to the unacceptably high gas content of the fighting compartment during firing, in 1971 the self-propelled unit was adopted by the Soviet Army.
The 2S3 self-propelled howitzer is air transportable, and the An-22 aircraft can carry two installations at once. The Acacia self-propelled guns have proven themselves quite well during the hostilities in Afghanistan, Chechnya, as well as in other armed conflicts that took place on the territory of the former USSR.
The production of self-propelled guns 2S3 "Acacia" was discontinued in 1993. Currently, vehicles of this type are in service with the ground forces of Russia, Hungary, Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Years of operation: since 1971
Number of issued: 1797 pcs.
The new howitzers received their first combat use in Afghanistan, where the 40th Army had at least three self-propelled divisions with a total of 50 self-propelled guns. "Acacias" were also used to support motorized riflemen participating in assault operations, and even to support automobile convoys going through the Salang Pass. At the same time, it became clear that there was not enough bulletproof armor to protect the crews of self-propelled guns from the fire of heavy machine guns such as DShK or KPVT. But they did not begin to remake the car, and the gunners got out of the situation, hanging self-propelled guns with used tracks and sand-filled ammunition boxes.
At the same time, Soviet self-propelled howitzers received a baptism of fire even further south - on the fronts of the Iran-Iraq war. supplied Soviet weapons Iraqi troops used the upgraded 2S3s, which were put into service in 1975, with might and main. The new Acacias, along with the 122-millimeter 2S1 Gvozdika regimental self-propelled howitzers, formed the basis of Iraq's artillery groups. In the Iraqi army, they were used until Operation Desert Storm, but much less effectively than in the Soviet one: the difference in the level of crew training and command and control skills affected.
“Acacias” were noted in all conflicts in the post-Soviet space, starting with Transnistria and Abkhazia, including both anti-terrorist campaigns in Chechnya and the operation to force Georgia to peace, and ending with the armed conflict between Ukraine and Novorossia. Moreover, the Ukrainian military used self-propelled howitzers the least effectively - apparently due to the lack of combat experience and desire to fight. Nevertheless, it was the 2S3 self-propelled howitzers in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine that were used to shell the residential areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, it was they who were blown up by the Ukrainian military who fell into the "cauldrons", and they, taken from warehouses or captured in battle, today form the basis of the artillery of Novorossia.
"Acacia" - howitzer (GABTU index - object 303). Developed by a team of designers of the Ural Transport Engineering Plant under the leadership of F.F. Petrov and G.S. Efimov. SAU 2S3 "Acacia" is designed to destroy and suppress mortar and artillery batteries, enemy manpower, fire weapons, tanks, tactical weapons atomic weapons, control points and more.
Generational change
Until the mid-sixties of the last century, such as the SU-100, ISU-152 and ISU-122 continued to serve in the army of the USSR during the Second World War. These machines combined the qualities of cannon-howitzer systems with anti-tank capabilities. It was for this versatility that they were liked by the military of the old school, who had experience in combat operations during the Great Patriotic War. However, with the change of generations of officers and generals, new views were gradually formed on the tactics of using self-propelled artillery in modern war.
So, in particular, the main enemy of tanks and other armored vehicles is not an ordinary projectile, but an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). In this regard, military experts came to the conclusion that, on the one hand, self-propelled artillery installations should not specialize in the destruction of heavy vehicles, and on the other hand, new self-propelled guns should not be "dressed" in thick armor, because ATGMs can penetrate even the strongest of them. In addition, according to the new requirements, self-propelled artillery installations must have maximum mobility, air transportability and increased buoyancy. In order for the technique to meet these requirements, it was necessary to abandon heavy armor and give preference to bulletproof protection. As for the placement of the gun, in order to increase the fire maneuver, it should be placed not in the armored tube, but freely, which will allow the complex to conduct circular fire. In addition, one of the main requirements of the military was to create the possibility of using nuclear weapons with updated self-propelled guns.
background
The start of work on the Acacia self-propelled guns was preceded by a huge exploratory research work, during which a comparative analysis of artillery systems created during World War II (such as SU-100, SU-152 and others), as well as the post-war period - as domestic gunsmiths, and foreign. Yes, in progress research work organizations and enterprises of the defense complex of the USSR proposed a number of different variations of the chassis, which would house a 152-mm gun. According to one of them, a self-propelled howitzer was worked out on the basis of the tank undercarriage of objects "118", "123" and "124" by engineers of the Sverdlovsk Machine-Building Plant. In this project, it was planned to place an artillery gun of the D-20 towed gun in the turret.
In another variation, it was proposed to create the Acacia self-propelled guns based on the components and mechanisms of the T-64 medium tank (“object 432”). Engineers proposed to place a 152-mm gun in an armored turret together with a coaxial machine gun. This decision was very popular, since the T-64 was the first post-war tank of the second generation. It implemented many new progressive solutions, it was distinguished by the original chassis and automatic loader. At that time, this machine was very popular for the study of promising projects of armored vehicles. However, as a result of research into the experience of using self-propelled artillery, as well as studies of the appearance of the installation, preference was given to the concept of the prospective development of self-propelled guns. And for further work on the creation of the Acacia self-propelled guns, the Sverdlovsk Machine-Building Plant was recommended.
History of creation
Based on all of the above technical tasks, by a joint resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR and the Central Committee of the CPSU No. 609-201 dated 07/04/1967, the Sverdlovsk Machine-Building Plant Uraltransmash was given a technical assignment for the creation of ACS 2S3 "Acacia". Together with the 152-mm complex, the plant's designers developed a number of other self-propelled artillery systems: the 122-mm Gvozdika and Fialka howitzers, as well as the 240-mm Tyulpan mortar. Fundamentally new models of self-propelled guns were designed to eliminate the backlog of the USSR from the countries of the NATO bloc in this aspect. "Acacia" was designed to arm the regiments of motorized rifle and tank divisions. This self-propelled howitzer was designed to destroy the enemy's covered and open manpower, military equipment and weapons, as well as other objects to the depth of the interests of the division. The artillery complex was created on the basis of the chassis of the experimental self-propelled guns "object 105" and "object 120", as well as the Krug air defense system.
The first two prototypes were created by the end of 1968, however, during the testing, serious flaws were revealed, in particular, a very strong gas contamination of the conning tower. Due to this shortcoming, four more samples, created by the summer of next year, were rejected. After the improvement of the ventilation system this problem was resolved, as a result, the first series of Acacia self-propelled guns (the photos in this article clearly demonstrate these machines) was released in 1970. And in 1971 it was put into service. This model was produced without changes until 1975, after which the troops received a modernized version of the Acacia self-propelled guns under the symbol 2S3M. The updated machine had an updated drum-type ammunition rack for twelve charges, which made it possible to increase the rate of fire of the complex and increase the ammunition carried. Two more years later, the self-propelled gun underwent another modernization (2S3M1). Now the 152-mm self-propelled howitzer was equipped with equipment for input, reception, processing, as well as reflection of command data and a new SP-538 sight. In addition, 3OF38 "Sentimeter" guided projectiles and 3OF39 "Krasnopol" guided projectiles were introduced into the ammunition load. The latest upgraded version of the 2S3M2 differed from its predecessors with a more powerful artillery system. Also, this version of the installation was equipped with the Mekhanizator-M (1V514-1) receiving and indicating equipment, which allows data exchange between the battery senior officer’s car and the gun, thereby reducing the time for preparing the complex for opening fire. In general, the Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer was produced until 1993.
Machine Description
The artillery installation is made according to the classical scheme with a turret cabin. The complex has an armored welded hull, which is divided into three compartments: control, combat and power (motor-transmission). The first compartment is located between the engine bulkhead and the left side in the bow of the body. Here is the workplace of the driver. The power compartment is located on the right front. The transmission, engine, and power plant systems are located here. In the aft part of the hull is the fighting compartment. A rotating platform is located on the bottom of the body, which is mounted on a ball chase, it rests on five rolls. Workplace the gunner is placed to the left of the gun, and the loader is to the right. The commander's seat is located behind the gunner.
The implementation of the self-propelled chassis differs from its predecessors in the use of small-link caterpillars with rubber-metal hinges and front-mounted drive rollers.
"Acacia", 152-mm self-propelled howitzer: artillery unit
The gun (2A33) for this self-propelled unit was developed in OKB-9. The D-20 towed gun-howitzer was taken as the basis. The assembly of the prototype was carried out at the Perm Machine-Building Plant No. 172, and mass production- at the Barricades software. An artillery gun with a vertical wedge gate, an ejector and a two-chamber muzzle brake is placed in a rotary armored closed turret mounted on a reinforced ball bearing. In order to facilitate the loading procedure, the howitzer is equipped with an electromechanical device for sending shells and cartridge cases of the original design, as well as a spent cartridge case catcher. On the roof of the conning tower of the self-propelled guns (photo above), on the left is the commander's cupola, where a heavy machine gun with remote control, on the starboard side is the loader's hatch. Fire can be fired from a place, both under normal conditions and in contaminated areas. The ammunition rack of a self-propelled artillery mount (non-modernized model) is placed in two mechanized belts. During firing, they can also be fed through a special hatch in the hull from the ground.
Power plants and auxiliary equipment
On the Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, the developers installed a twelve-cylinder V-shaped four-stroke liquid-cooled turbocharged engine (B-59). Together with it, a mechanical two-line transmission with planetary rotary mechanisms is used. The artillery mount has an individual with hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers. On the self-propelled guns, the designers installed special self-digging equipment, which makes it possible to dig a trench in the ground for shelter in twenty minutes. In order to heat the crew, a heating unit (OV-65G) was installed in the self-propelled gun, the productivity of which is 6500 kcal / h. This self-propelled artillery system has collective protection, equipped with PPO and PAZ systems, against weapons of mass destruction. 2С3 is equipped with an automatic fire system, a filter-ventilation unit, a compartment sealing system, which made it possible to protect the crew from the effects of bacteriological, nuclear and chemical weapons. The tightness of the self-propelled howitzer is maintained both in the process of firing and during movement.
Ammunition
For firing from the Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, shells from the D-20 and ML-20 cannons, as well as from the D-1 howitzer, are used. For these systems, NIMI developed a whole line of 152-mm ammunition. For example: 3VOF33 with a full variable and reduced variable charge, 3VOF33 with a long-range charge, a shot 3VOF96, 3VOF97, 3VOF98, as well as 3V013 and 3V014 with a fragmentation-cluster projectile with a full and reduced variable charge. Reduced charges allow you to send projectiles at a short range along a steeper trajectory. This allows you to hit targets that are hidden behind various obstacles, such as houses, hills, and so on.
To destroy heavy armored vehicles use cumulative ammunition BP-540. These projectiles initial speed 676 m / s have an effective range of up to five kilometers. Normally they break through tank armor thickness up to 250 mm, at an angle of 60 degrees up to 220 mm, and at an angle of 30 degrees - up to 120 mm. In addition to the listed ammunition, the self-propelled gun ammunition includes special ammunition that serves to disrupt enemy control systems at the tactical level by jamming ultrashort and short wave radio communications. For example, 3VRB37 and 3VBR36 with full and reduced variable charge.
At present, self-propelled howitzers "Acacia" use corrected projectiles of the "Centimeter" type and guided projectiles of the "Krasnopol" type developed by the Scientific and Technical Complex "Automation and Mechanization of Technologies". Thus, the Centimeter complex is used to destroy armored vehicles in places where artillery systems are concentrated and launchers at firing positions, long-term defensive complexes, communication and control points, bridges and crossings. "Krasnopol" is used to destroy small ground targets in conditions of firing from closed firing positions with target illumination laser beam target designator-rangefinder.
SAU "Acacia": characteristics
The combat weight of the installation is 27.5 tons (the relatively low weight of the Akatsiya allows it to be transported on transport aircraft), the length with the gun directed forward is 7765 mm, the height is 3050 mm, and the width is 3250 mm. ACS clearance - 450 mm, average ground pressure - 0.6 kg/cm 2 . The engine power is 520 hp, the speed is 2000 rpm. Characteristics of the running gear: individual suspension, caterpillar type of propulsion, the 1st and 6th rollers are equipped with hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers, the width of the rubber-metal caterpillar is 485 mm, the number of tracks is 115. The fuel supply is 850 liters. The maximum speed is 63 km/h. Power reserve - 500 km. The car is able to overcome obstacles: rise - 30 degrees, roll - 25 degrees, moat - 3 meters, wall - 0.7 meters, ford - 1 meter. The frontal armor of the body and turret is 30 mm. The crew of the self-propelled howitzer consists of four people.
Artillery weapons: characteristics
As mentioned earlier, the developers of the 2A33 howitzer are OKB-9 and KB2 of the Perm Machine-Building Plant, and it was manufactured at the Barrikady software. At Uraltransmash, the final assembly of the self-propelled guns was carried out. This gun has the following characteristics: caliber - 152.4 mm, barrel recoil length - 510-750 mm, pointing angles - vertical from -4 to +60 degrees, horizontal - 360 degrees, weight of the swinging part - 2450 kg, rate of fire - 1, 9-3.5 shots per minute. The slide is a semi-automatic vertical wedge copier type. Rollback brake - hydraulic spindle. Type of knurler - pneumatic. Loading - separate-sleeve. Firing range: shells of the 3OF25 type up to 17.3 km, 3OF22 up to 20.5 km, Krasnopol - up to 20 km.
As an additional armament, a 7.62 mm PKT heavy machine gun is used, the ammunition load of which is 250 rounds.
Military companies
Self-propelled howitzers 2S3 "Acacia" were quite successfully used in many military conflicts that arose in different areas the globe over the past four decades. About the presence of these installations in service Soviet army Western intelligence found out only in 1973, so it received the code name "Model 1973". Officially, the government of the USSR “lit up” the Acacia self-propelled guns only in 1977 at the Karpaty exercises. In the same year, these machines first participated in the parade on Red Square. In 1979, about a hundred 2S3 self-propelled howitzers were delivered to the GDR, and Iraq became the next country to receive these combat vehicles. During the period of the Iraqi company, Akatsiya took part in all military operations, however, the military remained dissatisfied with the insufficient, in their opinion, firing range.
From the very beginning of hostilities in Afghanistan, these artillery installations were involved in artillery units of a limited contingent Soviet troops. Military experts noted the high reliability of the complex, but it was also not without flaws. The main disadvantages of self-propelled guns are recognized as insufficient firing range and rate of fire. An interesting fact is that in Afghanistan these combat vehicles were used mainly for direct fire, which had a great demoralizing effect on the Mujahideen. The same technique is now being used by the Syrian military against Islamist militants.
Self-propelled guns "Acacia" participated in all armed conflicts in former USSR. For example, in companies in the North Caucasus, as well as during the so-called "War of 888".
Today, these combat artillery mounts are used in the conflict in Ukraine, both by regular troops and militias.
Conclusion
At present, our army is armed with both modern self-propelled artillery mounts and productions from the times of the USSR. Howitzer "Acacia", despite its considerable age, continues to regularly carry combat duty not only in the Russian army, but also abroad. These artillery installations were delivered to Europe: countries to the African continent: Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Syria. Moreover, after the collapse Soviet Union these machines remained in all the former Soviet republics without exception. The demand for this type of weapon is not weakening even today, orders are being received both for artillery installations from the times of the USSR, and for new Russian self-propelled guns. Indeed, in modern warfare, such complexes, combined with high-precision guided munitions may play a key role. In action, "Acacia" showed itself with the best side, military experts note the simplicity and reliability of this artillery complex. And after her participation in the Afghan company, she became very popular. Perhaps that is why it remains in service not only in our country, but also in many other countries of the world.
