Self-propelled howitzer FH77BW L52 Archer (Sweden). Self-propelled artillery mount FH77 BW L52 Archer. Sweden Swedish self-propelled artillery gun karelin

self-propelled artillery mount The FH77 BW L52 Archer is a Swedish development, multi-purpose 155 mm self-propelled artillery mount. The idea of ​​​​creating this system falls on the plan for reforming the NATO armed forces, and is the creation of an air-transportable, armored self-propelled artillery fire system. Bofors Defense (part of the SAAB group of companies) offered the FH77 model for arming the Swedish army and possible deliveries of the system to other countries. The FH77 BW L52 self-propelled artillery mount was developed on the basis of the well-proven FH77 towed gun (which is why FH77 is in the name of the mount).

When placing the Gun on a mobile platform, in this case a lightning platform with a 6x6 wheel formula, special technologies were used to reduce the recoil of the gun when fired and to compensate for the impact. The gun is mounted on a special hinged platform (platform), in a special container, at the end of which there is a special counterweight that compensates for the impact force when fired.

The crew cabin has armored protection that ensures the safety of people during shelling small arms and shell fragments. Also on the roof of the cab can be a machine gun caliber 7.2 mm.

Due to the placement of the gun on a high-cross-country chassis, the unit can be used in any weather conditions and on rough terrain. The speed at which the "Archer" can move is up to 70 km / h. It can also be transported by air using the "European Hercules" A 400M.

The FH77BW L52 is the ideal artillery system for a new generation of self-propelled mounts for use in the European theater of possible warfare. The system of camouflage "dressing gowns" (cloaks) allows to reduce the visual and infrared visibility of the system by almost 3 times, which is ideal for using the installation in wooded areas and steppes.

The range of projectiles used is very large, Bofors Defense also decided to create special projectiles for installation, and also provided for the possibility of using most foreign artillery shells, including the American M982 Excalibur. The firing range is about 40 km with European artillery shells and 60 km with the American M982 Excalibur.

The Swedish government has already submitted a bill to parliament that provides for the allocation of funds to upgrade and modernize the Haubits 77B artillery system. The Swedish army is expected to purchase 27 FH77 BW L52 systems, which will use parts of the 51 Haubits 77B (FH-77B) towed systems currently in service. First deliveries of the FH77 BW L52 could be made in 2008 or 2009. They will replace the currently in service FH-77B, which was the only artillery system left after the Swedish army decommissioned all towed and self-propelled artillery systems a few years ago.

The Swedish government is looking for a partner to co-participate in the project, and if no such partner is found, the government may reconsider putting the plan into action. One potential partner is Denmark, which may order 24 systems. The Danish Army and the Danish Defense Procurement Authority will team up to jointly participate in this project.

To ensure good mobility on rough terrain, the FH77 BW L52 was mounted on a Volvo 6x6 A30D all-terrain chassis, which was specially upgraded for this system. To reduce costs, the cradle and recoil system are taken from the 155 mm FH-77B towed artillery system currently in service. Automatic system loading allows you to reduce the number of crew to three people. Its rate of fire is three shots in 15 seconds. A computerized fire control system, together with an inertial navigation and guidance system, allows the system to be driven in and out of combat quickly enough to avoid enemy artillery return fire. The Archer system will also be equipped with the Swedish battle management system, which is already installed on other Swedish platforms.

The crew is accommodated in an armored cabin, which is equipped with a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction. Remote control loading, guidance and firing systems are carried out from the cockpit. The cabin can accommodate four people, it provides protection from the blast wave and is equipped with a number of means to reduce visibility. To increase platform stability when firing, a hydraulic outrigger is lowered at the rear of the vehicle. During the tests, more than 700 shots of 155 mm active-reactive have already been fired HEAT shells long-range HEER projectiles, HE77 HEAT projectiles, and TR 54/77 point charge training projectiles.

Uniflex 2 modular charges, FH77 B L39 cap charges and Bofor 4-7,8 and 9 charges were used. XM982 Excalibur. There are 40 projectiles in the system, of which 20 are located in the gun's automatic magazine. The system uses both cartridge and modular shells with automatic tamping. Day-night sight allows direct fire from a distance of 2,000 meters. In addition to the standard ammunition load, the FH77 BW L52 will be able to fire long-range XM982 Excalibur projectiles, which are now produced in limited quantities for the US and Swedish armies.

“The introduction of the Archer system and a new generation of “intelligent” projectiles will allow hitting targets faster and with higher accuracy than now,” said a representative of the Swedish army at a recent conference in London on the development of artillery systems (Defence IQ Future Artillery 2006). In the future divisions Swedish artillery will be able to destroy a target at a great distance within 24 hours, in almost any weather conditions.

A few years ago it was adopted radar station Arthur, which greatly improved the position of the artillery detection system. Although the main purpose of the system is to support the army with indirect fire, it can also be used by the Coast Guard. In the future, Sweden is going to adopt two more indirect fire systems: 120mm Advanced Mortar System (AMOS), manufactured by Patria Hagglunds and a light multi-purpose missile system. Sweden has already purchased one prototype of the AMOS system. Initially, it was planned to install these systems on the 40 CV9040 chassis, which are already produced and are in stock. The possibility of installing AMOS on lighter SEP chassis, which are more suitable for use by the troops, is now being considered. rapid response

If the Swedish army does not abandon its plans to upgrade the artillery fleet, then Bofors, which is a traditional supplier of artillery for the armed forces of Sweden and many other states, will be ordered 24 self-propelled artillery mounts, with support equipment, various types of ammunition and equipment. It is planned to complete the production of self-propelled guns by 2011.

Among the advantages of the new self-propelled unit, one can note its suitability for airlift by medium-sized military transport aircraft and heavy helicopters.

Given the traditional popularity of Swedish artillery systems on the world market, we should expect export orders for a new self-propelled gun developed by Bofors. It will compete with such "stars" of 152-155 mm caliber as the South Korean K9, the German PzH-2000, the Russian Msta and the French CAESAR. The closest to the Swedish car in terms of its performance characteristics is the British wheeled self-propelled gun M777 Portee.

The Swedish self-propelled guns have been proof for decades that not only world leaders in the production of weapons can create unique models of equipment. Neither the USSR-Russia nor the United States have such self-propelled guns. Swedish designers are ahead of the creation in this area military equipment everyone and forever. A self-propelled 155 mm gun can fire 14 rounds of ammunition in less than a minute, the range of use is more than 25 kilometers - and this is the distant 60s of the last century.
Development self-propelled gun the Bofors concern, which already at that time was highly qualified in the field of creating artillery solutions for the army and navy, was engaged in. In 1957, Sweden officially declares that it has every opportunity to create atomic weapons in the next six years. It is likely that the weapons being developed at that time could become a "carrier" of nuclear weapons. The self-propelled guns, which have a range of more than 25 kilometers, could well meet these requirements. First Sample self-propelled howitzer was ready for testing in 1960. The five-year testing and refinement of the gun ends with the launch of the self-propelled guns for mass production. In 1966, the Bandcanon 1A entered service with the Swedish army. SAU "Bandkenon 1A" - the world's first automatic self-propelled howitzer, put into service. Disadvantages - one of the slowest and heaviest in its class - this makes it difficult to camouflage and reduces the characteristics of tactical mobility. By the way, after the Bandkanon-1A self-propelled guns were adopted in mid-1968, Sweden officially abandoned the creation of atomic weapons.

Design and arrangement of the self-propelled guns "Bandkanon-1A" The design of the turret and hull of the welded type. The thickness of the sheets is 10-20 mm. To create a howitzer, a power plant and a chassis from the main tank "STRV-103" were used. The engine compartment is located in the bow of the hull. The place of the driver-mechanic is located facing the tower. The hydropneumatic-type running howitzer has six support-type rollers on each side. The first roller of a row is the leading one, the last roller is the guide.

The howitzer turret is made of 2 parts and is located in the aft part of the hull. A 155 mm gun is installed between the parts of the tower. The left side of the tower is the location of the radio operator, gunner and commander, the right side of the tower is the location of the machine gunner and loader. Howitzer horizontal angles ± 15 degrees, vertical angles from 38 to 2 degrees. When hovering manually - vertical angles of 3-40 degrees. The 155 mm gun is provided with a perforated muzzle brake and a semi-automatic wedge-type opening downwards. The design of the turret allows the gun to not have devices for venting gases. Interesting feature howitzers - an interchangeable barrel. In addition to the cannon, the SPG has a 7.62 mm AA machine gun.

When the ACS moves, the gun barrel is fixed with a latch in the bow of the vehicle. Ready-to-use ammunition of 14 ammunition is located in an armored container located in the rear of the hull. The armored container has 7 compartments, in which two shells are placed in each compartment. Each projectile first goes to the loading tray, after which it is loaded into the gun by a rammer. The rammer with the tray work due to the springs, which, in turn, cock the rollback of the barrel. Therefore, the first ammunition is loaded into the gun manually. The rest of the ammunition is fed automatically. The operator-gunner can select the fire mode - single / automatic. Howitzer ammunition is transported by transport vehicle. For laying ammunition, the gun is raised to the maximum vertical angle. The covers of the armored container are released, the lift slides down on the rail to stow the ammunition. After laying, the covers are closed and the lift is returned to its original position, the barrel is lowered to its normal position. The process of reloading the howitzer takes only 120 seconds. The weight of one high-explosive projectile is 48 kilograms, the effective range is 25.6 kilometers. The MTO ACS uses a Rolls-Royce diesel engine with a power of 240 hp. When driving over rough terrain, they additionally turn on the Boeing gas turbine, which has a capacity of 300 hp, which is not surprising for a 53-ton machine weight. Therefore, fuel consumption turned out to be huge - almost 1,500 liters of fuel are used for 230 kilometers. The large weight of the car affected the speed characteristics of the car - the maximum speed is 28 km / h.

Modernization of self-propelled guns In 88, they modernized a self-propelled howitzer. Modernization touched the diesel engine and transmission - the speed increased slightly, and fuel consumption decreased. In addition, we improved the LMS and navigation of the machine. After modernization, the ACS is named "Bandkannon 1C".

It was planned to release 70 units of this self-propelled guns. But in total, 26 units of the Bandkannon 1A self-propelled howitzer were built. The upgraded self-propelled guns "Bandkannon 1C" were in service with the Swedish army until 2003, after which the car was removed from service.

Archer is a British tier 5 tank destroyer added in patch 0.9.5. Another unusual car from a new branch. Distinctive feature- reverse speed, which is almost three times the forward speed due to design features

Historical reference

SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I, Archer - British anti-tank self-propelled gun of the Second World War, created on the basis of the chassis infantry tank Valentine and equipped with a 17-pounder Ordnance Quick-Firing 17-pounder (76.2 mm).

Tank Destroyer Archer

17 pound anti-tank gun It was very powerful, as well as very large and heavy, so special equipment would be needed to move it around the battlefield. In addition, this would make the gun more effective in defense than in attack.

For these purposes, the chassis of the Valentine tank was chosen - it was ideal for transporting such a bulky gun. Valentine's hull did not allow the installation of a turret and the gun was decided to be installed in an armored wheelhouse without a roof. The gun could rotate 11 degrees both to the left and to the right. Elevation angles ranged from -7.5 to +15 degrees.

Archer's uniqueness was that his gun, unlike most other self-propelled guns, was installed backwards, which gave certain advantages in battle.

The special position of the gun, combined with the low silhouette, made the Archer an excellent ambush tank: the crew could fire a shot and drive off to a safe distance.

The first prototype was ready in 1943. It was decided to build 800 tanks.

Archer production began in mid-1943, and in October 1944 the tank was put into service. Archer was used in combat operations in Northwest Europe and in Italy. By the end of the war, 655 tanks had been produced.

Armament

QF 6-pdr AT Gun Mk. IV	QF 17-pdr AT Gun Mk. II	QF 17-pdr AT Gun Mk. VII

Specifications

Booking:
Hull - 20/20/20
Durability 360
Chassis turning speed - 40..46 degrees / sec.
Elevation angles +15..-7.5°
Angle of horizontal guidance 45°
Max speed+12..-32 km/h
Engine power - 162..192 hp
Weight - 16.26 tons.
Specific power - 11.8 hp / t.
Viewing range - 325 m
Communication range - 400..550m
Crew: 4 people

Booking

Review

The machine is simply created in order to surprise the enemy. This tank destroyer can be played on the principle of "hard to catch up, easy to run away." She effectively shoots back from the enemy, retreating, and is almost incapable of conducting active offensive operations as part of small groups.

The most effective tactic would be to take a convenient covert position on the front line of the offensive and support the allied tanks in this direction. The tactics of the second line will not be so useful, because for the rapid advance and constant fire support of allied tanks, this vehicle requires considerable time and effort. On the other hand, it is quite capable of holding back advancing opponents thanks to its excellent weapon, one-time damage And high speed reverse.

Advantages

• good stealth
• Comfort tool
• High turning speed
• Small dispersion from movement within the angles of horizontal pickup
• Wide area of ​​fire
• good review
• High armor penetration
• Good accuracy
• Comfortable gun depression angles

Flaws

• To quickly change position, you need to turn around
• Relatively small ammunition load
• Weak booking
• Unaccustomed control

Outcome

The first is true british tank destroyer in the branch, and, undoubtedly, a very interesting and controversial car. On the one hand, low visibility, an excellent gun, and in almost all respects, on the other hand, poor visibility and non-standard layout, due to which the game on this machine turns into a “step forward - two steps back”, because. in order to drive even some 50 m, you have to turn around, and upon arrival at the place - turn around again.

In general, the car is pretty good, but it depends quite a lot both on the team (zero armor, and the enemy is unlikely to calmly look at your pirouettes, and the car is blind), and on the player’s personal skill (not everyone is good at running backwards to the front) .

Forward, mm

3300
4000 (with machine gun)

bulletproof, shatterproof

155 mm howitzer FH 77 BW L52

20 shells in AZ and 20 in non-mechanized laying

from 0° to 70°

Archer(English) archer - archer) - Swedish 155-mm multi-purpose self-propelled artillery mount FH77 BW L52 "Archer".

A distinctive feature of the howitzer is the absence of the need for additional calculation numbers for loading it. The cockpit is armored to protect the crew from small arms fire and ammunition fragments.

Description

Tactical and technical characteristics

Project evaluation

Comparison with similar self-propelled guns on a wheeled chassis

	G6-52ER	Zuzana 2	CAESAR	archer	ATMOS 2000	Nora B-52
Appearance
Year of adoption	n/a	n/a	2008	2011	2004	2006
Chassis	6×6	8×8	6×6	6×6	6×6	8×8
Combat weight, T	49,0	32,0	17,7	30,0	22,0	28,0
Crew	3-5	4	3-5	3-4	4-6	n/a
Gun caliber, mm	155	155	155	155	155	155
Barrel length, calibers	52	52	52	52	52	52
Gun ammunition, shots	48	40	18	40	27	36
Maximum firing range, km OFS: AR OFS: AR OFS V-LAP :	38 50 67	n/a 41 n/a	n/a 42 >50	30 40 60	30 41 n/a	20 41 n/a
Maximum rate of fire, rds / min	8	6	6	8	5	n/a
Engine power, l. With.	525	450	n/a	330	315	360
Maximum speed, km/h	80	80	80	70	80	80
Range on the highway, km	700	600	600	500	1000	n/a

Footnotes

Advantages

Flaws

General conclusion

In service

see also

Write a review on the article "Archer (self-propelled guns, Sweden)"

Notes

Links

An excerpt characterizing Archer (SAU, Sweden)

At the beginning of 1806, Nikolai Rostov returned on vacation. Denisov was also going home to Voronezh, and Rostov persuaded him to go with him to Moscow and stay at their house. At the penultimate station, having met a comrade, Denisov drank three bottles of wine with him and, approaching Moscow, despite the bumps in the road, did not wake up, lying at the bottom of the sledge, near Rostov, which, as it approached Moscow, came more and more into impatience.
“Soon? Is it soon? Oh, these unbearable streets, shops, rolls, lanterns, cabbies! thought Rostov, when they had already written down their holidays at the outpost and drove into Moscow.

SAU "Archer" (Archer - archer),
SP 17pdr, Valentine, Mk I.

The self-propelled unit has been produced since 1943. It was created on the basis of the Valentine light infantry tank. At the same time, the power compartment with the GMC liquid-cooled diesel engine located in it remained unchanged, and instead of the control compartment and fighting compartment a lightly armored conning tower, open from above, was mounted, which accommodates a crew of 4 people and weapons. Self-propelled gun armed with 76.2 mm anti-tank gun with a barrel length of 60 calibers. The initial speed of its armor-piercing projectile weighing 7.7 kg is 884 m/s. A horizontal pointing angle of 90 degrees, an elevation angle of +16 degrees, and a descent angle of 0 degrees are provided. The rate of fire of the gun is 10 rounds per minute. Such characteristics guns allowed to successfully fight almost all German machines. To combat manpower and long-term firing points, the ammunition load (40 shells) also included high-explosive shells weighing 6.97 kg. Telescopic and panoramic sights were used to control fire. The fire could be conducted both by direct fire and from closed positions. To ensure communication on a self-propelled gun, a radio station was installed. Self-propelled guns "Archer" were produced almost until the end of the war and were first used in some artillery regiments, and then were transferred to tank units.

Development of the 17-pounder high initial speed projectile, comparable in armor penetration to the German 88-mm gun, began in 1941. Its production began in the middle of 1942, and it was planned to install it on the Challenger and Sherman Fire-fly tanks, self-propelled guns - tank destroyers. Of the existing tank chassis the Crusader had to be excluded due to such a small size and insufficient power reserve for such a weapon, the Valentine remained the only alternative from the available chassis.

The original idea of ​​installing a 17-pound gun on it was to use the Bishop self-propelled guns with the replacement of the 25-pound howitzer gun with a new gun. This proved impractical due to the long barrel of the 17-pounder and high altitude armored tubes. The Ministry of Supply offered the Vickers company to develop a new self-propelled unit based on the Valentine mastered in production, but withstanding the size restrictions when installing a long-barreled gun. This work began in July 1942 and the prototype was ready for testing in March 1943.

new car; named "Archer", built on the chassis "Valentine" with an open cabin at the top. The rear-facing 17-pounder had a limited sector of fire. The driver's seat was located similarly to the base tank, and the frontal cutting sheets were a continuation of the front hull sheets. Thus, despite the large length of the 17-pounder gun, the axis gets a relatively compact self-propelled guns with a low silhouette.

Fire tests took place in April 1943, but changes were required in a number of units, including the installation of guns and fire control devices. In general, the car turned out to be successful and became a priority in the production program. The first mass-produced vehicle was assembled in March 1944, and from October the Archer self-propelled guns were supplied to the anti-tank battalions of the British BTC in North-Western Europe. In service british army"Archer" remained until the mid-50s, in addition, after the war they were supplied to other armies. Of the initially ordered 800 vehicles, the Vickers company built only 665. Despite the limited tactical capabilities due to the adopted weapon installation scheme, the Archer was initially considered as a temporary measure until the advent of best designs- proved to be a reliable and effective weapon.

Tactical and technical characteristics