Swedish artillery. Archer is a British Tier V tank destroyer. Comparison with similar self-propelled guns on a wheeled chassis

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Currently, there are the following international criteria for a preliminary (that is, applied before the start of the participation of the model in hostilities) assessment of any type of weapon:

1. Cost - the cost of the project itself;
2. Rate of Fire - rate of fire;
3. Accuracy - shooting accuracy;
4. Range - firing range;
5. Intelligence - an indicator of the integration of this type of weapon with modern intelligence systems.

Note that the developers do not hide these criteria, and moreover, oddly enough, they do not seek to overestimate them, which has a clear explanation. In view of the norms of professional and business ethics, the impossibility of confirming the system being developed during the trial operation of the declared characteristics, threatens not only loud scandal, and is fraught with the termination of the existence of the company itself. It is for these reasons that the indicators of the weapon model being developed are not overestimated, but, on the contrary, are underestimated.

First of all, one should understand why or why the development of its own artillery system began in Russia " new generation" in 2006 year? The thing is that in 2004 and 2005, at IDEX 2004 and IDEX 2005, a Swedish development was shown that was promising for adoption into service with a 155-mm self-propelled gun, which had the designation FH77BW L52 (Bofors self-propelled howitzer of 1977 with a barrel length of 52 caliber), later named Archer (or " Archer"). The development of this self-propelled howitzer began in 1995. At that time, the Russian armed forces were not up to developing their own self-propelled guns.

In 2003, a contract was signed between the Swedish Armed Forces and Bofors (now BAE Systems Bofors) for the further development of the ACS. In 2004, the first two prototypes of the self-propelled guns were shown. Experimental military operation of the first two 155-mm Archer self-propelled howitzers began in 2005, and in 2006 the contract was extended for the subsequent development and improvement of the ACS development program. In September 2008, the Swedish government finally approved the development and purchase of 48 Archer self-propelled artillery systems for its Armed Forces.

At the same time, with the final adoption of this artillery system (since the FH77BW L52 Archer self-propelled guns in itself is not just a self-propelled howitzer), Sweden was not going to rush. In the period from 2007 to 2015 (that is, a full 8 years), experimental military operation of this self-propelled artillery installation continued. And as a result, the first battery of self-propelled guns FH77BW L52 Archer officially began to be registered in the Swedish Armed Forces, only from February 1, 2016.

In accordance with the five points of the preliminary assessment, first let's look at what the project of the 155-mm self-propelled howitzer FH77BW L52 Archer was:

1. Cost - or the cost of the project itself - from 1995, until it was put into service in 2016 - $ 450,000,000.
2. Rate of Fire - rate of fire - 8-9 rounds per minute, in the mode of several shells of simultaneous impact (MRSI) - 6 shells.
3. Accuracy - shooting accuracy - circular probable deviation (CEP) in accordance with NATO requirements - up to 120 meters for unguided and from 25 to 3 meters for guided projectiles.
4. Range - firing range - from 30 to 50 kilometers for conventional and active-rocket projectiles and up to 60 km when firing the M982 Excalibur guided projectile.
5. Intelligence - an indicator of the integration of this type of weapon with modern reconnaissance systems - is integrated into a single automated fire control system AFATDS (it is also - modern system NATO field artillery data).

By and large, the FH77BW L52 Archer ACS is not a deep modernization of the FH77 towed gun, but a completely new gun, which is currently the only self-propelled howitzer in service in the world with a completely uninhabited fighting compartment.

Development self-propelled gun, not howitzers (this will be proven in this article) 2S35 in Russia began after representatives of the Russian military-industrial complex turned their attention to the promising Archer self-propelled howitzer at IDEX 2004. at the same exhibition Russian representatives we also looked at the Swedish 120-mm progressive mortar system AMOS.

As a result, since 2005, the Russian Federation has launched the creation of its own artillery systems in accordance with the tradition that existed back in the USSR, to respond by creating an alleged analogue model in response to the appearance of any new type of weapon in NATO.

Now, for understanding, let's break a little, and turn our attention to the representative of the customer's body, which is an artillery officer Russian army. We will make one small comment that will help to visually characterize his preparation.

In the Artillery Academy (St. Petersburg) from 2000 to the present, in the list of subjects of study, there is no such discipline as ballistics. Ballistics has a limited presence in such a subject as " Shooting theory and strike control". Thus, Russian officers are the only artillerymen in the world who do not know their main subject. Among other things, this circumstance clearly demonstrates the lack of trained personnel in the existing paradigm of Putin's state regime.

And what about the artillery system and training? Let's be clear.

Any interested reader can look at a completely open version of the Russian Wikipedia and find in it comparison table performance characteristics (TTX) of the 2S35 self-propelled gun with foreign analogues. For a better understanding, let's take the combat rate of fire subsection as an example.

The creators of the 2S35 system claim that it has the above indicator of 11-16 rounds per minute. Such information could be written only by people who do not understand the essence of ballistics, especially such a phenomenon after a shot as barrel swaying. The barrel sway phenomenon occurs during the short transitional period between the internal and external ballistics phases when the projectile leaves the gun barrel.

It is this short period of time, and the phenomena associated with it during a shot, that is studied by intermediate ballistics. Such a section of ballistics as " intermediate ballistics”was not considered in Russia, due to the lack of ballistics as a science, in general.

It is this section that answers the question of the maximum technically possible limit of the rate of fire of any howitzer or cannon artillery piece with a barrel length exceeding 11 calibers, while maintaining certain standards of accuracy of the firing itself. This technical limit is 10 shots per minute. Thus, the next shot occurs after 6 seconds, precisely in order to stop the vibrations of the gun barrel associated with the previous shot.

In fact, no manufacturer is in a hurry to produce an artillery gun even with 10 rounds per minute. An indicator of 8-9 rounds per minute is quite sufficient figures when firing from a modern artillery gun. Therefore, the emphasis on the high rate of fire of the gun in considering its characteristics is today the first indicator of the lack of personnel and understanding of artillery.

Let's move on to the issue of novelty and modernity of the Russian self-propelled guns using the example of its barrel. The creators of the 2S35 self-propelled gun declare that the barrel of the 2A88 gun is new, while not reporting anything at all about its creation.

But we can do a little research ourselves. If we compare the images of the 2S35 and its barrel with the Soviet 2A36 cannon, we can see a striking similarity in detail, namely in the length of the barrel and the type of muzzle brake installed. At the same time, the creators a fundamentally new artillery gun”do not explain at all the moment when suddenly the barrel of a 2A36 gun, after installing a receiver on it (a device for reducing gas contamination in the fighting compartment), can become a howitzer barrel? How did this become technically possible?

If the barrel was originally created in the USSR as a cannon barrel, then the same barrel cannot be howitzer by default.
Therefore, we can conclude that this is not a 2S35 self-propelled howitzer, but just a modernized analogue of the Soviet 2A36 gun. More precisely, then its self-propelled counterpart 2C5.

The problems don't end there. The resource (that is, survivability) of the barrel of the Soviet 2A36 gun is no more than 650 shots, after which the barrel must be changed. Otherwise, its ballistic characteristics will not correspond to those described in the firing tables, even with the introduction of appropriate amendments.

Moreover, the Soviet 152-mm gun 2A36 and its self-propelled counterpart 2S5 were not designed at all to fire traditional (HE) shells as the main ones. The main purpose of the 2A36 and 2S5 is to fire the 152 mm 3VB6 nuclear projectile. For firing a nuclear projectile, the ballistic dispersion characteristics, which were structurally incorporated in the creation of the weapon, do not significantly matter, since they are compensated by the power of the nuclear projectile.

Now back to ballistics. The creators of the 2S35 self-propelled gun declare, and I quote:

«… The 2S35 self-propelled howitzer has a “simultaneous fire raid” function, which allows you to hit a target simultaneously with several projectiles fired from one self-propelled gun and located on different flight paths».

Please note that a certain possibility of firing is described without specifying the figure for the consumption of shells.

Artillery firing mode, which is called MRSI - multiple projectiles of simultaneous impact, to a firing mode, called " fire raid' has nothing to do with it. I explain why.

A fire raid is a term for Soviet artillery, which leads an artillery gun (guns) by releasing a certain number of shells, at several sight settings and several goniometer settings, when a certain area is hit. Any target in the Soviet artillery was equated to a certain area, and its fire defeat was corresponding - one of the methods of which was a fire raid.

In turn, the MRSI mode is a mode of firing at a target, and not at an area, and if the creators declare the possibility of firing in this mode, then accordingly indicate its rate of fire.

For example, an Archer self-propelled howitzer in MRSI mode consumes 6 rounds. That is, within one minute, the gun is capable of firing 6 shells at different elevation angles of the barrel, which means on different trajectories.

If the consumption of shells in the allegedly identical Soviet MRSI " fire raid”is not indicated, then what kind of shooting possibility can we talk about?

As soon as in Russia they did not call names the regime of several shells of simultaneous impact (MRSI): it was already called names and " flurry of fire", And " pseudo gulp". Now to the existing two, " officially» a third option was added ‒ « simultaneous fire attack". Before us is the most obvious indicator of the lack of terminology, which indicates the absence of science. For any science begins with a single and understandable terminology.

Now I am answering the question: why in the Russian artillery (in the existing paradigm) there cannot be an artillery gun with the ability to fire in the MRSI mode. In one sentence, the answer will sound like this - in connection with the previous training and the lack of such a science as ballistics.

The firing mode of an artillery gun called MRSI (Multiple Simultaneous Impact) describes a subspecies of ballistics called Terminal ballistics. This term can be translated into Russian as terminal or final ballistics. Ultimate ballistics studies the interactions between projectile and target (like, target). The final ballistics phase depends on the impact velocity, angle of impact, projectile type, fuze and target parameters.

In the Soviet Union and early Russia in the 90s of the last century, they studied the ballistics that had been inherited since the end of World War II. This ballistics had two subsections: internal and external. No one was going to figure out what changes in general ballistics took place during the period of the 90s of the last century (as well as the first 10th of the 21st century), in the artillery of the Russian Federation. There was no such need at all, ballistics was classified as a not entirely necessary subject, and over time, its existence was generally forgotten. But at the same time, those textbooks that have remained since 1979 have retained the two main subsections of ballistics.

Meanwhile, at present, general ballistics is divided not into two, but into four sections, and includes, in addition to internal and external, intermediate and above-mentioned terminal ballistics.

The main difference between Soviet ballistics and that which was in the West is a different understanding of the end result (expressed English words end state). Soviet ballistics, as a science, set itself the end result, which was expressed in the creation of an artillery gun with firing range indicators without taking into account any accuracy standards.

In turn, Western ballistics set itself the end result in creating weapons not only with a certain firing range, but also, and above all, with established clear and understandable standards of accuracy.

This is precisely the main problem why ballistics is not taught to artillerymen at the Russian artillery academy. Why would a field gunner have the knowledge of how to design an artillery piece? Will he design it? No, only a few will do this, taking into account the interests of the customer and his representative only. Therefore - a paradox - in view of the previously adopted Soviet approaches and principles, ballistics is an unnecessary discipline in the training of the Russian artilleryman.

This is what led to a different final result, put before one science in different systems. As a result, representatives of the customer (who are artillery officers of the Russian Federation), having no idea about ballistics in general, cannot order for themselves what, in their opinion, is modern. If the bulk of gunners do not know about the existence and purpose of firing modes of artillery guns in general, then what can these people order and demand for themselves? And why would they need MRSI at all if they have no idea about it?

By the way, about the MRSI mode. This method first described as possible by firing from an artillery gun at the beginning of the twentieth century. This regime has been in active use of field artillery since the 40s of the last century. It was used not only in combat operations, but also to show the capabilities of field artillery.

With the development and improvement of technologies, primarily digital ones, with the constant integration of the trajectory of an artillery projectile into a 4-dimensional digital model of the firing range, range corrections, direction and time corrections, it became possible to fire in the MRSI mode with an expense not in 3, and more than 5 and even (in some variations, such as AMOS) and more than 10 shells.

In addition, due to changes in meteorology, accuracy has increased significantly, as a result, there is a real need for combat use.

What accuracy of firing of Russian artillery can be discussed or talked about if, 72 years after the end of World War II, Russian artillery continues to operate meteorological stations whose probes are pumped with hydrogen? I remind the creators of 2S35 that in the west, the transition of weather stations to safer helium in circulation occurred in 1942, that is, 70 years ago.

In order to actually figure out what the multiple-projectile simultaneous impact (MRSI) mode is, it is enough to stop several gunnery officers in Russia (as well as from Belarus and Ukraine), and ask them about it. As an answer, you will hear only obscene derivatives, which are the best representation of the understanding of these representatives of their armies of modern artillery science and art.

Let's sum up the final result. In accordance with the five points of the preliminary assessment, let's look again at the characteristics of the 155-mm FH77BW L52 Archer self-propelled howitzer, which look especially bright against the background of the characteristics of the 2S35 self-propelled gun:

1. cost- the cost of the project itself:

• ‒ Archer - from 1995, until it was put into service in 2016 - $450,000,000;
• - 2S35 - since 2006, it has not undergone experimental military operation, and the funds spent on development are a state secret.

1. Rate of Fire- rate of fire:

• - Archer - 8-9 rounds per minute; in the mode of several shells of simultaneous impact (MRSI) - 6 shells;
• - 2S35 - 7-8 rounds per minute; the MRSI firing mode is only announced, without a message and any correlation with the consumption of shells.

1. Accuracy- accuracy:

• - Archer - circular probable deviation (CEP) in accordance with the requirements of NATO - up to 120 meters for unguided and from 25 to 3 meters - for guided projectiles;
• - 2S35 - no norms (as well as standards) for shooting accuracy were presented and were not formulated at all.

1. Range- firing range:

• ‒ Archer - from 30 to 50 kilometers for conventional and active-rocket projectiles and up to 60 km when firing the M982 Excalibur guided projectile;
• - 2S35 - up to 40 km, in accordance with those active-rocket projectiles that were developed in the USSR for the 2A36 (2S5) gun, no guided projectiles according to the " GLONASS» for 152 mm systems does not currently exist.

1. Intelligence- an indicator of the integration of this type of weapon with modern reconnaissance systems:

• ‒ Archer - integrates into a single automated fire control system AFATDS (it is also a modern NATO field artillery data system);
• ‒ 2S35 - only planned for integration into a certain " unified management system tactical level ". This ESUTZ has been created since 1999, and so far has never been used in combat.

As a conclusion.

The 2S35 self-propelled gun is nothing more than a modernization, or it would be more correct to say - a claim for the modernization of the Soviet 152-mm 2S5 self-propelled gun " Hyacinth C". If the 2S5 did not have a turret, and the gun was installed, open, copying the American 175 mm M107 field gun, then the 2S35 variant outwardly has all the attributes inherent in a modern self-propelled artillery piece. And no more.

And the last, the final educational program, for representatives of the artillery academy from the city of St. Petersburg. Firing range is a decisive advantage in an artillery duel only when two main problems have been previously resolved artillery fire: shooting accuracy and availability modern means intelligence. According to these two indicators - traditionally, Soviet artillery and its successor, Russian artillery, have never shone.

On September 23, a long-awaited event took place in Sweden. The Ministry of Defense Procurement Office (Försvarets Materielverk) received the first batch of FH77BW L52 Archer (“Archer”) self-propelled howitzers on a wheeled chassis. Four new combat vehicles adopted under the name Artillerisystem 08. In about a year, the Swedish military department intends to receive a second batch of self-propelled artillery installations consisting of 20 vehicles. In addition, 24 self-propelled guns for Norway will be built in the near future.

The long-awaited transfer of self-propelled guns to the customer turned out to be due to a number of technical problems. According to the first contracts signed during development, ACS Archer were supposed to replenish the Swedish armed forces back in 2011. However, during the testing of prototypes, some shortcomings were identified, which took some time to correct. As a result, the first batch, consisting of only four pre-production combat vehicles, was handed over to the customer only in September 2013. In the future, the Swedish army will receive serial equipment.

Separately, it is necessary to note the situation with artillery in the Swedish army, which has developed as a result of the failure to deliver the Archer self-propelled guns. Currently, in the armed forces of Sweden, artillery is represented only by the 9th artillery regiment, consisting of two divisions. By the end of 2011, due to the development of the resource, all the existing towed 155-mm Bofors FH77B howitzers were decommissioned, due to which the Swedish armed forces completely lost any field artillery. Initially, it was assumed that the new Archer self-propelled guns would replace towed howitzers, but the problems that accompanied the creation of self-propelled guns thwarted the implementation of these plans, and as a result, for almost two years, the Swedish army did not have any artillery.

The project to develop a promising self-propelled artillery mount started in 1995. In accordance with the terms of reference, the executing organization was to develop an ACS armed with a modified FH77B howitzer of 155 mm caliber. The customer demanded to improve the characteristics of the gun by increasing the length of the barrel. The result of the modernization of the howitzer was the modification of the FH77BW with a 52-caliber barrel. It was such a tool that should have been used in the new self-propelled guns. In addition, customer requirements implied the use of a wheeled chassis.

The preliminary stage of the project took several years. Only in 2003, the Swedish Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Bofors. This document provided for the completion of the project and the subsequent construction of serial self-propelled guns. In 2005, the first prototypes of a promising self-propelled guns were built. Tests of self-propelled guns began after the transformation of Bofors into BAE Systems Bofors.

The Volvo A30D with a 6x6 wheel arrangement was chosen as the chassis for the new self-propelled artillery mount. The chassis is equipped with a 340 horsepower diesel engine, which allows the combat vehicle to reach speeds of up to 65 km / h on the highway. As stated, the wheeled chassis can move through the snow up to one meter deep. If the wheels are damaged, including during an explosion, the Archer self-propelled guns are capable of continuing to move for some time.

An interesting feature of the Archer ACS chassis is the applied architecture. The A30D is articulated for improved maneuverability. In front of the chassis, above the first axle and up to the articulation unit, there is an engine compartment and a cockpit. The engine and crew are covered with bulletproof armor corresponding to level 2 of the NATO STANAG 4569 standard. The cockpit houses the jobs of three or four crew members. Depending on the nature of the operation being performed, the crew may have one or two weapon operators. The driver and commander are present in the crew at all times. On the roof of the cockpit there is a place to install a remote-controlled Protector turret with a machine gun.

On the rear module of the articulated chassis are all the units of the gun. Above the rear axle of the chassis are mechanisms for lifting and turning the gun turret. The gun is aimed by turning and raising the entire turret. Self-propelled guns allow you to direct the gun vertically in the range of angles from 0° to +70°. Due to the characteristics of the wheeled chassis, the horizontal aiming angles are limited: the Archer can fire at targets in the forward sector with a width of 150 ° (75 ° to the right and left of the axis). To stabilize the machine during firing, a double outrigger is used in the rear of the chassis. In the stowed position, the gun module rotates to the neutral position, lowering the howitzer barrel into a special tray covered with covers. The dimensions of the base car required an interesting solution. Thus, when converting ACS into stowed position the recoil devices of the gun move the barrel to its rearmost position, which allows it to be placed in the existing tray.

Wheeled self-propelled guns Archer has a fairly large size. The maximum length of the combat vehicle exceeds 14 meters, width - 3 meters. Without the use of the Protector turret, the height of the self-propelled gun is 3.3 meters, and after installing this combat module increases by about 60 cm. Combat weight ACS Archer does not exceed 30 tons. The dimensions and weight of the FH77BW L52 self-propelled artillery mount allow it to be transported across railway. In the future, it is planned to use Airbus A400M military transport aircraft for this.

During combat work, the crew of the Archer self-propelled guns is constantly at their workplaces and does not leave them. All operations are performed by commands from the control panels. In this regard, all mechanisms of the gun turret operate in automatic mode. The main elements of the turret equipment are the loading mechanisms. According to reports, instead of a single system, the Archer self-propelled gun uses two interacting mechanisms. One of them delivers 155-mm shells. The capacity of mechanized stacking is 21 shells. The second loading system operates with propellant charges supplied in the form of cylindrical blocks with a combustible shell, resembling a charging cap. In the laying of the Archer self-propelled turret, 126 blocks with a propellant charge are placed. When using a transport-loading vehicle with a cargo crane, it takes about eight minutes to fully load the ammunition load.

Depending on the task, the crew of the FH77BA L52 Archer self-propelled howitzer can increase or decrease total propellant mixture by changing the number of charges placed in the gun. With the maximum number of propellant charges, self-propelled howitzer Archer capable of sending a projectile to a target at a distance of up to 30 kilometers. The use of active-reactive or guided munitions increases the firing range to 60 km. The latter is declared for the Excalibur guided projectile. The Archer self-propelled guns can fire direct fire, but in this case, the effective firing range does not exceed two kilometers.

Gun loading mechanisms provide a rate of fire of up to 8-9 rounds per minute. If necessary, the crew of the self-propelled gun can fire in the MRSI mode (the so-called flurry of fire), firing six shots in a short time. A salvo of 21 shots (full ammunition) takes no more than three minutes. When developing the Archer self-propelled guns, the need to reduce the time to prepare for firing and leave the position was taken into account. As a result, part of the preparations for firing a self-propelled gun can still be carried out on the way to the position. Thanks to this, the first shot is fired within 30 seconds after stopping at the desired point on the route. During this time, the outrigger is lowered and the tower is brought into combat position. After completing the fire mission, the crew transfers the combat vehicle to the traveling position and leaves the position. It also takes about 30 seconds to prepare to leave the position.

ACS FH77BW L52 Archer is equipped with a modern digital fire control system. Electronic equipment and systems associated with it allow the crew to carry out all the necessary operations without leaving their workplaces. In addition, automation takes on some of the important actions related to preparing for firing: determining the coordinates of the self-propelled guns, calculating the required pointing angles and firing according to the MRSI algorithm. When using the Excalibur guided projectile or similar, the automation prepares the ammunition for firing.

As already mentioned, the first serial Archer self-propelled guns were supposed to be delivered to the troops back in 2011. However, during development, some problems appeared related to a number of applied systems. It took several years to eliminate the shortcomings, which ultimately led to the failure of the deadlines. Even during testing and refinement, the first contracts for the supply of serial combat vehicles were signed. In 2008, Sweden ordered eight new self-propelled guns, Norway - one. A few months later, the Scandinavian states decided to co-finance the project. In accordance with the 2009 contract, BAE Systems Bofors is to supply two countries with 24 self-propelled artillery mounts.

Negotiations are ongoing regarding possible export contracts. ACS Archer interested the military from Denmark and Canada. These states are negotiating the supply of a certain number of combat vehicles. It is known that Denmark can acquire no more than two dozen self-propelled guns. Until recently, there were negotiations with Croatia. This country was going to buy at least 24 FH77BW L52 self-propelled guns to replace aging Soviet-made equipment. However economic problems prevented Croatia from acquiring Swedish combat vehicles. As a result of lengthy comparisons and negotiations, the Croatian armed forces decided to buy 18 used PzH2000 self-propelled howitzers from Germany. Delivery of purchased self-propelled guns will begin in 2014.

Combat and operational characteristics make the FH77BW L52 Archer a worthy representative of its class military equipment. However, some technical solutions applied in the project, at one time led to several difficulties. All this could negatively affect the reputation of the project. Due to difficulties in developing ACS Archer Swedish the army was left without field artillery for quite a long time, and several months remain before the start of mass deliveries of new self-propelled guns. It should be noted that even before the start of mass production, the Archer self-propelled gun attracted the attention of potential buyers in the face of third countries. It is quite possible that new contracts for the supply of self-propelled guns will be signed in the very near future.

According to the websites:
http://baesystems.com/
http://militaryparitet.com/
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/
http://army-guide.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/

155-MM SELF-PROPELLED HOWitz FH77BW L52 ARCHER (SWEDEN)

155-MM SELF-PROPELLED HOWITZER FH77BW L52 ARCHER (SWEDEN)

08.07.2009
THE CEREMONY OF ROLLING OUT THE FIRST PROPERTIAL 155-MM SAU "ARCHER" WAS HELD

Bofors, a division of BAe Systems, held a ceremony to roll out the first industrial prototype of the Archer 155mm self-propelled artillery mount (SPG), the Swedish Military Procurement Agency (FMV) said.

FMV has been searching for a modern self-propelled artillery system designed to replace the FH-77B towed howitzer since the mid-1990s. During the implementation of the program, several foreign systems were tested, which, according to the results of the assessment, were rejected due to high cost or non-compliance with the requirements of the Swedish Armed Forces. As a result, it was decided to independently develop a new 155-mm Archer self-propelled guns on the chassis of the Swedish Volvo A30D off-road truck using a modified FH-77B howitzer as an artillery unit.
In November 2008, FMV representatives signed an agreement on the joint development of the 155-mm self-propelled guns "Archer" with the Organization for logistics provision of the Norwegian Armed Forces (FLO). In January 2009, a $70 million contract was signed with BAE Systems to complete the development of the Archer self-propelled guns for Swedish and Norwegian aircraft.
The Archer self-propelled gun is a modified FH-77B howitzer mounted on the chassis of the Swedish Volvo A30D off-road truck. The differences between the new 155-mm self-propelled guns "Archer" from the FH-77B are the barrel length increased by 2 m and the cockpit equipped with ballistic protection, as well as the use of the latest technologies for detecting and hitting targets. It is planned that the installation will be able to fire guided high-precision artillery shells with the Excalibur satellite guidance system. The target engagement range of the Archer self-propelled guns when firing precision-guided munitions should be 50 km, the muzzle velocity is 945 m/s, and the ammunition load is 21 rounds. Max speed ACS on the highway will be 70 km / h, the calculation is 3-4 people. (commander, driver and 1-2 operators). Deployment time to open fire - 30 sec. In this case, the crew will manage all the actions without leaving the cockpit. The cabin protection system against mines and shell fragments will be developed by Akers Krutbrook. The Norwegian combat station "Protektor" will be used as a self-defense system of self-propelled guns. The self-propelled guns will also be equipped with other reconnaissance, surveillance and target detection systems.
The agreement signed by FMV and FLO contains an option for the supply of aircraft of the two countries for 24 Archer self-propelled guns (48 systems in total). The installations intended for delivery to Sweden and Norway will differ from each other.
The demonstrated prototype N1 is made in a configuration intended for delivery to the Swedish Armed Forces. According to the plan, the assembly of the second prototype will be completed in the near future, which will be manufactured in the configuration for the Norwegian Armed Forces.
It is planned that the test data prototypes completed in spring 2010. Until 2011, the defense departments of Sweden and Norway will decide on the start of mass production of installations. Delivery of ACS "Archer" to customers should begin in 2011. At the moment, the possibility of purchasing new artillery systems is also being considered by the Armed Forces of Denmark, Belgium, Malaysia, Qatar and the Czech Republic.
ARMS-TASS

28.10.2013
GUIDED ARTILLERY SHELL "EXCALIBUR" PASSED TESTS

Guided artillery projectile (UAS) "Excalibur-1b" (Excalibur Ib) manufactured by Raytheon (Raytheon) has passed field tests. This was reported by the press service of the company.
According to Raytheon, a total of 84 rounds were fired during test firing. Most of the shells had a maximum deviation from the target of 2 m, which is a high figure. During the tests, the positive combat qualities of the ammunition and its compliance with the requirements of the US Department of Defense were also noted.
UAS shots were fired from the Swedish Archer self-propelled artillery mount (ACS) and two American howitzers - M109A6 Paladin and LW-155. In 2014, UAS Excalibur will be tested, which will show its suitability for serial production.
Based on the results of the firing, it was found that the projectile surpassed its own in a number of indicators. performance characteristics(TTX). The maximum target engagement range was 50.4 km when firing from the Archer self-propelled guns. When testing the compatibility of the projectile with American artillery systems, a range of 40.54 km was achieved, which also turned out to be more than the declared characteristics of the ammunition.
The UAS Excalibur-1b version is manufactured by Raytheon and is further development ammunition "Excalibur-1a-1" and "Excalibur-1a-2". UAS caliber is 155 m, it is aimed at the target using a GPS satellite navigation system, which ensures high accuracy of destruction.
In addition to the Excalibur-1b UAS variant, Raytheon is developing an improved navigation system for all projectiles of this class.
Until now, 640 UAS "Excalibur" have been fired. The projectile is used for pinpoint destruction of targets of particular importance. According to recent studies, the use of one UAS "Excalibur" saves from 10 to 50 conventional shells.
ARMS-TASS

11.12.2013

The Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced the decision taken by the Norwegian government to stop a joint project with Sweden on the development and purchase of the Archer artillery system. According to the representative of the Ministry of Defense of Norway, Birgitte Frisch, the refusal to supply is due to the delay in the implementation of the project and the non-compliance of the ACS with a number of new requirements of the Norwegian Armed Forces. Under the terms of the agreement, all 24 self-propelled guns were planned to be delivered by the end of 2013, however, as of December 2013, deliveries of self-propelled guns to the Norwegian Armed Forces had not yet begun.
A statement from the Norwegian Ministry of Defense states that due to the change in the concept of the Armed Forces, they must be more mobile and act quickly. This implies that the Archer self-propelled guns no longer meet the new requirements.
Despite the refusal to purchase self-propelled guns, Norway announced its intention to continue cooperation with Sweden in the field of artillery systems, radar artillery reconnaissance, fire control systems, ammunition, personnel training.
According to B. Frisch, to date, Norway has spent 550 million crowns on the Archer self-propelled guns project, including 380 million crowns for development and 170 million crowns for the purchase of self-propelled guns. In the near future, the parties will hold talks to determine further relations. It is possible that penalties will be applied to Norway.

155-MM FH77BW L52 ARCHER SELF-PROPELLED HOWitz

The project to develop a promising self-propelled artillery mount started in 1995. In accordance with the terms of reference, the executing organization was to develop an ACS armed with a modified FH77B howitzer of 155 mm caliber. The customer demanded to improve the characteristics of the gun by increasing the length of the barrel. The result of the modernization of the howitzer was the modification of the FH77BW with a 52-caliber barrel. It was such a tool that should have been used in the new self-propelled guns. In addition, customer requirements implied the use of a wheeled chassis.
The preliminary stage of the project took several years. Only in 2003, the Swedish Ministry of Defense signed a contract with Bofors. This document provided for the completion of the project and the subsequent construction of serial self-propelled guns. In 2005, the first prototypes of a promising self-propelled guns were built. Tests of self-propelled guns began after the transformation of Bofors into BAE Systems Bofors.
The Volvo A30D with a 6x6 wheel arrangement was chosen as the chassis for the new self-propelled artillery mount. The chassis is equipped with a 340 horsepower diesel engine, which allows the combat vehicle to reach speeds of up to 65 km / h on the highway. As stated, the wheeled chassis can move through the snow up to one meter deep. If the wheels are damaged, including during an explosion, the Archer self-propelled guns are capable of continuing to move for some time.
The Archer self-propelled gun is a modified FH-77 B05 52 howitzer mounted on the chassis of an improved Volvo A30D off-road truck with a 6 × 6 wheel arrangement. The differences between the new 155-mm self-propelled guns "Archer" from 77B is the length of the barrel increased by 2 m and an armored cabin that provides protection for the calculation of three people. The installation will be able to fire 155-mm ammunition various types, incl. controlled high-precision with the Excalibur satellite guidance system. The firing range of the Archer self-propelled guns with conventional ammunition is more than 40 km, with improved ones - up to 50 km.

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.
On September 23, 2013, the Swedish Armed Forces received the first batch of four 155-mm FH-77 BW L52 Archer self-propelled guns (6 × 6), manufactured by BAE Systems. In the Swedish Armed Forces, the new self-propelled unit will replace the obsolete 155-mm FH-77B towed howitzer. The Ministry of Defense of Sweden intends to carry out further purchases of self-propelled guns "Archer" independently.
Designed for the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Archer self-propelled guns, as one of the options, can be offered at a reduced cost to the Danish Armed Forces, which are currently holding a tender for the supply of self-propelled artillery systems.

CHARACTERISTICS

Chassis off-road vehicle "Volvo" A30D
Wheel formula 6×6
Type of armor bulletproof, anti-fragmentation
Maximum speed on the highway, km/h70
Range on the highway, km 500
Climbability, degrees 30°
Deployment time for opening fire, sec 30
Combat crew, pers. 3-4 people (commander, driver and 1-2 operators)

ARTILLERY UNIT

Armament-155 mm howitzer FH 77 BW L52
Maximum firing range US M982 Excalibur, km 50
Firing range OFS, km 35
Muzzle velocity, m/s 945
Barrel length, calibers52 (8060 mm)
Angles HV, degrees from 0° to 70°
GN angles, deg.±75°
Gun ammunition20 rounds
Guided Munitions Type: M982 Excalibur
Additional armament: Machine guns 1 × 7.62 mm

Sources: military-informer.narod.ru, topwar.ru, ARMS-TASS, rocknroll.clan.su, etc.

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 everyone in this area of ​​​​creating military equipment for a long time. 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. The first 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. Single weight high-explosive projectile- 48 kilograms, effective range - 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.

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 fragmentation 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 mid-1942, and it was planned to install it on the Challenger and Sherman Fire-fly tanks, self-propelled guns - tank destroyers. From 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 invited Vickers to develop a new self-propelled unit based on the "Valentine" mastered in production, but having withstood 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 production 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 Northwestern 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