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ZU-23-2

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ZU-23-2
A ZU-23-2 on display at Saint Petersburg Artillery Museum.
TypeTowed 23 mm Anti-Aircraft Twin Autocannon
Place of origin Soviet Union
Service history
In service1960 - present
Used bySee Operators section
Production history
DesignedLate 1950s
Produced1960 - still in production [1]
VariantsSee Variants section
Specifications (ZU-23-2)
Mass0.95 tonnes (2,094 lbs)
Length4.57 m (10 ft)
Width2.88 m (9 ft 5 in)
Height1.22 m (4 ft)
Crew6
Traverse360°

The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka (Russian: Зенитная Установка) - anti-aircraft mount.

Development history

ZU-23-2 was developed in the late 1950s. It was designed to engage low-flying targets at a range of 2.5 km as well as armoured vehicles at a range of 2 km and for direct defense of troops and strategic locations against air assault usually conducted by helicopters and low-flying airplanes.[1] Development of this weapon into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) led to the ZSU-23-4 Shilka.

Description

It mounts two 2A14 23 mm autocannons on a small trailer which can be converted into a stationary mount for firing the guns. While in this position the wheels are moved aside. The autocannon can be prepared for firing from the march position in 30 seconds and in emergency can be fired from the traveling position. The weapon is aimed and fired manually, with the help of the ZAP-23 optical-mechanical sight which uses manually entered target data to provide limited automatic aiming. It also has a straight-tube telescope for use against ground targets such as infantry as well as unarmored or lightly armoured vehicles. The ammo is a feed by a conveyor belt from two ammunition boxes. Each of the ammunition boxes are located on the side of the twin autocannon and each carries 50 rounds. The fumes created by firing the weapon are partially removed through the side openings in the barrels.[1]

The cannon carriage is based on the earlier ZPU-2 anti-aircraft twin heavy machine gun, which mounted two KPV 14.5 mm heavy machine guns. ZU-23-2 can be identified by different placement of the ammunition boxes (at right angles to the gun carriage) and by muzzle flash suppressors. In another similarity to the ZPU series, single-barrel and four-barrel versions of the ZU-23 were also developed. However, these versions never entered service.

ZU-23-2 can be towed by a number of different vehicles. In USSR and later Russia the most frequently used towing vehicles for it were GAZ-66 4x4 trucks and GAZ-69 4x4 light trucks.[1]

Ammunition

The 23mm AA guns utilizes the same 23x152B case as the wartime VYa aircraft cannon, although in steel rather than brass as in the aircraft gun. Due to different loadings and primers the ammunition is not interchangeable, however; ammunition of the anti-aircraft cannon can be identified from its steel casings, ammunition for the aircraft cannon having brass cases instead.[2] The following table lists the main characteristics of some of the available 23x152B ammunition used in 23mm AA guns:

Designation Type Projectile Weight [g] Bursting charge [g] Muzzle Velocity [m/s] Description
BZT API 190 [3] ? 970 Blunt AP steel core, with incendiary charge inside windshield cap.[3] Penetration 15 mm RHA at 100 m range and 30 degree impact angle (from perpendicular), tracer burn time 5 seconds.
OFZ HE 184[3] 19 [4] 980[3] HE fragmentation round with nose fuzes incorporating self-destruct mechanism.[3]
OFZT HE-T 188[3] 13 [4] 980[3] HE fragmentation round with a reduced HE charge due to the space taken by the tracer; tracer burn time 5 seconds.
APDS-T APDS-T 103 none 1220 A Polish sub-caliber armour-piercing round with tracer. Penetration 30 mm RHA at 100 m range and 30 degree impact angle (from perpendicular), tracer burn time >2.5 s.

Service history

ZU-23-2 entered service with the Soviet Army in 1960. ZU-23-2 is often mounted on trucks for use in both anti-aircraft and fire support roles. It can also be mounted on the roof of the MT-LB multi-purpose tracked APCs. Specially modified three-legged ZU-23-2 is used in BTR-DG based airborne SPAAG. Cheap, easy to operate and still effective, the ZU-23-2 is still used by the Russian Army and by more than 20 other armies. The Finnish military nickname for the weapon is Sergei. There are also non-ex-Soviet produced versions of the weapon. One example is the Polish ZUR-23-2TG, which has improved sights and is armed with "Grom" missiles in addition to the autocannons. Another is the Finnish 23 ItK 95, which is often vehicle mounted, like a technical.[citation needed]

The type has seen widespread use by both sides in the 2011 Libyan civil war often mounted on pickup trucks also called technicals. [5]

Variants

Soviet Union

ZU-23-2 firing. Vitebsk, Belarus
  • ZU-23 - Original Soviet variant.
  • ZU-23M - Upgraded Soviet variant. Has new targeting system (which includes laser rangefinder, television channel, optical mechanic device, can be reinforced with thermo location channel and a television system for usage at night) and electromechanic turn system.

Poland

Hibneryt - Star 266 mounted ZUR-23-2KG gun
  • ZU-23-2 - Polish designation for basic gun variant. Built under license in Zakłady Mechaniczne "Tarnów" S.A. since 1972[6].
  • ZUR-23-2S Jod - Polish variant with electro-optical sight GP-1R and twin launcher for "Strela-2M" missiles, used from 1988[6] (picture).
  • ZUR-23-2KG Jodek-G - Development of ZUR-23-2S with more advanced reflex sight CKE-2 (later CP-1 night-and-day sight with laser rangefinder), electromechanic gun turn system and twin launcher for "Grom" missiles, produced from 2002[6] (pictures).
  • ZU-23-2M Wróbel - Polish naval version of ZU-23-2, hydraulically powered, produced from 1979[6].
  • ZU-23-2MR Wróbel-II - Polish naval version of ZUR-23-2S, with Strela-2M missiles and water-cooled barrels, produced from 1986[6] (picture).
  • Hibneryt - A ZU-23-2 family gun mounted on specially modified Star 266 truck, truck is fitted with additional ammunition for the gun and modified electrical installation to power guns electromechanic turn system (gun can also work from batteries).

Czech/Slovak

  • ZU-23-2M2 Vlara - Field upgrade modernization kit. (picture).

Finland

  • 23 ItK 95 - Finnish upgrade (picture).
  • SAKO 23 mm/87, a navalized modernization used by Finnish Navy. Variants 23 M74, 23 M77, 23 M80 and 23 M85. The guns can be removed from M85 carriage and replaced with six Mistral surface-to-air missiles. [7]

China

  • Type 85 Chinese built version of the ZU-23-2 with Twin-23mm guns.
  • Type 87 Chinese upgraded version with Twin-25mm guns.

General characteristics

Polish ZUR-23-2S Jod at a shooting range.
  • Overall dimensions in firing position
    • Length: 4.57 m (15 ft)
    • Width: 2.88 m (9.44 ft)
    • Height: 1.22 m (4 ft)
  • Weight: 0.95 tonnes (2,094 lbs)
  • Armament: two 2A14 Afanasyev-Yakushev 23x152mm (.90 in) autocannons
  • Barrel length: 2 m (6.5 ft)/ 87.3 calibers
  • Muzzle velocity: 970 m/s (3,182 ft/s)
  • Projectile weight: 186 g (6.27 oz)
  • Rate of fire
    • Cyclic: 2,000 rounds per minute
    • Practical: 400 rounds per minute
  • Effective range: 2-2.5 km (1.24-1.55 mi)
  • Effective altitude: 1,500-2,000 m (4,921-6,562 ft)
  • Crew: 6

Operators

Former Operators

Notable appearances in media

The ZU-23-2 appears in the video games Battlefield: Bad Company, and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as a towed weapon and also mounted on a variant of the BMD-3.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c Militarium.net
  2. ^ "Williams, Anthony G: An introduction to collecting 23-28mm cartridges. http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/collecting%2023-28mm.htm
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Russian Ammunition Page, http://www.russianammo.org
  4. ^ a b ORDATA: Ordnance Identification Tool, http://maic.jmu.edu/ordata
  5. ^ http://www.arabianbusiness.com/rebels-down-libyan-aircraft-as-world-leaders-discuss-next-move-383784.html
  6. ^ a b c d e Template:Pl icon "Dwudziestkitrójki" z Tarnowa ["Twentythrees" from Tarnów] in: Nowa Technika Wojskowa Nr. 9/2010, p. 76-78
  7. ^ Kiiskinen, Pekka; Wahlman, Pasi (2003). Itsenäisen Suomen laivaston laivatykit 1918-2004 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Typomic Oy. pp. 121–133. ISBN 952-91-6807-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/12/next-stop-ecuador.html
  9. ^ http://www.inss.org.il/upload/%28FILE%291245235226.pdf
  10. ^ http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Land-Based-Air-Defence/Zumlac-South-Africa.html
  11. ^ http://www.battlefieldbadcompany2.com/game-info?p=vehicle&i=!bmd3
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