Confrontation military factions NATO and the Warsaw Pact in the late sixties - early seventies worsened.Events in Czechoslovakia, the constant presence of US nuclear capacity due to the ongoing Vietnam War, numerous regional conflicts - all this led to the most pessimistic expectations for a peaceful future.The military doctrine of the Soviet Union provided not just a reflection of possible aggression and instantaneous transition to the offensive in order to transfer the zone of active operations in foreign territory.To implement this plan, in the western part of the USSR created a powerful army factions united in the district.Crushes fortified line potential enemy, they were in a conflict many kinds of weapons, not only defensive but also offensive.One of these funds, and became self-propelled howitzer 2S7 "Pion", capable of firing not only conventional (blasting), and special charges.In military language so called nuclear weapons.
historical background
first Soviet atomic charge was successfully tested in 1949.But few have the weapons of mass destruction, for its application delivery systems are needed.At that time, the only way to a nuclear strike aircraft had been bombing and Stalin's Soviet Union was available to only one type of aircraft, capable of carrying multi-ton terrible burden far enough.Tu-4 copied from an American B-29, formerly "distinguished" attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.But the Soviet artillery systems were considered second to none, and one of the first was the idea of using them to fire low-power atomic bombs.Later, after more than two decades, howitzer "Peony" has become a real reification of the design ideas, and then, in the early fifties, it tried to realize, but not very successfully.Tests of self-propelled guns and heavy mortars 2A3 2B1 revealed a number of fundamental defects of these systems, mainly due to their bulkiness and heavy weight.During the reign of Khrushchev artillery stopped to consider the modern type of weapon.As it turned out, it is premature.
tactical tasks
During a large-scale strategic offensive operation, according to military theorists and generals, in the first of its phase is necessary to suppress pockets of resistance, to plunge into the chaos of the system of communication and control of the enemy, thus put its defensive greatest damage.To accomplish this task in our time used tactical missiles, bombers and assault aircraft and other means of fire impacts, including long-range artillery.The advantage of the latter is in the relative cheapness of each shot (compared with missiles) and problematic lesions atomic charge projectile in flight.The gun should have a number of technical indicators, among them major: firing range (not less than 25 km away, or in a cloud of radiation exposure will get their troops), a sufficient mass of throw-charge (approximately hundredweight) and a rather high accuracy.Howitzer 2S7 "Pion" meets these requirements, moreover, it is today considered to be the world's most powerful artillery system.
Approvals and tapped
dry facts reported by the modern reader that the development of self-propelled guns started in 1967, by the spring of 1970, the terms of reference was finally formulated, and by the mid-70s the first copies of the new model startedenter the part of the Soviet Army.However, soon the fairy tale, and the case is much longer.Howitzer "Peony" born in pain.The first layout, made of wood in natural size, the direction of the USSR Defense Ministry and experts of the Leningrad Artillery Academy was rejected.Then there were disputes over the fire, because the gun was meant not only for shooting spetszaryadami, but ordinary mass-produced defense complex shells.After long discussions, customers stopped at 203 x millimeters proposed by the representatives of the plant "Barricades" as the optimum size.Selection of the chassis was also difficult, chassis of the T-10 and T-64 did not fit because of the strong pullback.Ultimately consensus was reached.Kirov factory as the head developer, was tasked to design a howitzer "Peony".The gun was entrusted to the plant "Barricades" (Volgograd).Looking ahead, it may be noted that both companies with a government task successfully coped.
layout hulls
scheme linking self-propelled guns today seems simple, but it required a lot of effort to develop.Howitzer 2S7 "Pion" consists of two main units, the chassis and directly implements.Housing tracked chassis is divided into four compartments.In the department of Management, located in front of the machine are the commander, a driver and a soldier calculation.This is followed by the power compartment, it mounted a powerful diesel propulsion.The next compartment is for outdoorsy transport arrangement has three or two (depending on version) members of calculation.There stowed ammunition.Feed 2S7 "Pion" holds gun and stove-opener, representing a kind of bulldozer bucket with hydraulic drive.During the shooting of the device penetrates into the soil to 70 cm and assumes energy efficiency.
rotating turret from this war machine no.
housing has two-layer bulletproof booking, reducing in case of nuclear attack the damaging effect of gamma radiation by half.
Power plant, provided diesel V-46-1, is 750 liters.from.Self-powered electrical generator is carried out, rotatable 24-horsepower engine, is also working on solyarovoe fuel.Mechanical transmission, a tank (from T-72).
seven track rollers, they have individual hydraulic shock absorbers, leading a pair of front, track - back.
When the design of the chassis a lot of attention was paid to maintainability, and commonality with the already proven on the tanks units.
Cannon
Under the leadership of GI Sergeeva KB Volgograd plant "Barricades" could create a unique weapon.The usual international practice developed monoblock design of the main assembly of any gun.This means that the barrel and breech made of a single piece of metal cast.This technique has its advantages, but it also has a significant drawback.Firing of the gun barrel wear, and in this case must be replaced completely, with the breech block.Howitzer "Peony" gun that can be disassembled, are more difficult to manufacture, but it is easier to repair.The threaded portion may be replaced even in the field.This design has been proposed in the XIX century with the engineer A. Kolokoltsev Obukhov factory, but then realized it was not possible for technical reasons, and that the idea of a talented Russian inventor embodied.
In all other aspects of 203mm howitzer "Peony" - is the most common weapon, however, is very powerful.The oscillating portion has a toothed arc to set the elevation angle to 60 °, provided the resetting angle in azimuth of 30 deg., No muzzle brake (it also provides advantages in the form of small waves, high pressure), the shutter push-pull piston.But these details are of interest only to specialists.
How do I charge
Staff ammunition this weapon is quite heavy, it can weigh up to 110 kg.Therefore, self-propelled howitzer 2S7 "Pion" is equipped with a mechanical device with a manipulator and remote control.The shell can be lifted from the ground or a truck guidance angle while no need to change.Aiming thus not break.In urgent cases, also apply special stretcher trolley or regular pattern.
particular note the maximum degree of duplication control mechanisms.In case of refusal or failure of electrical systems, hydraulics or pneumatics any operation can be done by mechanical means, simply by turning a handle.It will be slower, but to combat the problem is still possible.
charge equipped with a fuse and is designed to communicate the initial velocity of the projectile, it is laid into the breech in tissue bags, stored in a special damp-proof boxes.For such powerful weapons applies only kartuzny way of charging.
Guidance and communication
Howitzer 203 mm "Peony" is equipped with a simple and reliable guidance system.In its basis - panoramic sight type PG-1M is designed for firing at targets horizon.It is used when it is necessary to conduct direct fire.For remote shooting, but visible objects gunners used a different sight OP4M-99A.
The complex also includes an optical periscopes TNPO-160 in the amount of seven pieces, plus two similar placed on the hatches.Monitoring is carried out at night using infrared devices TVNE-4B.
communications equipment provided, VHF radio station R-123M and an internal intercom 1V116.
«Malka»
In fifteen years of military operation revealed deficiencies that had howitzer "Peony".Features of the range and accuracy of the military is quite satisfied, we turned out to be a bottleneck, some running and operational performance.In addition, during loading and associated with him and reverse rate dependence also leaves much to be desired.By 1980, the gunners ceased to arrange and information capabilities onboard equipment.
modified self-propelled howitzer "Peony" has received an index "M" and the code name of "Malka".It differed from the prototype more powerful vsetoplivnym engine (for a suitable gasoline, kerosene, and in general almost anything that burns), new equipment fire control (having a high degree of automation), improved ammunition stowage of ammunition (now there are eight, twice as muchoriginally carried a howitzer "Peony").Chassis has also undergone modernization, resulting in increased service life of up to 10 thous. Km.ACS Systems received display control functionality.
most important improvement rate of affected.Remote mechanism has been redesigned, causing increased loading rate of 60% (up to 24 shots per 1 sec.).Danger retaliatory destruction weapons has prompted designers to provide an option remote control with digital display of all processes firing of the commander's car, in which signals are transmitted by radio or wire communication.
Features
horizon firing at targets - the main combat mission, which was created to carry out a howitzer "Peony".Firing range guns depends on the mass of the projectile.Conventional high-explosive explosives 3VOF34 weighing 17.8 kg it can send at a distance of 37.4 km.Active-reactive 3VOF35 flies further, to 47.5 km (some even over 55).Using the cassette shell 3VO15 assumes range of combat employment of just over 30km.
tactical nuclear spetszaryad can be delivered at a distance of 30 km.
muzzle velocity, provides complete loading the kartuznym is 960 m / s.
Howitzer "Peony" can be transferred from marching into combat condition six minutes.Calculation of 14 people, half of which is carried in the combat vehicle, the rest in other vehicles (BM, BMD, and so on. N.)
constructive for 2S7 "Pion" provides for the application of different types of ammunition.Betonoboynymi missiles designed to destroy buried and specially protected objects.The purpose of land mines and cluster charges is any accumulation of enemy troops and armored vehicles.In the event of a global conflict or a limited nuclear war in the course can go spetszaryady, including the chemical, which can also shoot a howitzer "Peony".TTX significantly depend on the method of guidance and the use of external sources of information about dislocation of targets.
rocket-assisted projectile used, if necessary, defeat much distant targets with high accuracy.Trajectory correction is possible, including the Astro-Space, but it is available only to Russian gunners.We
and abroad
After the collapse of the Soviet Union self-propelled howitzer "Peony" was for various reasons in the armies of a dozen countries.Among them, first of all the legal successor to the USSR - the Russian Federation, which has 320 units, most of which is on conservation, Uzbekistan (48 pcs.), Belarus (36), Azerbaijan and Angola (12), Poland (where eight units 2S7 "Peony ", sold in 1989 by the Soviet Union, already decommissioned) and a few other states.Tool for regional conflicts often seems excessively powerful.This leads to restricted conditions of use.In a combat situation it was so far only one case, when applied, and it is very unfortunate, howitzer "Peony".Photos captured by the Georgian army self-propelled published in August 2008, almost all the world's media.Five self-propelled guns were delivered to Ukraine, four of them were destroyed, one placed in the top trophy of the Russian Army.
There is only a small list of situations that can justifiably be applied howitzer "Peony".The characteristics of this instrument are such that for the purposes of combating point it is of little use.To create a means of fighting for the delivery of tactical nuclear weapons.When using spetszaryadov expansion relative to the target, measured in tens of meters, large does not matter.Therefore military experts to consider the possibilities and characteristics possessed by a howitzer "Peony".In Ukraine, the guns of this type after the collapse of the Soviet Union there are about a hundred.'23 They quietly stood in the warehouses of lubrication.The conflict in the South East has led the country's leadership to give the order to re-activation of several units and bringing them into fighting shape.Will shoot a howitzer "Peony"?Photo loaded on the railway platform heavy installations, in theory, should inspire thought about the imminent victory ... But sincerely hope that before their application will not come.
