Self Propelled Gun/Rocket Launcher
- Thread starter FORBIN
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SinoSoldier
Colonel
Not a self-propelled gun, but a new 122 mm howitzer has been deployed among their mountain troops.
Weight: 1.85 tons
Range: 27 km
Rate of fire: 6-8 rounds/min
Weight: 1.85 tons
Range: 27 km
Rate of fire: 6-8 rounds/min
That is one very slick and minimalist piece of kit.
D
Deleted member 13312
Guest
Insofar I have yet to see a towed 155mm howitzer in active service with the PLA, with the PL-66 still being the mainstay which creates the problem of increased logistical pressure to produce two different calibre of shells which performs exactly the same same. Maybe the AH4 might be the future selection for the PLA but they could just as well go for a full sized howitzer for the extra length and lower cost, there has been evidence of a PLL-01 155 towed howitzer but in recent times there has been no news of it.
D
Deleted member 13312
Guest
It is basically a stripped down version of the D-30. Removing the 3 legged stand and raised platform has it's pros and cons, while it may be lighter it loses the 360 degrees firing arc, which is a very significant advance of the D-30, and judging by the design it cannot direct fire in the case of an emergency for fear of damaging the recoil system, which is again something the D-30 is particulary good at (heck the soviets actually gave extra anti tank gunnery training to the crews). On the other hand it won't need as much space as the D-30 to deploy.
In some ways I find it a little superfluous to have the D-30 stripped down to such a degree. The basic variant is already 3.0 tons, exceptionally lightweight for a gun that has a range of 27km (modernised), they could have done well enough by simply removing one of the original 3 legs and the raised deployment stance, thus giving it a more traditional artillery look.
When did rocket-assisted shells replace traditional ones in large numbers again?
Hendrik_2000
Lieutenant General
Not sure about rocket assisted ammo I am sure they have rocket assisted projectile but in the meantime they modernized the old type 66 gun with new precision ammo.They found new favor since they are impervious to Jamming and cheap
China also developed a number indigenous projectiles for this howitzer, including rocket-assisted projectiles. The Soviet D-20 was even capable of launching nuclear rounds, however it is unknown if China uses any. Maximum range of fire is 17.4 km with a standard HE-FRAG projectile and 22 km with indigenous rocket-assisted projectile
China revitalizes old howitzers with modern add-ons
By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2019/7/4 17:52:35
A Type 66 cannon-howitzer system attached to an army brigade with the PLA 77th Group Army sends its 152mm shells at a simulated target during a live-fire training exercise in plateau area. File photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn
China has revitalized a type of howitzer that has been part of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) arsenal for more than half a century by updating it with equipment that suits the needs of modern warfare.
The 152 millimeter cannon-howitzer is one of the most widely used pieces of artillery in the Chinese military, and the PLA has developed new tactics and equipment to let this old weapon shine even after 50 years of practical deployment, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Wednesday.
Fully manually operated, the 152 millimeter Type 66 howitzer is inexpensive compared to the 155 millimeter PLZ-05 self-propelled howitzer, which has a similar caliber but is highly automated, a military expert who asked not to be named told the Global Times on Thursday, noting this enabled the PLA to mass produce the Type 66.
A dozen of these cannons can fully cover a large target area, the expert said.
The aging howitzer can now not only shoot normal explosive shells, but also advanced laser terminal guidance shells, CCTV reported, noting that these shells can track targets after they are fired, making them as accurate as missiles.
Electromagnetic jamming shells and flare shells are also included in the Type 66's arsenal.
Reconnaissance drones and aim assist radars are also deployed together with the 152 millimeter howitzers, "which gives the artillery wings and eyes," Jin Shuaishuai, an officer at the PLA 73rd Group Army artillery force, told CCTV.
Unlike a self-propelled howitzer, the 152 millimeter howitzer needs a truck to carry it around, and because it is fully manual, it is slower than the automatic ones, said the CCTV report.
But in modern warfare, these characteristics also give it a unique advantage over more advanced technologies: electromagnetic jamming, which is popular in modern warfare, will not work against the weapon, the state broadcaster quoted Zhong Puxing, another PLA artillery officer, as saying.
An advanced self-propelled howitzer often uses electronic systems to calculate trajectories, and the weapon cannot do much if these devices become jammed, the anonymous expert said, explaining why the old howitzer's manual system is more reliable in these circumstances.
The PLA plans to further revamp this old weaponry to make it more lethal in modern warfare, CCTV reported.
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