Tank weapons. Anti-tank weapons of Russia - let's repel tank troops! General concepts and definitions
Tank Type 99(Type 99 or ZTZ-99) is the main modern battle tank made in China. The Type 99 tank is based on the Type 98G prototype.
Type 99 By by and large is further development branches of the Soviet T-72 tank. But still, this model is a breakthrough in the field of Chinese tank building, despite the continuation of the 72 branch. What are the features of this machine? Starting with the T-64 model, there was a weakened zone in the area of the driver's hatch, but on the Type 99 model this zone became much stronger. The Type 99 tank is also equipped with a new welded turret.
IS-1- heavy serial tank from the Second World War, made in the USSR. The abbreviation IS stands for Joseph Stalin. Accordingly, the IS-1 is the first production tank of this family. Besides the name IS-1, it is also known as IS-85. The number 85 corresponds to the main caliber of the vehicle's weapons.
is the main battle tank of the United States. The tank is in service with many countries - the USA, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Australia. Serial production of the tank began in the 80s of the last century. Your name Abrams tank The M1 was named after General Abrams Creighton.
Now a little history of the creation of the M1 tank. Tank Abrams appeared as a result of the third program, which was supposed to replace the existing Patton tanks. Of the three programs, the first two turned out to be unsuccessful, because the T95 and MVT-703 tanks had no superiority either in characteristics or in production cost.
Tank T-72 "Ural"- This is a battle tank made in the Soviet Union. The T-72 tank was the main tank in the USSR. At the same time, it was also the most popular second-generation battle tank. The USSR adopted it for service in 1973. The designer of the T-72 tank is V.N. Venediktov. It was developed and produced by Uralvagonzavod in Nizhny Tagil. The T-72 tank was exported to India, Iran, Iraq, Finland, Syria and the Warsaw Pact countries. CIS countries are armed with T-72 tanks. Modified versions of the T-72 tank were produced under license in Czechoslovakia, India, Poland and Yugoslavia.
Made in France. Its main difference is the presence of a swinging tower. The upper part of this turret is equipped with a 90 mm cannon. Initially, instead of this gun, a 75 mm rifled gun was installed. On small quantity The tanks are equipped with 105 mm guns, while the other part is equipped with SS-11 ATGM launchers.
Frame light tank AMX-13 made of aluminum alloy by welding. It effectively protects the crew from bullets and artillery shell fragments. The roof is equipped with two hatches. The tower is cast, designed for 2 people. To the right of it there is a 20 mm M 693 automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun.
A tank is a combination of a cannon and one or more machine guns. In the first half of the 20th century, there were also tanks with purely machine gun or, very rarely, with purely cannon armament.
Tank gun
The main armament of a tank is usually a cannon, located in the turret, in order to provide it with a circular firing sector, which is one of the defining features of the tank.
However, there are exceptions: for example, the first tanks, such as the Mk.I or Saint-Chamond, the 1930s Char B1 tank, or even the 1940 M3 Lee tank were armed with guns located in the hull and had limited firing angles; the unique Swedish tank of the 1960s, Strv-103, had a cannon rigidly mounted in the hull, which was aimed by turning the tank and tilting its hull using a special suspension.
Occasionally, tanks are armed with several guns, either in order to ensure more effective destruction of targets different types or simply increase firepower (as on the German experimental tank Nb.Fz. or the Soviet T-35), or (as on the first tanks) - to compensate for the limited firing angles of one gun. On the T-35, this was combined with a multi-turret design, when out of its five turrets, one was armed with a short-barreled 76 mm cannon, and two more with long-barreled 45 mm cannons.
A tank gun is in most cases used for direct fire along a flat trajectory (as opposed to self-propelled artillery units). Modern tank guns have a large caliber (from 105 to 125 mm, at promising samples up to 152 mm), can be either rifled or smooth-bore.
IN Lately priority is given to smooth-bore tank guns, since rotation negatively affects efficiency cumulative ammunition(premature destruction occurs cumulative jet), rifling also makes it difficult to launch missiles from the bore. However, rifled guns have significantly greater firing accuracy at long (over 2 km) distances (for example, in the second Gulf War, an unprecedented case was recorded - a defeat by the Challenger 2 tank (the only modern rifled implement) Iraqi tank at a distance of 5100 m).
A qualitative breakthrough in the development of tank guns was the appearance in the 1960s of smooth-bore guns, which made it possible to significantly increase the initial velocity of the projectile with less weight of the gun itself, although they were characterized by a significant decrease in accuracy when firing over long distances.
Another innovation was the guns low pressure, characterized by low speed, but distinguished by relatively low weight with large caliber, which allowed the use of effective cumulative projectiles. Due to their low weight, such guns have become widespread on light tanks.
Manufacturer country | Model of tank | Gun model | Gun type | Gun caliber, mm | Availability of automatic loader |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Russia | T-80 U-M1 | 2A46M-1 (gun - launcher) | smoothbore | 125 | + |
Ukraine | BM "Oplot" | KBA3 (unlicensed copy of the Russian 2A46M) | smoothbore | 125 | + |
Russia | T-90 A | 2A46M-5 (gun - launcher) | smoothbore | 125 | + |
USA | M1A2 Abrams | M256 (German Rh-120, manufactured under license, 44 caliber barrel length) | smoothbore | 120 | − |
Germany | Leopard-2 A5 | Rh-120 (44 caliber barrel length) or Rh-M-120 (55 caliber barrel length) | smoothbore | 120 | − |
France | Leclerc | CN-120-26 (barrel length 52 caliber) | smoothbore | 120 | + |
Israel | Merkava Mk.4 | MG-253 (derived from the German Rh-120) | smoothbore | 120 | − (with automatic projectile feeder) |
Great Britain | Challenger 2 | L30E4 | rifled | 120 | − |
Typical tank ammunition 120 mm caliber contain 4-7 kg of smokeless powder, providing an initial speed of 800-1000 m/s for caliber projectiles and 1400-1800 m/s for sub-caliber ones.
Machine gun
As a rule, the tank is armed with one or more machine guns, which are auxiliary, or, on some tanks produced before World War II, the main armament (there were also several models of tanks with purely cannon armament).
There are three main machine gun placement points:
- Course machine gun is located in the frontal part of the hull in an installation that has limited guidance angles or is completely fixed, and is designed to destroy unarmored targets.
After World War II, their use on tanks was abandoned, since the ball mounts of machine guns weakened the frontal armor of the tank and additional armored volume was required for the crew member servicing the machine gun. Widely facing machine guns of the PKT type were used for easy armored vehicles Airborne Forces of the USSR, samples of which are still in use in 4 states of the former USSR (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Uzbekistan). A pair of directional machine guns with a fixed mount are installed in the front of the BMD-1 and BTR-D. The BMD-2 has one front-mounted machine gun. According to the GRAU classification, the PKT machine gun is called tank machine gun.
- Coaxial machine gun available on the vast majority of tanks and is located in the frontal part of the turret in a common installation with the gun and has common guidance devices and, accordingly, firing angles. The main purpose of such a machine gun is to defeat enemy personnel and unarmored vehicles. On tanks that did not have a rangefinder, a coaxial machine gun was also used to zero the gun.
The first tanks had several machine guns in installations with limited angles in the frontal and side parts of the hull to compensate for the lack of a turret with all-round fire.
However, when the enemy was in close proximity to tanks or armored vehicles, outside the zone of flat fire (so-called dead zones) small arms, conventional machine guns turned out to be useless and the enemy could destroy the tank using bottles with “
REASONS FOR THE APPEARANCE OF TANKS
The history of military art proves that only an offensive can lead to the defeat, encirclement and destruction of the enemy. During the First World War rapid fire weapon, artillery and engineering structures on the ground created an insurmountable barrier for the advancing troops. To break through such a defense, it was necessary the new kind weapons. Tanks were such a weapon. The emergence of tanks as a new type of weapon was certainly facilitated by the economic development of countries. In his work "Ati-Dühring" F. Engels said that nothing depends so much on economic conditions like the army and navy. Armed composition, organization, tactics and strategy depend primarily on the achievements in this moment stages of production and from means of communication.
The creation of a tank, a complex modern combat vehicle, became possible only at the beginning of the 20th century, when science, technology and machine production reached a high level of development, when automatic weapons, reliable armor, and engines appeared internal combustion, adapted for installation on vehicles, caterpillar propulsion. This is a huge merit of Russian scientists, engineers, and inventors.
Armament
The outstanding Russian scientist in the field of artillery N.V. Maievsky developed the theory of rifled weapons and created a number of new artillery systems, which contributed to the rearmament of Russian artillery rifled weapons. In 1860 cast by Russian metallurgist Obukhov steel cannon. In 1877, the founder of rapid-fire artillery V.S. Baranovsky created a 2.5-inch rapid-fire cannon, and in 1902 a three-inch gun with a large initial speed projectile. A significant step in the development of firearms was the creation automatic weapons. In 1889, master Dvoeglazov made a sample of an automatic rifle. In 1907, the Russian inventor Roshchepey presented to the artillery committee automatic rifle. In 1906-1907 Russian inventors Fedorov and Tokarev offer their self-loading rifles, which in 1910-1911 successfully pass the tests.
Armor protection
Outstanding Russian scientists Amosov P. P., Obukhov P. M., Chernov D. K. were made greatest discoveries in the field of metallurgy, technology for the production of high-quality steels. The talented Russian metallurgist Amosov P.P. studied the influence of manganese, chromium, titanium on the properties of steel, and developed the process of gas carburization.
Obukhov P.M. created the famous "Obukhovsky" steel-gun plant in St. Petersburg.
The works of Amosov P.P., Chernov D.K., Obukhov P.M. formed the basis for the production of steel armor. Obukhov invented bulletproof armor.
In 1865, the Ural master V.S. Pyatov was the first in the world to roll armor plates on a special machine, and in 1859 he also proposed a method for cementing armor plates.
In 1876, they began to produce armor from high-carbon steel, which had better projectile resistance. In 1877, production of two-layer carbon armor began. Since 1893, the Obukhov plant has organized the production of armor made of nickel steel, up to 10 inches (254 mm) thick. IN late XIX century, armor begins to be used on armored trains and armored cars.
Internal combustion engine
In the creation and improvement of internal combustion engines in Russia big role played by the works of Russian engineers and inventors Lutsky B. G., Yakovlev E. A., Trinkler G. V., Grinevetsky V. I., Trashutin I. Ya. In 1877, gas internal combustion engines were built. In 1879-1884. At the Okhten Shipyard, the world's first gasoline engine was built, with a power of 53 kW, multi-cylinder, carburetor, with ignition from an electric spark. In 1885, the young designer Lutsky B.G. built a carburetor engine with a vertical cylinder arrangement. In 1888, the master of the Baltic plant, Yagodzinsky, built a light, compact aviation gasoline engine. In 1899, the first stationary non-compressor internal combustion engine with compression ignition was built at the Putilov (now Kirov) plant in St. Petersburg.
In the same year on mechanical plant"Russian Diesel" in St. Petersburg built the first compressor internal combustion engine with compression ignition.
In 1899-1903. Russian inventor Mamin Y. V. built and installed a compressor-free engine with compression ignition on a tractor. In 1900, a talented Russian engineer, professor at the Gorky Industrial Institute, G.V. Trinkler, developed a compressor-free internal combustion engine with compression ignition, running on heavy fuel. In 1910 According to the project of Professor Maliev, a two-stroke engine with direct-flow blowing was built.
Crawler mover
For the first time the main elements crawler were developed in 1837 by staff captain D. Zagryazhsky in his project for a carriage with moving tracks.
In 1876, Staff Captain Mayevsky proposed a method of moving a locomotive on ordinary roads using a “Rail chain”. At the same time, he provided a mechanism that made it possible to change the traction force on the track (the prototype of a modern gearbox).
In 1888, the Russian inventor F. A. Blinov built the world's first tractor with metal tracks. It was powered by two steam engines. In 1907-1917 industrial production of tractors with internal combustion engines was mastered.
Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, the material and technical prerequisites for creating a tank were finally formed. All that remains is to combine the mobility inherent in cars with the maneuverability of tracked tractors in one vehicle, protecting it with armor and arming it with a cannon and machine guns. This was done during the First World War.
The history of the development of domestic tank building is usually divided into 5 periods:
- the first domestic tanks (1915-1917);
- the first Soviet tanks (1920-1931);
- the period of creation of a complete set of armored vehicles (1931-1939);
- armored vehicles on the eve and during the Great Patriotic War (1939-1945);
- period of post-war tank building:
The first domestic tanks (1915-1917)
In 1914, under the leadership of engineer A. A. Porokhovshchikov, an armored wheeled-tracked vehicle called the “All-terrain vehicle” was developed and in 1915 built in Riga. The weight of the vehicle was 3.5-4 tons, the crew was 1 person, machine gun armament, bulletproof armor. A 15 kW engine, planetary transmission, and combined wheel-track propulsion unit (one track and two steered wheels) provided a maximum speed of 25 km/h. First prototypes British tanks appeared only in September 1915, and the French ones in 1916. Both English and french tanks inferior to the "all-terrain vehicle".
In 1915-1916, the talented engineer-inventor V.D. Mendeleev (son of the famous scientist D.I. Mendeleev) developed in detail the design of a super-heavy tank weighing 170 tons, a crew of 8 people, a 120-mm cannon and a machine gun installed in a rotating turret , anti-ballistic armor 100-150 mm, maximum speed movement speed is 24 km/h, air suspension, the possibility of movement on railway rails is provided.
Drawing- Project of a super-heavy tank by engineer V.D. Mendeleev
Lengthwise cut: 1-120-mm Kane cannon, 2-movable armored mantlet, 3-shell feed winch, 4 - 7.62-mm Maxim machine gun, 5 - machine gun suspension bracket, 6 - machine gun turret, 7 - turret ring, 8 - “battery” ” air cylinders, 9 armored door, 10 batteries, 11 final drive, 12 gas tanks, 13 ammunition supply monorail, 14 projectile cart.
In the summer of 1917, not far from the city of Dmitrov, under the leadership of engineer N. N. Lebedenko, a wheeled tank weighing 40 tons was built. Famous Russian scientists N. E. Zhukovsky and B. S. Stechkin took part in its creation. They tried to provide the tank with the use of wheels with a diameter of 9 m. Rear wheel smaller diameter - for control. Due to technical imperfections, the development of the tank was stopped; the built model was dismantled in 1923.
Drawing- Lebedenko heavy wheeled tank
Despite the presence of detailed projects and prototypes, presented much earlier than abroad, the tsarist army did not have tanks during the First World War. This is explained by the reactionary nature of rotten tsarism, low level industrial development pre-revolutionary Russia, the dominance of foreign capital, the corruption and indifference of tsarist officials to the fate of the Motherland. No wonder that mass production tanks and their use on the battlefield during the First World War was carried out not in the Russian, but in the English, and then in the French armies.
Tanks were first used by the British army on the Western Front in September 1916 in the operation on the Somme River (49 tanks). The use of tanks was prepared in strict secrecy. They were transported to the mainland disguised as large tanks; containers, in English tank. This is where their name comes from.
This period covers years civil war, as well as years of restoration and reconstruction National economy young Soviet republic. It is characterized by the creation of the first samples Soviet tanks, accumulation of design and production experience.
At the III Extraordinary All-Russian Congress of Soviets in March 1918, V.I. Lenin said that in modern warfare"...the one who has the upper hand greatest technique, organization, discipline and best cars..." (PSS, vol. 27, p. 167).
This Leninist position formed the basis for the activities of the party and government to create the armored forces of the young Republic of Soviets. At the beginning of 1918 the first central authority control of armored units - Central armored control (Tsentrobron).
By October 1918, the Red Army had 23 armored trains and 38 armored detachments, which included 150 armored vehicles.
In 1919, V.I. Lenin set the task for machine builders to begin building their own Soviet tanks as soon as possible. At the end of 1919, the Krasnoye Sormovo plant in Nizhny Novgorod on instructions from the government, began designing and lung production tank. The tank was created jointly with the Izhora plant, which manufactured the armor, and the Moscow Automobile Plant AMO, which manufactured the engine.
Drawing- The first Soviet tank "Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin"
On August 31, 1920, the first Soviet tank, called “Freedom Fighter Comrade Lenin,” came out of the gates of the Krasnoye Sormovo plant. It passed official tests and entered service with the Red Army. The tank had a mass of 7 tons, was armed with a 37 mm cannon, one machine gun, armor 8-16 mm thick, and a maximum speed of 8.5 km/h. This tank was superior in armament to similar foreign tanks, which had only machine gun weapons. A total of 17 such tanks were built and each of them had its own name: “Paris Commune”, “Red Fighter”, “Ilya Muromets”. They took part in battles on the fronts of the civil war.
By creating tanks, Soviet tank building was looking for new, original ways of development. In 1919, engineer Maksimov developed the world's first project for an ultra-light single-seat tank - the "shield carrier". This tank, armed with a machine gun and protected by bulletproof armor, was supposed to weigh 2-2.5 tons, with an engine power of 29 kW, the speed could reach 17 km/h.
In 1920, a competition was organized for the best tank design. The first prize for the development of an amphibious tank was awarded to the project Izhora plant. However, the deployment of tank building for the destroyed industry was an unusually difficult task, since all forces were mobilized to restore the destroyed industry and raise agriculture.
In 1927, the MS-1 tank or a small infantry escort tank (T-18) entered service with the Red Army. It was armed with a semi-automatic 37 mm cannon and two machine guns located in a rotating turret. The thickness of the hull armor was 8-16 mm, the maximum speed of the tank was 16.5 km/h. The design of the engine-transmission group was original: the main clutch, gearbox, and turning mechanism (a simple differential with brakes on the axle shafts) were located in the same crankcase with the engine (monoblock) and operated in an oil bath. In view of this, the design was compact, which made it possible to reduce the size and weight of the tank. For its time, the MS-1 was a perfect combat vehicle.
Drawing- Light Soviet tank MS-1 (T-18)
During this period, the T-17, T-23 and medium tank TG. In 1929, the T-24 tank was created and in 1931 adopted. It had a three-tier arrangement of weapons, including one 45-mm cannon and 4 machine guns, a crew of 5 people, powerful engine, planetary transmission, which ensured a speed of 22 km/h. Thus, during this period, the most popular were light tanks with small-caliber cannon and machine gun armament, bulletproof armor and relatively low speeds. Such tanks were adapted to perform tasks direct support infantry. During this period, experience in the design and production of tanks was gained and accumulated.
In 1928, the Department of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army was created. At the same time, the party and government raised the question of personnel for the new type of troops.
In 1930, under military technical academy them. F. E. Dzerzhinsky formed the Faculty of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army, on the basis of which in 1932 the Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army, now the Order of Lenin and the Order of October revolution, Red Banner Academy of Armor tank troops named after Marshal of the Soviet Union Malinovsky R. Ya. She became the main educational and scientific center tank troops Soviet army. In 1930, a school was opened on the basis of the Moscow School of Automotive Technicians tank technicians, which was later transformed into a school. Now this is the Kiev Higher Tank Engineering School of the Order of the Red Star named after Marshal of the Soviet Union I. I. Yakubovsky.
The period of creation of a complete set of armored vehicles (1931-1939)
This period covers the years of the first five-year plans, when heavy industry, the basis of the power and defense capability of our country, was created. Soviet designers, technologists, and production workers used the achievements of Soviet science and created the best tanks in the world. After completing the first five-year plan, having the automobile and tank industries, Soviet Union was able to start building tanks. The need for this was threatening international situation. From 1931 to 1933, the Red Army received light tanks T-26 (1931), T-27 tankette (1931), BT-2 (1931), BT-5 (1933), amphibious tank T-37 (1932), medium tank T-28 (1932), heavy tank T-35 (1932).
By 1933, the Red Army already had 5 types of modern tanks weighing from 2.5 to 50 tons. The maximum speed increased from 17 to 53 km/h. The speed increased especially wheeled-tracked tank BT, which reached 72 km/h when driving on wheels. Tanks of this period were characterized by high mobility and increased firepower. The T-28 and T-35 tanks are equipped with 76 mm guns. The reliability of mechanisms and vehicles in general has increased significantly compared to tanks of the second period. On tanks of this period, protection was improved (the thickness of the armor plates increased to 22 mm), the shape of the hull was improved, and welding of the armor plates was used.
Drawing- Light Soviet tank T-26 (model 1931)
Thanks to increased mobility and reliability, tanks could perform not only direct support tasks for infantry, but also independently break through enemy defenses and operate in operational depth.
During these years, a classification of tanks was developed. The classification is based on the weight indicator:
- light tanks - weighing up to 20 tons;
- medium tanks - weighing from 20 to 40 tons;
- heavy tanks - weighing over 40 tons.
Drawing- Light tank BT-7
The definition of a tank is given.
Tank is a tracked combat vehicle with firepower, armor protection and mobility. This emphasized the organic combination of the three most important combat qualities of a tank: firepower, protection, and mobility.
Firepower- the ability to hit targets on the battlefield. It is characterized by: the caliber of the weapon, the armor penetration of the projectile, the range of a direct shot, the perfection of guidance mechanisms, sights, targeted rate of fire, loading speed, amount of ammunition and type of shells, number and caliber of machine guns and ammunition for them.
Protection modern tank includes armor and special protection.
Armor protection- a set of tank hull and turret parts made from special materials, providing protection for the crew and internal equipment tank from a rifle-machine gun and artillery fire the enemy, his missile weapons, shock wave, penetrating radiation, thermal and light radiation nuclear explosions. It is provided by the thickness and angles of the armor, its quality and design, the shape of the hull and turret, and the strength of the connection of the armor plates.
Special protection- designed to protect the crew from nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, is achieved by sealing armored corps and towers, using filter and ventilation units that provide air purification and the creation of excess pressure in an inhabited object.
Tank mobility- the ability to move in a given direction. It is characterized by maximum and average speeds, range, and high cross-country ability.
Patency characterized by average specific ground pressure, ground clearance, and the size of obstacles to be overcome.
The combat properties and technical qualities of tanks are reflected in its combat and technical characteristics. Combat and technical specifications defines a systematic list of the main parameters that characterize the tank.
Combat and technical characteristics have the following sections:
- Total information;
- weapons;
- protection;
- mobility;
- special equipment;
- general characteristics units.
After 1933, the main types of tanks were improved, especially the T-26 and BT.
Tanks of this period were distinguished by weak armor, which was revealed during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), due to rapid development anti-tank weapons. The multi-turret layout did not justify itself. It prevents an increase in the caliber of weapons.
Table- Basic data of tanks of the second period
Main parameters of tanks | M a r k i t a n k o v | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T-27 | T-37 | T-26 | BT | T-28 | T-35 | |
Combat weight, t | 2,7 | 3,3 | 8-10 | 10-14 | 28 | 50 |
Crew, people | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 |
Weapons: - gun, caliber, mm; - number of machine guns |
- 1 |
- 1 |
45 1-2 |
37-45 3-2 |
76 3-4 | 2-76
2-45 5 |
Armor protection, mm | 6-10 | 7-9 | 13-15 | 13-20 | 20-30 | 20-30 |
Maximum speed, km/h | 40 | 40 | 30 | 52-72 | 37 | 29 |
Armored vehicles on the eve and during the Great Patriotic War (1939-1945)
The period is characterized by the creation of single-turret tanks with projectile-proof armor and powerful weapons.
In 1939, the A-32 medium tank weighing 19 tons, with a 76 mm cannon and two machine guns was developed. Crew 4 people, maximum speed 65 km/h. In the same year, a project for a multi-turret heavy SMK tank with a 76- and 46-mm cannon However, further prototype the tank didn't move.
Since 1932, at the direction of Soviet government intensive work was carried out to create a powerful, economical tank engine. In 1936, such an engine was created. It was the world's first tank diesel engine of the Soviet brand V-2. In 1939, the engine was successfully tested on BT and A-32 tanks. In terms of its efficiency, the V-2 engine was significantly superior to gasoline engines.
Drawing- Medium Soviet tank T-34
On December 19, 1939, the T-34 medium tank, developed under the leadership of M.I. Koshkin, was put into service. For the first time in the world, a powerful, long-barreled (for that time) 76-mm cannon with an initial velocity was installed on it armor-piercing projectile 662 m/s. The gun's armor penetration was superior to all foreign tank guns of that time. The tank's powerful armor reliably protected against small-caliber anti-aircraft shells. tank artillery and tank guns from all distances. The tank was distinguished by its original hull shape with large angles of inclination of the armor plates, the installation of a new high-speed V-2 diesel engine, a four-speed gearbox and turning mechanisms - side clutches. The tank had an individual spring suspension and wide tracks, ensuring good maneuverability. The mechanisms and assemblies of the tank were well developed and were easy to manufacture. This circumstance made it possible to quickly establish large-scale production of tanks during the war years.
Drawing- Heavy Soviet tank KV-1
Simultaneously with the T-34 tank, the KB heavy tank, created under the leadership of J. Ya. Kotin, entered service in 1939. The first model of the tank was equipped with a 76-mm cannon, and the second model of the KV-2, at the beginning of 1940, was equipped with a 152-mm howitzer. The KV tank was significantly superior in armor protection to the T-34 tank and had fairly high mobility parameters for its mass (47.5 tons) (maximum speed 35 km/h). There was a lot of new and interesting things in the design of the units and mechanisms of the KV tank. A torsion spring was used for the first time as a suspension. On the T-34 and KB, the engine and transmission were located in the rear of the vehicle. This made it easier to repair in the field.
In 1940, production of light amphibious tanks T-40 began, and in April 1941 it was put into service. light tank T-50, then T-60 and T-70. These light tanks were developed under the leadership of N. A. Astrov. The T-40 tank had machine gun armament, and the T-50 had a 45-mm cannon. The T-60 and T-70 tanks were developed with extensive use of solutions tested on the T-40. Unlike the floating T-40, they were non-floating. The T-60 was armed with 20 mm automatic cannon, and the T-70 has a 45 mm cannon.
Drawing- Light Soviet tank T-60
By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, we had developed the designs of medium and heavy tanks with the most rational combination of weapons, armor and mobility. The Soviet Union had a developed tank production and qualified tank builders. From the first days of the war, the superiority of the then still small T-34 and KB tanks over the tanks of the fascist army was revealed. This is what Lieutenant General of the German Army E. Schneider wrote after the war: “Russian T-34 tanks showed our tankers, accustomed to victories, their superiority in weapons, armor and maneuverability. The T-34 tank created a sensation... Having created an exceptionally successful and new type tank, the Russians made a great leap forward in the field of tank construction."
During the war, as a result of modernization carried out by Germany anti-tank artillery and tanks, there was a need to increase the firepower and armor protection of Soviet tanks.
At the end of 1942, the production of self-propelled artillery installations SU-122 with a 122-mm howitzer, and in the summer of 1943 - SU-85 with an 85-mm cannon. In December 1943, the T-34-85 tank with an 85 mm caliber gun and an initial projectile speed of about 800 m/s was put into service. The tank had increased armor thickness (45-90 mm), a crew of 5 people.
In 1944, based on the T-34, they began to produce self-propelled gun SU-100 with a 100 mm cannon.
At the end of 1943, the IS-1 heavy tank with an 85-mm cannon was developed and began to be produced, as well as the IS-2 tank and the ISU-122 self-propelled artillery mount with a 122-mm cannon on a common base with it.
Since 1943, based on the KV-1 and IS-2 tanks, self-propelled artillery mounts were produced to accompany the SU-152 and ISU-152 tanks with a 152-mm howitzer gun. This weapon had a huge muzzle energy and along with 100-mm and 122-mm cannons it was a formidable means of combating new heavy German tanks. On the basis of light tanks, self-propelled artillery units SU-76 with a 76-mm cannon were produced.
Drawing- Medium Soviet tank T-34-85
Drawing- Heavy Soviet tank IS-2
In 1944, a new medium tank T-44 with an 85 mm gun and a transverse engine was developed. This made it possible to increase the reservation and made it possible to further increase the caliber of weapons and have a large ammunition load.
At the end of the war, the IS-3 heavy tank with a 122 mm cannon and two machine guns (one anti-aircraft) was adopted. The ship's hull nose shape and increased armor thickness provided it with high protection. The designers managed to reduce the height of the tank, improve smoothness, increase maneuverability and cross-country ability. The IS-3 tank along with the T-34 tank on long years became a role model.
In the development of Soviet tanks of this period, the following features should be noted:
- Transition to single-turret high-speed tanks with anti-ballistic armor and long-barreled guns,
- Increasing the power of weapons and improving armor protection with an almost constant tank weight (for example, KB, IS-2);
- Adaptability of tank designs to large-scale production and field repair;
- The use of powerful diesel engines, individual torsion bar suspensions, wide tracks, improvement of the transmission;
- Creation of self-propelled artillery installations. The medium tank became a popular type of this period. The importance of the heavy tank has increased significantly.
Vladimir Odintsov
PURPOSE AND TASKS
Currently, a tank is considered primarily as a melee (contact) weapon, operating on the “see-and-shoot” principle. There are two main concepts of the tank as a close combat weapon system. According to one of them, the main task of the tank is to fight enemy tanks, which pose the main danger (according to the principle of “fight equal”), and defense against ground and air tank-hazardous weapons should be carried out by a tank “train”, i.e. accompanying BM11 and self-propelled anti-aircraft installations. It should be noted that the concept based on the idea that main threat for the tank will create an enemy tank, is not confirmed by the course of military operations. Thus, during the fourth Arab-Israeli war of 1973, tank losses were distributed as follows: from ATGM actions - 50%, from aviation actions, manual anti-tank grenade launchers, anti-tank mines– 28%, from tank fire only – 22%.
Another concept, on the contrary, comes from the view of the tank as autonomous system weapons capable of independently deciding everything combat missions close combat, including the task of self-defense.
There is another view of the tank as a universal fire weapon, which must be capable of conducting both close and long-range fire combat. This is mainly explained by the desire to use the huge firepower of tanks in percentage terms for combined arms interests ( tank division The United States has 250 tanks and only 36 guns of 155 mm caliber) and a sharply increasing share of the participation of armed forces in suppressing armed conflicts in “hot spots”, in which the likelihood of “classic” mass clashes tank groups small. Giving tank weapons range properties will significantly change the appearance of the gank, forming a kind of hybrid of a tank and a self-propelled gun.
On the other hand, range can be very useful for the tank formations themselves when suppressing enemy tanks and tank-dangerous targets in the depths of the defense, i.e. implementation of the concept of fighting second echelons (ensuring an advantage before entering contact combat). Such opportunities appeared in last years in connection with the development precision weapons, cluster projectiles of free dispersion and field information systems.
According to experts, a triple salvo of a brigade of tanks in an enemy brigade tank column at a distance of 15 km with 140-mm free-scattering cluster shells can destroy up to 20% of tanks, self-aiming shells of the SADARM type - up to 30%, and homing shells of the EPHRAM type - up to 40 % of enemy tanks.
CALIBER (MASS) OF PROJECTILE
The history of the development of tank artillery indicates a trend of continuous increase in caliber.
The continuous increase in the thickness of the tank's armor, which currently reaches 1000-1100 mm for the frontal projection in terms of a monolith, requires a further increase in the caliber of the gun (or the diameter of the ATGM) to 140-150 mm. ATGM diameters have long reached this level (152 mm domestic ATGM"Kornet-E" and the American TOW ATGM). An increase in the caliber of the gun is hampered by restrictions on the recoil impulse (the problem of the dynamic compatibility of the gun with the platform), a strict limit on total weight tank (maximum 55 tons), which is due to restrictions on rail and road transportation and a sharp decline number of ammunition with increasing caliber. The law of decreasing numbers at a fixed mass of the weapon system (gun + ammunition) of 3000 kg is close to linear. The graph also shows a conditional boundary minimum number ammunition (n=25). The average number of operating ammunition for four main tanks was taken as this limit.
Tank | Smoothness a gun | Ammunition, pcs. | |||
Type | Caliber, mm | Full | Operation | Reserve. | |
"Abrams" M1A1 | M256 | 120 | 55 | 44 | 11 |
"Leopard-2A4" | Rh-120 | 120 | 42 | 15 | 27 |
"Leclerc" | CN-120-26 | 120 | 40 | 22 | 18 |
T-80U | D-81 | 125 | 45 | 28 | 17 |
CALIBRES OF GUNS OF DOMESTIC MEDIUM TANKS
Tank | Capibre, mm | Gun type |
T-34 | 76 | Rifled |
T-34-85 | 85 | Rifled |
T-54.T-55 | 100 | Rifled |
T-62 | 115 | Disadvantages |
T-64,T-72,T-80,T-90 | 125 | Smoothness |
The caliber corresponding to n=25 is close to 140 mm. This caliber is considered promising for a smoothbore gun by all major tank-producing NATO countries, including the USA (experimental 140-mm tank gun XM291).
GUN OR ROCKET?
All modern main tanks have cannon armament. In domestic tanks, the gun is also used as an ATGM launcher. Numerous attempts to develop purely missile tanks have failed.
Note: tank model 287 was additionally armed with two 73 mm
Dependence of the number of tank ammunition on the caliber of the gun at a fixed mass of the weapon system
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Structural diagrams launchers missile tanks
A – vertical start; B – inclined start; B – horizontal release; G-turn before launch
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Layout diagrams of existing and future cannon tanks
Experimental designs of domestic missile tanks
Meanwhile missile tanks have a number of undoubted advantages:
The caliber restriction and the problem of dynamic compatibility of the gun and platform are removed;
The limitation on barrel survivability is removed (for the D-81 cannon – 10 rounds of ammunition);
The starting overloads are reduced (when firing, the overload is 20,000, when launching a rocket<1000), что позволяет применять более рациональную конструкцию боевой части и системы управления снарядом;
Firing range restrictions are lifted;
The tank's ability to fight air targets, primarily anti-tank helicopters, increases sharply.
There is a real opportunity to achieve projectile speeds of 2000...2500 m/s;
Such an increase in speed will lead to the emergence of a fundamentally new powerful tank ammunition - a guided hypersonic kinetic armor-piercing missile. There is information about the development of such a rocket from LTV (USA). Alliant Technologies (USA) announced the development of a 120-mm armor-piercing kinetic-action guided missile TERM - KEHM 1007, fired from the barrel of a tank gun. The missile operates on a “fire and forget” principle using a millimeter range seeker (see also RF Patent No. 2108537).
The layout of missile tanks is determined primarily by the type of launch (vertical, inclined, with horizontal missile ejection) and the type of launcher (PU) (multi-barrel, single-barrel with automatic loader). The most compact placement of missiles, simplicity of design and a fairly high rate of fire are ensured in a multi-barrel launcher with a vertical launch directly from the container, but this imposes significant restrictions on the length of the missile.
The main objections to purely missile tanks boil down to the following:
The flight time of ammunition increases;
A guided missile is more vulnerable than a projectile when exposed to active tank protection systems (Arena, Drozd).
The cost of a missile and its maintenance during storage is significantly higher than the cost of an artillery round;
Maintenance and firing of missiles requires highly qualified personnel, which is difficult to implement in a conscript (not contract) army.
Undoubtedly, psychological aspects associated with the rejection of the traditional scheme of weapons with many years of experience in successful use, and to a certain extent, with distrust in the reliable operation of complex electronic guided missile systems in real combat conditions, also play a certain role. In general, much suggests that during the first quarter of the 21st century, the decisive role will remain with the cannon tank.
Significant discrepancies exist in forecasts about the design layout of the gun of the future tank. Along with the classic scheme with a full-revolving turret, a turretless scheme with a remote cannon is considered as a very promising one, as well as compromise options - a caponier scheme (STRV-103B tank), half-turret and others.
CANNON: RIFFED IAI SMOOTH BORE?
For the first time, a smoothbore gun was installed on the domestic T-62 tank (115-mm U5-TS “Molot” gun). There is a widespread belief that the reason for the return of tank artillery to smooth-bore guns was the introduction into the tank ammunition of a sub-caliber projectile with a detachable pallet, stabilized in flight by the fin (BOPS - armor-piercing feathered sub-caliber projectile). This opinion is erroneous, since BOPS can be quite successfully fired from rifled guns. For example, the M60A1 tank was armed with a 105-mm M68 rifled cannon, which had in its ammunition finned shells M735, M744, M797, M833, GD105 and others. The real reason for the appearance of the smoothbore tank gun was the desire to eliminate the harmful effects of rotation on the action of the cumulative projectile.
Currently, all main tanks, with the exception of the Challenger (UK) and Arjuna (India), are armed with smoothbore guns. The promising European 140 mm tank gun is also a smoothbore gun. However, the debate between smoothbore and rifled tank guns is not over. Supporters of rifled guns point to such disadvantages of smooth-bore systems as:
Large aerodynamic resistance to the movement of the projectile due to the tail and, as a result, a short firing range;
Low survivability of smooth-bore guns, especially when firing sub-caliber shells;
Low shooting accuracy.
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Experienced missile tank ob.287
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T-62. This tank was the first to have a smoothbore gun (115-mm U5-TS Hammer gun)
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T-72. Main armament – 125 mm smoothbore gun 2A46
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T-80UD. Main armament – 125 mm 2A46M-1 smoothbore gun
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Main battle tank T-80U
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The action of a projectile with a trajectory turn
1 – shooting of ballast mass; 2 – process of finishing; 3 - shell explosion
It is also indicated that with the development of dynamic armor and active protection means for tanks, a cumulative projectile may turn out to be completely ineffective and will be excluded from tank ammunition, which will lead to the loss of the above-mentioned main advantage of a smoothbore gun. The short firing range of feathered caliber projectiles does not allow solving the problem of suppressing targets deep in enemy defenses.
On the other hand, for non-rotating (or weakly rotating) shells of smoothbore guns, the problems of precise guidance and control of the action, including the action of roof-piercing shells, projectiles with trajectory follow-up, etc., are much easier to solve.
In general, it should be recognized that today there is no sufficiently substantiated answer to the question about the type of promising tank gun (rifled or smooth-bore).
SHOT: UNITARY OR SEPARATE LOADING
Foreign tanks "Abrame" and "Leopard-2" use unitary shots with manual loading carried out by the fourth crew member. In domestic tanks T-72, T 80, T-90, separate loading shots with a burning cartridge case are used, and loading is carried out by an automatic loader, which made it possible to reduce the tank crew to three people (commander, gunner, driver) and at the same time significantly increase the rate of fire. The automatic loader includes a rotating ring conveyor with a vertical axis located on the floor of the tank and containing radially arranged cassettes with shells and powder charges, an elevator that lifts the cassettes onto the loading line, and a valuable rammer located in the pursuit of the turret, as well as a device for ejecting the combustion pan from the tank sleeves. The location of the conveyor in the floor of the tank behind relatively weak armor and the presence in the conveyor of a large mass of flammable combustible cartridges led to numerous cases of tank destruction in regional conflicts when cumulative grenades from hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers hit the space between the rear rollers.
SMOOTHBORE GUN AMMUNITION
The main element of tank ammunition is an armor-piercing finned sabot projectile (BOPS) (but in US terminology APFSDS - Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot - armor-piercing projectile stabilized by fins with a detachable pan). Its main advantage is the high initial velocity of the projectile (1600...1800 m/s), which leads to a short flight time and, as a consequence, a large direct shot range (2500...3000 m), approximately a thousand meters greater than the corresponding range for a cumulative projectile. Another important advantage of BOPS over a cumulative projectile is its significantly lower susceptibility to the effects of dynamic and, in particular, active protection of the tank.
Domestic BOPS of early designs (ZBM12, ZBM15, ZBM17, ZBM22) were made with two-base centering in the barrel bore on a three-sector pan and stabilizer feathers. Currently, most BOPS have a two-base sector pan, which makes it possible to reduce the size of the stabilizer and, consequently, the aerodynamic air resistance (domestic BOPS ZBM32, ZVBM17).
The main organic disadvantage of BOPS with a sector tray is the possibility of radially expanding the sectors already in the barrel bore, from which unpleasant consequences follow:
Excessive barrel wear, rapidly progressing as it increases in size;
Inability to use muzzle brakes.
Modern foreign tanks armed with 120 mm smoothbore guns (Abrame M1A1 (USA), Leopard 2A4 (Germany), Lsklsrk (France), Merkava MkZ (Israel), tank 90 (Japan)) They have only two types of ammunition: BOPS and cumulative fragmentation (COS). The high-explosive fragmentation effect is relegated to the background and is regulated as a side effect of the action of a cumulative fragmentation projectile. There is an obvious duplication of armor-piercing action to the detriment of other tank tasks. The explanation for this must be sought in the concept of “beat an equal” (see above). The problem of a single tank fighting tank-hazardous weapons located in structures, for example, in buildings during operations in populated areas, is also considered insignificant.
In conditions of fleeting maneuverable tank combat, especially with rough terrain and smoke, the determining factor is the desire to instantly fire at the tank at the moment of its appearance, which is associated with the need to have a constantly loaded gun. In this case, any ammunition shell must provide effective action against armor. The ammunition load of two types of armor-piercing shells is built precisely on this principle. Despite the well-known pessimism regarding the future of cumulative projectiles, it should be recognized that their capabilities are far from being exhausted. Great hopes are associated with the development of tandem projectiles with two cumulative craters, one of which is designed to remove dynamic protection, and the second - to penetrate the main armor. Serious attention is paid to the development of projectiles that hit a tank with an impact core from above (for example, the 120-mm XM943 STAFF projectile from the USA).
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Separation of a two-base pallet after the BOPS leaves the barrel
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155-mm M483A1 cluster projectile with fragmentation-cumulative ammunition (88 pcs.)
1 – remote fuse;
2 – expelling powder charge;
3-diaphragm;
4 – projectile body;
5 – cumulative fragmentation combat element M42 (M46);
6 – cut off bottom of the projectile
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Cumulative fragmentation combat element (US Pat. No. 5153371)
1 – loop stabilizer;
2 – impact inertial fuse;
3 – cumulative funnel;
4 – fragmentation shell
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Armor-piercing finned sabot projectile for the 125-mm D-81 tank gun
1 – ballistic tip; 2 – armor-piercing rod; 3-detachable three-section tray; 4 – stabilizer; 5 – tracer
![](https://i0.wp.com/xliby.ru/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1999_10/pic_56.jpg)
Self-aiming roof-piercing BE based on the principle of the “impact core” of the 155-mm SMArl cluster projectile (Germany)
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Explosion of a self-aiming combat element of a SMArt projectile
On the contrary, the concept of a tank as an autonomous weapon system capable of solving all combat missions, including the task of self-defense, requires, first of all, the presence in the ammunition load of a projectile capable of effectively hitting tank-dangerous targets. This problem cannot be solved by standard HE shells with impact fuses for the reason that when firing shells with impact fuses flatly to fragment single targets, there is an extremely unsatisfactory agreement between the dispersion density of the impact points of the shells and the coordinate law of destruction.
Currently, there are two main directions in the development of a multi-purpose tank projectile:
Using a standard OFS to ensure a trajectory explosion in the zone of reliable destruction using a non-contact fuse or a high-precision fire control system (FCS) with a remote fuse;
Development of new projectile designs that ensure effective operation when using medium-precision fire control systems with remote fuses.
The first direction provides the highest level of probability of hitting a target, but its development is associated with overcoming a number of fundamental difficulties. Non-contact fuses of the optical or radar type with a conical actuation surface, providing reliable action against air targets, are unsuitable for action against small-sized ground targets, which is explained, on the one hand, by their low IR and radar aperture, and on the other hand, by the strong shielding influence of the earth's surface, relief, vegetation, etc. It is necessary to search for new schemes of proximity fuses, including multi-channel ones, capable of separating subtle targets from the background based on a combination of characteristics. The same factor, i.e. the difficulty of separating the target from the background and the impossibility of determining the exact distance to the target hinders the development of a high-precision fire control system with a remote fuse
The second direction includes the development of multi-purpose tank shells of the following types:
Axial (beam) action projectiles;
Projectiles with additional rotation;
Cluster shells.
The use of these types of projectiles does not require the development of high-precision fire control systems or proximity fuses. Their common feature is the presence of a lesion field extended along the trajectory of the projectile.
Projectiles with axial directed flows G "PE, containing an explosive charge, can be implemented in the form of three main schemes:
Fragmentation-beam projectiles (patent No. 2018779, 2108538 RF (Research Institute of SM MSTU), No. 2137085 RF (FSPC "Pribor") see also "Military parade" No. 6, 1996, "Equipment and weapons" No. 4,7, 1999);
Kinetic fragmentation projectiles with a charge of detonation-capable dual-use solid fuel (patent No. 2082943, RF 2095739);
Fragmentation-beam projectiles with time-separated ejection of the GGE block and detonation of the fragmentation warhead (the “SVAROG” scheme, application No. 98117004, 99110540).
The last scheme is considered by experts as the most promising. It ensures the most complete use of the projectile's energy resources. The target is hit by the combined effect of the axial flow of the GGE and the circular field of warhead fragments, with the first hitting the front projection of the target, and the second hitting the lateral projections.
The combined impact of the GGE unit and the warhead on an aerial target, along with the destruction of its various projections, can lead to the emergence of new cumulative effects. An example is the intensive destruction of thin-walled aerodynamic panels of aircraft due to the infliction of multiple damage to the panel by the axial flow of the GPE, which are the centers of destruction, followed by the destruction of the weakened panels by the compression effect of the explosive charge of the warhead. Another example is the intensification of the action of the GGE block when they are executed in the form of incendiary elements. When the block is thrown back, the GGE approaches the target later than the warhead fragments. In this case, fragments of the warhead pierce the fuel tanks and ensure that the fuel flows into the atmosphere with the formation of a vapor-air mixture, and later incendiary GGEs cause its ignition.
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Kinetic anti-tank missile (pat. No. 2108537)
1 – body; 2 – nozzle block; 3 – nozzle; 4 – charge of solid fuel; 5 - rear part of the rack; 6 – armor-piercing rod; 7-front part of the rack; 8 – longitudinal ribs; 9 – control compartment; 10 – homing head; 11 - steering wheels; 12 – wings (stabilizers)
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Operation diagram of a light gas gun
1 – powder combustion chamber; 2 – piston; 3 – light gas; 4 – projectile; 5 - barrel; 6 – combustion products of gunpowder
Returning to the issue of long-range tank shells capable of hitting clusters of armored targets deep in enemy defenses, it should be noted that the broadest prospects for these shells will open up when the caliber of tank guns increases to 140 or even 152-155 mm. An idea of the characteristics and capabilities of modern cluster artillery shells can be obtained from the example of the 155-mm M483A1 cluster shell, which was successfully used during the war in Persian Gulf. The projectile has a mass of 46.5 kg and contains 88 M42 cumulative fragmentation combat elements. The M42 combat element has a diameter of 38.9 mm, a mass of 182 g, and a mass of explosive charge (A 5) of 30.5 g. The total mass of the combat element is 16 kg, i.e. 0.344 total projectile mass. The M42 combat element has normal armor penetration of about 60...65 mm.
The use in tank artillery of adjustable projectiles such as “Centimeter”, “Krasnopol”, “Kitolov” with a semi-active optical seeker is considered unpromising due to the difficulties of organizing the illumination of distant targets with a laser target designator. A more modern stage in the development of high-precision weapons is embodied by projectiles that do not require external illumination of the target and implement the “fire and forget” principle. These primarily include projectiles of the SADARM type, which eject two or three self-aiming combat elements from the body, striking armored targets from above with self-forming strikers (“shock cores”), and projectiles of the Artstrix, EP11RAM type, ejecting one homing combat element. Targeting is carried out using an IR dual-band seeker.
NEW WAYS TO DEVELOP TANK GUNS
A further increase in the initial velocity of the projectile is limited by the existence of a theoretical limit to this speed of 2200...2400 m/s in the classical design of a weapon with a propellant powder charge.
At a high projectile speed, the pressure in the volume behind the projectile does not have time to equalize along the length of the volume, i.e. the pressure on the bottom of the projectile turns out to be significantly less than the pressure on the bottom of the chamber. This is explained by the low speed of wave exchange in the combustion products of gunpowder, which in turn is determined by the low speed of sound in them. In this case, the energy of the part of the combustion products adjacent to the bottom of the chamber turns out to be unused.
An increase in the wave exchange rate, and, consequently, an increase in the throwing speed can be achieved by replacing powder gases as a working fluid with light gases (hydrogen, helium) having a high speed of sound. A light gas gun contains a combustion chamber of gunpowder, a chamber with a light gas compressed by a piston, and a barrel with a projectile placed in it.
With a light gas gun mass of 2 tons, a projectile weighing 1 kg can be imparted with a speed of 2500...3000 m/s. The disadvantage of a light gas gun is its low rate of fire, which is associated with a complex reloading procedure. With a two-gun tank design (for example, “Leopard-3” of Germany), a light gas gun can be installed as one of the guns, used as a “one-shot weapon” to destroy an enemy tank at a great distance.
An even more radical way to increase projectile speed is to use electromagnetic or electrothermochemical guns. Electromagnetic guns can provide an initial projectile speed of 4000...5000 m/s. Work in this direction has been going on for a long time. The main difficulty lies in the development of electrical energy storage devices, primarily capacitor banks, with high volumetric energy density. According to experts, in the first decade of the 21st century this value can reach 20...30 MJ/m3. With a projectile mass of 3 kg and an initial speed of 4000 m/s, its kinetic energy is 24 MJ, and the electrical energy consumed per shot, taking into account the installation efficiency, is 60...80 MJ. To produce a series of three shots without recharging the batteries, the total energy reserve should be on average 210 MJ, which in terms of the volume of batteries is 7... 10 m3. Such a volume is difficult to accommodate inside the tank. The energy density of batteries achieved today is significantly lower than the specified value and amounts to several MJ/m3.
The all-electric tank AET (All Electric Tank), currently being developed in the USA, is supposed to be equipped with an electromagnetic gun developed by the Picatinsky Arsenal of 80 mm caliber weighing up to 2.7 tons with a projectile mass of 3kg, an initial speed of 2500...3000 m/s and a direct shot range of 4000 meters . The tank is expected to be put into operation no earlier than 2020.
There is no doubt that with the development of the main armament of the tank, the composition of its additional armament will be revised (for domestic tanks it includes a front-facing 7.62 mm machine gun and an anti-aircraft 12.7 mm machine gun, smoke grenade launchers, active protection systems for the Arena tank or "Drozd"), The issue of installing a small-caliber automatic cannon on a tank, for example, a 30-mm standard 2A42 (2A72) or a promising 40-mm cannon, has been discussed for quite some time. This weapon would dramatically increase the tank’s capabilities in the fight against tank-threat targets, primarily anti-tank guided missile systems and anti-tank helicopters. When moving to missile tanks, the installation of automatic guns becomes imperative.
As an interim measure to increase the fire potential of a tank in the fight against tank-dangerous manpower at close range, the installation of automatic grenade launchers on the tank, for example, a standard 30-mm AGS-17 grenade launcher or a promising 40-mm grenade launcher, can be considered.
Rostislav Angelsky