Played one of the most important roles in the defeat Nazi Germany. An equally important place was given to artillery in ensuring the defense capability. Soviet Union in the early postwar years.

The direct control, training, education and provision of combat, operational-tactical and special training of artillery command and personnel, the development of plans for the development and improvement of all artillery, as well as providing it with the necessary weapons and military equipment, was entrusted to the Artillery Commander of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

To implement the tasks assigned to the commander, the following governing bodies were subordinate: the Headquarters of Artillery, the Main Artillery Directorate, the Combat Training Directorate, the Directorate of Artillery Military Educational Institutions and the Personnel Directorate. In addition, the artillery commander was responsible for developing a plan air defense countries and the implementation of measures to prepare the territory of the USSR for air defense. In this regard, the commander of the country's air defense forces was subordinated to him. Under the leadership of the Commander of Artillery, Marshal of Artillery N.N. Voronov, plans were prepared for the transfer of artillery to peacetime states and artillery weapons Soviet army, the implementation of which began after the completion of the demobilization of the personnel of the army in the field.

After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the artillery of the Soviet Army underwent significant changes. The number of artillery units increased due to the creation of additional formations in rifle corps and divisions. Each of the surviving rifle corps received at its disposal a corps artillery brigade consisting of cannon and howitzer artillery regiments (they were created, among other things, by reorganization from anti-tank ones), as well as a reconnaissance artillery battalion.

In addition, each of the corps included a guards mortar regiment and an anti-aircraft artillery division (later a regiment). Rifle divisions reinforced by a mortar and howitzer regiment, and the existing artillery regiment became known as a cannon regiment. All these regiments were reduced to an artillery brigade. In addition, each of the divisions received at its disposal 2 more separate artillery divisions - anti-aircraft and self-propelled. In the late 1940s - early 1950s. a number of artillery formations and units were disbanded.

So, most of the directorates of artillery corps, a number of divisions and brigades ceased to exist. The number of regiments also decreased, mainly due to their enlargement. At the same time, about 70% of the units remained (especially anti-aircraft artillery), and some of the individual brigades and regiments were reduced or converted into divisions. So, by 1948, 11 cannon divisions were additionally formed from separate regiments and brigades. Changes also took place in the composition of artillery divisions - the number of brigades and regiments decreased, the staff of the division's command and control changed.

Thus, anti-aircraft artillery divisions were transferred from four regiments to three regiments. Many of the compounds have changed numbers and partly composition. Thus, in the first post-war years, the activities of the Commander of Artillery were aimed at improving the organizational and staffing structure of artillery units, which resulted in their disaggregation, as well as the adoption of the latest artillery systems, communications and various vehicles, which contributed to increased mobility and firepower artillery formations ground forces.

S.Yu. Kondratenko

Soviet anti-aircraft artillery played a very important role in the great Patriotic war. According to official data, in the course of hostilities, 21,645 aircraft were shot down by ground-based air defense systems of the ground forces, including 4,047 aircraft by anti-aircraft guns of 76 mm caliber or more, and 14,657 aircraft by anti-aircraft guns.
In addition to fighting the enemy, anti-aircraft guns, if necessary, often fired at ground targets. For example, in the Battle of Kursk, 15 anti-tank artillery battalions of twelve 85-mm anti-aircraft guns took part. This measure, of course, was forced, since anti-aircraft guns were much more expensive, less mobility, and they were harder to camouflage.

The number of anti-aircraft guns during the war continuously increased. The increase in small-caliber anti-aircraft guns was especially significant, so on January 1, 1942, there were about 1,600 37-mm anti-aircraft guns in stock, and on January 1, 1945, there were about 19,800 guns. However, despite the quantitative increase in anti-aircraft guns, anti-aircraft guns were not created in the USSR during the war. self-propelled units(ZSU) capable of accompanying and covering .
In part, the need for such vehicles was met by the American quadruple 12.7-mm ZSU M17 received under Lend-Lease, which were mounted on the chassis of the M3 half-track armored personnel carrier.

These ZSU proved to be very effective tool protection of tank units and formations on the march from air attack. In addition, M17s were successfully used during the fighting in cities, delivering heavy fire on the upper floors of buildings.

The task of covering the troops on the march was assigned mainly to anti-aircraft machine gun mounts (ZPU) of 7.62-12.7 mm caliber mounted on trucks.

The mass production of the 25-mm 72-K assault rifle, which was put into service in 1940, began only in the second half of the war due to difficulties in mastering mass production. A number of design solutions for the 72-K anti-aircraft gun were borrowed from the 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun mod. 1939 61-K.

Anti-aircraft gun 72-K

The 72-K anti-aircraft guns were intended for air defense at the level of a rifle regiment and in the Red Army occupied an intermediate position between the DShK large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns and the more powerful 37-mm 61-K anti-aircraft guns. They were also installed on trucks, but in much smaller quantities.

Anti-aircraft gun 72-K in the back of a truck

72-K anti-aircraft guns and twin 94-KM mounts based on them were used against low-flying and diving targets. In terms of the number of issued copies, they were much inferior to 37-mm machine guns.

94-KM installations on trucks

The creation of an anti-aircraft gun of this caliber with clip-on loading does not seem entirely justified. The use of clip loading for a small-caliber anti-aircraft gun greatly reduced the practical rate of fire, slightly surpassing the 37-mm 61-K machine gun in this indicator. But at the same time, it is much inferior to it in range, altitude and the striking effect of the projectile. The production cost of the 25mm 72-K was not much less than that of the 37mm 61-K.
The installation of the rotating part of the gun on an inseparable four-wheeled cart is the object of criticism based on comparison with foreign anti-aircraft guns of a similar class.

However, it should be noted that the 25-mm projectile itself was not bad. At a distance of 500 meters, an armor-piercing projectile weighing 280 grams, with an initial speed of 900 m / s, normally pierced 30-mm armor.

When creating a belt-fed installation, it was quite possible to achieve a high rate of fire, which was done after the war in 25-mm anti-aircraft guns created for the Navy.

With the end of the war in 1945, the production of 72-K was discontinued, however, they continued to be in service until the early 60s, until they were replaced by the 23 mm ZU-23-2.

Much more widespread was the 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun model 1939 61-K, created on the basis of the Swedish 40-mm gun Bofors.

The 37-mm automatic anti-aircraft gun of the 1939 model is a single-barreled small-caliber automatic anti-aircraft gun on a four-beam carriage with an inseparable four-wheel drive.

The automation of the gun is based on the use of recoil force according to the scheme with a short barrel recoil. All actions necessary for firing a shot (opening the bolt after a shot with the cartridge case extracted, cocking the firing pin, feeding cartridges into the chamber, closing the bolt and lowering the firing pin) are performed automatically. Aiming, aiming the gun and feeding clips with cartridges to the magazine are carried out manually.

According to the manual of the gun service, its main task was to fight against air targets at ranges up to 4 km and at altitudes up to 3 km. If necessary, the gun can also be successfully used for firing at ground targets, including tanks and armored vehicles.

61-K during the Great Patriotic War were the main means of air defense of the Soviet troops in the front line.

During the war years, the industry supplied the Red Army with more than 22,600 37-mm anti-aircraft guns mod. 1939. In addition, at the final stage of the war, the troops began to receive the SU-37 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, created on the basis of the SU-76M self-propelled gun and armed with a 37-mm 61-K anti-aircraft gun.

self-propelled anti-aircraft guns SU-37

In order to increase the density of anti-aircraft fire at the end of the war, the B-47 two-gun installation was developed, which consisted of two 61-K assault rifles on a four-wheeled wagon.

two-gun installation V-47

Despite the fact that the production of 61-K was completed in 1946, they remained in service for a very long time and took part in numerous wars on all continents.

37 mm anti-aircraft guns mod. 1939 were actively used during the Korean War by both North Korean and Chinese units. According to the results of the application, the gun proved to be positive, but in some cases there was an insufficient firing range. An example is the battle in September 1952 of 36 P-51 aircraft with the 61-K division, as a result of which 8 aircraft were shot down (according to Soviet data), and the losses of the division amounted to one gun and 12 people from the calculations.

In the post-war years, the gun was exported to dozens of countries around the world, in the armies of many of which it is still in service. In addition to the USSR, the gun was produced in Poland, as well as in China under the Type 55 index. In addition, in China, a Type 88 self-propelled twin anti-aircraft gun was created on the basis of the Type 69 tank.

The 61-K was also actively used during the Vietnam War (in this case, a semi-handicraft twin self-propelled anti-aircraft gun based on the T-34 tank, known as the Type 63, was used). Used 37-mm gun mod. 1939 and during the Arab-Israeli wars, as well as during various armed conflicts in Africa and other regions of the world.

This anti-aircraft gun is perhaps the most "belligerent", in terms of the number of armed conflicts where it was used. The exact number of planes shot down by him is not known, but we can say that it is much more than that of any other anti-aircraft gun.

The only one produced in war time in the USSR, a medium-caliber anti-aircraft gun was an 85-mm anti-aircraft gun mod. 1939
During the war, in 1943, in order to reduce the cost of production and increase the reliability of the gun mechanisms, regardless of the elevation angle, a modernized 85-mm gun mod. 1939 with copier semi-automatic, automatic speed control and simplified units.

In February 1944 this gun, which received the factory index KS-12, went into serial production.

In 1944, the 85-mm anti-aircraft gun mod. 1944 (KS -1). It was obtained by imposing a new 85-mm barrel on the carriage of an 85-mm anti-aircraft gun mod. 1939 The aim of the modernization was to increase the survivability of the barrel and reduce the cost of production. The KS-1 was adopted on July 2, 1945.

anti-aircraft 85-mm gun KS-1

For aiming the gun, according to the POISO data, receiving devices are installed that are connected by synchronous communication with the POISO. The installation of fuses with the help of a fuse installer is carried out according to the data of POISOT or at the command of the commander of the 85 mm anti-aircraft gun mod. 1939 was equipped with PUAZO-Z receiving devices, and an 85-mm anti-aircraft gun mod. 1944 - POISOT-4A.

Rangefinder calculation POISO-3

At the beginning of 1947, a new 85-mm anti-aircraft gun KS-18 arrived for testing.
The KS-18 gun was a four-wheeled platform weighing 3600 kg with a torsion bar suspension, on which a machine tool with a gun weighing 3300 kg was installed. The gun was equipped with a tray and a rammer shells. Due to the increased barrel length and the use of a more powerful charge, the target engagement area in height was increased from 8 to 12 km. The KS-18 chamber was identical to the 85 mm D-44 anti-tank gun.
The gun was equipped with a synchronous servo drive and receiving devices PUAZO-6.
The KS-18 gun was recommended for use by military anti-aircraft artillery and anti-aircraft artillery of the RVC instead of 85-mm anti-aircraft guns mod. 1939 and arr. 1944

In total, over the years of production, more than 14,000 85-mm anti-aircraft guns of all modifications were produced. IN postwar period they were in service with anti-aircraft artillery regiments, artillery divisions (brigades), armies and RVC, and corps anti-aircraft artillery regiments (battalions) of military anti-aircraft artillery.

85-mm anti-aircraft guns took an active part in the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam, where they showed themselves well. The barrage of these guns often forced American pilots to move to low altitudes, where they came under fire from small-caliber anti-aircraft guns.

Anti-aircraft 85-mm guns were in service in the USSR until the mid-60s, until they were supplanted in the air defense forces by anti-aircraft missile systems.

According to materials:
Shirokorad A. B. Encyclopedia of domestic artillery.
http://www.telenir.net/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1998_07/p6.php

In the USSR, despite numerous design work in the prewar and wartime, anti-aircraft guns with a caliber of more than 85 mm were never created. The increase in the speed and altitude of the bombers created in the west required urgent action in this direction.

As a temporary measure, it was decided to use several hundred captured German anti-aircraft guns of 105-128 mm caliber. At the same time, work was accelerated on the creation of 100-130-mm anti-aircraft guns.

In March 1948, a 100-mm anti-aircraft gun of the 1947 model (KS-19) was put into service. It ensured the fight against air targets, which had a speed of up to 1200 km / h and a height of up to 15 km. All elements of the complex in a combat position are interconnected by an electrically conductive connection. Guiding the gun to a preemptive point is carried out by the GSP-100 hydraulic power drive from POISO, but it is possible to point it manually.

Anti-aircraft 100-mm gun KS-19

In the KS-19 gun, the following are mechanized: setting the fuse, sending the cartridge, closing the shutter, firing a shot, opening the shutter and extracting the cartridge case. The rate of fire is 14-16 rounds per minute.

In 1950, in order to improve the combat and operational properties, the gun and hydraulic power drive were modernized.
The GSP-100M system is designed for automatic remote guidance in azimuth and elevation of eight or less KS-19M2 guns and automatic input of values ​​​​for setting the fuse according to POISO data.
The GSP-100M system provides the possibility of manual guidance on all three channels using an indicator synchronous transmission and includes GSP-100M gun sets (according to the number of guns), a central switch box (CCR), a set of connecting cables and a battery giving device.
The source of power supply for the GSP-100M is a regular power station SPO-30, which generates a three-phase current with a voltage of 23/133 V and a frequency of 50 Hz.
All guns, SPO-30 and POISOT are located within a radius of no more than 75 m (100 m) from the CRYA.

The gun-guided radar station KS-19 - SON-4 is a two-axle towed van, on the roof of which a rotating antenna is installed in the form of a round parabolic reflector with a diameter of 1.8 m with asymmetric rotation of the emitter.
It had three modes of operation:
- all-round view for detecting targets and monitoring the air situation using the all-round view indicator;
- manual control of the antenna to detect targets in the sector before switching to automatic tracking and for rough determination of coordinates;
- automatic target tracking by angular coordinates for accurate determination of azimuth and angle together in automatic mode and slant range manually or semi-automatically.
The detection range of a bomber when flying at an altitude of 4000 m is at least 60 km.
Accuracy of determination of coordinates: in range 20 m, in azimuth and elevation: 0-0.16 da.

From 1948 to 1955, 10,151 KS-19 guns were manufactured, which, before the advent of air defense systems, were the main means of combating high-altitude targets. But the mass adoption of anti-aircraft guided missiles far from immediately supplanted the KS-19. In the USSR, anti-aircraft batteries armed with these guns were available at least until the end of the 70s.

Abandoned KS-19 in the province of Panjer, Afghanistan, 2007

KS-19s were delivered to countries friendly to the USSR and participated in the Middle East and Vietnam conflicts. Part of the 85-100-mm guns being removed from service were transferred to anti-avalanche services and used as hail-killers.

In 1954, mass production of the 130 mm KS-30 anti-aircraft gun began.
The gun had a reach in height - 20 km, in range - 27 km. Rate of fire - 12 rds / min. Loading is separate-sleeve, the weight of the equipped sleeve (with charge) is 27.9 kg, the weight of the projectile is 33.4 kg. Weight in combat position - 23500 kg. Weight in the stowed position - 29000 kg. Calculation - 10 people.

130 mm anti-aircraft gun KS-30

To facilitate the work of the calculation on this anti-aircraft gun, a number of processes were mechanized: setting the fuse, bringing the tray with the elements of the shot (projectile and loaded cartridge case) to the loading line, sending the elements of the shot, closing the shutter, firing a shot and opening the shutter with the extraction of the spent cartridge case. Guidance of the gun is carried out by hydraulic servo drives, synchronously controlled by POISOT. In addition, semi-automatic guidance on indicator devices can be carried out by manually controlling hydraulic drives.

130-mm anti-aircraft gun KS-30 in the stowed position, next to it is an 85-mm anti-aircraft gun mod. 1939

Production of the KS-30 was completed in 1957, with a total of 738 guns produced.
Anti-aircraft guns KS-30 were very bulky and limited mobility.

They covered important administrative and economic centers. Often, the guns were placed on stationary concrete positions. Before the advent of the S-25 Berkut air defense system, about a third of the total number of these guns was deployed around Moscow.

On the basis of the 130-mm KS-30, in 1955, the 152-mm anti-aircraft gun KM-52 was created, which became the most powerful domestic anti-aircraft artillery system.

152-mm anti-aircraft gun KM-52

To reduce recoil, the KM-52 was equipped with a muzzle brake, the effectiveness of which was 35 percent. Wedge gate of horizontal design, operation of the gate is carried out from the energy of the roll. The anti-aircraft gun was equipped with a hydropneumatic recoil brake and knurler. A wheeled carriage with a carriage is a modified version of the KS-30 anti-aircraft gun.

The weight of the gun is 33.5 tons. Reachability in height - 30 km, in range - 33 km.
Calculation-12 people.

Loading separately-sleeve. The power and supply of each of the elements of the shot was carried out independently by mechanisms located on both sides of the barrel - on the left for shells and on the right for cartridge cases. All drives of the feed and feed mechanisms were powered by electric motors. The store was a horizontal conveyor with an endless chain. The projectile and cartridge case were located in stores perpendicular to the firing plane. After the automatic fuse installer was triggered, the feeding tray of the projectile feed mechanism moved the next projectile to the chambering line, and the cartridge case feed mechanism feed tray moved the next cartridge case to the chambering line behind the shell. The layout of the shot took place on the ramming line. The chambering of the collected shot was carried out by a hydropneumatic rammer, cocked when rolling. The shutter was closed automatically. Rate of fire 16-17 rounds per minute.

The gun successfully passed the test, but was not launched into a large series. In 1957, a batch of 16 KM-52 guns was made. Of these, two batteries were formed, stationed in the Baku region.

During the Second World War, there was a "difficult" level of heights for anti-aircraft guns from 1500 m to 3000. Here, the aircraft turned out to be inaccessible to light anti-aircraft guns, and this height was too low for heavy anti-aircraft artillery guns. In order to solve the problem, it seemed natural to create anti-aircraft guns of some intermediate caliber.

The 57-mm S-60 anti-aircraft gun was developed at the TsAKB under the direction of V.G. Grabin. Serial production of the gun began in 1950.

57-mm S-60 anti-aircraft gun in the Israeli museum at the Hatzerim airbase

Automation S-60 worked due to the recoil energy with a short recoil of the barrel.
The power of the gun is store-bought, there are 4 cartridges in the store.
Rollback brake hydraulic, spindle type. The balancing mechanism is spring, swinging, pulling type.
On the platform of the machine there is a table for a clip with chambers and three seats for calculation. When firing with an eye on the platform, there are five people of the calculation, and when the POISO is running, two or three people.
The course of the wagon is inseparable. Torsion suspension. Wheels from a ZIS-5 truck with spongy tires.

The mass of the gun in the combat position is 4800 kg, the rate of fire is 70 rds / min. starting speed projectile - 1000 m / s. Projectile weight - 2.8 kg. Reach in range - 6000 m, in height - 4000 m. The maximum speed of the air target is 300 m / s. Calculation - 6-8 people.

The ESP-57 follower battery set was intended for azimuth and elevation guidance of a battery of 57-mm S-60 guns, consisting of eight or less guns. When firing, the PUAZO-6-60 and the SON-9 gun-guided radar station were used, and later the RPK-1 Vaza radar instrumentation system. All guns were located at a distance of no more than 50 m from the central distribution box.

ESP-57 drives could carry out the following types of aiming guns:
- automatic remote aiming of battery guns according to POISO data (the main type of aiming);
- semi-automatic aiming of each gun according to the automatic anti-aircraft sight;
- manual aiming of battery guns according to POISO data using zero-indicators of accurate and rough readings (indicator type of aiming).

The S-60 received its baptism of fire during the Korean War in 1950-1953. But the first pancake was lumpy - a massive failure of the guns immediately came to light. Some installation defects were noted: breakages of the extractor legs, clogging of the food store, failures of the balancing mechanism.

In the future, there were also noted non-setting of the shutter on the automatic sear, skew or jamming of the cartridge in the magazine when feeding, the transition of the cartridge beyond the firing line, the simultaneous supply of two cartridges from the magazine to the firing line, clip jamming, extremely short or long rollbacks of the barrel, etc.
The design flaws of the S-60 were corrected, and the gun successfully shot down American aircraft.

S-60 in the Vladivostok Fortress Museum

Subsequently, the 57-mm S-60 anti-aircraft gun was exported to many countries of the world and was repeatedly used in military conflicts. Guns of this type were widely used in the air defense system of North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, showing high efficiency when firing at targets at medium altitudes, as well as by the Arab states (Egypt, Syria, Iraq) in the Arab-Israeli conflicts and the Iran-Iraq war. Morally obsolete by the end of the 20th century, the S-60, in the case of massive use, is still capable of destroying modern fighter-bomber class aircraft, which was demonstrated during the war in Persian Gulf 1991, when Iraqi crews from these guns managed to shoot down several American and British aircraft.
According to the Serbian military, they shot down several Tomahawk missiles from these guns.

S-60 anti-aircraft guns were also produced in China under the name Type 59.

Currently, in Russia, anti-aircraft guns of this type are mothballed at storage bases. Last military unit, which was armed with S-60s, was the 990th anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the 201st motorized rifle division during the Afghan war.

In 1957, on the basis of the T-54 tank, using S-60 assault rifles, mass production of the ZSU-57-2 was started. Two guns were installed in a large tower open from above, and the details of the right automaton were a mirror image of the details of the left automaton.

The vertical and horizontal guidance of the S-68 gun was carried out using an electro-hydraulic drive. The guidance drive was powered by a DC motor and used universal hydraulic speed controllers.

The ZSU ammunition consisted of 300 cannon shots, of which 248 shots were loaded into clips and placed in the turret (176 shots) and in the bow of the hull (72 shots). The rest of the shots in the clips were not equipped and fit into special compartments under the rotating floor. The clips were fed by the loader manually.

Between 1957 and 1960, about 800 ZSU-57-2s were produced.
ZSU-57-2 were sent to armament of anti-aircraft artillery batteries of two-platoon tank regiments, 2 installations per platoon.

The combat effectiveness of the ZSU-57-2 depended on the qualifications of the crew, the training of the platoon commander, and was due to the lack of a radar in the guidance system. Effective fire to kill could only be fired from a stop; firing "on the move" at air targets was not provided.

ZSU-57-2 were used in Vietnam War, in the conflicts between Israel and Syria and Egypt in 1967 and 1973, as well as in the Iran-Iraq war.

Bosnian ZSU-57-2 with a makeshift armored tube on top, which suggests its use as a self-propelled gun

Very often, during local conflicts, the ZSU-57-2 was used to provide fire support to ground units.

In 1960, the 23-mm ZU-23-2 mount was adopted to replace the 25-mm anti-aircraft guns with clip-loading. It used shells previously used in the Volkov-Yartsev (VYa) aircraft gun. Armor-piercing incendiary projectile weighing 200 grams, at a distance of 400 m normally penetrates 25-mm armor.

ZU-23-2 at the Artillery Museum, St. Petersburg

The ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun consists of the following main parts: two 23-mm 2A14 assault rifles, their machine, a platform with a move, lifting, turning and balancing mechanisms and an anti-aircraft automatic sight ZAP-23.
Power supply of automatic machines is tape. The belts are metal, each of them is equipped with 50 cartridges and is packed in a quick-change cartridge box.

The device of the machines is almost the same, only the details of the feed mechanism differ. The right machine has the right power supply, the left one has the left power supply. Both machines are fixed in the same cradle, which, in turn, is located on the upper carriage machine. On the basis of the upper carriage machine there are two seats, as well as a handle for the rotary mechanism. In the vertical and horizontal planes, the guns are guided manually. The rotary handle (with brake) of the lifting mechanism is located on the right side of the gunner's seat.

The ZU-23-2 uses very successful and compact manual vertical and horizontal aiming drives with a spring-type balancing mechanism. Brilliantly designed units allow you to transfer the trunks to the opposite side in just 3 seconds. The ZU-23-2 is equipped with a ZAP-23 anti-aircraft sight, as well as a T-3 optical sight (with a 3.5x magnification and a 4.5° field of view), designed for firing at ground targets.

The installation has two triggers: foot (with a pedal opposite the gunner's seat) and manual (with a lever on the right side of the gunner's seat). Automatic fire is carried out simultaneously from both barrels. On the left side of the trigger pedal is the brake pedal of the rotating unit of the installation.
Rate of fire - 2000 rounds per minute. Installation weight - 950 kg. Firing range: 1.5 km in height, 2.5 km in range.

A two-wheeled chassis with springs is mounted on road wheels. In the combat position, the wheels rise and deviate to the side, and the gun is installed on the ground on three base plates. A trained crew is able to transfer the memory from traveling to combat in just 15-20 seconds, and back in 35-40 seconds. If necessary, the ZU-23-2 can fire from the wheels and even on the move - right when transporting the ZU-23-2 behind the car, which is extremely important for a fleeting combat clash.

The unit has excellent mobility. ZU-23-2 can be towed behind any army vehicle, since its weight in the stowed position, together with cases and equipped cartridge boxes, is less than 1 ton. The maximum speed is allowed up to 70 km / h, and off-road - up to 20 km / h .

There is no standard anti-aircraft fire control device (POISO) that provides data for firing at air targets (lead, azimuth, etc.). This limits the possibilities of anti-aircraft fire, but makes the gun as cheap as possible and accessible to soldiers with a low level of training.

The effectiveness of firing at air targets has been increased in the ZU-23M1 - ZU-23 modification with the Sagittarius set placed on it, which ensures the use of two domestic Igla-type MANPADS.

The ZU-23-2 installation has gained rich combat experience, it has been used in many conflicts, both against air and ground targets.

During the Afghan war, the ZU-23-2 was widely used Soviet troops as a means of fire cover when escorting convoys, in the version of installation on trucks: GAZ-66, ZIL-131, Ural-4320 or KamAZ. The mobility of an anti-aircraft gun mounted on a truck, coupled with the ability to fire at high elevation angles, proved to be an effective means of repelling attacks on convoys in the highlands of Afghanistan.

In addition to trucks, the 23-mm installation was installed on a variety of chassis, both tracked and wheeled.

This practice was developed during the "Counter-Terrorist Operation", ZU-23-2 was actively used to destroy ground targets. The ability to conduct intense fire proved to be very useful in the conduct of hostilities in the city.

The airborne troops use the ZU-23-2 in the version of the Skrezhet gun mount based on the tracked BTR-D.

The production of this anti-aircraft installation was carried out by the USSR, and then by a number of countries, including Egypt, China, the Czech Republic / Slovakia, Bulgaria and Finland. The production of 23 mm ZU-23 ammunition at various times was carried out by Egypt, Iran, Israel, France, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and South Africa.

In our country, the development of anti-aircraft artillery went along the path of creating self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery systems with radar detection and guidance (Shilka) and anti-aircraft gun-missile systems (Tunguska and Pantsir).

According to materials:
Shirokorad A. B. Encyclopedia of domestic artillery.
http://www.telenir.net/transport_i_aviacija/tehnika_i_vooruzhenie_1998_07/p6.php

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Post-war life The transition to civilian life was easy for me. But it didn't get any easier, that's for sure. After all, what is a company commander after the war? Consider the most hectic position - there are continuous studies, exercises, and even two parades a year. Then I once asked my wife: “When will you

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17. Post-war policy Victory in the Great Patriotic War was achieved at a high price for our country. Human losses amounted to about 27 million people, in addition to this, the USSR lost almost a third of its national wealth. On Soviet soil, completely or

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Modern wheeled armored vehicles (See "Ti V" No. 11-12 / 99) Saladin armored car (Great Britain) Saracen armored personnel carrier (Great Britain) BRM EE-9 Cascavel (Brazil) RAM V-1 armored car (Israel) Armored car Fiat 6616 (Italy) BTR "Walid" (Egypt) BRM PSZH-IV (Hungary) BTR "Fahd" with

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Modern wheeled armored vehicles Mikhail NIKOLSKY Continued. Start see "Ti V" 11-12 / 99 GERMANY - NETHERLANDSWEGMANN / DAF MRS "FENNEK" BRM "Feniek" Light armored car MPS (Multipurpuse Carrier - multi-purpose vehicle) was developed jointly by German and Dutch firms in

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Modern wheeled armored vehicles Mikhail NIKOLSKY Continued. Start see "Ti V" 11-12 / 99, No. 2 / 2000 SALOKHEED "THWISTER" BA X-806 Armored vehicles of the famous aerospace company Lockheed have never been put into service anywhere, other military

During the war, the BS-3 was produced in small quantities and could not play a big role. At the final stage of the war, 98 BS-3s were given as a means of reinforcing five tank armies. The gun was in service with the light artillery brigades of the 3rd regiment.

As of January 1, 1945, the RGK artillery had 87 BS-3 guns. At the beginning of 1945, in the 9th Guards Army, as part of three rifle corps, one cannon artillery regiment of 20 BS-3s was formed.

Basically, due to the long firing range - 20650 m and a fairly effective high-explosive fragmentation grenade weighing 15.6 kg, the gun was used as a hull gun to fight enemy artillery and suppress distant targets.

The BS-3 had a number of shortcomings that made it difficult to use it as an anti-tank weapon. When firing, the gun jumped heavily, which made the gunner's work unsafe and knocked down aiming mounts, which, in turn, led to a decrease in the practical rate of aimed fire - a very important quality for a field anti-tank gun.

The presence of a powerful muzzle brake with a low line of fire and flat trajectories characteristic of firing at armored targets led to the formation of a significant smoke and dust cloud, which unmasked the position and blinded the calculation. The mobility of a gun with a mass of more than 3500 kg left much to be desired, transportation by crew forces on the battlefield was almost impossible.

After the war, the gun was in production until 1951 inclusive, a total of 3816 BS-3 field guns were produced. In the 60s, the guns underwent modernization, this concerned primarily sights and ammunition. Until the early 60s, the BS-3 could penetrate the armor of any Western tank. But with the advent of: M-48A2, Chieftain, M-60 - the situation has changed. New sub-caliber and cumulative projectiles were urgently developed. The next modernization took place in the mid-80s, when the 9M117 Bastion anti-tank guided projectile entered the BS-3 ammunition load.

This weapon was also supplied to other countries, took part in many local conflicts in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, in some of them it is still in service. In Russia, until recently, the BS-3 guns were used as coastal defense weapons in service with the 18th machine gun and artillery division stationed on the Kuril Islands, and a fairly significant number of them are also in storage.

Until the late 60s and early 70s of the last century, anti-tank guns were the main means of fighting tanks. However, with the advent of ATGMs with a semi-automatic guidance system, which only requires keeping the target in the field of view of the sight, the situation has changed in many ways. Military leadership many countries considered metal-intensive, bulky and expensive anti-tank guns an anachronism. But not in the USSR. In our country, the development and production of anti-tank guns continued in significant numbers. And at a qualitatively new level.