125 mm anti-tank gun Octopus. Self-propelled anti-tank gun "Sprut-SD. You might be interested

In the Pskov region, at the Strugi Krasnye training ground, during a meeting of the leadership of the artillery of the Airborne Forces, the capabilities of the latest self-propelled anti-tank gun (SPTP) "Sprut-SDM-1".

Showing the capabilities of a promising combat complex was carried out with the participation of special and intelligence units artillery of the Pskov Airborne Division, which provided target designation and adjusted the fire of anti-tank weapons using Orlan-type UAVs, Aistenok* and Sobolyatnik** radar systems.

Self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S25M "Sprut-SDM-1" It is planned to replace the previous SPTP modification 2S25, which has been in service with the Airborne Forces for more than 10 years."Sprut-SDM1" was first demonstrated at the International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2015". The self-propelled gun is a development of the previous model 2S25 and after testing should enter service with the Airborne Forces. According to military experts, this self-propelled gun is the best in the world and significantly surpasses all existing ones. foreign analogues similar class.

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The main armament is a 125-mm 2A75M cannon, capable of firing armor-piercing sub-caliber, cumulative, high-explosive fragmentation shells and ammunition with remote detonation along the trajectory. In general, in terms of firepower, the Sprut-SDM1 corresponds to the level of the main Russian T-90MS tank and is capable of using anti-tank guided weapons at a range of up to 5,000 m. In total, the 2S25M ammunition load contains 40 rounds, including 22 in a mechanized ammunition rack.

In addition to the PKTM machine gun coaxial with the cannon, the modernized vehicle has another such machine gun in a remote-controlled installation on the turret. Thus, the vehicle commander was able to hit identified targets at a time when the main armament was already being used by the gunner-operator. The total ammunition load of machine guns is 2 thousand rounds.

The 2S25M fire control system also has a tank level. It includes the best in the world gunner-operator's sight "Sosna-U" with television and thermal imaging channels, as well as a panoramic sight of the PKP commander with similar channels. Both sights have the ability to automatically track a target. In case of damage to the main sights, an optical-electronic backup sight is used with a sighting line stabilized in the vertical plane and self-powered.

One of main differences of the new car- this is a complex of guided weapons (CUV) with the latest rocket, capable of destroying a tank with dynamic protection at a distance of up to 6 km.

The newest product is fully integrated with a digital fire control system (FCS), which not only increases the shooting accuracy of the Sprut-SDM1, but also makes it possible to fire at low-flying and low-speed targets, such as enemy helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The new self-propelled gun received a modernized missile fired through the cannon barrel and created on the basis of the Invar-M shot. The shaped charge is located in the nose of the rocket and ensures the penetration of dynamic protection, including those made in the built-in version. Basic shaped charge hits the target directly. To defeat fortified engineering structures a version of the missile with a high-explosive thermobaric warhead has been developed.

During the modernization of the 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun for the Sprut-SDM1, a more advanced digital control system was installed with a combined gunner's sight with a night vision thermal imaging channel and an automatic target tracking system. In addition, the commander of "Sprut-SDM1" it became possible to fire from an additional machine gun mount, including the upper floors of buildings, dominant heights in mountainous areas and helicopters.

The modernized Sprut-SDM1 is unified in its components and assemblies with the recently adopted BMD-4M airborne combat vehicle. From this we can conclude that, like the newest BMD-4M, the Sprut-SDM1 has seriously increased engine power, which significantly increases mobility self-propelled gun both afloat and when moving over rough terrain.

With the use of modernized Invar-M rounds as part of the Sprut-SDM1 armament, the Sprut-SDM1 receives fundamentally new combat capabilities: the missile's firing range is 2.5 times greater than the return fire range of any modern tanks, since the projectile flies at 2000 m, and the anti-tank guided missile at 5,000 m. This allows you to win the battle before entering the effective fire zone of enemy tanks.

The combat vehicle has a chassis information and control system, which greatly facilitates operation and identification of emerging malfunctions. The latest communications complex has frequency modulation and technical masking. In terms of components and parts of the chassis, as well as in the engine and transmission compartment, the Sprut-SDM1 is unified with the BMD-4M airborne combat vehicle.

* Portable counter-battery radar "Aistenok" capable of providing reconnaissance of enemy firing points, calculating the trajectories of shells or missiles and adjusting fire. The complex also allows you to control the airspace and monitor UAVs.

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At short distances, the Stork is capable of tracking mortar rounds with a caliber of 81 to 120 mm during the flight of a mine, determining the flight path and calculating the point of the shot and the fall of the projectile. Maximum range mortar detection is limited to 5 thousand meters. At such distances, the Stork is able to very accurately determine the upward and downward flight paths of the mine and calculate the coordinates of the enemy mortar.

The minimum distance to detect enemy mortars is 750 meters. In this case, the accuracy of target detection is several tens of meters and depends on the type of target. Calculating the coordinates from where the shot was fired allows you to accurately launch counterattacks on enemy mortars and adjust your own fire.

The weight of the Aistyonok reconnaissance complex, developed by Almaz-Antey Concern OJSC, is 135 kg. This is small for systems of this type and allows reconnaissance units to move it effortlessly either on a combat vehicle or manually with the help of three people. The modular system kit includes seven elements:

Rotating support with tripod,

transceiver with antenna,

Power unit,

Primary information processing block,

Electrical unit,

Radio station and control panel.

It takes only five minutes to fully assemble the Stork modules and prepare it for work.The control panel, made in the form of a laptop, displays color information about the operation of the device. Data on detected targets is transmitted through an installed centimeter-wave radio station. " Stork » n It has its own rotating mechanism, but this disadvantage is compensated by a 60-degree observation sector along the azimuth of the beam width. Determining the enemy's calculations is carried out by detecting the location of the shot and calculating the trajectory of the projectile. The target detection range ranges from 2 hundred meters to 20,000.

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** , artillery, jet systems volley fire and starting positions tactical missiles enemy by shot. In addition, to control the firing accuracy of drums.Until recently, the most modern ground-based electronic reconnaissance systems in the Russian army were the PSNR-8 and PSNR-8M devices, which are preparing to give way to the newest electronic reconnaissance device, the 1-L277 product. Its second name is “Sobolyatnik”. Heused when correcting the direction of fire from a mortar, and also for finding drones flying at low distances from the ground. A distinctive feature of the “1-L277” product is the use of a phased array antenna, a broadband pulse chirp signal for detecting moving targets and shell explosions (mines), as well as for detecting stationary objects.

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Military designers added an automated primary data processing unit to the PSNR-8M station, freeing the reconnaissance station operator from the process of detecting military targets and enemy personnel. At the same time, the range of the electronic reconnaissance device has increased significantly - its “far-sightedness” has increased to 30 km.

"PSNR-8M" has only 500 hours of continuous operation, "1-L277" can work without breakdowns from 1500 to 2000 hours. That is, the reliability of the new intelligence officer has increased 4 times.The PSNR-8 and PSNR-8M stations had 3 major drawbacks: the power of their pulsed radiation was 1 kV, in other words, it was not so difficult for the enemy to “detect” them. The second drawback was the so-called mechanical scanning of the area, i.e. The antenna rotated around its axis during operation. The engine that drove it quickly failed and had to be replaced. Therefore, the military issued a technical assignment, which stated that these work methods needed to be improved. The military was also not satisfied with the weight of the reconnaissance station. It weighed 62 kg, so its crew consisted of 3 people.

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“Sobolyatnik” carries out electronic scanning, due to which the antenna no longer needs to be rotated around its axis and its motor no longer needs to be changed from time to time. The weight of the station has decreased to 36 kg, and now its crew consists of only 2 people. But the most important thing is that the station has practically become “invisible”, since its pulsed radiation is now less than that of a mobile phone.

The resolution of the new reconnaissance station has increased fivefold - from 50 to 10 meters. This made it possible to increase the information content, and the operator was able to read targets in the column, i.e. distinguish between individual goals. “PSNR-8M” displayed a long strip on the screen, and “Sobolyatnik” - individual items. Besides, the new product received algorithms for automated target recognition based on criteria: man - machine. By improving the new electronic reconnaissance device, we can detect moving targets against the backdrop of powerful reflections from the ground.Thus, the operator now has the opportunity to see the movement of equipment and people on his monitor screen. The safety of the operator himself has also been increased due to the length of the cable connecting the monitor to the antenna, up to 30 meters. That is, in the event of an enemy attempt to destroy the station, the operator has a greater chance of remaining unharmed.

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The new product is able to detect enemy personnel at a distance of 6 km. Sobolyatnik uses a more complex signal with an intra-pulse linear modulation frequency, which made it possible to reduce the peak radiation power to 8 Watts. This dramatically increased the secrecy of the work of this electronic reconnaissance device.Some types of weapons are easily interfaced with this station, especially machine guns, such as " PECHENEG" and "KORD " This allows it to be present during military operations and at the same time not be noticeable, unless, of course, there is optical observation.

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In the 80s, NATO countries began to intensively build up their weapons. This became the impetus for the Central Research Institute to create a new development concept military equipment for the USSR. In order to create an effective weapon capable of resisting NATO tanks, in the 90s specifically for Russian Airborne Forces joint stock company The Volgograd Tractor Plant developed the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun.

About the authors of the development

The Sprut-SD 2S25 is a Russian airborne self-propelled anti-tank gun. The chief designer involved in the manufacture of the chassis was A.V. Shabalin. The 125-mm 2A75 gun for the Sprut-SD 2S25 was developed by V.I. Nasedkin. Work on the creation of this Russian anti-tank weapon was carried out at the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering.

Start of creation

In 1982, a prototype of the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled gun, designed for 125 mm caliber, was created on the basis. This confirmed that, using the components and assemblies of the landing vehicle, it is quite possible to create a new, very effective weapon. The management of the Central Research Institute of Tochmash decided that to design a lighter chassis it was possible to use light tank“Object 934”, which was equipped with a lightweight 100-mm rifled gun with automatic loading, designed for 19 shots.

One of these tanks became the basis for creating a prototype of a 125 mm gun. The modernized Sprut-SD tank was now equipped with a 125 mm smoothbore cannon. The classic tower design was used in the process. In addition, the designers also considered options with remote weapons.

Testing

In 1984, the Sprut-SD 2S25 was transported to the Kubinka training ground for experimental shooting. The results of testing the new self-propelled gun showed that in terms of accuracy of fire it is not inferior to tank guns, and the load acting on the crew and the gun itself does not exceed permissible limits. On October 20, 1985, the military-industrial commission decided to begin production of a 125-mm cannon for the Sprut-SD 2S25.

What difficulties did the developers encounter when creating landing gear?

P260 means providing landing self-propelled gun, during testing showed a number of shortcomings:

• they were expensive to produce;
• using P260 tools proved difficult.

As a result, work on parachute-jet systems was stopped, and the place of the P260 was taken by a strapdown landing system, which received the designation P260 M.

What is “Sprut-SD” 2S25? Description of design

It is an armored combat tracked amphibious vehicle that uses a powerful artillery and missile system as weapons.

The self-propelled gun consists of three parts - hulls:

• In the front there is a point that provides control of the Sprut-SD 2S25 machine. The photo below shows the structural features of the self-propelled gun. This building is designed for three people: a self-propelled gun commander, a gunner and a driver. The roof of the combat vehicle for the crew has built-in observation devices with day and night vision.

• The installation tower is located in the middle building. This block is combat. The sight, intended for the senior crew member, is a combined design: its scope of activity extends to two planes due to its combination with a laser sight. Guidance of the 125 mm projectile is ensured using a laser beam.
• The rear is considered to be the location of the engine and transmission compartment.

Setting up a workplace for the commander

At the main crew's workplace, the designers of the artillery installation provide for the presence of the following devices:

• daytime monocular periscope sight 1A40-M1, which has a stabilizing field of view;
• night optical-electronic complex TO1-KO1R;
• a laser rangefinder, with the help of which the commander measures the distance to the target and develops a lead angle while firing at a moving target;
• information channel, with the help of which the guidance and launch of a guided missile is carried out;
• a backup ballistic and sighting device used by the gunner;
• a special remote control that provides autonomous control of the automation during loading;
• drives providing operational communication between the commander and gunner.

What tasks does the crew commander perform?

The leader of the group monitors the area using night and day vision sights. The commander of this self-propelled artillery installation, regardless of the gunner, can carry out targeted shooting from both a machine gun and a cannon. This opportunity is provided by a computerized fire control system: if the initial data is available, the tank ballistic computer uses drives to automatically enter angles and leads. Due to this function, the commander is not required to perform retargeting using rangefinder and aiming marks. The commander is free to fire.

How is the created weapon classified?

Anti-tank - this class of guns was classified as fighting machine“Sprut-SD” 2S25. The purpose and range of tasks it performed were limited to fighting enemy tanks. Previously this task carried out such tanks as the PT-76B and Object 934. They were replaced with the advent of the 2S25 Sprut-SD. The fire support combat vehicle, unlike other light tanks, has higher firepower. The maneuverability and maneuverability of the new self-propelled gun corresponds to the indicators characteristic of light tank combat guns. “Sprut-SD” is a modern and more advanced version of the PT-76B.

Under what conditions is it used?

“Sprut-SD” is able to cover distances of at least 500 kilometers without refueling. Transportation of self-propelled guns is carried out by military transport aircraft. Landing ships can also be used for this purpose. For landing the installation, its developers provide landing and parachute methods. The crew of the combat vehicle is located in its cockpit. Having a high power density, the Sprut-SD is suitable for combat operations both in high mountains and in hot tropical climates.

The self-propelled gun is capable of resisting the enemy’s highly armored vehicles, fortified strongholds and manpower. Overcoming water obstacles is possible provided that the excitement does not exceed 3 points. The artillery mount can operate on water due to the equipment on the chassis. The buoyancy of the mount is ensured using water cannons with a diameter of impellers of 34 cm and support rollers. The design of the self-propelled guns includes closed air chambers. When water enters the housing, pumping is carried out using powerful water pumps. While afloat, the Sprut-SD can fire.

After completing its combat mission, the self-propelled gun is adapted to carry out independent loading from the water surface into a landing ship.

Snowmobile tracks and asphalt boots are used especially for working in snowy areas. “Sprut-SD” is suitable for areas that have received radiation, chemical and biological contamination. The safety of the crew is ensured by protection from weapons of mass destruction.

Camouflage combat artillery vehicle maybe with the help of a smoke screen. For this purpose, the designers mounted brackets (2 pieces) on the rear plate of the self-propelled gun turret, in which six 902B grenade launchers using 81 mm caliber smoke grenades are located.

For what purposes was the combat vehicle created?

Initially, the self-propelled gun was designed to withstand tanks, various armored vehicles and manpower. 2S25 “Sprut-SD” - a fire support combat vehicle - was intended only for the Airborne Forces. The task of the airborne self-propelled artillery unit was to fight armored vehicles behind enemy lines. Over time, it became part of the Marine Corps and Special Forces. Experience using the 2S25 has shown that, interacting with the BMD-4 combat vehicle equipped with a 100-mm gun and the Kornet self-propelled ATGM, the Sprut-SD can be very effective not only behind enemy lines, but also in a direct combat engagement, which carried out by the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces.

Between 2001 and 2006, after additional tests were carried out, the troops Russian Federation received the Sprut-SD 2S25 combat vehicle.

Main characteristics

The weight of the combat vehicle is 18 tons. The crew consists of three people. The power reserve is 500 km. Chassis consists of seven rubberized track rollers, six single rubberized rollers, a drive and idler wheel, steel double-ridge tracks that use rubber-metal hinges, and asphalt shoes. The length of the self-propelled gun with a cannon is 9.77 meters.

The combat vehicle is equipped with a six-cylinder four-stroke boxer diesel engine with supercharging and direct fuel injection, which is liquid cooled. 2V-06-2S is the brand of engine installed in the Sprut-SD 2S25. Specifications engines allow the self-propelled gun to reach speeds from 45 (average) to 70 km/h.

The self-propelled gun is equipped with bulletproof armor. The frontal part is capable of withstanding direct hits from 23-mm shells from a distance of half a kilometer. In the process of manufacturing armor for the combat vehicle, aluminum alloys were used (for the hull of the self-propelled gun and its turret). The frontal part was constructed using steel plates. For combat vehicles, radio stations R-173 and intercoms R-174 are provided.

Airborne landing of a combat vehicle is carried out from IL-76 (models M and MD), AN-124 aircraft. The use of an external sling for the MI-26 helicopter also makes it possible to successfully land the Sprut-SD 2S25 self-propelled gun.

The armament of the Russian Army has been enriched with self-propelled guns equipped with one 2A75 smoothbore cannon and a coaxial PKT machine gun. The combat kit of the 2A75 main gun is designed for 40 rounds. The mechanized stowage contains 22 ammunition. Additional - 18. Machine gun caliber: 7.62 mm. One contains 2000 rounds.

What projectiles are used?

The combat vehicle's ammunition contains shells that can fire four types of shots:

• High-explosive fragmentation (20 shells).
• Armor-piercing (14 pieces). When firing armor-piercing sub-caliber shells from a two-kilometer distance, it is possible to penetrate homogeneous armored steel, the thickness of which does not exceed 23 cm.
• HEAT shells (6 pieces). They penetrate homogeneous steel armor up to 30 cm thick.
• Equipped Penetrates armor whose thickness exceeds 35 cm.

Basic equipment of the installation

Using the 2A46 tank gun and its modifications, the 2S25 designers created an improved 125-mm smoothbore gun 2A75. In order to reduce the force of resistance to recoil when firing, it was planned to have a special muzzle brake in the installation. But as a result of this work, problems arose with the recoil of the gun, which were solved by increasing the recoil length to 74 cm. Additionally, a hydropneumatic chassis suspension was developed, the mechanism of which absorbed the remnants of the recoil impulse.

The 2A75 gun is equipped with automatic loading, which has a positive effect on the gun’s rate of fire: 7 shots can be fired in one minute. This automation consists of:

• conveyor mechanism equipped with 22 cassettes;
• a chain mechanism that lifts the cassettes;
• chain rammer;
• a mechanism that removes spent cartridges from the warhead of the installation.

Conclusion

The firepower of the Sprut-SD combat vehicle is not inferior to such tanks as the T-80 and T-90. High mobility both on land and on water allowed the 2S25 self-propelled guns to reach the level of the BMD-3 combat vehicle. Due to the design features - the ability of the turret in the self-propelled gun to perform circular rotations and stabilize the weapon in two planes - the Sprut-SD can be effectively used as a light amphibious tank, to which no analogue has been created today.

The self-propelled artillery mount developed by Russian designers aroused interest among representatives of the armed forces of Korea and India.

The dream of every Airborne Forces commander is to have in the arsenal of troops weapons capable of supporting the landing force with fire directly at the landing site, repelling an enemy attack and developing the offensive themselves. For a long time The main means of fire support for the paratroopers was the BMD-1 (since 1969), and previously the paratroopers were mainly armed only with small arms and grenade launchers.

Faithful and reliable “Nona”

The beginning of serial production in 1981 of the 120-mm divisional-regimental airborne self-propelled artillery and mortar mount 2S9 “Nona-S” can be called a breakthrough. With its advent into service, the Airborne Forces significantly expanded their combat capabilities: the new gun could fire both direct fire and along an overhead trajectory.

“Nona” proved itself to be excellent during combat operations in Afghanistan, where it was actively used as a means of fire support for airborne assault and airborne units. And if, say, the airborne troops during the Afghan campaign switched from infantry fighting vehicles to infantry fighting vehicles, which had greater technical resources, then the Nona remained in combat service. This self-propelled gun was used in combat operations on the territory of Chechnya, Dagestan, as well as during the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (without combat use), in which the Russian separate airborne brigade was involved.

Despite the identified shortcomings in the form of rapid wear of the chassis and limited horizontal guidance angles, these guns have proven themselves well and confirmed the promise of using 120-mm rifled universal systems.

Over time, the Airborne Forces required a more powerful artillery gun, capable, in particular, of destroying enemy tanks on the battlefield. And here, of course, caliber mattered. To solve new problems, the 125-mm gun 2S25 self-propelled gun "Sprut-SD" (SD - self-propelled airborne) was suitable. This self-propelled gun was a real force on the battlefield. The fact that standard tank shells already in service with our army could be used for firing also played a role. With a lethal force capable of destroying both enemy tanks and their defensive structures, the Sprut had relatively small dimensions and weighed only 18 tons (for comparison: a tank weighs from 40 to 70 tons), which made it possible to carry out its parachute landing.

It didn't work right away

But Sprut-SD had a difficult fate. This armored artillery system has been developed since the mid-80s of the last century, but for a number of reasons it was put into service only in 2006. Serial production was carried out from 2005 to 2010, after which it was decided to suspend assembly until a project for a modernized self-propelled gun appeared.

“The problem of any military equipment intended for delivery to a given area by parachute is precisely the limitation of its weight,” Colonel General Georgy Shpak, commander of the Russian Airborne Forces in 1996-2003, told a correspondent of the weekly Zvezda. - Relatively speaking, you can’t drop a tank with a parachute, just like self-propelled ones artillery installations 122 mm and 152 mm, which are in service with the Ground Forces. No multi-dome or parachute-jet system will survive here. In this case, a sufficiently powerful wheelbase is required to allow firing from a self-propelled gun. When the Nona was tested, the chassis was used from armored personnel carrier BTR-D with an increased number of rollers, while firing was carried out with reduced ground clearance, when the armored bottom was practically in contact with the ground and absorbed the recoil of the shot. Actually, this design turned out to be the most successful when creating artillery systems intended for airborne troops.”

"Reanimate" self-propelled gun“Octopus” was decided by the current commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General Andrei Serdyukov. It cannot be said that the modernization of this installation was left in the dark. No, the designers were engaged in modifications, both in terms of the chassis and weapons, so the military’s request did not take the defense industry by surprise. Therefore it is expected that Airborne troops will receive an updated self-propelled gun in 2018. The self-propelled gun received the designation 2S25M “Sprut-SDM1”.

High mobility plus firepower

The main requirement for the new self-propelled guns was to improve combat performance through the use of new equipment. First of all, sighting devices and fire control equipment. It's done. What is also important: the self-propelled chassis is unified with other armored vehicles of the airborne troops. The base for it was the BMD-4M airborne combat vehicle with seven small-diameter road wheels, with individual torsion bar suspension and hydraulic shock absorbers on each side. The ability to change the ground clearance is also retained, which is necessary both for firing and landing a self-propelled gun.

One of the main advantages of the Octopus, which is why it received the name “tank destroyer,” is its firepower. It is the same as that of the T-72 and T-90 tanks. In fact, the 125 mm is the main caliber gun for the Airborne Forces, at least one that is capable of parachute landing

New self-propelled gun capable of using various types of ammunition - high-explosive fragmentation, armor-piercing sub-caliber and tandem cumulative. Shells penetrate up to 770 mm of armor, even under dynamic protection. Plus, the ammunition load includes guided anti-tank missiles.

Sprut-SDM1 also received a new diesel engine UTD-29 with a power of 500 hp. (the predecessor had 450 “horses”). This will affect the mobility of the combat vehicle and increase its service life. The speed of the self-propelled gun will be 70 km/h on highways and unpaved surfaces; when afloat, the vehicle will be able to move at a speed of 7 km/h, which will allow it to cross fairly large water obstacles. The combat compartment of the self-propelled gun has also undergone modernization, where a new fire control system has been installed, including combined sights with television and thermal imaging channels, which allow firing at any time of the day and in any conditions. weather conditions. For shooting efficiency, an automatic target tracking machine is also provided, which significantly increases the overall combat characteristics self-propelled guns

The new radio-electronic equipment includes communication means integrated into unified system tactical level management. The crew will be constantly informed not only about the location of neighboring vehicles, but also “see” for what purposes they are working. If necessary, self-propelled guns will be able to transfer fire to new targets that they have not yet managed to detect, but have already been detected by neighbors or with command post. Firing in this case can be carried out both with standard ammunition and with guided missiles of several types, which are launched from the barrel of the main gun.

The only thing that has not changed is the caliber of the self-propelled gun - it will still be 125 mm. It is installed on a stabilized system and can be aimed in a horizontal plane. In this case, the elevation angles vary from minus 5 to plus 15 degrees - of course, you won’t be able to shoot at “sparrows” (high-flying targets), but the hills will be in the affected area. The gun is equipped with an automatic loader, which independently supplies the chamber with separately loaded ammunition of the required type. With relatively small dimensions, the Sprut-SDM1 can accommodate 40 shells various types, which are on board at the time of landing and are ready for use as soon as the crew takes their seats.

Enhanced with self-propelled guns and machine gun weapons. Another machine gun has been added to the 7.62 mm PKT gun coaxial. It is mounted on a remotely controlled combat module - it can be fired without leaning out of the hatch. The module will be installed in the aft part and its purpose is to provide security from the rear, which is very important when conducting combat deep in enemy defenses.

Another advantage of the updated self-propelled gun is such a “trifle” as the ability to transport paratroopers on armor, which can be relevant during a short march to combat positions.

IN Airborne Forces already managed to evaluate the combat qualities of the Sprut-SDM1 at demonstration shooting in training center near Pskov and are now waiting for the supply of self-propelled guns to the troops. They are expected to begin in the near future.

The history of the Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun is quite complex, so we will limit ourselves to mentioning only its main stages. In the 1970s Research and development work was carried out to create a new generation self-propelled anti-tank gun (SPTG). Interest in self-propelled armored vehicle The airborne troops, in particular, displayed a powerful anti-tank gun.

Analysis of foreign development trends armored vehicles, conducted at the 3rd Central Research Institute of the USSR Ministry of Defense, showed that the effectiveness of the anti-tank weapons available in the Airborne Forces is no longer sufficient to combat enemy tanks, which he will inevitably use to combat airborne assaults. While the Ground Forces can use main battle tanks to combat enemy armored vehicles, this is impossible in parachute landings. Possibilities military transport aviation and landing equipment allow the use of vehicles with a maximum weight of about 18 tons as part of a parachute landing.

By that time, R&D work had already been completed to create a light tank (code “Judge”), armed with a 100-mm rifled gun and adapted for airborne landings; work was underway at VgTZ on light tank on the topic "Yacht". But the project of a light amphibious tank, as is known, was stopped at the same time when R&D for the Bakhcha BMD was set.

Meanwhile, research conducted by TsNIITOCHMASH specialists showed the fundamental possibility of moving from a 100 mm anti-tank gun caliber (based on the ballistics and ammunition of the serial T-12 smoothbore gun) to a 125 mm caliber. Experiments with a prototype on the BMP-2 chassis confirmed that a gun with the ballistics of the 125-mm D-81 smoothbore tank gun can be installed on a light carrier, subject to certain modifications to the artillery unit.

Since 1982, TsNIITOCHMASH has conducted research into the possibility of creating an airborne self-propelled anti-tank gun, maximally unified in terms of artillery with an easel gun. Based on these results, the protocol of the Commission of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated July 29, 1983 ordered preliminary studies to determine the possibility of creating a 125-mm SPTP for the Airborne Forces on standardized chassis components of a promising airborne combat vehicle.

Initially, it was assumed that the SPTP would not only solve the tasks of combating enemy tanks and armored vehicles, but also fire at its manpower and firepower, support airborne units with direct fire during an attack on a captured target, and act directly in the combat formations of airborne combat vehicles during attack and when repelling an enemy attack on the march. This required the SPTP to have the qualities of a light tank and appropriate ammunition, but the term “light tank” was no longer used. The work was carried out under the auspices of the GRAU, which, unlike the GBTU, could not deal with “tanks”. Of course, specialists from VgTZ and OKB-9 of Uralmashzavod (plant No. 9, Sverdlovsk, now Yekaterinburg), the manufacturer of the 125-mm tank gun, also participated in the research.

The experience of creating a light tank nevertheless provided the basis for starting work on the SPTP. Through GBTU and GRAU it was transferred to TsNIITOCHMASH prototype tank "Object 934" ("Judge"). On this chassis in 1983-1984. and produced an experimental model of an airborne 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun. From installing a gun in a fixed wheelhouse (as in previous Soviet anti-tank self-propelled guns, including the airborne ASU-57 and SU-85) were abandoned, as well as the remote installation of weapons.

The new SPTP was developed with the installation of a gun in a manned rotating armored turret. In the turret version, the gun was initially equipped with a muzzle brake and a two-plane stabilizer. However, the muzzle brake had to be eliminated - not so much because of shells with a detachable tray and deployable tail (this problem was solved by the corresponding profile of the muzzle brake), but because of the presence of an ATGM round in the ammunition: the release of hot powder gases from the side windows of the brake could lead to loss of missile control.

The muzzle brake also created a muzzle wave directed to the sides and back, but the gun was supposed to operate in combat formations of paratroopers, possibly with troops on the armor. In addition, during this research work, the composition of the instrument complex and the circuits of stabilized guidance drives in the fire control system were substantiated.

Experimental firing carried out in 1984 at the training ground of the 38th Research Institute in Kubinka showed that the maximum overloads acting on the crew (crew members) during the shot, angular movements of the hull and excess pressure in the area of ​​the trunnions did not exceed acceptable standards, there was no residual waste or penetration of the suspension, while the accuracy of fire was at the level of standard tank systems.

By decision of the Military-Industrial Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on June 20, 1985, the design and development work was set to create a 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun, which was assigned the code “Sprut-SD”. VgTZ was appointed as the lead contractor; TsNIITOCHMASH (Klimovsk, Moscow region) and VNIITRANSMASH (Leningrad) were entrusted with scientific and technical coordination of work and participation in the technical and economic assessment. New car received the index “Object 952”.

OKB-9 of Uralmashzavod, Central Design Bureau of the Krasnogorsk Plant named after. S.A. Zverev", Central Design Bureau "Peleng" (Minsk), VNII "Signal" (Kovrov), Instrument Engineering Design Bureau (Tula), Volgograd Shipyard, NIMI (Moscow). In February 1986, the Moscow aggregate plant "Universal" was given a tactical and technical specification for the creation of landing equipment to ensure the landing of the Sprut-SD SPTP with a crew of three people inside. Research institutes of the Ministry of Defense also participated in the work.

OKB-9 of Uralmashzavod was simultaneously working on a towed, self-propelled version of the 125-mm Sprut-B anti-tank gun; it entered service in 1989 under the designation 2A-45M. The installation of a 125-mm cannon on the wheeled chassis of the GAZ-5923 - the future - was also considered.

From the discovery of R&D on the topic “Octopus-SD” to the adoption of SPTP into service, no more, no less, twenty years have passed. Among the main reasons for this temporary gap are the more than once mentioned collapse of the USSR and the collapse of the country's economy. In addition to the withdrawal of government orders and a sharp drop in funding for the defense industry, the collapse of previous production ties also had a very negative impact. Thus, the Bug sight-guidance device was developed in Belarus, where separatist sentiments prevailed for some time.

And yet, by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated September 26, 2005 No. 1502-r and by order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated January 9, 2006, the 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S25 "Sprut-SD" was put into service. The order for SPTP 2S25 was received by VgTZ.

Of course, vehicles like the 2S25 Sprut-SD are not capable of replacing main battle tanks. However, light category vehicles in weight, similar to tanks in their firepower, but with high air mobility and the possibility of landing from the air or from the sea, are necessary for quick reaction forces in modern conflicts. Work on them has been going on for a long time different countries, but “Sprut-SD” is practically the first in world practice to implement an airborne weapon system with the firepower of a main battle tank (most foreign developments in this category use guns, albeit of “tank” calibers, but of reduced ballistics).

The 2S25 combat vehicle is configured according to the classical design with a front control compartment, a middle combat compartment with weapons and crew located in a rotating turret, and a rear MTO. The commander and gunner are placed in the turret in a combat position; during landing and in the stowed position, they are located on universal seats in the control compartment - respectively, to the right and left of the driver.

The 125 mm 2A75 smoothbore gun installed in the turret provides firepower at the level of tanks of the ,. The gun barrel length is 6000 mm, the gun weight is 2350 kg. The entire range of separate-case-loading rounds for 125-mm tank guns can be used for firing, including rounds with armor-piercing sabot shells with a detachable tray and with the 9M119 ATGM (3UBK14 round), launched through the gun barrel. ATGM control is semi-automatic, using a laser beam. Armor penetration - 700-770 mm with overcoming dynamic protection. Rate of fire - 7 rounds/min.

Installing a 125-mm high-ballistic gun, intended for a combat vehicle weighing about 40 tons, on a product weighing 18 tons, and even in a turret version, required a number of special design solutions. In addition to increasing the length of the rollback by more than double - up to 740 mm (compared to 310-340 mm for the 125-mm main battle tank gun), the hull of the carrier vehicle itself was also rolled back due to the operation of the hydropneumatic suspension of the chassis.

Before the recoil impulse affects the crew and mechanisms, the gun rolls back relative to the turret and the hull rolls back relative to the lower branches of the tracks resting on the ground. The result is a kind of double recoil, absorbing the recoil energy of a powerful weapon - similar to what was done previously, for example, in railway artillery transporters. The nonlinear characteristics and high energy consumption of the air suspension of the chassis, as well as the inherently large dynamic stroke of the rollers, played a role here. When the body rolls back, it “squats” somewhat, while the length of the supporting surface of the tracks increases, which contributes to the stability of the SPTP when fired.

Coaxed with the cannon is a 7.62-mm PKT (PKTM) machine gun with 2,000 rounds of ammunition loaded into belts. Vertical guidance angles - from -5 to +15°, when turning aft - from -3 to +17°. The weapon installation is stabilized in two planes. The fire control system includes a laser rangefinder and a digital ballistic computer.

SPTP 2S25 "Sprut-SD" with P260M landing equipment

Workplace The gunner is equipped with the 1A40-1M instrument system, the TO1-KO1R “Buran-PA” night sight (complex) and TNPO-170 surveillance devices. The commander's seat is equipped with a combined sight-guidance device 1K13-ZS with a field of view stabilized in two planes, a night branch, a laser rangefinder, an ATGM control information channel, a backup ballistic device with communication channels with the ballistic computer of the gunner's sight, a system for entering aiming angles and lateral lead in position of the gun relative to the line of sight, an autonomous control panel for the automatic loader and guidance drives with the ability to quickly transfer control of the complex at the command of the commander from the gunner to the commander and vice versa.

This ensures the interchangeability of commander and gunner. The magnification factor for the day channel of the 1K13-3S commander's sight is 1x, 4x and 8x, and for the night channel - 5.5x. For all-round visibility, the commander uses periscope observation devices TNPO-170, TNPT-1.

The gun's automatic loader includes: a rotating conveyor with 22 shots (shells and charges are placed in cassettes), a chain mechanism for lifting the cassette with shot elements, a mechanism for catching and removing spent pallets, a chain (two-way) rammer for shot elements from the cassette into the gun, a cover drive pallet ejection hatch and movable tray, electromechanical gun stopper at the loading angle and control unit. To obtain increased recoil, the automatic loader has a widened cassette lift frame, which includes parts of a mechanism for catching and removing spent pallets during recoil.

The mechanism for catching and removing the pan is located on the end part of the gun breech with the possibility of delaying the pan. The mechanism is designed in such a way that it is possible to temporarily block the back side of the end part of the gun breech and, during the subsequent movement of the fired pan, to blow through the breech area with air from the cleaning system. The latter has an air duct from the filter-ventilation device to the gun breech area and to the crew workstations using a rotating air device. The shape and dimensions of the automatic loader conveyor allow crew members to move inside the vehicle from the fighting compartment to the control compartment along the sides of the hull.

SPTP 2S25 "Sprut-SD" after landing

The SPTP 2S25 hull and turret are made of aluminum armor alloy, the frontal part of the turret is reinforced with steel plates. An 81-mm installation of the 902V “Tucha” system is mounted on the tower. SPTP is equipped with a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction.

The MTO is equipped with a four-stroke multi-fuel diesel engine 2V-06-2S, developing a power of 510 hp., and a hydromechanical transmission interlocked with it. The transmission includes a hydrostatic steering mechanism and provides five forward speeds and the same number of reverse speeds.

The chassis includes seven road wheels on one side, four support rollers, and a rear-mounted drive wheel. High (28.3 hp/t) power density engine in combination with hydropneumatic suspension and low specific ground pressure provided the vehicle with good driving characteristics.

The Sprut-SD overcomes water obstacles without additional equipment; afloat movement is ensured by two water cannons. The vehicle has good seaworthiness: in seas up to 3 points, it can not only overcome water obstacles on the move, but also conduct targeted fire in the forward sector of fire equal to ±35°.

SPTP 2S25 "Sprut-SD" is transported by military transport aircraft. Airdropping is carried out by parachute.

Main characteristics of 2S25 "Sprut-SD":
Total weight, t……………. 18
Crew, people……………….. 3
Height at working ground clearance, mm..... 2720
Length with gun forward, mm………. 9771
Body length, mm…………… 7070
Width, mm………………………. 3152
Ground clearance, mm…………………100-500 (working - 420)
Weapon cannon:
— brand……………………….2A75
— caliber (mm), type…………..125, smoothbore
— loading………separate, automatic
— rate of fire………….7 rds/min
machine gun:
— brand……………………….. PKT(PKTM)
— caliber, mm………………… 7.62
Weapon pointing angles:
— along the horizon…………………. 360
— vertically forward…………… from -5 to +15
— vertically back (to the stern)……from -3 to +17
Ammunition:
— shots to the gun……40 (of which 22 are in the automatic loader)
— types of shots: high-explosive fragmentation, cumulative, armor-piercing sub-caliber
— cartridges…………… 2000

Armor protection:
— frontal: from 12.7 mm machine gun fire (in sector ±40)
- circular: from fire of 7.62 mm weapons
Engine:
— type: four-stroke 6-cylinder diesel with gas-turbine turbocharging, direct fuel injection, liquid cooling
— brand………………… 2В-06-2С
— power, hp (kW) ….. 510(375)
Transmission: hydromechanical, with hydrostatic rotation mechanism
Track roller suspension: individual pneumatic
Caterpillar: steel, double-ridged, pinion gear, with sequential rubber-metal hinges
Main track track width, mm….380
Water propulsion, type: hydrojet
Maximum speed, km/h:
— along the highway…………………. 70-71
— afloat……………………….. 10
Average speed by dirt road, km/h…..47-49
Power reserve:
— on the highway, km………………… 500
— on a dirt road, km………. 350
— afloat, h………………….. 10
Specific pressure on the ground, kg/cm 2 ..0.53.

Initially, it was planned to land using parachute-jet means. The development, designated P260, was carried out by the Universal plant (Moscow) together with the Research Institute of Parachute Engineering (Moscow, parachute system) and NPO Iskra (Perm, powder rocket engines). The basis was taken from the P235 parachute-jet systems, developed for landing the BMP-3; The base rocket unit was considered to be a braking rocket engine produced by NPO Iskra, borrowed from the soft landing system of a Soyuz-type descent spacecraft. The technical design of the PRS P260 for Sprut-SD was reviewed and defended in 1986.

Although several prototypes of the PRS were manufactured and a full cycle of preliminary ground tests were carried out, an analysis of the performance of the PRS revealed a large number of disadvantages, which consist, first of all, in the complexity and cumbersome design of the PRD cassette unit, the high cost of manufacturing and difficulty in operation. During preliminary flight tests, problems were identified in the operation of the selected parachute system. In addition, PRS required higher qualifications of maintenance personnel. And the difficult economic situation in the country that developed during the “market reforms” did not make it possible to provide braking propulsion systems even for testing the P260.

As a result, by a joint decision of the Air Force, Airborne Forces and MKPK "Universal" on May 30, 1994, the PRS version was canceled and the development of the "Sprut-PDS" equipment was approved in the version of a multi-dome parachute strapdown system with air shock absorption, maximally unified in operating principles, components and components with serial landing equipment PBS-950 for BMD-3. The parachute version of the Sprut-PDS landing equipment received the designation P260M. The differences in the design of the P260M from the PBS-950 are due to the increase in the mass and dimensions of the landing object itself.

The basis of the P-260M was the 14-dome parachute system MKS-350-14M (based on a unified block with a parachute with an area of ​​350 m2) with the VPS-14 exhaust parachute system and forced air shock absorption with a mechanical pressurization unit (unified with PBS-950) . Minimum height the landing had to be increased from three hundred to four hundred meters indicated in the technical specifications.

Here again the collapse of the complex system for developing airborne weapons, their landing equipment and military transport aircraft was revealed: by the time the SPTP 2S25 “Sprut-SD” was adopted into service, the P260M aircraft were only undergoing flight design tests, and the modernized Il-76MD-90 aircraft - flight tests.

Refinement of the 2S25 Sprut-SD design, which affected the external contours of the vehicle, required changes to the landing equipment. At the moment, the P260M landing equipment in the versions for landing the “Object 952” and “Object 952A” has been brought to the stage of state testing.

Features of the P260M include the absence of a central unit (the carriages for securing the cargo to the monorail are fixed directly to the vehicle body) and the introduction of a hydraulic system for orienting the landing object in the direction of the wind. In this case, the role of the guiderop is played by the front carriage, which is detached after the object exits the aircraft during landing. The suspension system includes an automatic release with a 12-second pyro-retardant. The weight of the landing equipment is in the range of 1802-1902 kg, which ensures the flight weight of the monocargo is about 20,000 kg.

It is possible to land one object from an Il-76 aircraft, and two from an Il-76M (MD). The landing altitude above the landing site is from 400 to 1500 m at an instrument flight speed of 300-380 km/h. Maximum vertical overload during landing is 15 g. To quickly bring the machine into combat readiness after landing, an accelerated unmooring system is used. Without its use, the time to free the vehicle from the landing equipment manually during testing did not exceed 3 minutes.

On March 25, 2010, as part of the exercises of the 76th Air Assault Division, SPTP 2S25 “Sprut-SD” and BMD-4M were successfully landed at the Kislovo landing site near Pskov as part of a parachute landing, including 14 units of military equipment. On August 25 of the same year, similar drops of Sprut-SD and BMD-4M were carried out on the Budikhino landing site near the city of Kostroma.

In the early 1980s, the USSR stopped development of a new light tank for the Ground Forces. But soon the Airborne Forces became interested in a light vehicle with a “tank”-power gun.

The start of work on the topic “Octopus-SD” was preceded by a number of events and developments. In 1982, a research project under the code “Burun” was opened, within the framework of which TsNIITOCHMASH (Klimovsk) explored the possibilities of creating a landing self-propelled anti-tank gun, maximally unified with a 125-mm high-ballistic gun of tank forces. A chassis suitable for solving the problem already existed - an experienced light amphibious tank "Object 934" ("Judge"), developed by the design bureau under the leadership of A.V. Shebalin at the Volgograd Tractor Plant (VgTZ). Its elements were used in the development at VgTZ of a new generation airborne combat vehicle based on the theme “Bakhcha”. And already in 1984, experimental firing took place from a 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun (SPTP), installed by TsNIITOCHMASH on the Object 934 chassis.

A PAINFUL BIRTH

The decision of the Military-Industrial Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated June 20, 1985 determined the implementation of development work to create a 125-mm SPTP, which was assigned the code “Sprut-SD” (self-propelled, airborne). VgTZ was appointed as the lead executor of the work, scientific and technical coordination of the work was entrusted to TsNIITOCHMASH and VNIITRANSMASH. OKB-9 UZTM (Uralmashzavod), Central Design Bureau of the Krasnogorsk Plant (Krasnogorsk Plant named after S.A. Zverev), Central Design Bureau Peleng (Minsk), took part in the work on the chassis, weapons and instrumentation of the SPTP. VNII "Signal", NIMI, Instrument Design Bureau (Tula), Volgograd Shipyard. The development of landing equipment was undertaken by the Moscow Universal Aggregate Plant. Already in service Russian army“The 125-mm SPTP 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun was adopted by a decree of the Russian government on September 26, 2005. Since the same 2005, SPTP 2S25 was launched in mass production at VgTZ.

DEVICE, WEAPONS, TRANSPORTATION

The vehicle is arranged according to a classic design with a front control compartment, a middle fighting compartment, and aft engine and transmission compartment. In the traveling position, the commander and gunner are located in the vehicle body, in the control compartment.

A 125-mm smoothbore gun 2A75, produced by Plant No. 9 (Ekaterinburg), installed in a rotating turret, provides the vehicle with firepower at the level of tanks T-72, T-80, T-90. The gun has a vertical semi-automatic wedge shutter, galvanic impact trigger, hydropneumatic recoil brake and pneumatic knurling, ejector. The recoil length of the gun is 740 mm. A two-plane stabilizer 2E64 was installed. The entire range of shots from 125 mm tank guns can be used to fire a cannon, including shots with finned armor-piercing sub-caliber, cumulative and high-explosive fragmentation shells. The shots are of separate-case loading with a partially burning cartridge case. The 9K120 "Svir" guided weapon system can also be used with 9M119, 9M119F, 9M119F1 (ZUBK14 rounds) or 9M119M (ZUBK20 "Invar" guided missiles) launched through the gun barrel. Combat compartment equipped with an automatic loader with a rotating conveyor for 22 shots and a chain rammer for shot elements.

The fire control system includes a laser rangefinder and a digital ballistic computer. The gunner's workplace is equipped with a 1A40-1M rangefinder sight, a Buran-PA night sight, the commander's station is equipped with a 1K13-ZS combined sight-guidance device "Bug" with a night branch, a laser rangefinder, an information channel for launching and aiming a 125-mm guided missile rockets. The interchangeability of the commander and gunner is ensured.

The hull and turret are made of aluminum armor alloy, the front part of the turret is reinforced with steel plates. In combination with the angles of the armor, this provides protection against 23-mm projectiles at a range of 500 m. The frontal projection of the SPTP is protected from 12.7-mm weapon fire from all ranges. All-round protection against fire small arms caliber 7.62 mm. The turret is equipped with a unified 81-mm 902V “Cloud” installation for launching smoke grenades and lighting shells. The engine and transmission compartment is equipped with a four-stroke multi-fuel boxer diesel engine 2B06-2S, developing a power of 510 hp. s, and a hydromechanical transmission interlocked with it.

Final drives are single-stage planetary. The chassis has individual hydropneumatic suspension. The drive wheel is rear-mounted. The controlled hydropneumatic suspension allows you to change the ground clearance in the range from 100 to 500 mm from the driver’s seat. The hydraulic track tensioning mechanism is also controlled from the driver’s seat.

The caterpillar is steel, with a rubber-metal hinge, lantern engagement. The increased recoil length of the gun compared to a tank mount, combined with the recoil of the vehicle body due to the operation of the hydropneumatic suspension, made it possible to use a gun with a high recoil impulse on a lightweight chassis, while ensuring the SPTP stability when fired. The vehicle overcomes water obstacles without additional equipment; afloat movement is provided by two water-jet propulsors. Communication equipment includes the R-163-50U radio station and R-163-UP radio receiver, and the R-174 tank intercom. Airdropping is carried out by parachute from altitudes from 400 to 1500 m using a special multi-dome strapdown parachute system P260M with a 14-dome parachute system MKS-350-14M and forced air shock absorption. It is possible to land a 2S25 with all three crew members inside the vehicle. The vehicle can be transported by a Mi-26T heavy transport helicopter on an external sling.

The production volume of the Sprut-SD turned out to be small - only 36 vehicles were delivered to the troops. In connection with the transfer of the production of airborne combat vehicles from Volgograd to Kurgan and, accordingly, the transfer of the “family” of armored vehicles for the Airborne Forces to the Kurganmashzavod chassis, the question arose about changing the chassis for the SPTP, which received the designation “Sprut-SDM1”. However, this is already a new car.

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