125 mm anti-tank gun octopus. Self-propelled anti-tank gun "Sprut-SD. Perhaps you will be interested

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

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

Self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S25M "Octopus-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 2S25 model and, after testing, should go into service with the Airborne Forces. According to military experts, this self-propelled unit is the best in the world and significantly outperforms all available foreign analogues of this 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 on 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 distance of up to 5,000 m. In total, the 2S25M ammunition load has 40 rounds, including 22 in mechanized ammo rack.

In addition to the PKTM machine gun coaxial with the cannon, the modernized machine has one more such machine gun in a remote-controlled installation on the turret. Thus, the vehicle commander got the opportunity to hit the identified targets at the moment when the main armament was already being used by the gunner-operator. The total ammunition load of machine guns is 2,000 rounds.

The 2S25M fire control system also has a tank level. It includes the best in the world gunner'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 the target. In case of damage to the main sights, an optical-electronic backup sight is used with a line of sight stabilized in a vertical plane and self-powered.

One of the main differences of the new car- This is a guided weapon system (KUV) with the latest missile capable of destroying a tank with dynamic protection at a distance of up to 6 km.

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

The new self-propelled gun received a modernized rocket fired through the gun barrel and created on the basis of the Invar-M shot. The cumulative charge is located in the nose of the rocket and provides overcoming dynamic protection, including those made in the built-in version. The main shaped charge hits the target directly. To destroy fortified engineering structures, a variant of a missile with a high-explosive warhead of thermobaric action 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 thermal imaging channel for night vision and an automatic target tracking machine. In addition, the commander of "Sprut-SDM1" it became possible to fire from an additional machine gun installation, including on the upper floors of buildings, dominant heights in mountainous areas and helicopters.

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

With the use of upgraded shots of the Invar-M type as part of the 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 zone of effective fire of enemy tanks.

The combat vehicle has an information and control chassis system, which greatly facilitates operation and troubleshooting. The latest communication complex has frequency modulation and technical masking. According to the components and parts of the chassis, as well as the engine-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 the UAV.

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At short distances, Aistenok is able to track 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. The maximum detection range of mortars is limited to 5 thousand meters. At such distances, "Aistenok" 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 for determining 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 counterattack enemy mortars and adjust your own fire.

The weight of the Aistenok reconnaissance complex, developed by Almaz-Antey Concern OJSC, is 135 kg. This is not much for systems of this type and allows reconnaissance units to effortlessly move it both on a combat vehicle and manually with the help of three people. The modular system kit includes seven elements:

Turntable with tripod,

transceiver with antenna

Power Supply,

Block of primary information processing,

Electric unit,

Radio station and control panel.

It takes only five minutes to fully assemble the Aistenka 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 the detected targets are transmitted through the installed radio station of the centimeter range. " Stork » n does not have its own rotary mechanism, but this disadvantage is compensated by a 60-degree observation sector in the azimuth of the beam width. Determination of the enemy's calculations is carried out by detecting the place of the shot and calculating the trajectory of the projectile. The target detection range is from 200 meters to 20,000.

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** , artillery, multiple launch rocket systems and starting positions of enemy tactical missiles by shot. In addition, to control the accuracy of firing drums.Until recently, the most modern ground-based electronic intelligence system in the Russian army was the PSNR-8 and PSNR-8M devices, which are preparing to give way to the latest electronic intelligence product, the 1-L277 product. His second name is "Sobalist". Heused when correcting the direction of fire from a mortar, and also to find drones flying at low distances from the ground. A distinctive feature of the 1-L277 product is the use of a phased antenna array, a broadband pulsed chirp signal for detecting moving targets and projectile 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 operator of the reconnaissance station from the process of detecting military objects and enemy manpower. Along with this, the range of the electronic reconnaissance significantly increased - its "far-sightedness" increased to 30 km.

The "PSNR-8M" has only 500 hours of continuous operation, "1-L277" can operate without breakdowns from 1500 to 2000 hours. That is, the reliability of the new scout has increased by 4 times.The stations "PSNR-8" and "PSNR-8M" 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 terrain, i.e. the antenna rotated around its axis during operation. The engine that powered it quickly broke down and had to be replaced. Therefore, the military issued a technical assignment, which stated that these methods of work should be improved. The military did not like the weight of the reconnaissance station either. He was 62 kg, so his combat crew was 3 people.

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Sobolyatnik performs electronic scanning, due to which the antenna no longer needs to be rotated around its axis and from time to time to change its engine. The weight of the station has decreased to 36 kg, and now its crew consists of only 2 people. But most importantly, 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 five times - from 50 to 10 meters. This made it possible to increase the information content, and the operator got the opportunity to read the targets in the column, i.e. distinguish between individual targets. "PSNR-8M" gave out a long strip on the screen, and "Sobolyatnik" - individual items. Besides, the new product received algorithms for automated target recognition according to the criterion: man - machine. By improving the new electronic reconnaissance, we can detect moving targets against the background of powerful reflections from the earth's surface.Thus, now the operator has the opportunity to see the movement of equipment and people on the screen of his monitor. The safety of the operator himself was also 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 more chances to remain unharmed.

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The new product is able to detect enemy manpower at a distance of 6 km. The Sobolyatnik used 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 this electronic reconnaissance.Some types of weapons are easily interfaced with this station, especially machine guns, such as " PECHENEG" and "KORD ". This allows her to be present during hostilities and at the same time be invisible, unless, of course, there is no optical observation.

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In the 1980s, NATO countries began an intensive buildup of their weapons. This was the impetus for the Central Research Institute to create a new concept for the development of military equipment for the USSR. In order to create an effective weapon capable of withstanding NATO tanks, in the 90s, the Volgograd Tractor Plant Joint-Stock Company developed the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun specifically for the Russian Airborne Forces.

About the authors of the development

Sprut-SD 2S25 is a Russian airborne self-propelled anti-tank gun. A. V. Shabalin became the chief designer involved in the manufacture of the chassis. 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 weapons was carried out at the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering.

Start of creation

In 1982, on the basis of the model was created self-propelled guns 2S25 "Octopus-SD", designed for caliber 125 mm. This was a confirmation that, using the components and assemblies of the landing vehicle, it is quite possible to create a new, very effective weapon. The leadership of the Central Research Institute of Tochmash decided that the light tank “Object 934” could be used to design a lighter chassis, 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 125 mm gun. The upgraded Sprut-SD tank was now equipped with a 125 mm smoothbore gun. The classic tower scheme was used in the process. In addition, the designers also considered options with the removal of weapons.

Testing

In 1984, Sprut-SD 2S25 was transported to the Kubinka training ground for experimental firing. The results of testing the new self-propelled guns 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 the 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 face when creating landing aids?

The P260 means, which ensure the landing of a self-propelled unit, showed a number of shortcomings during testing:

• their production was costly;
• the use of P260 funds proved difficult.

As a result, work on parachute-jet systems was discontinued, and the P260 was replaced by a strapdown landing system, which received the designation P260 M.

What is Sprut-SD 2S25? Design Description

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

ACS consists of three parts - buildings:

• 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 unit. This corps is designed for three people: a self-propelled gun commander, a gunner and a driver. In the roof of the combat vehicle for the crew there are 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 in the crew, is a combined design: the scope of its activity extends to two planes due to the combination with a laser sight. Guidance of a 125 mm projectile is provided by a laser beam.
• The rear is considered the location of the engine compartment.

Arrangement of a workplace for the commander

At the workplace of the main crew, the designers of the artillery mount provide for the following devices:

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

What are the tasks of the crew leader?

The head of the group, with the help of night and day vision sights, monitors the area. The commander of this self-propelled artillery mount, regardless of the gunner, can carry out aimed fire from both a machine gun and a cannon. This possibility is provided by a computerized fire control system: if the initial data are available, the tank ballistic computer uses drives to automatically enter angles and lead. Due to this function, the commander is not required to perform retargeting using rangefinders and aiming marks. The commander is free to fire.

How is the created tool classified?

Anti-tank - the Sprut-SD 2S25 combat vehicle was included in this class of guns. The purpose and range of tasks performed by her were reduced to the fight against enemy tanks. Previously, this task was performed by such tanks as the PT-76B and the Object 934. They were replaced with the advent of 2S25 Sprut-SD. The fire support combat vehicle, unlike other light tanks, has a higher firepower. The maneuverability and maneuverability of the new self-propelled guns 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 operated?

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 aviation. Landing ships can also be used for this purpose. For the landing of the installation, its developers provide landing and parachute methods. The crew of the combat vehicle is in its cockpit. Having a high specific power, the Sprut-SD is suitable for combat operations both in high-mountainous areas and in hot tropical climates.

The self-propelled guns are capable of resisting the enemy's highly armored vehicles, their fortified strongholds and manpower. Overcoming water obstacles is possible provided that the excitement does not exceed 3 points. An artillery mount can operate on water due to the equipment equipped on the chassis. The buoyancy of the installation is ensured by water cannons with a diameter of impellers of 34 cm and road wheels. The design of the ACS has closed air chambers. When water enters the body, pumping out is carried out using powerful water pumps. Being afloat, "Octopus-SD" can fire.

After completing its combat mission, the self-propelled guns are adapted to carry out self-loading into the landing ship from the water surface.

Especially for work in snowy areas, snowmobile tracks and asphalt shoes are used. "Octopus-SD" is suitable for areas that have received radiation, chemical and biological contamination. The safety of the crew is provided by protection against weapons of mass destruction.

A combat artillery vehicle can be camouflaged with a smoke screen. For this purpose, the designers mounted brackets (2 pieces) on the aft sheet of the ACS turret, in which there are six 902V grenade launchers using 81 mm caliber smoke grenades.

For what purpose was the combat vehicle created?

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

In the period from 2001 to 2006, after additional tests, the troops of the Russian Federation received the Sprut-SD 2S25 combat vehicle at their location.

Main characteristics

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

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

The self-propelled guns are equipped with bulletproof armor. The frontal part is able to withstand direct hits of 23-mm projectiles from a distance of half a kilometer. In the process of manufacturing armor for the combat vehicle, aluminum alloys were used (for the body of the self-propelled guns and its turret). The device of the frontal part was made using steel plates. For combat vehicles, R-173 radio stations and R-174 intercoms are provided.

Airborne landing of a combat vehicle is carried out from IL-76 aircraft (models M and MD), AN-124. The use of an external suspension 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 was enriched with self-propelled guns equipped with one 2A75 smoothbore gun and a coaxial PKT machine gun. Combat set of the main gun 2A75 is designed for 40 shots. Mechanized stacking contains 22 ammunition. Additional - 18. Machine gun caliber: 7.62 mm. One contains 2000 rounds.

What projectiles are used?

The ammunition load of the combat vehicle contains shells that allow four types of shots to be fired:

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

The device of the main equipment of the installation

Using the 2A46 tank gun and its modifications, the 2S25 designers created an improved 125 mm 2A75 smoothbore gun. In order to reduce the force of resistance to rollbacks during firing, it was planned to have a special muzzle brake in the installation. But as a result of these works, problems with the recoil of the gun appeared, 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 momentum.

The 2A75 gun is equipped with automatic loading equipment, which has a positive effect on the rate of fire of the gun: 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 guns to perform circular rotations and stabilize weapons in two planes - the Sprut-SD can be effectively used as a light amphibious tank, which has no analogues 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 commander of the Airborne Forces is to have weapons in the arsenal of troops that can support the landing force directly at the landing site with fire, repel an enemy attack and develop the offensive themselves. For a long time, the main means of fire support for the paratroopers was the BMD-1 (since 1969), and earlier the paratrooper units were mainly armed only with small arms and grenade launchers.

Faithful and reliable "Nona"

The start 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 appearance in service, the Airborne Forces significantly expanded their combat capabilities: the new gun could fire both direct fire and along a hinged trajectory.

"Nona" proved to be excellent during the fighting in Afghanistan, where it was actively used as a means of fire support for airborne assault and airborne units. And if, say, the landing troops during the Afghan campaign moved from the BMD to the BMP, which had a greater technical resource, then the Nona remained in combat formation. 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 shortcomings identified in the form of rapid wear of the undercarriage 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 needed a more powerful artillery gun, capable, in particular, of destroying enemy tanks on the battlefield. And here, of course, the caliber mattered. To solve new problems, the 125-mm gun 2S25 self-propelled gun "Sprut-SD" (SD - self-propelled landing) was suitable. This self-propelled gun on the battlefield was a real force. The fact that regular tank shells already in service with our army also played a role. With a lethal force capable of smashing both enemy tanks and its defenses into the trash, the Octopus had a relatively small size and weight of only 18 tons (for comparison: the tank weighs from 40 to 70 tons), which allowed it to parachute landing.

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 the assembly until the appearance of a project for a modernized self-propelled gun.

“The problem of any military equipment intended for delivery to a given area by parachute lies precisely in limiting its weight,” Colonel-General Georgy Shpak, who commanded the Russian Airborne Forces in 1996-2003, told the correspondent of the Zvezda weekly. - Relatively speaking, you cannot drop a tank with a parachute, as well as self-propelled artillery mounts of 122-mm and 152-mm, which are in service with the Ground Forces. Here, no multi-dome or parachute-jet system will survive. This requires a sufficiently powerful wheelbase, allowing you to fire from a self-propelled unit. When the Nona was tested, the undercarriage was used from the BTR-D armored personnel carrier with an increased number of rollers, while firing was carried out with a reduced clearance, when the armored bottom was practically in contact with the ground and dampened the recoil of the shot. Actually, such a design turned out to be the most successful in the creation of artillery systems intended for airborne troops.

Colonel-General Andrei Serdyukov, the current commander of the Airborne Forces, decided to "reanimate" the Sprut self-propelled gun. It cannot be said that the modernization of this installation lay under the carpet. No, the designers were engaged in refinement, both in terms of the chassis and weapons, so that the request of the military did not take the defense industry by surprise. Therefore, it is expected that the Airborne Forces will receive an updated self-propelled gun as early as 2018. The self-propelled guns received the symbol 2S25M "Octopus-SDM1".

High mobility plus firepower

The main requirement for the new self-propelled guns was to increase 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 chassis of the self-propelled gun is unified with other armored vehicles of the landing troops. The BMD-4M airborne combat vehicle with seven small-diameter road wheels, individual torsion bar suspension and hydraulic shock absorbers on each side served as the basis for it. The possibility of changing the clearance is also preserved, 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, 125 mm is a main caliber gun for the Airborne Forces, at least from what is capable of parachuting

The new self-propelled guns are 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, there are guided anti-tank missiles in the ammunition load.

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

The composition of the new radio-electronic equipment includes communications facilities integrated into a single tactical level control system. The crew will be constantly informed not only about the location of neighboring vehicles, but also to “see” what goals they are working for. If necessary, the self-propelled guns will be able to carry fire on new targets that they have not yet managed to fix, but they have already been spotted by their neighbors or from the command post. Shooting 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.

Only the caliber of the self-propelled gun has not changed - it will still be 125 mm. It is mounted on a stabilized system and can be guided in a horizontal plane. At the same time, 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 feeds separate loading ammunition of the required type into the chamber. With relatively small dimensions, the Sprut-SDM1 is capable of holding 40 shells of various types, which are on board at the time of landing and are ready for use as soon as the crew takes their seats.

Reinforced with self-propelled guns and machine guns. Another machine gun was added to the 7.62 mm PKT coaxial gun. It is mounted on a remotely controlled weapon station - it can be fired from without protruding from the hatch. The module will be installed in the aft part and its purpose is to ensure security from the rear, which is very important when conducting a battle in the depths of the enemy’s defense.

Another plus of the updated self-propelled guns lies in such a “little thing” as the ability to transport paratroopers on armor, which can be relevant with a short march to combat positions.

The Airborne Forces have already managed to evaluate the combat qualities of the Sprut-SDM1 at demonstration firing at a training center near Pskov and are now waiting for the supply of self-propelled guns to the troops. They are expected to start soon.

The history of the Sprut-SD self-propelled anti-tank gun is quite complicated, 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 of self-propelled anti-tank guns (SPTP). Interest in a self-propelled armored vehicle with a powerful anti-tank gun was shown, in particular, by the airborne troops.

An analysis of trends in the development of foreign armored vehicles, carried out 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. If the Ground Forces can involve main battle tanks in the fight against enemy armored vehicles, then this is impossible in paratroopers. The capabilities of military transport aviation and landing equipment allow the use of vehicles with a maximum mass of about 18 tons as part of a paratrooper.

By that time, R&D had already been completed to create a light tank (code "Judge"), armed with a 100-mm rifled gun and adapted for airborne landing, VgTZ was working on a light tank on the topic "Yacht". But the project of a light amphibious tank, as you know, was stopped at the same time that the design and development work for the BMD "Bakhcha" was asked.

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

Since 1982, TsNIITOCHMASH has been researching the possibility of creating an airborne self-propelled anti-tank gun, the most unified in the artillery part 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, instructed to carry out preliminary studies to determine the possibility of creating a 125-mm SPTP for the Airborne Forces on unified chassis nodes 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 the attack of the target, act directly in the combat formations of airborne combat vehicles during attack and when repelling an enemy attack on the march. This required from the SPTP the qualities of a light tank and the corresponding ammunition load, 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, a prototype of the tank "Object 934" ("Judge") was transferred to TsNIITOCHMASH. On this chassis in 1983-1984. and made an experimental sample of an airborne 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun. The installation of a gun in a fixed wheelhouse (as in previous Soviet anti-tank self-propelled guns, including the airborne ASU-57 and SU-85) was 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 excluded - not so much because of shells with a detachable pallet and deployable tail (this problem was solved by the corresponding muzzle brake profile), but because of the presence of an ATGM shot in the ammunition load: 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, and in fact the gun was supposed to operate in the battle formations of the paratroopers, possibly with the landing on the armor. In addition, during this research, the composition of the instrumentation complex and the scheme of stabilized guidance drives in the fire control system were substantiated.

Experimental firing conducted in 1984 at the 38th Research Institute in Kubinka showed that the maximum overloads acting on the crew (crew members) during the shot, the angular displacements of the hull and the excess pressure in the trunnion area did not exceed the permissible limits, residual waste and suspension penetration were absent, while the accuracy of fire was at the level of regular tank systems.

By the decision of the Military-Industrial Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of June 20, 1985, the ROC was asked 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 the scientific and technical coordination of work and participation in the technical and economic assessment. The new car received the index "Object 952".

Design Bureau No. 9 of Uralmashzavod, Central Design Bureau of Production Association Krasnogorsk Plant im. S.A. Zverev”, Central Design Bureau “Peleng” (Minsk), All-Russian Research Institute “Signal” (Kovrov), Instrument Design Bureau (Tula), Volgograd Shipbuilding Plant, NIMI (Moscow). In February 1986, the Moscow Aggregate Plant "Universal" was issued a tactical and technical assignment for the creation of landing aids that ensure the landing of the Sprut-SD SPTP with a crew of three people inside. The research institutes of the Ministry of Defense also participated in the work.

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

From the opening of the ROC on the topic "Octopus-SD" to the adoption of the SPTP for service, no more, no less than twenty years have passed. Among the main reasons for such a temporary gap are the collapse of the USSR and the collapse of the country's economy, which have been mentioned more than once. In addition to the removal of the state order and a sharp drop in funding for the defense industry, the collapse of former production ties also had the most negative impact. Thus, the sight-guidance device "Bug" was developed in Belarus, where separatist sentiments prevailed for some time.

And yet, by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of September 26, 2005 No. 1502-r and the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation of 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 of the 2S25 Sprut-SD type are not capable of replacing main battle tanks. However, vehicles of a light category in terms of mass, similar to tanks in terms of their firepower, but with high air mobility and the possibility of landing from the air or from the sea, are necessary for rapid reaction forces in modern conflicts. Work on them has been going on for a long time in different countries, but in Sprut-SD, almost for the first time in world practice, an airborne weapon system with the firepower of the main battle tank was implemented (in most foreign developments in this category, guns, although of "tank" calibers, are used ballistics).

The 2S25 combat vehicle is arranged according to the classical scheme with a front location of the control compartment, a middle one - a fighting compartment with the placement of weapons and crew members in a rotating turret and a rear - MTO. The commander and gunner are placed in the tower in a combat position; when 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 mounted in the turret provides firepower at the level of tanks of the ,. The length of the gun barrel is 6000 mm, the weight of the gun is 2350 kg. For firing, the entire range of separate-sleeve loading shots for 125-mm tank guns can be used, including shots with armor-piercing sub-caliber shells with a detachable pallet and with 9M119 ATGM (3UBK14 shot) launched through the gun barrel. ATGM control - semi-automatic, by laser beam. Armor penetration - 700-770 mm with overcoming dynamic protection. Rate of fire - 7 rds / min.

The installation of a 125-mm high-ballistic gun, designed 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 more than doubling the recoil length - up to 740 mm (compared to 310-340 mm for the 125-mm gun of the main battle tank), the hull of the carrier vehicle itself was also recoiled due to the operation of the hydropneumatic suspension of the chassis.

Before the recoil momentum acts on the crew and mechanisms, the gun recoils relative to the turret and the hull recoils relative to the lower branches of the tracks resting on the ground. It turns out a kind of double rollback, absorbing the recoil energy of a powerful gun - just as it was done earlier, for example, in railway artillery transporters. The non-linear characteristic and the high energy intensity of the chassis air suspension, as well as the large dynamic travel of the rollers, played a role here. When the hull rolls back, it "crouches" somewhat, while the length of the bearing surface of the tracks increases, which contributes to the stability of the SPTP when fired.

A 7.62-mm PKT (PKTM) machine gun with an ammunition load of 2,000 rounds of ammunition equipped in ribbons is paired with a cannon. Vertical pointing angles - from -5 to + 15 °, when turning aft - from -3 to + 17 °. The installation of weapons is stabilized in two planes. The fire control system includes a laser rangefinder and a digital ballistic computer.

SPTP 2S25 "Octopus-SD" with landing gear P260M

The gunner's workplace is equipped with a 1A40-1M instrument complex, a TO1-KO1R Buran-PA night sight (complex) and TNPO-170 surveillance devices. The commander’s station is equipped with a 1K13-ZS combined sight-guidance device 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 a gunner’s sight ballistic computer, a system for entering aiming angles and lateral lead into the position of the gun relative to the line of sight, an autonomous control panel for the automatic loader and guidance drives with the possibility of prompt transfer of control of the complex at the command of the commander from gunner to commander and vice versa.

This ensures the interchangeability of the commander and gunner. The magnification of the day channel of the commander's 1K13-3S sight is 1x, 4x and 8x, the night channel is 5.5x. For a circular view, the commander is served by periscope observation devices TNPO-170, TNPT-1.

The automatic loader of the gun 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 of shot elements from the cassette to the gun, a cover drive pallet ejection hatch and movable tray, electromechanical gun stop at the loading angle and control unit. To obtain an increased recoil, the automatic loader has a broadened cassette lifter frame, inside of which are parts of the mechanism for catching and removing spent pallets during recoil.

The mechanism for catching and removing the pallet is located on the end part of the gun breech with the possibility of delaying the pallet. 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 spent pallet, blow 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 workplaces using a rotating air device. The shape and dimensions of the autoloader 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 hull and turret of the SPTP 2S25 are made of aluminum armor alloy, the frontal part of the tower is reinforced with steel plates. An 81-mm installation of the 902V "Cloud" system is mounted on the tower. SPTP is equipped with a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction.

A four-stroke multi-fuel diesel engine 2V-06-2S is installed in the MTO, 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 reverse speed.

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

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

SPTP 2S25 "Octopus-SD" is transported by military transport aircraft. Air landing is carried out by parachute.

The main characteristics of 2S25 "Octopus-SD":
Gross weight, t……………. eighteen
Crew, people……………….. 3
Height on working ground clearance, mm….. 2720
Length with gun forward, mm………. 9771
Body length, mm…………… 7070
Width, mm……………………. 3152
Clearance, mm…………………… 100-500 (working - 420)
Armament cannon:
— brand…………………….2А75
– caliber (mm), type…………..125, smoothbore
— loading……… separate, automatic
- rate of fire…………….7 rds / min
machine gun:
— brand…………………….. PKT(PKTM)
— caliber, mm………………… 7.62
Weapon aiming angles:
— along the horizon…………………. 360
— vertically forward…………… from -5 to +15
- vertically back (aft) ... ... from -3 to +17
Ammunition:
- shots to the gun ... ... 40 (of which 22 - in the automatic loader)
- types of shots: high-explosive fragmentation, cumulative, armor-piercing sub-caliber
– cartridges…………… 2000

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

Initially, landing was planned with the help of parachute-jet means. The development, which received the designation 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). They took as a basis the P235 parachute-jet systems developed for landing the BMP-3; as the basic rocket unit, a brake rocket engine produced by NPO Iskra, borrowed from the soft landing system of the Soyuz-type descent spacecraft, was considered. The technical design of the PRS P260 for the Sprut-SD was reviewed and defended in 1986.

Although several prototypes of the PRS were manufactured and a full cycle of preliminary ground tests was carried out, the analysis of the performance of the PRS revealed a large number of shortcomings, primarily in the complexity and cumbersome design of the PRS cassette unit, high manufacturing cost and complexity in operation. In the process of preliminary flight tests, problems were revealed in the operation of the selected parachute system. In addition, the PRS required a higher qualification of the service personnel. And the difficult economic situation in the country that developed during the “market reforms” did not allow even testing P260 facilities with brake propulsion systems.

As a result, by a joint decision of the Air Force, the Airborne Forces and the MKPK "Universal" dated May 30, 1994, the PRS option was canceled and the development of the Sprut-PDS tools was approved in the version of a multi-dome parachute strapdown system with air cushioning, as unified as possible in terms of operating principles, components and components with serial means of landing PBS-950 for BMD-3. The parachute version of the Sprut-PDS landing equipment was designated P260M. Differences in the design of the P260M from the PBS-950 are due to an increase in the mass and dimensions of the landing object itself.

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

Here again, the collapse of the integrated system for the development of weapons of the Airborne Forces, their means of landing and military transport aircraft manifested itself: by the time the SPTP 2S25 Sprut-SD was adopted, the P260M equipment was only undergoing flight design tests, and the upgraded Il-76MD-90 aircraft - flight tests.

The finalization of the design of the 2S25 "Octopus-SD", which affected the external contours of the machine, required changes to be made to the landing equipment. At the moment, the P260M landing aids in the options for landing the "Object 952" and "Object 952A" have been brought to the state testing stage.

The features of the P260M include the absence of a central unit (carriages for attaching cargo to the monorail are fixed directly on the vehicle body) and the introduction of a guide system for orienting the landing object in the direction of the wind. In this case, the role of the guide is played by the front carriage, which is detached after the object leaves the aircraft during landing. The suspension system includes an automatic uncoupling with a 12-second pyro-retarder. The mass of landing aids is in the range of 1802-1902 kg, which provides a monocargo flight mass of about 20,000 kg.

From the Il-76 aircraft it is possible to land one object, from the Il-76M (MD) - two. The landing height above the landing area is from 400 to 1500 m at an aircraft flight speed of 300-380 km/h. The maximum vertical acceleration during landing is 15 g. To quickly bring the machine to combat readiness after landing, there is an accelerated mooring system. Without its use, the time to release the machine from the means of landing manually during the tests did not exceed 3 minutes.

On March 25, 2010, as part of the exercises of the 76th Airborne Assault Division, SPTP 2S25 Sprut-SD and BMD-4M were successfully landed on the Kislovo landing site near Pskov as part of a parachute assault force, 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 development of a new light tank for the Ground Forces was stopped in the USSR. But soon the Airborne Forces became interested in a light machine with a “tank” power gun.

The beginning of work on the topic "Octopus-SD" was preceded by a number of events and developments. In 1982, a research project was opened under the code "Burun", within the framework of which TsNIITOCHMASH (Klimovsk) explored the possibility of creating an airborne self-propelled anti-tank gun, as unified as possible with a 125-mm gun of high ballistics of tank troops. There was already a chassis suitable for solving the problem - 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 of a new generation airborne combat vehicle at VgTZ on the subject of "Bakhcha". And already in 1984, experimental firing took place from a 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun (SPTP), installed by TsNIITOCHMASH on the chassis of the "Object 934".

A HUGE BIRTH

The decision of the Military-Industrial Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of June 20, 1985 determined the conduct of development work on the creation of a 125-mm SPTP, which was assigned the code "Sprut-SD" (self-propelled, airborne). VgTZ was appointed 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 for Krasnogorsk Plant (Krasnogorsk Plant named after S.A. Zverev), Central Design Bureau Peleng (Minsk), VNII "Signal", NIMI, Instrument Design Bureau (Tula), Volgograd Shipbuilding Plant. The development of landing equipment was taken up by the Moscow Aggregate Plant "Universal". The 125-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun SPTP 2S25 Sprut-SD was adopted by the Russian army by a decree of the government of the Russian Federation of September 26, 2005. Since the same 2005, SPTP 2S25 has been put into mass production at VgTZ.

DEVICE, WEAPONS, TRANSPORTATION

The machine is arranged according to the classical scheme with the front location of the control compartment, the middle - the fighting compartment and the aft - the engine compartment. In the stowed position, the commander and gunner are located in the vehicle body, in the control compartment.

The 125-mm 2A75 smoothbore gun, manufactured by plant No. 9 (Yekaterinburg), installed in a rotating turret, provides the vehicle with firepower at the level of the T-72, T-80, T-90 tanks. The gun has a vertical semi-automatic wedge gate, a galvanic shock trigger, a hydropneumatic recoil brake and a pneumatic knurler, an ejector. The recoil length of the gun is 740 mm. Installed two-plane stabilizer 2E64. The entire range of 125-mm tank gun rounds can be used for cannon firing, including shots with feathered armor-piercing sub-caliber, HEAT and high-explosive fragmentation shells. Shots - separate-sleeve loading with a partially burning sleeve. The 9K120 Svir guided weapon system with 9M119, 9M119F, 9M119F1 (ZUBK14 shots) or 9M119M (ZUBK20 Invar) guided missiles launched through the gun barrel can also be used. The fighting compartment is 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 Bug combined sight-guidance device with a night branch, a laser rangefinder, an information channel for launching and guiding a 125-mm guided rockets. The interchangeability of the commander and gunner is provided.

The hull and turret are made of aluminum armor alloy, the frontal 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 distance of 500 m. The frontal projection of the SPTP is protected from fire from 12.7-mm weapons from all ranges. All-round protection is provided from small arms fire of 7.62 mm caliber. A unified 81-mm installation 902V "Cloud" is installed on the tower for launching smoke grenades and lighting projectiles. A four-stroke multi-fuel boxer diesel engine 2V06-2S is installed in the engine compartment, developing a power of 510 hp. s, and a hydromechanical transmission interlocked with it.

Final drives - single-stage planetary. Chassis - with individual hydropneumatic suspension. The drive wheel is rear. Controlled hydropneumatic suspension allows you to change the ground clearance in the range from 100 to 500 mm from the driver's seat. Also, the hydraulic track tensioning mechanism is controlled from the driver's seat.

Caterpillar - steel, with a rubber-metal hinge, lantern gearing. The extended recoil length of the gun compared to the tank mount, combined with the recoil of the vehicle hull due to the operation of the hydropneumatic suspension, made it possible to use a gun with a high recoil momentum on a light chassis, while ensuring the stability of the SPTP when fired. The vehicle overcomes water obstacles without additional devices; two jet propulsion units provide afloat movement. The means of communication include the R-163-50U radio station and the R-163-UP radio receiver, the R-174 tank intercom. Airborne landing is carried out by parachute from altitudes from 400 to 1500 m using a special parachute multi-dome strapdown system P260M with a 14-dome parachute system MKS-350-14M and forced air cushioning. It is possible to land 2S25 with all three crew members inside the vehicle. The machine can be transferred by a heavy transport helicopter Mi-26T on an external sling.

The volume of production of "Octopus-SD" was small - only 36 vehicles entered 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 chassis of the Kurganmashzavod, the question arose of changing the chassis for the SPTP, which received the designation Sprut-SDM1. However, this is already a new car.

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