130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)
M-46 or KS-30 | ||
---|---|---|
Breech Horizontal sliding-wedge | | |
Recoil | hydro-pneumatic | |
Carriage | Split-trail | |
Elevation | −2.5° to 45° | |
Traverse | 50° | |
Rate of fire | 6 rpm (normal) 8 rpm (burst) 5 rpm (sustained) | |
Muzzle velocity | 930 m/s (3,051 ft/s) | |
Maximum firing range | 27 km (17 mi) (unassisted) 40 km (25 mi) (assisted) |
The 130 mm towed field gun M-46 (Russian: 130-мм пушка M-46) is a manually loaded, towed 130 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It was first observed by the West in 1954.
For many years, the M-46 was one of the longest range artillery pieces in existence, with a range of more than 27 km (17 mi) (unassisted) and 40 km (25 mi) (assisted).
Design history
The order was given in April 1946 to design a "duplex" artillery piece to replace the obsolete
A second "duplex" artillery system was subsequently designed by FF Petrov's design bureau at Artillery Factory No 9. This comprised a 122 mm gun and a 152 mm howitzer. The D-74 122 mm field gun was a competitor to the M-46; and while many were produced, the M-46 became the only long range gun in Soviet service until new 152 mm guns were made in the 1970s.
Description
The M-46 was developed from the M-36 130 mm naval gun used on ships and for coast defence. It is a true gun, being unable to fire much above 45° and having a long barrel and a single propelling charge. In contrast, most Western field guns of this period had a dual high and low angle fire ability, a gun-howitzer.
It has a 55 calibre barrel with a tied jaw horizontal sliding-block breech and 'pepperpot' muzzle brake. The latter is not notably efficient, but subjective reports suggest that it is quite effective in reducing muzzle flash. The hydro-pneumatic recoil system comprises a buffer below the barrel and a recuperator above the barrel. The long barrel enables a substantial propelling charge by providing more length in which to achieve 'all-burnt' and hence projectile acceleration space and thus achieve its 930 m/s muzzle velocity.
The barrel is mounted on a split-trail carriage, with deep box section trails and foam filled road wheels on the ground when firing and 50° of top traverse. The small shield protects little more than the sights, possible including from the effects of muzzle blast, and some protection from machine gun fire in anti-tank engagements. The gun has long and robust trails to provide stability when firing, a large detachable spade is fitted to the end of each when the gun is brought into action.
Non-reciprocating sights are standard Soviet pattern, designed for one-man laying. Included are a direct fire anti-tank telescope, a panoramic periscopic indirect-fire sight (a dial sight) in a reciprocating mounting, an angle of sight scale, and a range drum engraved with the range (distance) scale, coupled to a mounted elevation levelling bubble. The range drum enables the standard Soviet technique of semi-direct fire when the piece is laid visually on the target and the range set on the range drum. An APN-3 was later provided for direct fire at night in place of the day telescope.
For travel, the gun is towed via a two-wheeled limber fitted to the end of the closed trails, with the spades removed and carried on each trail. Simple jacks on the trails just behind the main wheels are used to lift and support the closed trails so that the limber can be connected. The barrel and recuperator are pulled back between the closed trails and locked in a travelling position. There is a large bicycle chain arrangement on the right trail for this, and a compressed air cylinder, charged by the gun firing, is used to bring the barrel forward when the gun is brought back into action. It takes about four minutes to bring the gun into action, the normal detachment is eight strong.
Propelling charges are in metal cartridge cases and loaded separately from the projectile. Projectiles originally included HE fragmentation, Armour Piercing solid shot, smoke, illuminating and chemical. HE shells weigh ~33 kg (73 lb). Illuminating shells have a substantially lower muzzle velocity. APHE and extended range shells were introduced later. Maximum rate of fire is probably 6-7 rounds/minute, and about 70 rounds/hour. The standard Soviet unit of fire was 80 rounds.[5][6][7]
Operational history
The M-46 was first seen openly at the 1954 May Day Parade in Moscow. It initially replaced the
It is or has been in service with at least 25 countries and has been license manufactured in China as the Type 59. It was replaced in Soviet/Russian inventory by the
The M-46 saw extensive combat service with the
Tanzania People's Defence Force fielded some M-46 guns during Uganda–Tanzania War in 1978–1979.[14]
A version of this gun, possibly the Chinese-manufactured Type 59–1, is suspected to have been used by North Korea for
Variants
Soviet Union
- M-47 – This is a 152 mm field gun (Russian: 152-мм пушка M-47 обр. 1953 г.) that was developed alongside the M-46. The M-47 had a range of 20,470 m and was far less successful than its 130 mm counterpart. Only a small number was built between 1954 and 1957. Externally, the M-46 and M-47 are virtually identical, except for the calibre.
China
- Type 59 – This is a licensed version of the M-46.[15]
- Type 59-1 – This is a combination of the 130 mm ordnance of the Type 59 with the carriage of the Type 60 (D-74 copy). The result is a gun with the same range as the M-46, but with a much lower weight of 6.3 t. The M59-1M is the Egyptian licence version. For the export market, a version with APU and redesigned carriage was developed. Also for the export market, a self-propelled variant, based on the Type 83 SPH was designed.[16]
- Type GM-45 – For the export market, WA 021. The Type GM-45 has a maximum range of 39 km when ERFB-BB ammunition is used.[15]
Cuba
- The Cuban army operates two different, locally designed self-propelled versions of the M-46. One is based on the tracked chassis of the T-34-85 tank, while the other is based on a heavily modified KrAZ 6x6 truck. These and other modifications were shown for the first time during the 2006 military parade.[citation needed]
Egypt
- The Egyptian Army operates a locally assembled variant of the M-46[17]
India
- The Indian Army has a total of around 1000 of the 130 mm towed guns that were acquired from the former Soviet Union starting in 1968.[18]
- Upgunned Soltam 155 mm guns – A total of 180 of the 130 mm guns held by Indian Army were upgunned to 155 calibre by the Israeli firm Soltam in 2008.[18]
- IOB Sharang 155 mm/45 calibre guns – Another 155 mm upgrade (45 Calibre) upgrade of the 300 M-46 towed guns, this one designed by Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). The upgraded M-46 has a range of 39 km.[19] India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded an INR2 billion (US$27.2 million) contract on 25 October 2018 to the state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to upgrade 300 of the Indian Army's (IA's) Soviet-era 130 mm/52 calibre M-46 field guns to 155 mm/45 calibre in a bid to augment its firepower.[20]
- SP-130 "Catapult" – Indian-designed self-propelled version, mounted on the hull of the Vijayanta tank.[15]
Israel
- M-46S – This is an upgrade of an existing M-46 or Type 59, carried out by Soltam Systems Ltd. The original barrel is replaced by a new model of 155/45mm (western ammunition) for a range of 25.8 (HE) to 39 km (ERFB-BB). A 39-calibre barrel is optional. In March 2000, Soltam won a contract worth $47,524,137 for upgrading 180 M-46s to M-46S standard (Indian designator: 155/45mm (E1) Soltam). A follow-on deal for 250 retrofit kits was optioned for. In 2005, after only 40 howitzers were modified, the M-46S programme was terminated due to a fatal barrel explosion.[15]
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
The US Defense Intelligence Agency has reported the existence of a number of locally designed self-propelled artillery systems, including the SPG 130 mm M1975, the SPG 130 mm M1981 and the SPG 130 mm M1991. Details are not available, but they appear to be M-46/Type 59s mounted on a tracked chassis “Tokchon”.[15]
Serbia
- M46/84 – This is a conversion that involved replacing the original 130 mm barrel with a new 155/45 mm barrel or 152 mm barrel. With ERFB-BB ammunition, this version has a range of 38,600 m and with M05 152 mm range exceeds 40 km.[16]
Netherlands
- RDM Technology BV is yet another company that offers an upgrade of the M-46/Type 59 that involves fitting a new 155mm/45 barrel.[15]
Romania
- A412 – License-built Chinese Type 59–1 with
Type 59-1 was manufactured by Arsenal Resita under the designation A412 Model 1982 between 1982 and 1989. A maximum range of 33 km (21 mi) was reached Using NORINCO's Base Bleed ammunition. The A412 cannon can fire a 7-8 rounds per minute. The A412 was exported to four other countries: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cameroon, Guinea, and Nigeria.
Vietnam
- PTH130-K225B – A self-propelled prototype placed on KrAZ 6x6 truck was revealed, based on Cuba's variant.[22]
Projectiles
- Frag-HE, 3OF33 (with full charge 3VOF43) – range: 27,490 meters
- Frag-HE, 3OF33 (with separate charge 3VOF44) – range: 22,490 meters
- Frag-HE, ERFB-BB – Extended Range Full Bore – Base Bleed, range: 38,000 meters
- APCBC-HE-T, BR-482 and BR-482B – range: 1,140 meters
- Guided Shell, Firn-1 – range: 24,000 meters
- Smoke
- Chemical
- Illumination
Operators
- Algeria: 10[23]: 340
- Angola: 146 acquired from the Soviet Union and Bulgaria;[24] 48 in service[23]: 460
- Azerbaijan: 36 acquired from Bulgaria.[25]
- Bangladesh: 62; Type 59-1 variant[23]: 254
- Bosnia-Herzegovina: 8; A412 variant[24]
- Cambodia: Type 59-1s[24]
- Cameroon: 12 A412 variant[24] and 12 Type 59 variant[26]
- People's Republic of China: 234 in service in 2016; Type 59 and Type 59-1 variants[23]: 261
- Republic of the Congo: 5[23]: 470
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: 42; Type 59 and Type-59-1 variants[23]: 472
- Cuba: 197[24]
- Egypt: 650; 250 M-46 and 400 Type 59-1M[24]
- Eritrea: 39 acquired from Bulgaria[24] 19 in service.[27]
- Ethiopia: 114[24]
- Guinea: 12; A412 variant[24]
- : 434
- India: ~600 in service and ~500 in store; 200 modified to 155 mm caliber[23]: 271
- Iran: 726; 100 M-46 and 626 Type 59;[24] another estimate gives 985 M-46s[23]: 349
- Iraq: 676;[24] M-46 and Type 59 variants.[23]: 353
- Israel:[23]: 345 Captured from Syria and Egypt.[11]
- Laos: 10[23]: 291
- Lebanon: 15[23]: 362 -16[24]
- Libya: 330[24]
- Mongolia: 50[24]
- Morocco: 18 Donated by Egypt in the late 1970s[23]: 367
- Mozambique: 24[24] 6 in service in 2016.[23]: 490
- Myanmar: 16 Type 59-1 and 160 M-46 in service[29]
- Nigeria: 4; A412 variant;[24] another estimate gives 7 M-46s[23]: 494
- North Korea: 210; 160 M-46 and 50 Type 59[24]
- Oman: 15 acquired from unidentified source.[24] Other source gives 12 M-46s and 12 Type 59-1s.[23]: 369
- Pakistan: 410 Type 59-I[30]
- Peru: 30[24] to 36[23]: 433
- Romania: 75; A412 variant[31]
- Russia: 650[23]: 196
- Serbia:[32] 36[23]: 141
- South Sudan[23]: 502
- Sri Lanka: 12[24] to 30;[23]: 310 Type 59 or Type 59-1 variant[24]
- Sudan: 30[24] to 75;[23]: 503 Type 59 variant[24]
- Syria: 650[24]
- Tanzania: 30[23]: 506 to 50;[24] Type 59-1 variant[23]: 506
- Thailand: 54; Type 59 variant[24]
- Uganda: 6 acquired from Bulgaria.[25]
- Ukraine: 24 (M-46H1 variant) provided by Croatia in 2022.[34][35][36] An unknown number also provided by Finland.[37]
- United Arab Emirates: 20; Type 59-1 variant[23]: 381
- Vietnam: 519[24]
- Zambia: 18; Type 59 variant[24]
Former operators
- Soviet Union
- Afghanistan: 428[24]
- People's Socialist Republic of Albania: 100; Type 59 variant[24]
- People's Republic of Bulgaria: 72[24]
- Croatia: 36; M-46H1 variant[38]
- East Germany: 175[24]
- Finland: 144 acquired from the Soviet Union in 1965-66 and 166 from ex-East-Germany in 1993;[24] in 2016, 36 were still in service under designation 130 K 54, all withdrawn from active service in 2019[citation needed]
- Germany: Former East German guns; 166 sold to Finland in 1993
- Islamic State: 34[39][40]
- Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam: 12; Type 59-1[41]
- Palestine Liberation Organization: 10 acquired from East Germany[24]
- People's Republic of Kampuchea: 30[24]
- Somalia: 10; Type 59 variant[24]
- South Africa: 6 on loan from Israel, later returned[11]
- South Lebanon Army: 5 acquired from Israel[24]
- Yemen: 93 received;[24] ~60 in service in 2016[42]
- Yugoslavia: 186[24]
See also
Bibliography
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References
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- ^ David Axe (27 October 2022). "Ukraine Is Collecting A Lot Of Russia's Old T-62 Tanks". Forbes.
- ^ ordnanceandmilitaria.com/110-to-149mm-ammo
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- ISBN 0-904609-04-9
- ISBN 0-517-65341-9
- ^ "M-46 130 mm Field Gun". Military-Today.com. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-8179-8902-6.
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- ^ a b c Leon Engelbrecht (10 February 2011). "G6 L45 self-propelled towed gun-howitzer". Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
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- ^ a b "Defence Ministry signs Rs 200 crore contract to upgun 130 mm howitzers". India Today. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Ordnance Factory Board". Archived from the original on 19 November 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- ^ "India's OFB wins tender to upgrade 300 M-46 field guns". Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
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- ^ QPVN. "Học viện Kỹ thuật Quân sự - Thời cơ và khát vọng". www.qpvn.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ a b "United Nations Register of Conventional Arms: Report of the Secretary-General" (PDF). New York: United Nations. 21 August 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ The Military Balance 2021, p. 454.
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- ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (1 September 2021). "The Tigray Defence Forces - Documenting Its Heavy Weaponry". Oryx Blog.
- ^ "SIPRI Trade Register". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
- ^ IISS 2023, p. 280.
- ^ "United Nations Official Document". Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ "M-46 130 mm Gun, Serbian Armed Forces (Serbian)". Archived from the original on 19 November 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
- France Soir (in French). 19 October 2017. Archivedfrom the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
- ^ "Government of the Republic of Croatia - Croatia sending emergency aid to Ukraine". vlada.gov.hr. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Croatia donates M-46 field guns to Ukraine | Shephard". www.shephardmedia.com. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Croatia donates M-46 field guns to Ukraine". shephardmedia.com. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Finland transferred 130 mm M-46 howitzers to the Armed Forces of Ukraine".
- S2CID 219622746.
- ^ "Vehicles and equipment captured and operated by the Islamic State inside Syria". spioenkop.blogspot.com. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
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- ^ Humanitarian Operation Factual Analysis July 2006 – May 2009 (PDF). Ministry Of Defence Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
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External links
- M-46
- Type 59 130mm towed gun
- 130 K 54 RT Finnish 130 K 154 Training