Anti-aircraft mount ZU-23-2: characteristics, technical description, photo

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 our army encountered two sad circumstances: almost complete absence of large-caliber machine guns and anti-aircraft installations. No, they were in the protection of the airfields, but often there was simply nothing to guard the military columns on the march. As a result - a long, almost three-year reign of fascist aviation in the air and huge losses in technology and manpower.

That is why in the post-war years the best scientific and technical cadres of the USSR were thrown on the development of antiaircraft artillery. The result of their work, including, became the anti-aircraft unit ZU-23-2, which appeared as a result of modernization of a simple ZU-23. It has been in service for more than 50 years, and its further development, as a result of which a twin (cannon-missile) ZU-30 appeared, leaves no doubt about the exceptional success of the idea itself.

How did it come about?

So, after the Great Patriotic War, the whole system of anti-aircraft weapons has undergone a complete revision and reorganization. It was immediately decided that the 25 mm cannon, due to their excess weight, is suitable only for the fleet. The efficiency of the then popular 37-mm caliber was clearly not enough to perform specific "land" tasks.

But at the same time, the troops urgently demanded a small-caliber automatic cannon, following the example of those that were installed during the war on ground attack planes. Actually, as a basis, the weapon from the legendary IL-2 was taken. Note that the existing many thousands of anti-aircraft ZU-23-2 and 20-mm anti-aircraft guns are no less well known than cannons of their distant "ancestor".

Already in 1955, the project of a 23-mm anti-aircraft machine 2A14 was presented. Engineers proposed two configurations: single and twin. The latter immediately had an increased priority, and therefore was made in three versions at once. All varieties had only a manual version of the drive, equipped with a standard zenith sight ZAP-23.

The commission decided that the ZU-14 model most fully meets all the requirements of the military. It was in 1959 that they "drove" through all stages of combined arms testing in several military districts. It was adopted in 1960, giving the name ZU-23. The plant was engaged in plant number 535. It should be noted that further elimination of all the identified shortcomings and "childhood diseases" took 10 years, after which the installation of an anti-aircraft unit ZU-23-2 appeared.

Design features

The automation works due to the energy of the exhausted powder gases. The gate of the wedge type, locking the barrel is carried out by means of the abutment of its "outgrowths" into the cutouts of the receiver. The successful construction of the trunk mounts allows it to be replaced in a combat situation in just 15-20 seconds. Also very successful were the drives of horizontal and vertical guidance, equipped with spring-loaded cushioning devices.

The operator spends very little time for accurate aiming at the target. If you look at the description of ZU-23-2, which leads the official manufacturer of these installations, then you can find information that the trained calculation can accomplish the aiming of the target in only 5-15 seconds. And this is subject to the use of mechanical means of correction! In the case when the soldier has a modernized ZU-30M with optoelectronic systems, the capture and tracking of the object is carried out almost instantly.

On the opposite side of the trunks can be translated in just three seconds! The fighting is of a tape type. The tape is used metal, the standard size is 50 cartridges, which are packed in a metal box, which allows to quickly recharge guns in the shortest possible time. Each such box with a tape and cartridges weighs almost 35.5 kg. Platform for installation - ball, equipped with three screw jacks. With their help, the ZU-23-2 antiaircraft gun is securely attached to the combat position.

The platform is equipped with a towing projection. In the marching position, the unit stands on two wheels from the GAZ-69. There is a torsion suspension, which serves to minimize the likelihood of damage to the gun when it is transported over rough terrain. This is an important circumstance, since in places of intense fighting, more or less normal roads remain extremely rare.

Guidance, shooting for different types of targets

ZU-23-2 is guided through the use of the ZAP-23 sight mentioned above. The current range to the target can be entered in the range of up to 3000 meters. This is true for the course direction 00 and the track speed of the tracked object to 300 m / s. The sight makes it possible to very accurately expose the required anticipation, which has a beneficial effect on the probability of destroying the fired aircraft.

When firing at ground targets, the same corrections can be made at distances up to 2000 meters. In some cases (experimental calculation), the range can be determined "manually", but usually using the stereo range meter for this. All other data the operator brings to the eye. The angles of the target and its azimuth are especially important. Because of this ZU-23-2 antiaircraft gun (we give it in the article) is very "demanding" for having a well-trained calculation.

The special feature of this anti-aircraft gun was the fact that the ZAP-23 sighting system includes a sight for T-3 ground targets. Note that he has an independent line of sight.

Advantages of antiaircraft installation

Strange as it may seem, ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun is not famous for its "air" talents, but quite a ground application. In all local conflicts in recent years, it turned out that this weapon is ideally suited as the main strike weapon of motorized rifles, since nothing more suitable for them simply does not exist. Firstly, the ZSU can be deployed almost immediately into a combat position. Secondly, with its help, all types of targets located at a distance of a direct shot (up to a kilometer) can be suppressed instantly.

Very often the need for such a ZU-23-2 arises in collisions with irregular enemy formations, that is, during counter-terrorist operations. Alas, but over the past 20 years they have become a real "fashion trend."

Other "raisins" of the construction

The huge advantage of this installation is the fact that it does not require a preliminary engineering preparation of the position. Only a more or less even surface is enough. Here you should take into account the possibilities of screw jacks, due to which you can even turn a slope of 30 degrees into an ideal plane. This was especially valuable in Afghanistan and Chechnya, where a 23-mm ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun was used in the mountains.

It is believed that a well-coordinated combat crew can bring the unit into combat position in just 15-20 seconds. From combat to marching - for 35-40 seconds. In practice, it was proved that, if necessary, ZU-23-2 can shoot on the move while in the marching position. Of course, the accuracy and accuracy in this case is not satisfactory, but it will work for an emergency battle.

Separately, we need to talk about the excellent mobility of the installation. The tugboat can be taken by any army car, since even in fully equipped form the mass of the storage device is considerably less than one ton. On roads with a hard surface, the speed of transport can reach up to 70 km / h, and off-road - up to 20 km / h. So ZU-23-2, the technical description of which we give, is an extremely "all-terrain" antiaircraft gun.

A very significant advantage is also the highest maintainability. The design uses only the simplest and most common steel grades, so that you can organize repairs in any enterprise that has at least the most primitive machines and other equipment.

Ammunition, ammunition characteristics

The standard ammunition kit ZU-23-2 includes 23-mm cartridges. Shells are used in two types - BZT and OFZT (OFZ). The first - armor-piercing-incendiary-tracing. It is produced with a solid head part, the mass of which is 190 g. The bottom part contains a charge for tracing, the head-incendiary composition. OFZ, that is, fragmentation-explosive charges, have a main part with a mass of 188.5 g. Until the 1990s, ZU-23-2 (the technical description of the facility is given in the article) most often used this type of ammunition.

The fuse in both cases is of the brand В19УК (in earlier versions - МГ-25). Its feature is the presence of a self-destructor, the time of its operation is 11 seconds. Regardless of the brand of the projectile, 77 grams of 5/7 CFL powder are used as a propellant charge. Note that specifically for the creation of these munitions, several domestic research institutes were engaged in the creation of new types of gunpowder, which would have the maximum energy intensity and combustion rate.

Ballistic features of ammunition

The total mass of the cartridge (regardless of the brand) is 450 g. The main ballistic indicators are also the same. The initial speed is 980 m / s, the maximum height ("ceiling") is 1500 m, the maximum guaranteed range of damage is up to 2000 m. Note: Currently, OFZ type missiles are used extremely rarely, since their combat power is not up to date.

In any case, a lot of criticism ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun (its characteristics we have already examined) deserved during both Chechen campaigns: it turned out that OFZ shells are very poorly suited to work in urban conditions, since they have a poor penetrating ability.

As a rule, the tape is equipped according to an unwritten rule: four rounds of OFZT per one BZT. And further. The detonator MG-25, which had a lot of shortcomings, is now completely replaced by V-19UK. The reasons for this are simple. Firstly, its sensitivity to dense surfaces is completely analogous to that of the previous model, but the fuse does not detonate when the projectile comes in contact with raindrops. Secondly, it is much better waterproof.

Combat application

For the first time the triumphant use of ZU-23-2 occurred during the Afghan campaign. They, due to their small weight, compactness, ease of transportation and killing, were ideal for covering small groups of departing Mujahideen. Of course, the main role in this was played by Shilki ...

But there was definitely not enough self-propulsion for everyone. First, the soldiers "semi-underground" installed "Zushki" in the bodies of the trucks that were part of the military columns, and then ZU-23-2 in this role was officially approved by the military commanders of all levels. Especially often they were mounted on lorries Ural-375 and KAMAZ. At the same time, it was established that five ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns can reliably protect a military column, even from a large ambush, literally "crumbling" the latter in the shortest possible time.

The fact is that the BMP-1, with a gun that had a small angle of recovery, has become an effective means of defending military columns from ambushes of mujahideen in the mountains. Not without the participation of these weapons and wars that unfolded in many regions of the USSR immediately after the collapse of the country. And today ZU-23-2 antiaircraft guns, photos of which are in the article, are full in all "hot spots" of the world. Of recent events, it is worth mentioning the sluggish Ukrainian conflict, in which both sides intensively use "zushki".

Moreover, in this case the coupled anti-aircraft gun ZU-23-2 was used exclusively for work on ground targets. There was no special need for the aircraft to be killed in the midst of military operations (they simply did not remain), but during the storming of fortified points this weapon proved itself from the best side.

Modern modifications

Alas, but with all its merits, even the declared efficiency of work on air targets is small, amounting to only 0.023. The likelihood of getting into a modern aircraft (with the possible exception of helicopters) is even lower, and significantly.

However, the barrage of this installation of its relevance has not lost, because only a couple of hits will disable almost any aircraft. Logical output - the installation of automatic sights and systems for tracking purposes. This is currently being handled by the KB Tochmash them. A.E. Nudelman. Their work formed the basis for the emergence of new anti-aircraft ZU-23-2. The photos of these models are easy to distinguish, since they contain starting containers of anti-aircraft missiles.

Advantages of modernized models

In addition, modernized "zushek" have electromechanical motors of guidance systems, the latest sights with illumination of the working area, a laser rangefinder, which allows to determine the distance to the meter even in conditions of poor visibility. To work at night, the system can additionally be equipped with thermal imaging sights, which accurately detect the thermal radiation of enemy equipment for several kilometers. Theoretically, this allows you to beat even a modern combat helicopter.

From the design of the modernized antiaircraft gun the obsolete ZAP-23 sight with the gunner's workplace was completely excluded. Its place was taken by an optoelectronic module with additional guidance and control systems. The Podolsky developer claims that as a result of all these innovations, the probability of hitting targets has increased threefold. But the real "hit" was the model ZU-30M, the design of which provides for the installation of containers of MANPADS such as "Igla", Stinger or others, at the request of the final customer.

So the ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun, the characteristics of which were considered by us in the article, gave rise to the development of a whole complex of simple, effective and cheap antiaircraft guns. Being modernized, "zushka" has been used for a number of years. Let us also note that Poland, in whose "bins" there are many such antiaircraft guns, arbitrarily engages in the production of modern models on their basis. Domestic designers are greatly upset by the fact that the Poles do not respect copyright at the same time.

We hope that the Zu-23-2 antiaircraft gun and its TTX, described by us, turned out to be of interest to you. This weapon is a perfect example of how the inherent potential of modernization makes it possible to use the antiaircraft gun of the times of the Cold War to this day.