AHS Krab

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Krab[1]
AHS Krab in Kyiv 06.jpg
TypeSelf-propelled artillery
Place of originPoland
Service history
Used byPolish Land Forces
Ukrainian Ground Forces
Wars2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Production history
DesignerOBRUM
Huta Stalowa Wola
BAE Systems
Samsung Techwin
Designed2000
ManufacturerHuta Stalowa Wola
Produced2008–2011
2015–present
No. built80
Variants3
Specifications
Mass48 tonnes/48,000 kg (106,000 lb)
Length12.05 m (39 ft 6 in)
Width3.60 m (11 ft 10 in)
Height3.00 m (9 ft 10 in)
Crew5
Shell155 mm NATO
Caliber52
Rate of fire6 rounds per minute (sustained)
Effective firing range30 km (19 mi)
Maximum firing range40 km (25 mi) with base bleed round
ArmorPOSCO MIL-12560H armor steel (chassis)
Main
armament
Nexter Systems 155 mm/52 caliber long gun
Secondary
armament
WKM-B .50 BMG
EngineSTX Engine-MTU Friedrichshafen MT881Ka-500
8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine
735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm
Power/weight20.8 hp/t
TransmissionSNT Dynamics X1100-5A3
4 forward, 2 reverse
SuspensionMottrol Hydropneumatic Suspension Unit (HSU)
Operational
range
400 km (250 mi)
Maximum speed Maximum: 67 km/h (42 mph)
Average: 30 km/h (19 mph)

The AHS Krab (Polish for crab) is a 155 mm NATO-compatible self-propelled tracked gun-howitzer designed in Poland by Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW), by combining the South Korean K9 Thunder chassis with a British BAE Systems AS-90M Braveheart turret with French Nexter Systems 52-calibre long gun and Polish WB Electronics' "Topaz" artillery fire control system. The 2011 version used a Nexter Systems barrel and UPG chassis. The 2016 production batch utilized the Hanwha Defense K9 chassis with KMW+Nexter Defense Systems long gun, Rheinmetall barrel and STX Engine-MTU Friedrichshafen engine. As of 2016 full-rate production of 120 Krabs for the Polish Army has started with deliveries to be completed by 2024. As of 2019, Huta Stalowa Wola started using barrels of their own manufacture in successive production batches.[2]

History

The cannon was developed within the "Regina" research framework. The program's goal was to create a 155 mm (6.1 in) calibre long-range artillery piece for the Polish Army that would serve as a division-level asset. It was decided, that instead of buying a licence for a complete vehicle, only a licence for a modern L/52 gun and turret would be bought, and they would be mounted on domestically developed chassis.

In 1997 a competition for an artillery component (complete turret with a gun) was announced. The British AS-90M won the competition (the other contestant was PzH-2000), and in 1999 its technology was transferred to Huta Stalowa Wola factory.[3] The UPG-NG chassis was developed in Poland by OBRUM in Gliwice, from an SPG-1M chassis (itself developed from a Soviet MT-S tractor), using parts combined with the PT-91 Twardy tank.[3] The first prototype was completed in 2001, the second the following year.[3] The first two prototypes of the howitzer are fitted with turret systems supplied by BAE Systems. It was planned to complete the first squadron in 2008, but the program was delayed due to financial reasons, and not until 2008 did the Polish Army order the introductory batch of the squadron module, completed in 2012.[3] It covers eight guns (six new-built and two upgraded prototype vehicles), command vehicles (on a much modernized MTLB chassis), as well as ammunition and repair vehicles for the ordnance and electronics.

In the introductory and series products, Nexter guns replaced the original British pieces. The trial firing of another gun supplied by the manufacturer continued every month through the end of the year (the third gun was tested on 10 August under the supervision of representatives of the Armament Inspectorate and the Head Office of the Missile and Artillery Force of the Air Forces), at the Dynamic Trial Center of the WITU (Military Technical Institute of Armament) in Stalowa Wola. The first firing of the third complete Krab (which also received new elements of onboard electronics developed by WB Electronics) occurred on 29 July 2011. The concentration of fire was among the requirements tested.[4] As of 2012, two prototypes and eight initial units (two artillery batteries each with four guns) had been built by Huta Stalowa Wola. In 2012–2013 eight new examples were used for tests conducted by the Polish Army as a part of a "Regina" battery command module.[5]

Eventually, on 17 December 2014, the Polish Ministry of Defence announced the deal worth US$320M with Korean Samsung Techwin (now Hanwha Techwin) to purchase 120 K9 Thunder chassis, with the first 24 to be delivered in 2017 and 96 to be built under licence in Poland in 2018–2022.[6] Poland also evaluated the Turkish-built T-155 Firtina chassis of the same origin.[7] The original Polish OBRUM's[Note 1] UPG-NG chassis built by BUMAR equipped with an S-12U engine and other elements (like road wheels) from the PT-91 Twardy used in eight initial production howitzers was abandoned due to structural cracks and ceased production of S-12U engines.

The first K9 chassis was shipped to Poland for testing and integration in June 2015.[8] The prototype was rolled out on 24 August 2015.[9] It went through type acceptance testing in October 2015.[10] The test ended successfully in April 2016, allowing series production.[11] On 7 April 2016, the Ministry of National Defence and the manufacturer concluded the research and development phase.[12] On 28 April 2016, during the Polish prime minister's visit to Stalowa Wola, the first two serial examples were handed over to Polish Army.[13] They joined eight initial production examples at the Artillery Training Center in Toruń, and were used to develop operational standards for combat units. During the handover ceremony on 18 November 2016, nine Krabs were accepted in the presence of the Polish Minister of National Defence, while seven more were in the acceptance testing phase.[14] Eight original turrets on UPG chassis are scheduled to be upgraded to the K9 chassis after the first batch of 16 guns is delivered by the end of 2016.[15] The deal for the next 96 units was signed on December 14, 2016, raising total order to 120 Krabs for five regiments.[16]

Each of the planned five regiments of Krabs will be equipped with 24 howitzers.[17] The first unit to receive 24 Krabs by 2017 will be 11th Masurian Artillery Regiment in Węgorzewo. The development program of advanced, smart 155 mm ammunition was expected to conclude in 2017.[18]

In late May 2022, the Polish government donated 18 Krabs to Ukraine to help the Ukrainian military defend the nation against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[19] It was subsequently revealed that the two governments had signed a contract under which Poland would sell Ukraine an additional 60 Krabs, in a deal worth US$700 million.[20] With the deal, Ukraine became the first export customer for Polish Krabs.[20] The agreement was the largest defence contract that Poland had made in the previous 20 years.[20]

Operators

AHS Krab during a parade in Poland.
AHS Crab on the training ground
  • Poland Polish Land Forces – 62 in stock. 80 delivered of a total of 122 ordered,[21] however 18 were donated to Ukraine leaving Poland with 62. On 2022-09-05 another 48 were ordered.[22]
  • Ukraine Ukrainian Ground Forces – 18 units were given by Poland from Polish Army stock,[23] another 54 on order.[24] As of September 2022, one unit was confirmed to be lost due to incorrect usage by the vehicle crew.[25]

Operational history

Ukraine reports that it has used the weapon during fighting near Sievierodonetsk.[26]

Various pictures have emerged, which have shown the weapon being allegedly used during the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Oblast.[27][better source needed]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ OBRUM stands for Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych (Polish: "Research and Development Centre for Mechanical Appliances")

References

  1. ^ 155 mm samobieżna haubica. (in Polish)
  2. ^ "From 30 to 155 mm. Expanded Barrel Manufacturing Facility at HSW". Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  3. ^ a b c d Kwasek, Tomasz. Nowe szaty Kraba in: "Nowa Technika Wojskowa" Nr. 9/2015. P.16-24 (in Polish)
  4. ^ Pozytywne Wyniki Badań Działa Dla Kraba. (in Polish)
  5. ^ Kraby Kla 11. MPA. (in Polish)
  6. ^ Samsung Techwin signed a deal to deliver 120 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers to Poland. armyrecognition.com, December 17, 2014.
  7. ^ e-RAPORT MSPO 3/2013 Archived December 18, 2014, at the Wayback Machine 3 September 2013.
  8. ^ Pierwsze koreańskie podwozie dla Kraba. altair.com.pl (in Polish)
  9. ^ „Krab” na nowej drodze życia?. Archived 2015-09-26 at the Wayback Machine defence24.pl (in Polish)
  10. ^ Testy poligonowe Kraba. "Ostatni etap przygotowań do produkcji seryjnej". Archived 2016-11-22 at the Wayback Machine (in Polish)
  11. ^ Krab gotowy do produkcji, huta czeka na zamówienia wojska. (in Polish)
  12. ^ Wojsko zgadza się na produkcję seryjną Kraba. Czas na eksport?. Archived 2016-11-22 at the Wayback Machine (in Polish)
  13. ^ "Kraby meldują się do służby". Archived from the original on 2018-05-03. Retrieved 2016-11-19.
  14. ^ “Artillery Deal of the Century” – Is it Maturing?. defence24.com, 21 November 2016.
  15. ^ „Krab” na ostatniej prostej. Archived 2016-11-22 at the Wayback Machine (in Polish)
  16. ^ Artyleryjski kontrakt stulecia podpisany. "Regina" za 4,6 mld zł. Archived 2016-12-16 at the Wayback Machine defence24.pl, 2016-12-14 (in Polish)
  17. ^ Krab Howitzers for the Polish Army. defence24.com, 21 November 2016.
  18. ^ Amunicyjno-artyleryjska karuzela w Sejmie. Prace nad pociskami dla Raka, Kraba, Leopardów. Archived 2016-11-22 at the Wayback Machine (in Polish)
  19. ^ Charlish, Alan; Hunder, Max (May 29, 2022). "Poland gives 18 howitzers to Ukraine - public radio". Reuters. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  20. ^ a b c "Poland to sell 60 Krab self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine". Ukrinform. June 2, 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Polish Armed Forces have received self-propelled howitzers KRAB". Huta Stalowa Wola S.A. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  22. ^ "Kraby zamówione w Kielcach". defence24.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-09-05.
  23. ^ "Польща передає Україні 155-мм самохідні гаубиці AHS Krab". mil.in.ua.
  24. ^ "Poland to sell howitzers to Ukraine: report". polskieradio.pl. June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  25. ^ "Krab wybuchł z powodu błędu załogi. To nie Rosjanie. Ekspert ujawnia: „Bezsensowna strata"". wMeritum.pl (in Polish). 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  26. ^ "155mm Krab SPH is game-changer in Severodonetsk, says Ukraine". 18 June 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  27. ^ https://twitter.com/Militarylandnet/status/1568196021145976835[bare URL]
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