100 mm anti-tank gun T-12

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2A19 (T-12) 100 mm anti-tank gun
100-мм противотанковая пушка Т-12 Рапира (2).jpg
T-12 displayed in the Artillery Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
TypeAnti-tank gun
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In service1961–present
Used bySee operators
WarsSoviet–Afghan War[1]
Iran–Iraq War
Persian Gulf War
Transnistria conflict
War of Dagestan
Russo-Georgian War[2]
Syrian civil war
War in Donbas
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Russo-Ukrainian War
Specifications
Mass2,750 kg (6,060 lb)
Length9.16 m (30 ft 1 in)[3]
Barrel length6.3 m (20 ft 8 in) 63 calibers[3]
Width1.795 m (5 ft 11 in)
Height1.565 m (5 ft 2 in)
Crew6[3]
ShellFixed QF 100 × 910 mmR
(R/147mm)
Caliber100 millimetres (3.9 in)
RecoilHydro-pneumatic
CarriageTransport: Ural-375D (6×6)
On road: 60 km/h (37 mph)
Off road: 15 km/h (9 mph)
Elevation−10° to +20°[3]
Traverse27° left or right
Rate of fire14 rpm (max possible)
10 rpm (max likely)
4 to 6 rpm (typical)
Muzzle velocitySee Ammunition
Maximum firing rangeSee Ammunition
Closeup of the T-12 aiming mechanism, with blueprints showing its proper lubrication in the background.
T-12, rear view.

2A19 or T-12 is a Soviet smoothbore 100-mm anti-tank gun, which served as the primary towed anti-tank artillery in the Soviet and Bulgarian armies from the early 1960s to the late 1980s.

History

The T-12 entered service in 1961,[4] replacing the BS-3 100 mm field gun. It was typically deployed in the anti-tank units of armoured and motor rifle regiments to protect flanks against counter-attacks during rapid advances.

In 1970, it was replaced in production by the T-12A or MT-12 "Rapira", which features a new smoothbore gun, the 100 mm 2A29 gun, as well as a redesigned carriage and gun shield to protect the crew from machine gun fire and shell splinters. Thanks to the redesigned carriage, which has a bigger wheel base, the MT-12 can be towed by the MT-LB, at speeds up to 60 km/h on road or 25 km/h cross-country.

The 2A29R "Ruta" or MT-12R is a version with a RLPK-1 radar for engaging targets in a poor visibility environment (smoke/fog). From 1981, the gun could fire laser beam-riding guided missiles 9M117 Kastet (weapon system 9K116) and carried the new designator 2A29K "Kastet" or MT-12K.

The weapon was planned to be superseded by the 2A45 Sprut-B 125 mm smooth bore anti-tank gun. Modern western tanks' frontal armour protection is in excess of what can be penetrated by a 100 mm gun from anything but point-blank range – even using the most modern APFSDS round.[citation needed] For a tank that can manoeuvre to take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses this is less of a problem – but for a weapon that is primarily defensive, this is a serious problem.[citation needed] Today, the T-12 is applied mostly in the role of ordinary artillery, using FRAG-HE shells.

In 2017, the Algerian military displayed a locally developed variant mounted on a Mercedes-Benz Zetros truck. It includes four stabilization legs to absorb firing impacts.[5]

Description

The gun requires a crew of six: commander, driver of the towing vehicle, gun layer, loader, and two ammunition crewmen. When the MT-LB is used as the transporter, 20 rounds are typically carried (10 APFSDS, 4 HE-Frag, 6 HEAT). Since the weapon is a smoothbore, all the ammunition is finned for accuracy during flight.

The standard equipment consists of the panoramic PG-1M sight for indirect fire, and an OP4M-40U telescope for direct fire. The APN-5-40 or APN-6-40 are used for direct fire by night.

The gun can be fitted with the LO-7 ski gear for travel across snow or swampy ground.

Combat history

During the 1992 Battle for Tighina/Bender, the Moldovan military utilized MT-12s to engage T-64BV tanks of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR).[6]

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have been seen using this weapon against Russian armour in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. Although not capable of outright destroying modern tanks, it can disable them from certain angles. It can also destroy lighter armoured vehicles. It is readily available and it is being used by Ukrainian Territorial Units made up of older citizens. Pro-Russian separatists have also been seen using these weapons. It provides direct fire support for units that don't have 2S1 122-millimeter howitzers or Stugna-P missiles.[7]

Ammunition

Note: penetration numbers for RHA at 90 degrees.

APFSDS

BM-2 APFSDS projectile.
3BM-2

APFSDS-T Tungsten

  • Round weight: 19.34 kg (42.6 lb)
  • Projectile weight: 5.65 kg (12.5 lb)
  • Muzzle velocity: 1,575 m/s (5,170 ft/s)
  • Maximum range: 3,000 m (3,300 yd)
  • Penetration:
    • 230 mm at 500 m (9 in at 550 yd)
    • 180 mm at 2,000 m (7 in at 2,200 yd)
    • 140 mm at 3,000 m (5.5 in at 3,300 yd)
3BM23/3UBM10

APFSDS

  • Round weight: 19.9 kg (44 lb)
  • Projectile weight: 4.55 kg (10.0 lb)
  • Muzzle velocity: 1,548 m/s (5,080 ft/s)
  • Maximum range: 3,000 m (3,300 yd)
  • Penetration: 225 mm at 1000 m (8.8 in at 1100 yd)[8]

HEAT

3BK16M/3UBK8
  • Round weight: 23.1 kg (51 lb)
  • Projectile weight: 9.5 kg (21 lb)
  • Muzzle velocity: 975 m/s (3,200 ft/s)
  • Maximum range: 1,000 m (1,100 yd)
  • Penetration: 400 mm (16 in)[8]

HE-FRAG

3OF12/3OF35
  • Round weight: 28.9 kg (64 lb)
  • Projectile weight: 16.7 kg (37 lb)
  • Muzzle velocity: 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s)
  • Maximum range (indirect): 8,200 m (9,000 yd)

Guided projectile

9K117 Kastet 3UBK10/3UBK10M
Main article: 9M117 Bastion

Beam riding laser guided projectile.

  • Round weight: 24.5 kg (54 lb)
  • Projectile weight: 17.6 kg (39 lb)
  • Average speed: 300 m/s (980 ft/s)
  • Range: 100–5,000 m (110–5,470 yd)
  • Penetration: 550–600 mm (22–24 in)

Operators

Map of T-12 operators in blue with former operators in red
Armenian Army T-12 in Yerevan

Former operators

Variants

Romania

  • A407 - This artillery system was designed by Arsenal-Resita and is very similar to the MT-12. It can fire the same range of ammunition as the T-54/55 tank and has a maximum range of 2,200 m (HEAT) or 4,000 m (APC-T). Subversions are the A407M1 and the A407M2. In Romanian Army service, the A407 is known as the 100 mm anti-tank gun M1977 (Romanian: Tun antitanc calibrul 100-mm Model 1977) and is normally towed by the DAC 887R truck.[19] It can also be towed with the DAC 665T truck. The Model 2002 is an improved version, fitted with the automatic fire control system TAT-100.[20]

People's Republic of China

  • Type 73 - This appears to be a copy of the Soviet T-12.[19]
  • Type 86 - This is a 100mm smoothbore anti-tank gun that has some similarities with the 85mm Type 56 (D-44). It fires ammunition of the fixed type, including the Type 73 HE, Type 73 HEAT, Type 73 APFSDS and Type 86 APFSDS to a maximum range of 1,800 m.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ Zaloga, Steven; Luczak, Wojciech; Beldam, Barry (1992). Armor of the Afghanistan War. Armor 2009. Concord Publications. p. 67. ISBN 978-9623619097.
  2. ^ Mantoux, Stéphane (December 2012). "Jours de tonnerre : L'Armée russe au combat en Ossétie du Sud et en Géorgie" [Days of thunder: The Russian Army in combat in South Ossetia and Georgia]. Batailles et Blindés (in French). No. 52. Caraktère. pp. 68–82. ISSN 1765-0828.
  3. ^ a b c d Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's Pocket Book of Towed Artillery. New York: Collier. p. 55. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.
  4. ^ Широкорад А. Б. Гладкоствольные противотанковые пушки («Спрут» и «Рапира») // Техника и вооружение вчера, сегодня, завтра...: Журнал. — Москва: РОО «Техинформ», 1997. — No. 10
  5. ^ Binnie, Jeremy (4 July 2017). "Algeria displays locally developed self-propelled artillery". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  6. ^ Т-64БВ в боях за г. Бендеры, retrieved 31 July 2022
  7. ^ "Ukraine's Citizen-Soldiers Are Shooting 60-Year-Old Artillery At Russian Tanks". Forbes. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  8. ^ a b "T-12 100-mm anti-tank gun MT-12 100-mm anti-tank gun 2A19 100-mm anti-tank gun 2A29 100-mm anti-tank gun". Archived from the original on 15 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i International Institute for Strategic Studies (2020). The Military Balance. Vol. 120. Routledge. pp. 257–504. ISBN 978-0-367-46639-8.
  10. ^ Nerguizian, Aram; Cordesman, Anthony (2009). The North African Military Balance: Force Developments in the Maghreb. Washington DC: Center for Strategic and International Studies Press. pp. 44–46. ISBN 978-089206-552-3.
  11. ^ SIPRI Trade Registers, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, retrieved 27 June 2011
  12. ^ Gribincea, Mihai (2001). The Russian policy on military bases: Georgia and Moldova. Oradea: Editura Cogito. p. 223. ISBN 978-9738032200.
  13. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2001). "NATO and non-NATO Europe". The Military Balance. 101 (1): 80. doi:10.1080/04597220108460153. S2CID 219623417.
  14. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2013). "Chapter Four: Europe". The Military Balance. 113 (1): 117. doi:10.1080/04597222.2013.756999. S2CID 219627496.
  15. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2006). "Caribbean and Latin America". The Military Balance. 106 (1): 323. doi:10.1080/04597220600782895. S2CID 219623774.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  17. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2004). "NATO Europe". The Military Balance. 104 (1): 55. doi:10.1080/725292366. S2CID 219627820.
  18. ^ "Lectures and General Exercises of the General Staff Academy of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (PDF). Langley: Central Intelligence Agency. 28 August 1977. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 January 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  19. ^ a b c Jane's Armour and Artillery 2003-2004
  20. ^ http://www.arsenal.ro/Arsenal/[permanent dead link]

External links

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