Pakistan has got mixture of M-46 and Type 59-1 130mm field guns in service.According to various sources number of guns is inbetween 350 and 400.
It fires a shell ranges upto 27.5 km (unassisted) 38 km (assisted)
With advent of new 155mm guns,these guns are now outranged.
Since they are old and everyone is shifting to 155 mm guns,Many states around the Globe have programs in place for upgunning these guns to 155mm cal.
Bharat got almost 1000 guns from USSR and
is currently upgunning all of it's 130's to 155mm,there new gun fires a 155mm shell at ranges upto 39 Km and their 2027 Art Mod Plan calls for replacing all cals to 155mm.It seems like they would upgun all of their inventory.
Considering all this Pakistan should upgun all of 130's to 155mm cal either do it at HIT or through another foreign company.
Here are advantages which we would get from upgunning 130 to 155.
- Depending upon barrel L Gun range would increase with upgrade.
- Shell weight would increase damage.
- Ease of logistics and increase in no of Arty guns of 155 cal.
- It would save money which otherwise would go into new arty gun purchase.
In longer run a single cal means that;
- Reduction in the logistic trail of Army,single cal means one type of Ammo support.
- This would imply a higher operational preparedness and greater logistical efficiency.
- Simple logistics management systems achieved through inventory streamlining and standardisation will act as a force multiplier.
- In longer run we can design a single Arty piece of that cal and replace our all inventroy with it.
Here is everything which goes into this process of upgunning.
UPGUNNING OF 130mm M46 GUN TO 155mm/45 CALIBRE GUN
Converted gun is based on the Soviet 130mm M-46 gun, where the barrel has been replaced with new 155 mm with 45 caliber length. It is representing a modern, highly versatile and cost-effective solution of powerfull fire support weapon, boasting features like:
- combat weight of 7680 kg,
- field of action 50 degrees in azimuth and minus 2.5 Deg to 45 Deg in elevation,
- capable of firing all standard 155mm NATO ammunition including modern long range artillery projectile ERFB (range of 30 km) and ERFB-BB (max range of 39 km) with appropriate combustible cartridge cases.
Crew training, operation and maintenance, as well as weapon basic operation performances (in-action / out of action time, elevation and traverse aiming speed, rate of fire etc) are performed in the similar way as for existing 130mm M-46 gun.
Under the conversion program certain gun sub-systems have been replaced or redesigned, such as:
- Replace of 130 mm barrel with new 155 mm / 45cal. barrel with new breach block assembly and new muzzle brake (twin-chamber, casted)
- Sealing system in the counter-recoil subsystem (including recoil brake and recuperator) have been redesigned
- Sealing system in the equilibrators have been redesigned
- New breach block design includes integration of self-sealing system operating with combustible powder charges
- New sighting system including the optical sight reticle and changing of sight mechanisms to NATO mils (1/6400),
- New pneumatic rammer for projectile and propellant charges (optionally)
- Integration of new FCS into converted gun battery/battalion structure, including weapon-integrated gun display
B) Breech ring, breech nut, front and back collar of the barrel and breech connecting parts have been retained.
Compared to the standard M-46, the up-gunned 155mm/45 the following advantages:
- 34% increase in range
- 260% increase in terminal effectiveness.
- 330% increase in lethal area.
- Compatibility with all standard 155mm NATO ammunition
- No crew training required.
- Small increase in total weight.
- The basic output performances are same as most current 155mm systems.
- Three to five times, less expensive than new similar systems.
In my layman opinion Pakistan should ASAP embark on this plan couples with AH-4 purchase if not by the end of this decade most of our guns would be outranged by enemy.
yugoimport.com
@Quwa @Bilal Khan (Quwa) I request you to prepare and forward proposal on this as you did in case of UAV's.
@Inception-06 @PanzerKiel @Signalian
