T-12 antitank gun
| 2A19 (T-12) 100mm anti-tank gun | |
|---|---|
|
T-12 displayed in the Artillery Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. | |
| Type | Anti-tank gun |
| Place of origin |
 Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1955 – present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars |
Gulf War Invasion of Dagestan War in Donbass |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 2,750 kg (6,060 lb) |
| Length | 9.48 m (31 ft 1 in) |
| Barrel length | 63 calibers |
| Width | 1.795 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 1.565 m (5 ft 2 in) |
|
| |
| Shell | See Ammunition |
| Caliber | 100 millimetres (3.9 in) |
| Carriage |
Transport: Ural-375D (6x6) On road: 60 km/h (37 mph) Off road: 15 km/h (9 mph) |
| Elevation | −6° to +20° |
| Traverse | 27° left or right |
| Rate of fire |
14 rpm (max possible) 10 rpm (max likely) 4 to 6 rpm (typical) |
| Muzzle velocity | See Ammunition |
| Maximum firing range | See Ammunition |
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2A19 or T-12 is a Soviet smoothbore 100-mm anti-tank gun, which served as the main Eastern Bloc towed anti-tank gun from 1955 until the late 1980s.
History
The T-12 entered service in 1955, 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 smooth bore 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The weapon was planned to be superseded by the 2A45 Sprut-B 125 mm smooth bore anti-tank gun.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. 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. Today, the T-12 is applied mostly in the role of ordinary artillery, using FRAG-HE shells.
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.
Ammunition
Note: penetration numbers for RHA at 90 degrees.
APFSDS
- 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)[1]
- Interestingly the 3BM6 HVAPDS ammunition, fired out of the otherwise identical D-10 tank gun, could penetrate 290 mm of armour at 2000 m.
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) [2]
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
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
According to Jane's Armour and Artillery,[3] the following countries have or had the T-12 and/or MT-12 in service:
Current operators
Algeria - 12
Armenia - 36
Azerbaijan - 30
Belarus - 40
Bosnia-Herzegovina - 90
Bulgaria - 200
Croatia - 133
Cuba
Georgia - 50
Hungary - 106
Kazakhstan - 125
Kyrgyzstan - 15
Moldova - 36
Mongolia - 25+
Russia - est. 6,000
Turkmenistan - 48
Ukraine - 400
Uzbekistan - 39
Former operators
- Soviet Union - passed onto successor states.
Yugoslavia - 138, passed onto successor states.
Iraq - most destroyed in 1991 Gulf War or 2003 Invasion, none remain in service after 2003.
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.[4] 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.[5]
People's Republic of China
- Type 73 - This appears to be a copy of the Soviet T-12.[6]
- 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.[7]
See also
- List of anti-tank guns
- List of military equipment of Croatia
- List of artillery of the Soviet Union and Russia
References
- ↑ http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-12.htm
- ↑ http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-12.htm
- ↑ Jane's Armour and Artilery, 2003-2004
- ↑ Janes Armour and Artillery 2003-2004
- ↑ http://www.arsenal.ro/Arsenal/
- ↑ Jane's Armour and Artillery 2003-2004
- ↑ Janes Armour and Artillery 2003-2004
- Hull, A.W., Markov, D.R., Zaloga, S.J. (1999). Soviet/Russian Armor and Artillery Design Practices 1945 to Present. Darlington Productions. ISBN 1-892848-01-5.
- Foss, F., Christopher, Artillery of the World
- USA Today article - http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-03-25-war-zone_x.htm
- 100 mm Ammunition http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/698.pdf
- 100 mm Ammunition http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/697.pdf
- 100 mm Ammunition http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/696.pdf
- MT-12 http://www.milparade.com/catalog/pdf/99.pdf
- Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005-2006
- http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/missile/wobb/bastion/bastion.shtml
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 100 mm anti-tank gun T-12. |
- T-12 walkaround on DishModels.ru
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/t-12.htm
- Profile part of The Wirlwind War a publication of the United States Army Center of Military History
- http://www.milparade.com/catalog/part5/tank_rounds.shtml
- http://www.arsenal.ro/Arsenal/