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 1961 – present
Used by See Operators
Wars Gulf War
War 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
T-12, rear view.

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 1960s until the late 1980s.

History

The T-12 entered service in 1961,[1] 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The weapon was planned to be superseded by the 2A45 Sprut-B 125 mm smooth bore anti-tank gun.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.

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.[2]

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

BM-2 APFSDS projectile.
3BM-2

APFSDS-T Tungsten

3BM23/3UBM10

APFSDS

HEAT

3BK16M/3UBK8

HE-FRAG

3OF12/3OF35

Guided projectile

9K117 Kastet 3UBK10/3UBK10M

Beam riding laser guided projectile.

Operators

Map of T-12 operators in blue with former operators in red

Former operators

Variants

Romania

People's Republic of China

See also

References

  1. ↑ Широкорад А. Б. Гладкоствольные противотанковые пушки («Спрут» и «Рапира») // Техника и вооружение вчера, сегодня, завтра…: Журнал. — Москва: РОО «Техинформ», 1997. — № 10
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. 1 2 http://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/t-12.htm
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  6. ↑ Gribincea, Mihai (2001). The Russian policy on military bases: Georgia and Moldova. Oradea: Editura Cogito. p. 223. ISBN 978-9738032200.
  7. ↑ "United Nations Register of Conventional Arms: Report of the Secretary-General" (PDF). New York: United Nations. 14 July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2017.
  8. ↑ Zaloga, Stephen (2015). T-64 Battle Tank: The Cold War’s Most Secret Tank. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 978-1472806284.
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ "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 September 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  11. 1 2 Janes Armour and Artillery 2003-2004
  12. ↑ http://www.arsenal.ro/Arsenal/
  13. ↑ Jane's Armour and Artillery 2003-2004

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