US - M119 105mm Howitzer Airborne Deployment

 Source: Armed Forces Archives

Airborne‬ Artillery Drop & M119A3 Howitzer 105mm Cannon In Action

Turkey - Khan Artillery Missile

 Source:  Weapons Artillery

Roketsan Khan Artillery Missile

  The Khan is based on the Belarusian MZKT-7909 heavy high-mobility chassis with 8x8 configuration. This vehicle is powered by a TMZ-84631.10 turbocharged diesel engine, developing 525 hp. Engine is mated to an automatic transmission. The Khan launcher can travel on all kinds of roads and off-road. The launcher vehicle is capable of rapid deployment.

   The Khan is operated by a crew of 4. Vehicle is fitted with a 4-door armored cab, which provides protection for the crew against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters.

   Some years ago a Turkish BMC company was developing an indigenous 8x8 special wheeled chassis, the BMC 525-44 that could be used for military roles and carry various missiles. However so far this chassis has not reached production. Instead the Khan was based on a foreign chassis. Interestingly it is not the first time when Turkey obtained Belarusian heavy high mobility vehicles. In the early 2000s Turkish Army obtained a total of 130 Belarusian MZKT-74295 tank transporters.

   The Khan launcher vehicle is supported by an associated reloading vehicle. It is based on the same 8x8 MZKT chassis and is fitted with a crane. It carriers 2 containers with reload missiles.

   A Khan battery is composed of a couple of launcher vehicles (possibly 3) with ballistic missiles, associated reloading vehicles, command vehicles and possibly some other support vehicles.

Russia - S7 PION Self Propelled 203mm Heavy Artillery

Source: the Military Lovers 

2S7 PION Self Propelled 203mm Heavy Artillery Massive Live Firing

2S7 PION Self-Propelled 203mm Heavy Artillery was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet Army and so was called M-1975 by NATO (the 2S4 Tyulpan also received the M-1975 designation), whereas its official designation is SO-203 (2S7). Its design is based on a T-80 chassis carrying an externally mounted 2A44 203 mm gun on the hull rear.

The 2S7 main armament consists of 2A44 203mm cannon. The 203 mm barrel has an overall length of 56.2 calibers and weighs a total of 7,800 kg and has a barrel life of about 450 rounds. When travelling, the 203 mm cannon is held in position by a manually operated travel lock mounted on top of the cab. Gun elevation, traverse, loading and operation of the spade are all hydraulic with manual controls for emergency use. Mounted at the very rear of the tracked chassis is a large recoil spade which, when lowered to the ground, provides stability during firing. The gun operator is seated at the rear of the vehicle on the left side and for the engagement of targets has a standard PG-1M panoramic day telescope that is used in conjunction with the K-1 collimator. Ammunition is of the separate loading type, projectile and charge, with a maximum muzzle velocity of 960 m/s. Maximum range, using unassisted ammunition, is 37.5 km. The standard 203 mm HE round is designated the ZOF 43 and weighs 110 kg, with a total of four projectiles and charges being carried on the 2S7 for immediate use. The remainder of the ammunition load is carried by another vehicle, usually a truck. In addition, there is a rocket-assisted high-explosive projectile that weighs 103 kg and has a maximum range of 47,500 m.

It carries four 203 mm projectiles for immediate use. It is capable of firing nuclear ammunition. The gun has a range of 37,500 m, but this can be extended to 55,500 m by using RAPs (Rocket Assisted Projectiles). The Pion has been the most powerful conventional artillery piece since entering service in 1983. One interesting feature of the Pion is the firing alarm. Because the blast of the weapon firing is so powerful—it can physically incapacitate an unprepared soldier or crew member near it from concussive force—the Pion is equipped with an audible firing alarm that emits a series of short warning tones for approximately five seconds prior to the charge being fired.

The 2S7 carries a crew of fourteen; seven are carried by the Pion and seven are with an auxiliary vehicle. The system carries four rounds of ammunition; four more rounds are carried by the support vehicle. Brief out-of-action time allows Pion to fire 1 or 2 rounds and leave firing position before the first round hits target located up to 47 km away. This shoot-and-scoot capability allows to avoid counter-battery fire. This makes the 2S7 less susceptible to counter-battery fire.

Variants :

It takes the crew of seven men 5–6 minutes to come into action and 3–5 minutes to come out of action. It carries four 203 mm projectiles for immediate use. It is capable of firing nuclear ammunition.

- 2S7 Pion

- 2S7M Malka – An improved variant, which entered service in 1983, that improved the gun's fire control systems, increased the rate of fire from 1.5 to 2.5 rounds per minute, and increased the ammunition load to eight projectiles

Production history :

Produced 1975–1990

Development :

-- 1967 - 1974 (2S7 Pion)

-- Mid 1980's (2S7M Malka)

Developer :

-- Soviet Union - Kirov factory & Barrikady arsenal

Crew : 7 (commander, driver, radio operator, gunner, loader)

Effective firing range : 37.5-55km

Main armament :

-- 203 mm 2A44 gun

Ammunition :

-- 4 shells on vehicle

Elevation :

-- 0 to +60 degrees elevation, powered

Traverse : -15 to +15 degrees traverse, powered

-- 1.5 rpm max

Rate of fire :

Operational range :

-- Road: 650 km (400 mi)

Maximum speed : 50 km/h (31 mph)

Specifications :

Mass : 46.5 tons

Length : 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)

Width : 3.38 m (11 ft 1 in)

Height : 3 m (9 ft 10 in)

Caliber : 203 mm

Barrels : 1

Armor : 10mm max.

Chassis :

-- Tracked chassis, 7 roadwheels

Drive sprocket front, idler rear

-- 0.80 kg/cm^2

Ground pressure : Engine :

Suspension : torsion bar

-- V-46-I V12 turbocharged diesel 840 hp

UK - Apache Attack Helipcopters

Source: HBB Defense Military

British Army's Apache attack helicopters 

The British Army’s Apache attack helicopters have fired potent Hellfire missiles inside the Arctic circle for the first time. Facing temperatures dropping to -30°C and white-out flying conditions, 656 Squadron 4 Regiment Army Air Corps is training in the far north of Norway.

India - Akash Air Defence Weapon System

 Source: Weapons Artillery

Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile defense system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for Missile Systems, Bharat Electronics (BEL), Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division and Larsen & Toubro for other radars, control centers, launcher systems in India. The Akash New Generation missile system can target aircraft up to 50–60 km (31–37 mi) away, at altitudes up to 18,000 m. It has the capability to neutralise aerial targets like fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles as well as ballistic missiles. It is in operational service with the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

An Akash battery comprises a single Rajendra 3D passive electronically scanned array radar and four launchers with three missiles each, all of which are interlinked. Each battery can track up to 64 targets and attack up to 12 of them. The missile has a 60 kg (130 lb) high-explosive, pre-fragmented warhead with a proximity fuse. The Akash system is fully mobile and capable of protecting a moving convoy of vehicles. The launch platform has been integrated with both wheeled and tracked vehicles. While the Akash system has primarily been designed as an air defence SAM, it also has been tested in a missile defense role. The system provides air defence missile coverage for an area of 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi). The Indian military's combined orders of the Akash, including radar systems (WLR and Surveillance), have a total worth of ₹23,300 crore (US$4 billion)

Turkey - MKE Yavuz 155mm self-propelled howitzers

 

Source: Weapons Artillery

The Yavuz 155mmm wheeled self-propelled howitzer is an new artillery system developed jointly by the Turkish companies MKE and Yol-Bak to response to the need of the Turkish army for a new howitzer offering more mobility and fast deployment. The MKE Yavuz is based on an German-made MAN 6x6 military truck chassis with a 155mm 52 calibre howitzer mounted at the rear of the chassis. The main weapon is a truck-mounted solution of the Panter 155mm towed howitzer also manufactured by MKE that is already in service with the Turkish army. The MKE Yavuz is developed based on a chassis and engine of commercial MAN truck converted to be used for military applications, but the cabin and layout are fully designed by MKE and Yol-Bak . A double cab is located at the front of the MKE Yavuz 155mm 6x6 self-propelled howitzer able to accommodate the crew which consists of five people including driver, commander, gunner and two loaders. The crew cab is fully armoured to provide protection against firing of small arms and shell splinters. The MKE Yavuz is fitted with a semi-automatic loading system and a total of 18 ammunition are stored in storage box located on each side of the truck chassis. It can fire at a maximum range of 40 km and need only 60 seconds to be ready to fire. According to MKE engineers, first firing tests with the Yavuz artillery howitzer were performed on April 2017.

Finland - K54 live firing

 Source: Puolustusvoimat - Försvarsmakten - The Finnish Defence Forces

Shrieking shrapnel - Finnish field artillery

Battery of Finnish Army field artillery cannons model 130 K 54 fire into the target area where the cameras are waiting. Filmed during Army firing exercise in Rovajärvi, Lapland.

Russia - 2K22 Tunguska

Soure: Military Update

Military Update

2K22 Tunguska in action 

 The 2K22 Tunguska (Russian: 2К22 "Тунгуска") is a Russian tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon armed with a surface-to-air gun and missile system. It is designed to provide day and night protection for infantry and tank regiments against low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles in all weather conditions. The NATO reporting name for the missile used by the weapon system is SA-19 "Grison" 

 After a limited production run of the original 2K22, an improved version designated 2K22M/2S6M entered service in 1990. The 2K22M featured several improvements with eight ready-to-fire missiles (four on each side) as well as modifications to the fire control programs, missiles and the general reliability of the system, and improved autocannons, 2A38M. 

Tunguska underwent further improvement when, in 2003, the Russian armed forces accepted the Tunguska-M1 or 2K22M1 into service. The M1 introduced the new 9M311-M1 missile, which made a number of changes allowing the 2K22M1 to engage small targets like cruise missiles by replacing the eight-beam laser proximity fuze with a radio fuse. An additional modification afforded greater resistance to infrared countermeasures by replacing the missile tracking flare with a pulsed IR beacon. Other improvements included an increased missile range from 8 to 10 km, improved optical tracking and accuracy, improved fire control co-ordination between components of a battery and the command post. Overall, the Tunguska-M1 has a combat efficiency 1.3–1.5 times greater than the Tunguska-M.

 The Tunguska family was until recently a unique and highly competitive weapons system, though in 2007 the Pantsir gun and missile system entered production at KBP—a descendant of the Tunguska, the Pantsir system offers even greater performance than its predecessor.

Turkey - HISAR-A Short Range Air Defence Missile System

 

HISAR THE SHORT RANGE AIR DEFENSE MISSILE SYSTEM

HISAR-A (Turkish: Alçak Irtifa Hava Savunma Füze Sistemi) is a family of short-range to long-range surface-to-air missile systems being developed by ASELSAN and ROKETSAN since 2007.

The systems are dedicated to air defence of Manoeuvre and Stationary Forces against: • Fighters • Helicopters • UAVs • Cruise Missiles • Air to Surface Missiles

HISAR-A System has a modular design comprising Search Radar & IFF, Infrared Sensors & Laser Range Finder, Data Link, Vertically Launcher & Bi-Pulsed Air Defence Missile with IIR seeker. HISAR-A System is a state of the art technology and has open HW&SW architecture for utilizing future technology.

HISAR Features : • Target detection, identification, tracking• Identification friend or foe (IFF) • Multiple engagement and successive firing • Command & Control System for platoon level coordinated operation • Interface for higher level echelons • Operation in day, night and adverse weather conditions • Positioning and navigation system • Tracked Carrier for coordinated operation with manoeuvre forces • Nuclear, biological and chemical protection • Ballistic protection

HISAR Specifications

• Fighter Tracking Range : 25 km • System Interception Range : 15 km • Ready-to-fire Missile : 4 • Max Road Speed : 65km/h • Gradient : 60% • Side Slope : 30%

Czech Republic - EA 155 mm SPGH DITA

 Source: EXCALIBUR ARMY

The DITA self-propelled gun-howitzer vehicle is a new modern artillery weapon using a NATO 155 mm standard ammunition. It derives from the original Czechoslovak concept of Tatra truck-mounted howitzers, but it takes the autonomy of operation to the next level. DITA offers an unprecended rate of fire with only 2 members of the crew required – the driver and the commander. It features a modern Onboard Control System with high speed in taking up and leaving the firing position, great accuracy and excellent hard terrain crossability. 

The concept utilizes a fully autonomous superstructure so it is possible for the weapon to be mounted on a tracked chassis, too.

US - Himars US Marines

 Source: Military Footage Archive - MFA

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, and U.S. Airmen with 320th Special Tactics Squadron, conduct a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System air assault as a part of Castaway 21.1 at Ie Shima, Okinawa, Japan, March 15, 2021. The exercise demonstrated the Marine Corps’ ability to integrate with the joint force to seize and defend key maritime terrain, provide low-signature sustainment, and execute long-range precision fires in support of naval operations from an expeditionary advanced base.