130 mm air defense gun KS-30
| 130 mm air defense gun KS-30 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1955−1962 (Soviet Union) |
| Used by | See users |
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | M. N. Loginov |
| Designed | 1946−1954 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass |
|
| Length | 11.5 m (37 ft 9 in) (traveling) |
| Barrel length | 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in) |
| Width | 3 m (9.8 ft) (traveling) |
| Height | 3 m (9.8 ft) (traveling) |
| Crew | 15−20[a] |
| Shell |
|
| Caliber | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Breech | Semi-automatic horizontal sliding-wedge |
| Recoil | Hydraulic |
| Elevation | −5°/+80 |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Rate of fire | 10−12 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 970 m/s (3,200 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 16.5 km (10.3 mi) |
| Maximum firing range |
|
| References | [1][2] |
The KS-30 is a Soviet 130 mm (5.1 in) L/65 caliber anti-aircraft gun first introduced into Soviet service in 1955. An interim design intended to provide medium-altitude air defense of strategic infrastructure, it was used until 1960−1962, when they were phased out in favor of surface-to-air missiles, but several were retained in strategic reserve as late as of 1988.
The gun saw service in the Vietnam War, Iran-Iraq War, and Gulf War, remaining in service in Iraq and Vietnam as late as 2002.
Development
[edit]Development of the 130 mm KS-30 began in 1946 at the Zavod no. 9 at Kalinin under a team led by M. N. Loginov. While the gun provided a 25% increase in effective ceiling over the KS-19 100 mm anti-aircraft gun, development was slow since the Soviets were focused on the development of surface-to-air missiles. After it became clear that it would take time to develop and deploy an effective SAM network, work on the KS-30 gun and associated fire control systems resumed as a stopgap measure.[3]
The Soviets greatly benefited from captured German operational and technical expertise following the end of World War II, as well from American and British technologies, with the KS-30 making use of radar and fire control systems copied from United States-supplied Lend-Lease equipment and automatic rammers taken from the British QF 3.7-inch AA gun.[4]
According to Cullen and Foss, the KS-30 was equivalent of the American 120 mm gun M1 and may have been based on a 130 mm naval gun.[3]
Design
[edit]Like other Soviet field artillery pieces, the KS-30 was a simple and rugged design, using a hydraulic recoil system and fixed-charge separate-loading ammunition. The weapon also benefited from the use of adapted Western technologies.[4]
The KS-30 used a 130 mm (5.1 in) L/65 caliber barrel;[5] the gun was carried on a two-axle, eight-wheeled carriage. When readied for firing, the axles were removed and the carriage was folded into a firing platform.[3] It was towed either by a AT-T tracked artillery tractor or a Ural-375 6×6 truck.[4] While the carriage had in-built fire-control systems, the gun was usually used in conjuction with the PUAZO director and the SON-9 (NATO reporting name: "Fire Can") fire-control radar which was derived from the US-made SCR-584 radar, supplied under Lend-Lease.[3][6]
It was a medium-altitude weapon. The fire control radars had difficulty acquiring targets flying low and the gun weight and bulk made tracking fast moving aircraft difficult. At high-altitudes, accuracy suffered from increased shell dispersion. Like other Soviet large caliber anti-aircraft guns, the KS-30 could also be used against ground targets.[4]
Ammunition
[edit]Ammunition used were of the fixed-charge, separate-loading type that was not interchangeable with the 130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46) or the 130 mm gun SM-4-1 coastal gun. It could fire high-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) or armour-piercing high explosive (APHE) rounds.[3]
| Type | Weight | Muzzle velocity | Penetration at 0° | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source: | Isby[2] | Cullen & Foss[3] | Isby[2] | Cullen & Foss[3] | Isby[2] | Cullen & Foss[3] |
| HE-FRAG | 22.4 kg (49 lb) | 33.4 kg (74 lb) | 950 m/s (3,100 ft/s) | 970 m/s (3,200 ft/s) | N/A | N/A |
| APHE | N/A | 33.4 kg (74 lb) | N/A | 970 m/s (3,200 ft/s) | N/A | 250 mm (9.8 in)[b] |
History
[edit]The KS-30 was introduced in the Soviet Army and Soviet Air Defence Forces service in 1955. It was intended to provide medium-alititude protection high-priority targets such as bridges, factories, transportation hubs, and cities. Large caliber anti-aircraft guns were widely used until 1960−1962, when they were phased out in favor of surface-to-air missiles, but several were retained in strategic reserve as late as 1988, presumably to be deployed by anti-aircraft units after their stockpile of missiles were exhausted in a prolonged conflict. These guns were to be accompanied by a cadre of gun-trained reserve officers.[2]
North Vietnam also used a small number of guns during the Vietnam War. During the conflict, the fire-control radars of Soviet-made AA guns were constantly jammed by American chaffs and the ALQ-71/72 electronic countermeasure pods, which contributed in making the guns effectively obsolete.[6]
The gun was also used by Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War. Prior to the Gulf War in 1991, it was estimated that Iraq had 200 guns in service.[3] An unknown number of guns survived the conflict and would remain in service with the Iraqi Army until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[7]
Users
[edit]
Comparable weapons
[edit]- 12.8 cm FlaK 40 - Nazi Germany
- 120 mm M1 gun - United States
See also
[edit]
- 100 mm air defense gun KS-19 - contemporary and complementary weapons system
- 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K) - previous generation Soviet AA-gun, much more known
- 152 mm air defense gun KM-52 - 152 mm anti-aircraft gun developed from the KS-30
Notes
[edit]- ^ According to Cullen and Foss. While Isby gives a figure of 11 men.
- ^ Against rolled homogeneous armor at a range of 1,000 m (3,300 ft).
References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Cullen, Tony; Foss, Christopher F, eds. (1992). Jane's Land-based Air Defence 1992−93 (PDF) (5th ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-0979-3.
- Isby, David C. (1988). Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army (Revised ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company Limited. ISBN 978-0-7106-0352-4.
- O'Halloran, James C; Foss, Christopher F, eds. (2002). Jane's Land-Based Air Defense 2002−2003 (15th ed.). Janes Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2437-6.