AZP S-60

Towed Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) [ 1950 ]

The S-60 served the Soviet Empire well during her tenure, ultimately replaced by more potent and sophisticated SAM systems.

Authored By: JR Potts, AUS 173d AB | Last Edited: 07/16/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Front right side view of an S-60 anti-aircraft system on display in Iraq

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The S-60 was designed primarily as a 57mm single-barreled, towed, anti-aircraft defense system. The gun was developed in the late 1940's and was influenced by captured German systems of World War 2 - specifically, the 5.5-cm Gerat 58 and the 5cm Flak 41 series guns. The S-60 itself became a short-to-medium range weapon featuring robust qualities and able to engage lowing flying aircraft and even lightly armored vehicles. The weapon system was introduced to Warsaw Pact nations in 1950 and soon after, the gun was sold to communist-friendly nations throughout the Middle East and South Asia.

S-60 Walk-Around

The original S-60 had a long thin barrel capped by a multi-perforated muzzle brake. A large gun shield was affixed to both sides of the barrel and served as a reminder of her German origins. Regardless, the shield did little in protecting the seven-man crew charged with maintaining, arming and manning the weapon system. The shield folded away during transport as did the horizontal ammunition feed tray. Four road wheels supported the carriage during road travel. A travel brace was fitted between the forward pair of tires and served to lock the main barrel in place during journeys.

S-60 Ammunition

The S-60 fired a 57mmx384R caliber six pound projectile and, in 1950, two basic types were made available - the armor piercing (API-T) round and the high explosive (HEI-T) round. The crew would load the 30-pound, 4-round clips into the horizontal feed tray. To increase loading speed, the designers attached an ammunition "ready rack" to the left side of the S-60 breech that could hold 4 x 4 round clips, ready to fire, near the feed mechanism. The gun proved stable when fired and made use of a three-point jack system which would lift the gun system off of the ground from her four wheeled carriage. The normal Soviet prime mover for the time, and the vehicle charged with towing the S-60, was the Ural-375 general purpose truck - an all-around 4.5 ton 6x6 vehicle produced at the Russian Ural Automotive Plant. The truck had two gas tanks holding 95 gallons each and her range was 450 miles at a 25 mile per hour pace.

The S-60 is Improved

Demand for sales in the Warsaw Pact countries led to improvements in the S-60's fire control system. Initially, the gun operated only with an on-carriage optical system for target rangefinding. As the enemy improved her fighting aircraft technology, the initial manually-operated firing system became limited. As a solution, the Soviets adapted a flap wheel PUAZO-5 director and SON-4 radar system for improved capabilities. The calculator and the radars were transported into action by the same Ural 375 series trucks. As the radar was introduced, the range of the S-60 was increased from 4,000 meters (using the original optical ranging equipment) to 6,000 meters with the SON-4 radar system. The radar improved the defensive role of the S-60 against planes, helicopters and even some light armored vehicles. Soon, this system was upgraded with the PUAZO-6/60 director and the SON-9 or SON-9A radars. A self-propelled gun (SPG) model was then produced with both twin- and quad-barrel fittings. These versions were mated to the T-54 main battle tank chassis and designated as S-68 (or ZSU-57-2) in 1957.©MilitaryFactory.com

S-60 Variants

The S-60, the self-propelled ZSU-57-2 and the Type-59 (itself a Chinese-produced version of the Soviet S-60), was exported to Vietnam in great numbers during the Vietnam War. These were used as ground support weapons to protect high profile targets such airfields, bridges and military bases. Hundreds of S-60's became the backbone of the low-altitude air defense system across the North and covered some 460 meters (1,500ft) and 1,500 meters (5,000 ft) of air space. The S-60 was developed into a navalized form for use on Soviet surface vessels as the AK-725. The ZIF-72 existed as a similar naval vessel but housed within a metal structure. China also made use of the ZSU-57-2 as the Type 80. Poland made a license-production version all their own under the Tarnow Metal Works banner.

Soviet Models

The Soviet anti-aircraft organization deployed its S-60 groups numbering 24 guns. A regimental AA battery network consisted of six guns, and a fire control radar director. New German-designed fire control system (the SON-9) was installed in the S-60. The new system brought with it an improved distance measuring calculator along with a modern radar called the "RPK-1 Vaza". However, some older S-60 models still maintained their original flap wheel as the radar fire control system.

The World Over

The S-60 and its variants were used in wars all over the globe to aid Communist military goals. The S-60 was used against the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in the Six-Day War as well as in Yom Kippur. The S-60 protected Soviet air fields during the Afghanistan War and was used extensively during the Vietnam Conflict. Both sides of the Iran-Iraq War used the S-60 and Iraq, once again, put these systems to good use in the 1991 Gulf War. Some fifty years of total active service has since proved the German-Soviet design's worth.

Technologically superior Soviet/Russian Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) systems have replaced the outdated towed S-60 gun and its variants within the Russian inventory.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1950

Origin

Soviet Union

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

7
CREWMEN

Production

4,000
UNITS

State Factories - Soviet Union (among others)

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Armenia; Bangladesh; Bosnia; Bulgaria; Belarus; Cambodia; China; Congo; Cuba; Czech Republic; Egypt; Ethiopia; Finland; Georgia; Guinea; Hungary; India; Iran; Iraq; Krygyztan; Laos; Somalia; Mali; Morocco; Mauritania; Mongolia; Mozambique; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Poland; Romania; Russia; Somalia; Soviet Union; Sudan; Slovakia; Syria; Thailand; Turkmenistan; Ukraine; Vietnam; Yemen; Yugoslavia; Zambia

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Anti-Aircraft / Airspace Denial
Base model or variant can be used to search, track, and neutralize airborne elements at range.

✓ Fire Support / Assault / Breaching
Support allied forces through direct / in-direct fire, assault forward positions, and / or breach fortified areas of the battlefield.

Length

27.9 ft
8.5 m

Width

6.7 ft
2.054 m

Height

7.8 ft
2.37 m

Weight

10,274 lb
4,660 kg

Tonnage

5.1 tons
LIGHT

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base AZP S-60 production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)

Powerplant: None inherently; URAL-375 GP truck used as prime mover.

Range

3.7 mi
(6.0 km)

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base AZP S-60 production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

1 x 57mm main gun barrel.

Supported Types

Graphical image of a tank cannon armament

Graphical image of an artillery gun tube/barrel

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

Dependent on ammunition supply; API-T and HEI-T types available.

S-60 - Base Series Designation; single 57mm gun.

S-68 (ZSU-57-2) - Dual-barrel self-propelled model.

AK-725 (ZIF-72) - Navalized version of the S-60; available in single, dual and quad mounts as well.

Type 59 - Chinese license-production designation for the S-60.

Type 80 - Chinese designation for ZSU-57-2 SPG model series.

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

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Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge

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Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Images Gallery

1 / 15

Front right side view of an S-60 anti-aircraft system on display in Iraq

2 / 15

Left side view of an S-60 AA towed gun

3 / 15

Front right side view of an S-60 at attention

4 / 15

Rear right side view of the S-60 gun system

5 / 15

Right side view of an abandoned S-60 defense system in Iraq

6 / 15

A preserved S-60 on display

7 / 15

Close-up detail view of the crew area of an S-60

8 / 15

Close-up detailed view of the crew systems of an S-60; note projectile Ready Rack at left, center

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Close-up detail view of the crew area onboard an S-60 gun system

10 / 15

Rear view of the S-60; note soldier for scale

11 / 15

Front view of the S-60 in the Iraqi desert; note folded shields

12 / 15

Rear right side view of an abandoned S-60 in Iraq

13 / 15

Iraqi children play atop an abandoned S-60 unit

14 / 15

An S-60 with its 57mm main gun pointed absolute up

15 / 15

A US soldier surveys an abandoned S-60 in Iraq

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