2B1 Oka

Self-Propelled Artillery (SPA) [ 1957 ]

The ultimately-abandoned 2B1 Oka tracked self-propelled artillery system mounted a massive 420mm main gun barrel.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/08/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]

The 2B1 "Oka" was a short-lived, heavy-class, self-propelled gun system developed by the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War. Such large-caliber guns had proven the norm for decades and found renewed importance during World War 1 and into the interwar years leading up to World War 2. The French, British, Americans and Germans all became keen on the prospects of large-caliber guns and, while their tactical use was severely restricted, their simple existence often proved a psychological tool against civilian populations they might target.

A prototype of the 2B1 system was unveiled in 1957 at the legendary Kirov Plant in St. Petersburg, Russia. The 2B1 Oka's operating principle was relatively simple - to lob large explosive projectiles against target areas deep within enemy territory - as far away as 45 kilometers according to her design. The 2B1 made use of a mammoth 420mm cannon installation mounted to a tracked hull. The gun mount sat at the center of the hull roof. Eight double-tired road wheels dotted the track sides with each pair heavily strutted to counter both weight and recoil. The drive sprocket was mounted to the front of the track system with the track idler at the rear and at least four track return rollers were used. Heavy duty recoil struts straddled the main gun at its base and the gunnery crew would have operated in the elements for no cover was afforded - the 2B1 was essentially a rolling gunnery stage and nothing else. No muzzle brake was fitted to the smooth barrel system which was not tapered in any way. A single V12 diesel-fueled engine would have supplied up to 700 horsepower.

On paper, her self-propelled nature would have made her somewhat mobile and her lethal reach could have proven devastating but, in practice, there emerged too many deficiencies in her design. The long gun barrel made even basic transport of the vehicle highly impractical and the violent recoil of such a weapon stressed the gun mount, hull and track components to their extremes - leading to consistent failures of said systems in testing. Even the required large 420mm projectiles made any attainable sustained rate-of-fire impossible to continue for stretches by the seven-man crew. The single engine worked against the vehicle's weight of 55 tons and would have made her extremely limited tactically - especially when attempting to go off road. The end result became a machine of war that was more trouble than it was worth, resulting in its cancellation in 1960.

Like the Americans, the Soviets elected instead to focus financing and resources towards the development of newer battlefield missiles that could do the same job as the 2B1 Oka while reaching out to distances that would have proven impossible by projectile-based systems. At any rate, the 2B1 Oka became a novel attempt that was destined to fall to the pages of military history.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1957

Origin

Soviet Union

Crew

7
CREWMEN

Production

1
UNITS

Leningrad Kirov Plant LKZ - Soviet Union

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

Soviet Union (cancelled)

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

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

✓ Special Purpose
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.

Height

9.8 ft
3 m

Weight

121,916 lb
55,300 kg

Tonnage

61.0 tons
HEAVY

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base 2B1 Oka production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)

Powerplant: 1 x V12 diesel engine developing 700 horsepower.

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base 2B1 Oka production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

1 x 420mm 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 upon ammunition carrier.

2B1 "Oka" - Base Series Designation

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk

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 / 1

Image from the Public Domain.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.

©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)