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D-30 / 2A18 (Model 1963)


122mm Towed Field Howitzer [ 1963 ]



Despite its 1960s origins, the Soviet-era 122mm D-30 gun can still provide potent battlefield artillery support at range.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/11/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]
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The D-30 122mm howitzer became the standard Soviet artillery battlefield system in 1963, replacing the aging World War 2-era 122mm M-30 model of 1938. The original system was developed to serve in support of motorized rifle elements equipped with the BTR series of wheeled Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs). On the whole, the D-30 became a largely conventional artillery piece, reliable and robust under battlefield conditions, making it a favorite of Soviet allied nations and states during the Cold War decades. It still serves in surprising numbers on today's battlefields (2015).

The D-30 is cleared to fire standard FRAG-HE (FRAGmentation, High-Explosive) and HEAT-FS (High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized) rounds. It is also capable of launching chemical rounds including TNT-detonated Sarin gas types. Rocket-Assisted Projectiles (RAP) extend the range of the weapon to that of 21,900 meters (13.6 miles). Sustained fire by a capably trained and well experienced gunnery crew can reach 4-8 rounds per minute. The gun has an elevation / depression limit of +70/-7 degrees and indirect fire and direct fire is possible. The gun mounting hardware sits atop a tripod base which also serves as the two-wheeled tow unit. Traversal is a full 360-degrees from centerline. Recoil is handled through a hydopneumatic system.

As with other artillery pieces, the D-30 is towed into action. For Russian (and related forces), the primary mover vehicle has been the tracked MT-LB or Ural-375 wheeled vehicle though many other haulers are possible replacement candidates. Design of the weapon system has been attributed to F.F. Petrov with manufacture through the Motovilikha Plant.

Several variants have been manufactured beyond the original D-30 - which also carried the designator of "2A18". The weapon has been produced locally by China, Croatia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yugoslavia (Serbia), and Sudan resulting in various localized designations appearing. The Egyptian D-30-M model has been featured in the Egyptian Self-Propelled Gun (SPG) platform as the SPH-122 (American M109 howitzer chassis) and T-122 (Soviet T-34 tank chassis). ©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.
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Specifications



Service Year
1963

Origin
Soviet Union national flag graphic
Soviet Union

Status
ACTIVE
In Active Service.
Crew
6
CREWMEN
Production
12,000
UNITS


Gosudarstvennoe Unitarnoe Predpriatie Zavod 9
(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Afghanistan National flag of Algeria National flag of Angola National flag of Armenia National flag of Azerbaijan National flag of Bangladesh National flag of Belarus National flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina National flag of Cameroon National flag of China National flag of Croatia National flag of Cuba National flag of Egypt National flag of Finland National flag of Georgia National flag of Iraq National flag of Iran National flag of Kazakhstan National flag of Kyrgyzstan National flag of Lebanon National flag of Libya National flag of Macedonia National flag of Montenegro National flag of Morocco National flag of Mozambique National flag of Myanmar National flag of Nicaragua National flag of North Korea National flag of Pakistan National flag of Peru National flag of Russia National flag of Rwanda National flag of Serbia National flag of Slovakia National flag of the Soviet Union National flag of Sudan National flag of Syria National flag of Ukraine National flag of Uzbekistan National flag of Vietnam National flag of Yemen National flag of Zambia National flag of Zimbabwe Afghanistan; Algeria; Angola; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; Belarus; Benin; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Cambodia; Cameroon; China; Congo; Croatia; Cuba; Egypt; Djibouti; Egypt; Estonia; Finland; Macedonia; Georgia; Iran; Iraq; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Laos; Lebanon; Libya; Madagascar; Mali; Mauritania; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Myanmar; Nicaragua; North Korea; Pakistan; Peru; Russia; Rwanda; Sudan; Slovakia; Serbia; Soviet Union; Syria; Takjikistan; Ukraine; Uzbekistan; Vietnam; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Anti-Tank / Anti-Armor
Base model or variant can be used to track, engage, and defeat armored enemy 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.


Height
5.2 ft
1.6 m
Weight
7,055 lb
3,200 kg
Tonnage
3.5 tons
LIGHT
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Model 1963 (D-30 / 2A18) production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
1 x 122mm gun barrel.


Supported Types


Graphical image of an artillery gun tube/barrel


(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
Dependent upon ammunition carrier.


D-30 - Base Model Designation
2A18 - GRAU designation
2A18M D-30A - Features midlife product improvements.
D-30M - Features midlife product improvements.
Saddam - Iraqi-produced Variant
D30J - Yugoslavian-produced D-30
SP-122 - Egyptian modified US M109 self-propelled gun chassis with D-30 main gun.
Type-85 - Chinese-produced self-propelled gun on the Type 85 APC chassis with D-30 main gun.


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Image of the D-30 / 2A18 (Model 1963)
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