×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024)
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
COLD WAR VEHICLES
MODERN TANKS
MODERN ARTILLERY
Land Systems / Battlefield

M53/59 Praga (Lizard)


Armored Car / Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) Platform [ 1959 ]



The Czech-made M53/59 Praga SPAAG system was adopted by several armies of the world.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/21/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
When there was still a unified Czechoslovakia (1945-1992) in the latter part of the 1950s, its local defense industry devised a new self-propelled, wheeled anti-aircraft gun system in the M53/59 (or "Model 1953/1959"). The vehicle's base design involved a standard Praga V3S series 6x6 wheeled multipurpose truck chassis, appropriately armored to suit the battlefield role, mated to a pairing of 35mm autocannons complete with basic optics, aiming equipment, and other role-specific equipment. The resulting product was then taken into service with the Czech Army and hundreds of this cost-effective battlefield solution were exported to allies and other interested customers including Egypt, Iraq and Libya. With the end of the nation of Czechoslovakia in June of 1993, the remaining fleet of these SPAAA (Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Artillery) trucks were passed on to successor states in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Locally the vehicle was designated as the "PLDvK vz.53/59" and known by the nickname of "Lizard" ("Jesterka").

The basic functionality of the Praga vehicle works truck system remained in the post-conversion process. However, there was a slightly oversized, angular armored body added to the chassis to provide basic ballistics protection for the crew of four (driver, commander, and two gunners). The cabin was completely protected in this way and vision for the driver and commander amounted to vision slots and hinged panels. There was a single, two-wheeled axle forward of midships and a two, four-wheeled axles aft. The gun section was fitted over the rear of the truck and could be offloaded to operate independently as a fixed Anti-Aircraft (AA) solution. The diesel engine used for drive power was retained in an armored forward compartment.

The body's armor scheme was constructed of aluminum and the engine was a Tatra T912-2 6-cylinder inline air-cooled diesel-fueled type offering 110 horsepower. The suspension system was of the torsion variety to allow for adequate cross-country / offroad travel. Road speeds could reach 37 miles per hour and operational range was out to 310 miles.

The gun section involved 2 x 30mm autocannons seated side-by-side on a traversing mount capable of elevation. Each gun fed from its own ammunition supply and around 900 rounds of 35mm projectiles were carried aboard (as well as any personal weapons taken on by the operating crew). No radar was installed so target sighting, acquisition, and firing was all handled manually - limiting the tactical value of the weapon system. Beyond its value as a short-ranged airspace deterrent, the weapons of the vehicle could also be trained in on light-armored vehicles and used as a suppression measure against dug-in infantry elements.

The M53/59 is known to have been used in the bloody, long-running Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s (1991-2001) where its automatic nature was put to deadly use. About 220 were ordered by Yugoslavia and received between 1965 and 1968 to which hundreds were in service by the time of the wars. However, poor weather and low-level light hours limited its effectiveness otherwise and the remaining fleet was eventually adopted by successor states in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia.

Despite its age and limitations, the M53/59 continues to see some service with several modern armies including that of Egypt.©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
1959

Origin
Czechoslovakia national flag graphic
Czechoslovakia

Crew
4
CREWMEN
Production
1,025
UNITS


State Factories - Czechoslovakia
(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)
National flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina National flag of Croatia National flag of Cuba National flag of Czechia National flag of Egypt National flag of Libya National flag of Serbia National flag of Slovakia National flag of Slovenia National flag of Yugoslavia Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Czechoslovakia; Czech Republic; Cuba; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Egypt; Libya; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Yugoslavia
(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.
Armored Car
Design, of typically lightweight nature, providing onroad/offroad capabilities for the scouting or general security roles.


Length
22.7 ft
6.92 m
Width
7.7 ft
2.35 m
Height
9.7 ft
2.95 m
Weight
22,708 lb
10,300 kg
Tonnage
11.4 tons
LIGHT
(Showcased structural values pertain to the M53/59 Praga production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant: 1 x Tatra T912-2 6-cylinder air-cooled inline diesel-fueled engine developing 110 horsepower.
Speed
37.3 mph
(60.0 kph)
Range
310.7 mi
(500.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the M53/59 Praga production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
2 x 30mm autocannons.


Supported Types


Graphical image of a tank automatic cannon


(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
900 x 30mm projectiles (approximate).


M53/59 "Praga" - Base Series Name
Praga PLDvK vz. 53/59 "Jeterka" - Local Czech 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 Cold War
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 of the M53/59 Praga (Lizard)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

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)