Today, the Russian army is armed with several unique artillery systems. The most advanced and high-tech of them are such self-propelled guns as Nona and Khosta. More recently, the gun collection of the armed forces of the Russian Federation has been replenished with a new weapon: the Phlox self-propelled gun has surpassed its predecessors both in terms of ammunition power, and in terms of range and accuracy of fire.
Who designed the Phlox ACS?
The Phlox self-propelled artillery mount, which combines all the advantages of guns, howitzers and mortars, was developed at the Burevestnik Central Research Institute, which is part of the Uralvagonzavod corporation in the city of Nizhny Novgorod. At the heart of the creation of a new self-propelled guns, the designers used the Ural wheeled chassis - an all-wheel drivethree-axle vehicle, designed to carry a load of ten tons.
The Phlox self-propelled gun was presented at the Army-2016 forum, which was held in September on the territory of the Patriot Park of the Ministry of Defense near Moscow. Over 50 units of military equipment were involved in the exhibition.
The novelty of the forum was the Phlox self-propelled gun. The photo below shows the features of the external design of this artillery piece.
What was the “Phlox” tool for?
Designing a new modified self-propelled guns, the developers took the idea of “wheeled tanks”. Russian engineers have created the Phlox mobile self-propelled artillery mount, which combines powerful weapons, high-quality armor protection and high mobility. This gun is considered the first Russian self-propelled gun of 120 mm caliber, in which an automobile chassis (Ural family) is used. The Phlox self-propelled gun belongs to a new class of weapons, which, according to experts, will later replace the old 120-caliber towed guns. The developers believe that this will significantly increase the mobility of the artillery units of the Russian army.
How does the newest Russian self-propelled gun work?
“Phlox” works on the principle of self-propelled guns, which are in service with the airborne and ground forces.
Unlike its predecessors, "Nona" and "Hosta", the new installation can use both conventional artillery shells andmortar mines. This was made possible through the use of a wide vertical aiming angle, the range of which is from -2 to +80 degrees. Thus, the Russian self-propelled installation "Floks" operates on the principle of a howitzer, which is characterized by a hinged trajectory. As a result, the new self-propelled guns are capable of vertically throwing shells into enemy trenches at a distance not exceeding 10 km.
With direct fire, the Phlox self-propelled gun also showed good results. Artillery firing from the new gun compares favorably with other self-propelled guns in its high range and accuracy.
Design feature of the new self-propelled guns
Like similar self-propelled artillery mounts, the 120 mm Phlox is equipped with a controlled autonomous weapon station. The new self-propelled guns differ from their predecessors in that this installed module is unified, due to which, during artillery firing from the Phlox, an increased accuracy of hits is observed and the load on the chassis is significantly reduced. The module is installed together with the Kord 12.7 mm machine gun. The design of the modified self-propelled guns has:
- trunk;
- combined semi-automatic shutter;
- cradle with railing;
- special anti-kickback devices;
- lifting sector mechanism.
After the artillery firing from the modified self-propelled mount is completed, aiming is restored using a special drive controlled by vertical angles.
“Phlox” is capable of transporting ammunition,required to carry out 80 shots. Of these, 28 units are on alert. For their placement, designers provide special operational stacking. Such a design is designed to improve the mobility of the ACS, and make the preparatory process and the firing itself automatic. All this was not able to provide obsolete towed self-propelled artillery installations. The 120mm Phlox is a combat vehicle that uses a completely new concept.
The Ural truck for the Phlox artillery mount is a special armored variant. In addition, the machine contains a reinforced engine, the power of which exceeds three hundred horsepower.
Why do we need a recoil system in Phlox?
The problem of the unstable position of the gun on the wheeled platform is not new. There are two ways to solve it:
- strengthen the main platform by increasing its mass, and thus turn the self-propelled guns into an armored personnel carrier;
- use additional supports while firing.
This problem was solved when Phlox was created. Russian designers used a modern recoil system with an auxiliary hydraulic effect. During firing, mechanical energy is converted into thermal energy, which subsequently absorbs shocks and shocks. Thus, the entire load on the platform is significantly reduced.
What is 2A80 in Phlox design?
The abbreviation 2A80 in the modernized self-propelled gun is an artillery gun that combines the advantages of howitzer guns and mortars. The caliber of the gun is 120 mm. For firing from this barrel, 120-mm mines and projectiles with ready-made rifling are used. An innovation in Phlox is the innovative cooling system that the 2A80 is equipped with. In this system, using a special indicator, you can monitor the maximum allowable level of barrel heating.
Ensuring crew safety
The cabin of the Phlox self-propelled artillery mount is a welded structure. In its manufacture, steel sheets with various thicknesses are used. A special armored casing is provided for the engine compartment. These warnings are designed to protect the crew of the self-propelled guns from explosive devices, the power of which in TNT equivalent does not exceed two kilograms. To protect the crew from attacks by a sabotage and reconnaissance group, a 12.7 mm Kord machine gun can be used in the design of the Phlox artillery mount. It is installed on the cockpit and is not a standard weapon.
Why do we need a weapon-computer system for Phlox?
The presence of advanced technologies is another feature of the new Russian artillery installation. The gun-computer complex makes it possible to remotely exchange information between team members located in the combat vehicle and in the control vehicle. With this complexthe preparation of the initial data necessary for artillery shelling on an independently reconnoitered target, as well as on the target, information about which is issued by the battery control point, is carried out. The use of gun-computer systems has a positive effect on the adjustment of the installation, since it makes it possible to detect the first shot at the target. In the gun-computer complex, the developers provide for various modes. To control the pickup elements there is a memory, the operation of which does not depend on energy. The amount of memory can be information about thirty targets. All data is displayed on commander's monitors located in the cockpit of this self-propelled artillery mount. Due to the gun-computer complex in real time, it is possible to monitor the technical condition of the installation by controlling the drives, to perform horizontal or vertical aiming of the barrel.
In “Phlox” everything is computerized. The monitor in the cockpit also receives data received from the target designator - the range finder. With the help of the topographical reference system, the crew can automatically determine the coordinates even when the ACS is moving. Having received all the data necessary for artillery fire, the Phlox self-propelled gun is ready to fire artillery after 20 seconds.
Mobility of the modified Russian installation
According to military experts, today one of the main advantages of any artillery piece for combat operations is its high mobility.
This quality is much more relevant than even the quality of the armor itself. This is due to the fact that self-propelled guns are rarely used in direct fire attacks, which means that the need for powerful anti-tank armor is not so significant. In modern military conflicts involving self-propelled guns, artillery fire is fired from a distant closed firing position. This limits the contact of the self-propelled guns with the armor-piercing means of the enemy.
According to many experts, the Phlox gun is a timely and potentially in-demand military weapon for the Russian ground forces.
