122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)
The 122-mm howitzer D-30 (GRAU index 2A18) is a Soviet howitzer that first entered service in 1960. It is a robust piece that focuses on the essential features of a towed field gun suitable for all conditions. The D-30 has a maximum range of 15.4 kilometers, or over 21 km using rocket-assisted projectile ammunition.
| 122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30) | |
|---|---|
D-30 howitzer of the Serbian army | |
| Type | Howitzer |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1960–present |
| Used by | Soviet Union and allies as well as nonaligned and post-Soviet states. |
| Wars |
|
| Production history | |
| Designer | F.F. Petrov |
| Designed | 1950s |
| Manufacturer | PJSC Plant No. 9 |
| Produced | 1960–present |
| Variants | See variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | Combat: 3,210 kg (7,080 lb) |
| Length | Transport: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in) |
| Barrel length | 4.66 m (15 ft 3 in) 38 calibres |
| Width | Transport: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Height | Transport: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) |
| Crew | 1+7 |
| Shell | 122 x 447mm .R Separate loading charge and projectile |
| Caliber | 122 mm (4.8 in) |
| Breech | Semi-automatic vertical sliding-wedge |
| Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic |
| Carriage | tripod |
| Elevation | −7° to 70° |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Rate of fire | Maximum: 10–12 rpm Sustained: 5–6 rpm |
| Effective firing range | 15.4 km (9.6 mi) 21.9 km (13.6 mi) (with rocket-assisted projectile) |
With its striking three-leg mounting, the D-30 can be rapidly traversed through 360 degrees. Although no longer manufactured in the nations of the former Soviet Union, the D-30 is still manufactured internationally and is in service in more than 60 countries' armed forces.
The barrel assembly of the 2A18 gun is used by the 2S1 self-propelled howitzer. There are also Egyptian, Chinese, Serbian and Syrian self-propelled variants and conversions. The Syrian conversion utilizes the hull of a T-34 tank.