Misplaced Pages

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74-401: The ZU-23-2 was developed in the late 1950s. It was designed to engage low-flying targets at a range of 2.5 km as well as armoured vehicles at a range of two kilometres and for direct defence of troops and strategic locations against air assault usually conducted by helicopters and low-flying airplanes. In 1955, KBP presented the single-barrel ZU-1 and the twin-barrel ZU-14 . While the former

148-712: A third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington , Virginia , just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville , in rural Pennsylvania , after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. , to target the White House , or the US Capitol . No one aboard the flights survived. The death toll among responders including firefighters and police

222-446: A deficient cooling system and made the early ZSU-23-4s dangerous even to friendly troops standing nearby if this happened. Despite the fact that this seldom happened, Soviet operators learned to give these machines a wide berth.( Perrett 1987:100 ) It was not recommended to perform continuous fire (bursts longer than 15 seconds without pause) on earlier models until the problem with autocannon reliability and overheating during intense fire

296-401: A direct-current generator (which provides 27 V and 54 V direct current or 220 V 400 Hz alternating current). Each water-cooled 23 mm 2A7 autocannon has a cyclic rate of 850–1,000 rounds per minute for a combined rate of fire of 3,400–4,000 rounds per minute, which gives a continuous fire time of 30–35 seconds before running out of ammunition (not considering the constraints that limit

370-403: A proven radar system, the non-amphibious chassis based on GM-575 tracked vehicle, and four 23 mm autocannons. This delivered a highly effective combination of mobility with heavy firepower and considerable accuracy. The ZSU-23-4 outclassed all NATO anti-aircraft guns at the time, and it is still regarded as posing a major threat for low-flying fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. The system

444-403: A rear drive sprocket with detachable sprocket rings (lantern-wheel gear) and one idler wheel per side. The first and fifth left, and sixth right road wheels have hydraulic shock absorbers. The track is 11.904 m long, 382 mm (15") wide and has 93 links. Because of a large number of different pipes and tubes to detach during maintenance, the repair procedure for some of the vehicle's mechanisms

518-431: A result, off-road acceleration capabilities are sub-par, and the vehicle lags behind MBTs and IFVs on up-hill terrain. The ZSU-23-4 is equipped with an NBC system with an air filtration unit, fire-fighting equipment, TNA-2 navigational system, infrared vision device, R-123 radio set, R-124 intercom and electric power supply system consisting of a DG4M-1 single-shaft gas turbine engine (70 hp at 6,000 rpm) and

592-585: A roof-mounted pod of six short-range SA-18 SAMs, or side-mounted SA-16s. The crew numbers four: driver, commander, gunner and radar operator. The driver's compartment is located in the nose part of the vehicle. The fighting compartment is in the center, and the engine compartment is in the rear part of the vehicle. The transmission consists of a multi-plate metal-contact main clutch, a manual gearbox with five forward gears, two planetary two-step steering gears with locking frictions and two final drive groups. The vehicle chassis has six single rubber tired road wheels,

666-710: A single barrel. The appearance of the "Shilka" caused significant changes in NATO tactics in aircraft use at low altitude over the battlefield. Despite its present obsolescence as a modern short-range anti-aircraft weapon, the ZSU-23-4 is still deadly for enemy light armoured vehicles, infantry and firing points as an infantry-support vehicle. With its high rate of accurate fire, the ZSU-23-4 can even neutralize tanks by destroying their gun sights, radio antennas, or other vulnerable parts. ZSU-23-4s, especially late models, have excellent performance and good systems reliability. Based on

740-508: A small trailer which can be converted into a stationary mount for firing the guns. While in this position the wheels are moved aside. The autocannon can be prepared for firing from the march position in 30 seconds and in emergency can be fired from the traveling position. The weapon is aimed and fired manually, with the help of the ZAP-23 optical-mechanical sight which uses manually entered target data to provide limited automatic aiming. It also has

814-469: A straight-tube telescope T-3 for use against ground targets such as infantry as well as unarmored or lightly armoured vehicles. The ammo is fed by a conveyor belt from two ammunition boxes. Each of the ammunition boxes is located on the side of the twin autocannon and each carries 50 rounds. The fumes created by firing the weapon are partially removed through the side openings in the barrels. Normally, once each barrel has fired 100 rounds it becomes too hot and

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888-529: A towed mount for stationary, point air defence had a much higher rate of fire. The 23 mm version of this weapon system was known as the ZU-23-2 , a towed mount carrying two 23 mm cannons. However, these towed or improvised truck-mounted weapons had similar disadvantages. The development of the ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" began in 1957 along with ZSU-37-2 "Yenisei" and the vehicle was brought into service in 1965, replacing all ZSU-57-2s in air defense units toward

962-428: A vertical range of 5.1 km (3.2 mi). The effective vertical range is 1.5 km (0.93 mi) at a direct range to target of 2.5 km (1.6 mi) and target speed of 250 m/s (up to 500 m/s if a modern fire control system is used). The usual autocannon burst consists of 3–10 projectiles and target lead angle is calculated for each burst (fire without adjustment) by computer. In attacking targets on

1036-404: Is hard (for example, replacement or repair of a starter). The electric drive of an air outlet hatch of a gas turbine engine (part of the vehicle's electric power supply system) has an inconvenient location (at the bottom of the hull) which causes overheating and sometimes, jamming of the electric drive. On the other hand, the construction of the electric power supply system is very reliable. Changing

1110-464: Is known in the Finnish forces colloquially as Sergei . The 23 mm AA gun utilizes the same 23x152B case as the wartime VYa aircraft autocannon. Due to different loadings and primers the ammunition is not interchangeable, however: ammunition of the anti-aircraft cannon can be identified from its steel casings, ammunition for the aircraft cannon having brass cases instead. The following table lists

1184-417: Is mounted on collapsible supports in the top rear of the turret. There is an optical alignment sight. The RPK-2 radar proved to have good protection against enemy passive electronic radar counter-measures. Nevertheless, the radar system of the ZSU-23-4 has a short detection range during target search, depending on weather conditions (mainly dependent on rain and snow conditions). It is hard to automatically track

1258-1335: Is primarily because the guns can elevate much higher than a tank or APC cannon, enabling armored units equipped with ZSU-23-4s to return fire against ambushes from above. A small number of ZSU-23-4 SPAAGs are still in use by the Russian Naval Infantry (specifically the 61st Brigade of the Northern Fleet , the 336th Brigade of the Baltic Fleet , and the 155th Brigade of the Pacific Fleet ). War in Afghanistan (2001%E2%80%93present) Invasion (2001): [REDACTED]   Northern Alliance [REDACTED]   United States [REDACTED]   United Kingdom [REDACTED]   Canada RS phase (2015–2021): [REDACTED] ISAF : 130,000+ (Peak Strength) [REDACTED] Afghan National Defense and Security Forces : 307,947 (Peak Strength, January 2021) [REDACTED] Resolute Support Mission : 17,178 (Peak Strength, October 2019) Defence Contractors: 117,227 (Peak Strength, Q2 2012) [REDACTED] High Council of

1332-704: Is referred to as the War in Afghanistan in order to distinguish it from the country's various other wars, notably the ongoing Afghan conflict of which it was a part, and the Soviet–Afghan War . From the perspective of the West , the war is divided between 2001 and 2014 (the ISAF mission), when most combat operations were performed by coalition forces, a 2015 to 2021 (the Resolute Support Mission ), when

1406-415: Is still a widely used caliber; these include new ammunition types such as sub-caliber armor-piercing rounds and frangible ammunition. The following table lists the main characteristics of some of the available 23×152B mm ammunition used in 23mm AA guns: A typical loading of each ammunition belt contains 40 OFZT and 10 BZT rounds. They can be fired to a maximum horizontal range of 7 km (4.3 mi), and

1480-498: Is therefore replaced with a spare barrel. Each weapon is normally provided with two replacement barrels as part of its standard equipment. Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company is offering to upgrade the 2A14 guns to the 2A14M standard with a barrel life of 10,000 rounds instead of 8,000 rounds. The cannon carriage is based on the earlier ZPU-2 anti-aircraft twin heavy machine gun, which mounted two KPV 14.5×114mm heavy machine guns . ZU-23-2 can be identified by different placement of

1554-561: Is used against ground targets. The quad automatic anti-aircraft gun AZP-23 "Amur" has a range of elevation from −4° to +85°. The GRAU designation for ZSU-23-4 turret with 23 mm (0.9") AZP-23 "Amur" quad automatic gun is 2A10. An armoured plate inside the turret protects crew members from fire and explosive gas during intense firing. Ammunition capacity is 2,000 rounds stowed aboard (520 rounds per each upper autocannon and 480 rounds per each lower autocannon) loaded in 50-round or shorter belts. The water-cooled 2A7 23mm guns of ZSU-23-4 fire

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1628-625: The 37 mm M1939 , the most frequently encountered anti-aircraft gun in Vietnam. Given that 83% of the USAF losses came from ground fire, the ZU-23 was probably responsible for shooting down hundreds of aircraft. During the Soviet–Afghan War , the Soviet forces placed ZU-23-2 sets in the occupied areas to secure their positions, employing them in both the static defense and direct fire support roles. In

1702-493: The African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) to mistakenly shoot down an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasilia transporting medical supplies and mosquito nets while on approach to Bardalee, Somalia , killing all six people onboard. The confusion arose from the fact the airplane was approaching from the west, instead of the usual easterly landing direction, and overflew the airfield at a low altitude due to animals on or in

1776-591: The GM-575 tracked vehicle chassis, which used components from the PT-76 light amphibious tank, the ZSU-23-4 mounts an armored turret holding four liquid-cooled 23 mm (0.9") 2A7 autocannons linked to an RPK-2 "Tobol" radar (NATO designator: "Gun Dish"). The vehicle weighs 19 tonnes (late modifications up to 21 tonnes), has a movement range of 450 km (280 mi) and a top speed of 50 km/h (31 mph). Additional firepower of late modifications can be supplied by

1850-798: The Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988), and the First Gulf War (1990). During the Yom Kippur War, the system was particularly effective against the Israeli Air Force . Israeli pilots attempting to fly low in order to avoid SA-6 missiles were often shot down by ZSU-23-4s as in Operation Doogman 5 . During the Soviet–Afghan War ZSU-23-4 units were used widely and to great effect against mujahideen positions in

1924-605: The Syrian Civil War , being installed on pickup trucks and is credited for bringing down several Syrian Air Force helicopters. Technicals equipped with ZU-23-2 autocannons have also been frequently employed against moving ground targets. During the Yemeni Civil War , ZU-23-2 autocannons are said to have engaged Saudi tanks. On 4 May 2020 ZU-23 was used by Ethiopian troops stationed in Somalia as part of

1998-601: The Talib who sought to end warlordism in Afghanistan through stricter adherence to Sharia . On 27 September 1996, the Taliban, with military support by Pakistan and financial support from Saudi Arabia , seized Kabul and founded the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan . The Taliban imposed their fundamentalist Deobandi interpretation of Islam in areas under their control, issuing edicts forbidding women to work outside

2072-593: The killing of Osama bin Laden in May 2011, and NATO leaders began planning an exit strategy from Afghanistan. On 28 December 2014, NATO formally ended ISAF combat operations in Afghanistan and officially transferred full security responsibility to the Afghan government. Unable to eliminate the Taliban through military means, coalition forces (and separately, the Afghan government led by Ashraf Ghani ) turned to diplomacy to end

2146-628: The "23" signifies the bore diameter in millimetres; the "4" signifies the number of gun barrels. It is named after the Shilka River in Russia. Afghan soldiers nicknamed it the " sewing machine " due to the sound of its cannons firing. It is also referred to by its nickname of " Zeus ", derived from the Russian acronym. The previous Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft gun ( SPAAG ), the ZSU-57-2 ,

2220-421: The 1990s in clandestine operations to locate and kill or capture Osama bin Laden. These teams planned several operations but did not receive the order to proceed from President Clinton. Their efforts built relationships with Afghan leaders that proved essential in the 2001 invasion. On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a total of 19 men affiliated with Al-Qaeda carried out four coordinated attacks in

2294-616: The Afghan armed forces did most of the fighting against the Taliban. The war was named Operation Enduring Freedom from 2001 to 2014 and as Operation Freedom's Sentinel from 2015 to 2021 by the US. Alternatively, it has been called the US War in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan itself, the war is known as simply the "War in Afghanistan" ( Dari : جنگ در افغانستان Jang dar Afghanistan , Pashto : د افغانستان جګړه Da Afghanistan Jagra ). The Taliban emerged from religious students known as

ZU-23-2 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2368-1140: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: 3,000–3,500 [REDACTED] Taliban : 58,000-100,000 (As of February 2021) [REDACTED] HIG : 1,500–2,000+ (2014) [REDACTED] al-Qaeda : ~300 in 2016 (~ 3,000 in 2001) [REDACTED] Fidai Mahaz : 8,000 (2013) Afghan security forces: 66,000–69,095 killed Northern Alliance: 200 killed Coalition : Dead: 3,579 Wounded: 23,536 Contractors Dead: 3,917 Wounded: 15,000+ Taliban insurgents : 52,893 killed (2,000+ al-Qaeda fighters) Civilians killed: 70,000 Total killed: 176,206 (per Brown University ) 212,191+ (per UCDP ) The continued list includes nations who have contributed fewer than 200 troops as of November 2014. Timeline Major operations Airstrikes Major insurgent attacks 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Massacres Other The War in Afghanistan

2442-643: The September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban immediately extradite al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to the United States; the Taliban refused to do so without evidence of Bin Laden's involvement. After the expelling of the Taliban and their allies, the US-led coalition remained in Afghanistan, forming a security mission (ISAF)—sanctioned by the United Nations —with

2516-722: The Soviet Army. The PPRU-1 ("Ovod-M-SV") vehicle is based on MT-LBu armoured tracked chassis and it was intended for control of motor rifle or tank regimental anti-aircraft unit equipped with ZSU-23-4 SPAAGs and 9K31 "Strela-1M" mobile surface-to-air missile systems. The PPRU-1 is equipped with the "Luk-23" radar and an automatic fire control system associated with the divisional air defence system. The guns are useful against low-flying aircraft and lightly protected ground targets. Due to its effectiveness against ground targets, ZSU-23-4s have been used in urban environments (e.g., Afghanistan , Abkhazia , Chechnya, Syria and Lebanon ). This

2590-706: The Taliban against the United Front. A smaller number were inducted into Al-Qaeda. After the August 1998 United States embassy bombings were linked to bin Laden, President Bill Clinton ordered missile strikes on militant training camps in Afghanistan. US officials pressed the Taliban to surrender bin Laden. In 1999, the international community imposed sanctions on the Taliban, calling for bin Laden to be surrendered. The Taliban repeatedly rebuffed these demands. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Special Activities Division paramilitary teams were active in Afghanistan in

2664-612: The Taliban and other Islamist groups waged asymmetric warfare , fighting with guerrilla warfare in the countryside, suicide attacks against urban targets, and reprisals against perceived Afghan collaborators. By 2007, large parts of Afghanistan had been retaken by the Taliban. In response, the coalition sent a major influx of troops for counter-insurgency operations , with a " clear and hold " strategy for villages and towns; this influx peaked in 2011, when roughly 140,000 foreign troops were operating under ISAF command across Afghanistan. A US covert operation in neighboring Pakistan led to

2738-776: The Taliban controlled as much as 90% of Afghanistan, with the Northern Alliance confined to the country's northeast corner. Fighting alongside Taliban forces were some 28,000–30,000 Pakistanis (usually also Pashtun) and 2,000–3,000 Al-Qaeda militants. The 9/11 Commission in the US found that under the Taliban, Al-Qaeda was able to use Afghanistan as a place to train and teach fighters, import weapons, coordinate with other jihadists , and plot terrorist actions. While Al-Qaeda maintained its own camps in Afghanistan , it also supported training camps of other organizations. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 men passed through these facilities before 9/11, most of whom were sent to fight for

2812-607: The United States. Four commercial passenger jet airliners were hijacked. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and more than 2,000 people in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours from damage related to the crashes, destroying and damaging nearby buildings. The hijackers crashed

2886-429: The air defence guns have slightly higher muzzle velocity, and explosive rounds also have slightly larger HE fillings. The VYa ammunition has brass cases, while 2A7/2A14 ammunition has steel cases. Three main types of 23mm anti-aircraft ammunition were manufactured post-war: API-T, HEI and HEI-T. In addition to the original Soviet rounds, a number of ammunition manufacturers have since begun to produce ammunition for what

2960-507: The ammunition boxes (at right angles to the gun carriage) and by muzzle flash suppressors. In another similarity to the ZPU series, single-barrel and four-barrel versions of the ZU-23 were also developed. However, these versions never entered service. The ZU-23-2 can be towed by a number of different vehicles. In USSR and later Russia the most frequently used towing vehicles for it were GAZ-66 4x4 trucks and GAZ-69 4x4 light trucks. The weapon

3034-538: The anti-Taliban Northern Alliance ; Osama bin Laden, meanwhile, relocated to neighboring Pakistan . The conflict officially ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive , which overthrew the Islamic Republic, and re-established the Islamic Emirate. It was the longest war in the military history of the United States , surpassing the length of the Vietnam War (1955–1975) by approximately six months. Following

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3108-465: The anti-aircraft artillery battalion of "Shilka" (consisting of two batteries, four ZSU-23-4s in each). At the end of the 1960s, one battery was equipped with ZSU-23-4s and the other with ZSU-57-2s. Motorized rifle and tank regiment standard anti-aircraft batteries consisted of two platoons later (one platoon was equipped with four ZSU-23-4s and another with four mobile surface-to-air missile systems 9K31 Strela-1 or 9K35 Strela-10 ). The ZSU-23-4 combined

3182-402: The beginning of the 1970s. The ZSU-23-4 was intended for AA defense of military facilities, troops, and mechanized columns on the march; originally, the more powerful guns of "Yenisei" were judged to be effective at covering the inner dead-zone of Soviet surface-to-air missile systems despite the increased weight of the vehicle, but commonality prevailed. Initially, tank regiments should have had

3256-528: The conflict. These efforts culminated in the United States–Taliban deal in February 2020, which stipulated the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan by 2021. In exchange, the Taliban pledged to prevent any militant group from staging attacks from Afghan territory against the US and its allies. However, the Afghan government was not a party to the deal and rejected its terms. Coinciding with

3330-405: The dead zones of 2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful) surface-to-air missile systems belonging to the divisional level. Since the 1980s Soviet motor rifle and tank regiments were equipped with an anti-aircraft artillery battalion of three batteries (one was equipped with ZSU-23-4 or 9K22 Tunguska SPAAGs, the second one was equipped with 9K35 Strela-10 (SA-13 Gopher) short-range surface-to-air missile systems and

3404-734: The direct fire support role by the Syrian Army , the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) guerrilla factions and the various Christian and Muslim Lebanese militias . In late 1983, the ZU-23-2 was used on attacks against dug-in positions held by U.S. Marine ground units serving with the Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF II). At the time, a Marine spokesman described such antipersonnel use of

3478-410: The goal of creating a new democratic authority in the country that would prevent the Taliban from returning to power. A new Afghan Interim Administration was established, and international rebuilding efforts were launched. By 2003, the Taliban had reorganized under their founder, Mullah Omar , and began a widespread insurgency against the new Afghan government and coalition forces. Insurgents from

3552-451: The ground, its effective range is around 2.5 km (1.6 mi). The short range of its 23 mm autocannons and relatively low explosive effect of its small-calibre projectiles mean it is less able to engage threats such as jet attack aircraft and cruise missiles than modern systems like the 2K22 Tunguska armed with more powerful 30 mm autocannons and integrated missile armaments. A special 23 mm round with composite projectiles

3626-402: The guns would get so hot that chambered rounds would " cook off " even if the operator was not pulling the trigger – discharging the weapon and chambering a new round, which would then also cook off, and continue to do so. This would sometimes continue until the entire belt of ammunition had been expended. Overheating barrels could jam and even break away from the vehicle. The problem resulted from

3700-464: The home, attend school or to leave their homes unless accompanied by a male relative. According to the United Nations (UN), the Taliban, while trying to consolidate control over northern and western Afghanistan, committed systematic massacres against civilians. UN officials stated that there had been "15 massacres" between 1996 and 2001, many of them targeting Shias and Hazaras . By 2001,

3774-820: The later Afghan Civil War , the main belligerents, the Taliban and the Northern Alliance forces also employed ZU-23-2 autocannons mounted on BMP-1 and BTR-70 APCs or GAZ-66 and ZIL-131 trucks, along with SA-7 Grail or Stinger Missiles , as their primary air-defense and direct fire support weapons. The ZU-23-2 was extensively employed during the Lebanese Civil War , mounted on a variety of civilian and military vehicles, including M113 and BTR-152 APCs, Dodge Ram (1st generation) pickup trucks , AIL M325 Command Cars , Toyota Dyna U10-series trucks , Dodge W600 medium-duty trucks and M35A1/A2 trucks . They proved very useful in urban combat , being employed in

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3848-456: The main characteristics of some of the available 23x152B ammunition used in 23 mm AA guns: Not only the gun itself but also the ammunition is produced in several countries. In Bulgaria, the company ARCUS Co. produces rounds and fuses for the 2A7 and 2A14 guns. The ZU-23-2 first entered service with the Soviet Army in 1960. The gun is often mounted on trucks for use in both anti-aircraft and direct fire support roles. It can also be mounted on

3922-413: The main engine oil and coolant is easy, as is replacement of fuel and oil filters, and sections of the air filter. The ZSU-23-4 can cross vertical obstacles 0.7 m (2.3') high, trenches 2.5 m (8.2') wide, has a 1.0 m (3.3') fording depth and can climb 30° gradients. The ZSU-23-4 has good maneuverability and cross-country ability, but its diesel engine's power is insufficient for a vehicle of its weight. As

3996-469: The main forces, usually 600–1000 m behind objectives when on the defensive or 400–600 m behind the leading tanks on the offensive. ZSU-23-4 SPAAGs are divided evenly along the troop columns on the march. At first each ZSU-23-4 operated in combat autonomously, without target marking from regimental or divisional air defence. In 1978, the PPRU-1 (mobile reconnaissance and control post) was passed into service of

4070-613: The mountains, the ZSU-23-4's guns being able to elevate much higher than the weapons on BMPs , BTRs , T-55s , or T-62s . They were also used to suppress defensive positions around the presidential palace during the initial coup in Kabul at the start of the Soviet-Afghan war. The Russian Army used the ZSU-23-4 for mountain combat in Chechnya . The radar-guided ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" SPAAG, with its four 23 mm (0.90") autocannons,

4144-458: The practical rate of fire, such as barrel overheating). The welded turret has a race ring transplanted from a T-54 medium tank with a 1,840 mm (6 ft 0 in) diameter. The 360° rotating turret is fully stabilised and capable of firing on the move. The turret rotation and autocannon elevation mechanisms provide very good speed and guidance accuracy. The hydraulically driven aiming mechanisms have been proven to be very reliable. Manual aim

4218-443: The protracted US-led military presence in the country. Overall, the war killed an estimated 176,000–212,000+ people, including 46,319 civilians. While more than 5.7 million former refugees returned to Afghanistan after the 2001 invasion, by the time the Taliban returned to power in 2021, 2.6 million Afghans remained refugees , while another 4 million were internally displaced . This twenty-year armed conflict (2001–2021)

4292-740: The roof of the MT-LB multi-purpose tracked APCs. A specially modified three-legged ZU-23-2 autocannon is used as the base for the BTR-DG airborne SPAAG. Cheap, easy to operate and still effective, the ZU-23-2 is still used by the Russian Army and by more than 20 other armies. From 1965 onwards, the Soviet Union began supplying the Democratic Republic of Vietnam with large shipments of weapons. The 23 mm ZU-23-2 was, along with

4366-528: The same 23×152B mm caliber ammunition as the 2A14 guns of the twin-barrel ZU-23-2 towed gun. While the 23mm Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 aircraft gun used in the Second World War era Il-2 Sturmovik also fired ammunition of the same cartridge case dimensions, the rounds differed in loading and primer, and are thus not interchangeable with the post-war AA gun ammunition. Compared to the VYa and its ammunition,

4440-471: The target at ranges less than 7–8 km (4.3–5.0 mi) because of the high angular speed of the target at close distances. The radar needs to be reset quite often because of the unstable parameters of electronic cathode-ray tubes of the target selection system. The absence of an automatic laser range finder requires a skilful commander and gunner. Early versions of the ZSU-23-4 sometimes had problems with "runaway guns": after prolonged periods of firing,

4514-455: The target parameters received from the 1RL33 RPK-2 ( gun dish ) radar, and the correction angle received from the GAG (gyroscope) unit. Soviet doctrine supplied the vehicle since 1965 in an anti-aircraft artillery battery of two, four-vehicle platoons for anti-aircraft defence of motor rifle and tank regiments. At the end of the 1960s one platoon was equipped with ZSU-23-4 SPAAGs while another one

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4588-434: The third battery with 9K38 Igla man-portable surface-to-air missiles on IFVs or APCs. The ZSU-23-4 is very vulnerable to enemy anti-tank missiles, cannons and heavy machine guns; the armour is thin (not exceeding 15 mm) and the exposed wheels, tracks, radar, and gun barrels can easily be damaged in combat. Firing positions of ZSU-23-4 SPAAGs are typically placed near the forward edge of the battle area ( FEBA ) but behind

4662-556: The vicinity of the runway. Ethiopian soldiers interpreted these facts as indicative of a suicide plane looking to strike targets within the base camp, and responded with fire. ZSU-23-4 Shilka The ZSU-23-4 " Shilka " is a lightly armored Soviet self-propelled, radar -guided anti-aircraft weapon system ( SPAAG ). It was superseded by the 2K22 Tunguska (SA-19 Grison). The acronym "ZSU" stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka ( Russian : Зенитная Самоходная Установка ), meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled system";

4736-649: The weapon as a violation of the laws of war ; however, writing for the Marine Corps Gazette in 1988, Maj. W. Hays Parks dismissed this allegation as incorrect. During the Gulf War of 1991, it was a favorite weapon of the Iraqi Army , albeit used more often against ground targets such as infantry and light enemy vehicles. They tended to use it more against ground targets as the ZU-23-2 is ineffective against fast-moving jet aircraft, though later on it

4810-461: The withdrawal of troops, the Taliban launched a broad offensive throughout the summer of 2021, successfully reestablishing their control over Afghanistan, including the capital city of Kabul on 15 August . On the same day, the last president of the Islamic Republic, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country; the Taliban declared victory and the war was formally brought to a close. By 30 August, the last American military aircraft departed from Afghanistan , ending

4884-728: Was a revolutionary SPAAG, proving to be an extremely effective weapon against enemy attack aircraft and helicopters under every weather and light condition. The ZSU-23-4 has a very high density, rate and accuracy of fire, as well as the capability for each of the four autocannons to fire its own type of projectile from separate belts. While it is technically possible that each cannon shoots different type of ammunition, there were two types commonly used in late 1970s: OFZT incendiary fragmentation and BZT armour-piercing tracer, which were to be loaded in 3:1 ratio—three OFZT, then one BZT, every 10th BZT round equipped with so-called "copper remover" and marked. Operators were strongly discouraged from shooting from

4958-638: Was an armed conflict that took place from 2001 to 2021. Launched as a direct response to the September 11 attacks , the war began when an international military coalition led by the United States invaded Afghanistan , declaring Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the earlier-declared war on terror , toppling the Taliban -ruled Islamic Emirate , and establishing the Islamic Republic three years later. The Taliban and its allies were expelled from major population centers by US-led forces supporting

5032-409: Was armed with two 57 mm autocannons ; it was aimed optically using a basic tracking and lead calculating system. The ZSU-57-2 was not particularly successful despite its very powerful autocannons; given their large caliber, it could only carry 300 rounds, was inaccurate as it lacked radar and could not fire while on the move. The ZPU series armed with 14.5 mm heavy machine guns carried on

5106-482: Was developed for a modern variant of SPAAG (ZSU-23-4M4) to be used against cruise missiles. The RPK-2 "Tobol" a.k.a. 1RL33 radar operates in the Ku band and can detect aircraft up to 20 km (12 mi) away. It has excellent target tracking capability and is relatively hard to detect by the enemy. However, the radar picks up many false returns ( ground clutter ) under 60 m (200 ft) of altitude. The radar antenna

5180-599: Was eventually dropped, the ZU-14 was selected and, after some modifications, entered series production. In the Soviet Union, some 140,000 units were produced. The ZU-23 has also been produced under licence by Bulgaria, Poland, Egypt and the People's Republic of China. Development of this weapon into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun led to the ZSU-23-4 Shilka . The ZU-23-2 (2A13) mounts two 23 mm autocannons on

5254-586: Was proven to be relatively ineffective as it inflicted few casualties throughout the war. The ZU-23-2 also saw usage during the Georgian Civil War and at least one kill was claimed by a ZU-23-2, when Georgian forces shot down a Sukhoi Su-25 fighter-bomber jet on 4 June 1993. The ZU-23-2 has seen widespread use by both sides in the Libyan Civil War , being often mounted on technical pickup trucks. The weapon has also been heavily used in

5328-637: Was solved on ZSU-23-4M (welded tubes of coolant outlet were replaced with flexible pipes). After the autocannon cooling system was improved, the autocannons became extremely reliable. The ZSU-23-4 has an 1A7 SRP electro-mechanical fire solution calculator, weighing 180 kg, that occupies all of the space before the Commander. It contains 60 electric motors driving 110 axles over different potentiometers , shafts, rods, cams , gears and linkages to mechanically calculate ammunition flight time until impact, elevation lead angle , and azimuth lead angle using

5402-455: Was still equipped with ZSU-57-2 SPAAGs. ZSU-57-2 was completely replaced with ZSU-23-4 by the beginning of the 1970s. In the 1970s, Soviet motor rifle and tank regiments were equipped with an anti-aircraft missile artillery battery consisting of two platoons, one equipped with four ZSU-23-4 SPAAGs and the other with four 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 Gaskin) or later with four 9K35 Strela-10 (SA-13 Gopher) short-range surface-to-air missile systems which cover

5476-603: Was widely fielded throughout the Warsaw Pact and among other pro-Soviet states. Around 2,500 ZSU-23-4s, of the total 6,500 produced, were exported to 23 countries. The Warsaw Pact's successor states continue to manufacture and supply variants of the ZSU-23-4, notably the Ukrainian "Donets" and Polish "Biala" variants. ZSU-23-4 units saw active service in the Yom Kippur War (1973) and other Arab-Israeli conflicts,

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