FH-77
| FH-77 | |
|---|---|
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| General Information | |
| Military designation: | FH-77 |
| Manufacturer designation: | Fälthaubits 77 |
| Manufacturer country: |
 Sweden
|
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Bofors |
| Development year: | 1960s |
| Start of production: | 1978 |
| Number of pieces: | 713 (as of 1998) |
| Model variants: | FH-77A, FH-77B |
| Weapon Category: | Field howitzer |
| Team: |
FH-77A : 10 FH-77B : 6 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Overall length: |
FH-77A : 11.16 m, FH-77B : 11.60 m |
| Pipe length: |
FH-77A : 5.89 m, FH-77B : 6.05 m |
| Caliber : |
155 mm |
| Caliber length : |
FH-77A : L / 38 FH-77B : L / 39 |
| Weight ready for use: |
FH-77A : 11,450 kg FH-77B : 11,980 kg |
| Cadence : | 2-6 rounds / min |
| Elevation range: |
FH-77A : -3 ° -50 ° FH-77B : -3 ° -70 degrees |
| Side straightening area: | ± 30 ° |
| Furnishing | |
| Closure Type : |
FH-77A : Wedge lock FH-77B : Screw lock |
| Charging principle: | automatically |
| Ammunition supply: | automatically |
| Drive: | Auxiliary engine with 59 kW |
| Power supply: | Auxiliary engine |
The Fälthaubits 77 (FH-77) is a towed field howitzer of 155 mm caliber from Swedish production. The gun has a high degree of automation and an auxiliary motor for self-propulsion.
development
The FH-77 was created in the 1960s due to a request from the Swedish Armed Forces . They wanted to replace the Obusier de 155 mm Modèle 50 gun from the late 1940s with a modern one. A field howitzer was required which had a high cadence and great mobility. After various tests of foreign models, the decision was made to produce it in-house. The development contract was awarded to Bofors , who developed the first prototype with the designation FH-77A by 1973 . From 1975 field tests began by the Swedish armed forces. From 1978 the series guns were delivered to Sweden, which was completed by 1984.
In 1984 Bofors decided to develop a version of the FH-77 for the export market. The new gun was to be adapted to meet the NATO standard. This was followed by the version FH-77B which was offered on the export market from 1986. In 1997, the price of an FH-77 gun ranged from $ 601,200 to $ 606,800 .
The gun hit the headlines during the evaluation process for a new artillery piece for India . In the course of this selection process, Bofors is said to have paid $ 40 million in commissions ( kickbacks ). This led to the Bofors scandal in India , which was dealt with legally and politically.
variants
- FH-77A : 1st production version for the Swedish Armed Forces.
- FH-77AD : Versions of the FH-77A which have been upgraded to the stand of the FH-77B.
- FH-77B : Export version with NATO standard and Mercedes OM-616-918 auxiliary engine.
- FH-77B02 : Version with 45 caliber lengths (L / 45).
- FH 77B05 : Version with 52 caliber lengths (L / 52).
- FH-77BW L52 : Self-propelled gun with the FH 77B05 gun.
- CD-80 : 120 mm caliber version for coastal defense for the Swedish armed forces.
technology
The FH-77 is a conventional field howitzer with a power train system. It shows the usual pattern of a two-wheeled spreader carriage with an auxiliary motor for short-term self-propulsion. The FH-77 weighs 11,450–11,980 kg, depending on the version. The length of the FH-77 is between 11.16 and 11.60 m in the ready-to-fire position. The height of the guns (due to the gun barrel) is 2.75–2.81 m in the drawn position. The width on the road is 2.65 m and the ground clearance is 400 mm. With the spars spread, the width is 7.18–7.21 m.
gun
While the FH-77A version uses a gun barrel with 38 caliber lengths , the FH-77B version uses a barrel with 39 caliber lengths. In the FH-77B version, the combustion chamber corresponds to the international standard and has a volume of 18 liters. The gun barrel is housed on a single-axis carriage with two spreader bars . A Volvo B20 auxiliary engine with an output of 59 kW (80 hp ) is attached to the front of the carriage . The auxiliary motor is used to feed the hydraulic system , to lift the spar ends when uncoupling, to steer the support wheels and to lift them when using the tractor, as well as to spread and close the spars. The gun can also be driven into the firing position with the auxiliary motor over short distances at up to 9 km / h . In the barrel cradle , two hydropneumatic barrel brakes and return devices are mounted on the gun barrel. In addition to the pipe cradle, there is a seat for the gunner and loader on both sides . The left seat has a steering wheel , the sighting device and other controls. The side straightening range in the lower angle group is ± 25 °. In the upper group of angles, ± 30 ° is possible. The elevation range of the FH-77A is -3 ° to + 50 °. With the FH-77B version, the gun barrel can be adjusted up to an elevation of 70 °. While the FH-77A are equipped with a vertical wedge lock , the later FH-77B have a screw lock . The FH-77 guns are equipped with an automatic loading system. The automatic loading system feeds the bullets and places them in the barrel. Then the propellant charges and propellant charge igniters are charged and supplied. A loading crane is also available, with which three floors can be lifted from the ground into the loading cradle.
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During transport, the bars are folded back and rest on two lowerable and steerable support wheels. In the driving position, the tube rests to the rear, against the direction of travel. The two support wheels enable control when using the auxiliary engine. Used for road transport, the Swedish Armed Forces the Scania SBA111 - trucks . The maximum permissible train speed on the road is 70 km / h.
In order to get the gun ready to fire, the 6–10-man crew needs around 1–3 minutes. After that, the gun can be operated by two men if necessary. When firing, the gun rests on the main wheels at the front and on the bars at the back. The recoil is reduced by a multi-hole muzzle brake and the remaining recoil is diverted into the ground via two ground spurs located at the ends of the spar . The FH-77 can be used both autonomously or in connected use.
In addition to the permanently installed navigation system and the fire control system , the FH-77 can also be equipped with a measuring system for measuring the muzzle velocity and a weather station .
With the automatic loading system, 3 shots can be fired within 10–12 seconds. Then another 6 rounds can be fired within 25 seconds. This means that four guns can bring around 1.5 tons of ammunition to the target within a minute . A rate of 2–6 rounds per minute is possible for sustained fire.
ammunition
The FH-77A version uses separate ammunition with plastic propellant cartridges . This means that the projectile and the propellant charge are loaded one after the other. The propellant charge cartridges can be equipped with different propellant charges before the loading process. During the loading process, the propellant charge cartridge is attached to the projectile. After the shot has been fired, the empty propellant charge cartridge is automatically ejected and can be reloaded. The FH-77B version uses separately loaded ammunition with variable propellant bags with NATO standards. While the FH-77A version uses ammunition specially manufactured for this gun, the FH-77B version can fire almost all 155 mm NATO ammunition .
The FH-77A version uses the following ammunition:
| Surname | Bullet type | Weight | filling | Shooting distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M / 77 (SGR 77) | HE grenade with hollow bottom | 42.4 kg | 7.8 kg TNT | 23 km |
| M / 77SC (SGR 54-77) | HE grenade | 43 kg | 7 kg of TNT | 22 km |
| SGR 77R | Rocket-propelled HE grenade | unknown | unknown | 27 km |
| PRB 77BB Mk.10 | Extended-Range-Full-Bore-Bullet with Base Bleed | 45.4 kg | 8.8 kg of TNT | 30 km |
| bonus | Search fuse ammunition | 45 kg | 2 search fuze cluster munitions | unknown |
Technical data
The FH-77B version uses the following ammunition:
| Surname | Bullet type | Weight | filling | Shooting distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M / 77 (SGR 77) | HE grenade with hollow bottom | 42.4 kg | 7.8 kg TNT | 24 km |
| M107 | HE grenade | 41.9 kg | 5.7 kg of TNT | 24 km |
| M549 | Rocket-propelled HE grenade | 43.5 kg | 7.3 kg Composition B | 30 km |
| M795 | HE grenade | 46.7 kg | 10.8 kg of TNT | 24.7 km |
| M982 Excalibur | precision-guided artillery shell | 48 kg | 22 kg PBX | over 30 km |
| bonus | Search fuse ammunition | 45 kg | 2 search fuze cluster munitions | 30 km |
Technical data
Fog bullets , light bullets as well as drill and training bullets are also available for the FH-77 .
War missions
India used the FH-77 during the Kashmir conflict and the Kargil war against Pakistan .
User states
-
India - 410 FH-77B and license production of the FH-77B02 under the name Dhanush
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Iran - 18 FH-77B -
Nigeria - 48 FH-77B (24 in storage) -
Sweden - 203 FH-77A, FH-77AD and FH-77B
literature
- Christopher Chant: A Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware. Routledge Revivals, Oxford, United Kingdom, 2014, ISBN 0-415-71072-3 .
- TJ O'Malley: Modern Artillery Systems. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany, 1996, ISBN 3-613-01758-X .
Web links
- Fälthaubits 77 at SoldF (Swedish)
- FH-77B fires four grenades within 20 seconds - film at youtube.com
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l FH-77A / FH-77B 155 mm Howitzers. In: forecastinternational.com. Forecast International Inc., accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ↑ a b c Bofors FH77. In: weaponsystems.net. Weapon Systems, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ↑ a b c d e Christopher Chant: A Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware. 2014, pp. 88-89.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h T. J. O'Malley: Modern Artillery Systems. 1996, pp. 52-53.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Fälthaubits 77 - FH77. (No longer available online.) In: soldf.com. SoldF, archived from the original on July 16, 2017 ; Retrieved March 20, 2017 (Swedish). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c FH-77A. In: army-guide.com. Army Guide, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ↑ a b c d FH-77B. In: army-guide.com. Army Guide, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ^ Wolfgang Zank: Dirty business. In: zeit.de. Die Zeit, February 9, 1990, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ↑ a b c d M / 77. In: army-guide.com. Army Guide, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ↑ a b Rahul Bedi: India completes trials of license-built FH-77B howitzer. In: Janes.com. IHS Jane's 360, June 12, 2018, accessed June 12, 2018 .
- ↑ FH77 B05 L52 BAE Systems 155mm Towed Howitzer. In: armyrecognition.com. Army Recognition, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ^ FH 77. In: deagel.com. Deagel, January 26, 2017, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ^ Ashraf Wani: Bofors power proved in Kargil War. In: indiatoday.intoday.in. India Today, July 25, 2016, accessed March 20, 2017 .
- ↑ a b Trade Register on sipri.org , accessed on March 20, 2017 (English)
- ^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): The Military Balance 1993–1994 . United Kingdom, 1993, p. 115. ISBN 978-1-85753-038-4 .
- ^ The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): The Military Balance 2016 . United Kingdom, 2016, p. 464. ISBN 978-1-85743-835-2 .
