Nora M-84

Nora M-84
	Nora M-84
General properties
crew
length
width
height
Dimensions
	Armor and armament
Main armament	152 mm howitzer
agility
drive	;
Top speed
Power / weight

The Nora M-84 is a pipe artillery system of Yugoslav and Serbian manufacture. These include weapons systems with a diameter of 152 mm and 155 mm, which were developed by the Military Technical Institute in Belgrade (VTI - Vojno Tehnički Institut) for the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA - Jugoslavenska Narodna Armija) between 1975 and 1984 and are still produced today. It is deployed in the successor states of Yugoslavia. Initially, production took place in the mechanical engineering combine BNT in Novi Travnik, in Bosnia. A second production line was later built in Velika Plana, Serbia. Several versions are marketed by Jugoimport SDPR . Building on the Nora M-84, the Nora B-52 wheeled howitzer was developed as a self-propelled gun.

history

The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) planned a radical reform and modernization of its artillery from 1975. The artillery units should be equipped with new weapon systems. The main objective was to equip the army with weapons systems of greater caliber, greater range and greater effect. In addition, the calibres used at division level should be standardized. The intended calibers were 122 mm, 130 mm and 155 mm. Motorized associations were to receive wheeled and chain howitzers with calibers 122 and 152 mm.

Under very favorable conditions, the USSR licensed the 152 mm M1955 (D-20) cannon howitzer and associated ammunition. The 122-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S1 and the towed 122-mm howitzer D-30 as well as their design documentation could also be purchased in the equipping of mechanized divisions . The Nora-A towed howitzer was developed on its basis in Yugoslavia.

Anastas Paligorić was in charge of the project and recommended a 155 mm caliber, corresponding to the 155 mm M65 howitzers used in the JNA. Nevertheless, the choice fell on the 152 mm caliber.

Three versions were earmarked for development:

Nora-A with a 152 mm L / 39 cannon
Nora-B as a self-propelled howitzer with a 152 mm L / 45 cannon on the FAP-2832 chassis with the designation Nora B-52
Nora-C with 152 mm cannon and with L / 45; part of the project was 203 mm gun under the designation "KOLOS"

background

The first Yugoslav howitzer H155 mm M65 was based on the American M114 155 mm. Due to their defensive defense doctrine against the armed forces of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, the maximum possible range of these howitzers and the other artillery weapons in their inventory were not satisfied. It was decided to develop and manufacture a large-caliber 152 mm artillery cannon in-house. At the same time, the JNA procured the design documentation for the Soviet 152 mm M1955 (D-20) with some D-20 howitzers from the Soviet Union. Both the American 155 mm and the Soviet 152 mm howitzer met the requirements of the JNA neither in range nor in certain specifications. The weapon system should have the following characteristics:

the range with standard ammunition should be 24 km (the 155mm M65 had a range of 14.9 km, the 152mm D-20 17.4 km)
For ammunition with an extended range, firing ranges of 28 to 34.5 km should be possible
the new weapon system should be able to fire any ammunition of the 152mm D-20
the weapon system should reach higher elevation angles (from −5 ° to + 65 °)
the rate of fire should be at least 4 rounds / minute. Thanks to a semi-automatic loading mechanism, it was clearly superior to the 155mm M65 (1 to 2 shells per minute).

development

Work on Nora began in 1975, and in May 1980 the first prototype of the Nora-A arrived at the Testing Institute (TOC - Tehnički opitni centar) in Belgrade. Development ended in 1984. The JNA received the Nora-A under the serial designation M-84 Nora. In 1989 a variant appeared with a different propellant charge and a newly designed weapon system and was lower in weight than the M-84B1. The M-84B2 is equipped with a pneumatic loader that works in all elevation angles and enables 30 working cycles with a standard air compression filling.

The development of the Nora-C was stopped in 1991. Work on the Nora-B was also interrupted, but resumed in 2001 and ended successfully in 2006. As the Nora B-52 , it is now available in two versions. The current version differs from the original Nora-B in that it has stronger armor and greater automation.

Part of the Nora M-84 was created by converting the Soviet 130 mm M-46. In the JNA it was introduced in 1986 as M-46/86 152mm. An M46 / 86 with a 155mm diameter was also developed.

The Canadian-Belgian company SRC (Space Research Corporation) of the Canadian engineer Gerald Bull was hired to convert the Soviet 130 mm M-46 into the M46 / 86 with a 155 mm diameter . The cooperation with SRC envisaged the conversion of the 130 M-46 into the caliber 155 M-45 with 23 l cargo space volume as well as the realization of the production of ERFB-BB for extended range ERFB-BB projectiles (with base bleed ) and gas generators in Yugoslavia for which a license agreement has been made with SRC.

With the realization of the above-mentioned projects as well as the technology transfer by SRC, it was possible to offer potential customers an artillery system with a range of 45 km and thus found a connection to arms manufacturers of third-generation artillery systems.

After 2008, other versions were created:

155 mm / 39 NORA-A1 light howitzer
M08 152mm / 45 rifled cannon

ammunition

With the introduction of the new weapon system, new types of ammunition were developed by the arms manufacturers in Yugoslavia. In 1986 the series production of the M84 / ГГ grenades started in Pretis-Vogošča (Sarajevo).

With a muzzle velocity of 895 m / s, the JNA had the most advanced 152 mm bullets of its time. Only with the introduction of the Soviet grenades for the 2A65 152 mm were these values exceeded.

variants

Some variants are exported:

Nora M-84

Basic variant, built in a few copies.

Nora M-84B1

With a reduced cargo space volume of 18 liters and a reduced mass of 6.88 tons. It is the most common variant with a range of 34.5 km.

Nora M-84B2

Variant with semi-automatic ammunition feed with a total of 30 projectiles.

M46 / 84

Converted Soviet M-46 130 mm cannon to Nora standard with 152 mm or 155 mm caliber L / 45 as well as other components that were developed in the Nora program.