130 mm air defense gun KS-30

130 mm air defense gun KS-30 File-KS 30 Letecky Muzeum.JPG 300 Soviet Union Anti-aircraft gun yes 1955–1962 (Soviet Union) See users Vietnam War Iran–Iraq War Gulf War 2003 invasion of Iraq M. N. Loginov 1946–1954 24900 kg (combat) 29500 kg (traveling) 11.5 m ftin (traveling) 8.4 m ftin 3 m (traveling) 3 m (traveling) 15–20According to Cullen and Foss. While Isby gives a figure of 11 men. High-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) Armour-piercing high explosive (APHE) 130 mm 10–12 rpm 970 m/s 16.5 km 29 km (horizontal) 22 km (vertical) Semi-automatic horizontal sliding-wedge Hydraulic −5°/+80 360° Cullen Foss 1992 203Isby 1988 316–317 The KS-30 is a Soviet 130 mm L/65 caliber anti-aircraft gun first introduced into Soviet service in 1955. An interim design intended to provide medium-altitude air defense of strategic infrastructure, it was used until 1960−1962, when they were phased out in favor of surface-to-air missiles, but several were retained in strategic reserve as late as of 1988. The gun saw service in the Vietnam War, Iran–Iraq War, and Gulf War, remaining in service in Iraq and Vietnam as late as 2002. Development Development of the 130 mm KS-30 began in 1946 at the Zavod no. 9 at Kalinin under a team led by M. N. Loginov. While the gun provided a 25% increase in effective ceiling over the KS-19 100 mm anti-aircraft gun, development was slow since the Soviets were focused on the development of surface-to-air missiles. After it became clear that it would take time to develop and deploy an effective SAM network, work on the KS-30 gun and associated fire control systems resumed as a stopgap measure.Cullen Foss 1992 202 The Soviets greatly benefited from captured German operational and technical expertise following the end of World War II, as well from American and British technologies, with the KS-30 making use of radar and fire control systems copied from United States-supplied Lend-Lease equipment and automatic rammers taken from the British QF 3.7-inch AA gun.Isby 1988 317 According to Cullen and Foss, the KS-30 was equivalent of the American 120 mm gun M1 and may have been based on a 130 mm naval gun.Cullen Foss 1992 202 Design Like other Soviet field artillery pieces, the KS-30 was a simple and rugged design, using a hydraulic recoil system and fixed-charge separate-loading ammunition. The weapon also benefited from the use of adapted Western technologies.Isby 1988 317 The KS-30 used a 130 mm L/65 caliber barrel;Isby 1988 316 the gun was carried on a two-axle, eight-wheeled carriage. When readied for firing, the axles were removed and the carriage was folded into a firing platform.Cullen Foss 1992 202 It was towed either by a AT-T tracked artillery tractor or a Ural-375 6×6 truck.Isby 1988 317 While the carriage had in-built fire-control systems, the gun was usually used in conjunction with the PUAZO director and the SON-9 (NATO reporting name: "Fire Can") fire-control radar which was derived from the US-made SCR-584 radar, supplied under Lend-Lease.Cullen Foss 1992 202Isby 1988 317,319 It was a medium-altitude weapon. The fire control radars had difficulty acquiring targets flying low and the gun weight and bulk made tracking fast moving aircraft difficult. At high-altitudes, accuracy suffered from increased shell dispersion. Like other Soviet large caliber anti-aircraft guns, the KS-30 could also be used against ground targets.Isby 1988 317 Ammunition Ammunition used were of the fixed-charge, separate-loading type that was not interchangeable with the 130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46) or the 130 mm gun SM-4-1 coastal gun. It could fire high-explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) or armour-piercing high explosive (APHE) rounds.Cullen Foss 1992 202 Type Weight Muzzle velocity Penetration at 0° Source: IsbyIsby 1988 316−317 Cullen & FossCullen Foss 1992 202 IsbyIsby 1988 316−317 Cullen & FossCullen Foss 1992 202 IsbyIsby 1988 316−317 Cullen & FossCullen Foss 1992 202HE-FRAG 22.4 kg 33.4 kg 950 m/s 970 m/s N/A N/AAPHE N/A 33.4 kg N/A 970 m/s N/A 250 mmAgainst rolled homogeneous armor at a range of 1000 m. History The KS-30 was introduced in the Soviet Army and Soviet Air Defence Forces service in 1955. It was intended to provide medium-alititude protection high-priority targets such as bridges, factories, transportation hubs, and cities. Large caliber anti-aircraft guns were widely used until 1960–1962, when they were phased out in favor of surface-to-air missiles, but several were retained in strategic reserve as late as 1988, presumably to be deployed by anti-aircraft units after their stockpile of missiles were exhausted in a prolonged conflict. These guns were to be accompanied by a cadre of gun-trained reserve officers.Isby 1988 316–317 thumb|The ALQ-71 ECM pod was effective against the KS-30 radars North Vietnam also used a small number of guns during the Vietnam War. During the conflict, the fire-control radars of Soviet-made AA guns were constantly jammed by American chaffs and the ALQ-71/72 electronic countermeasure pods, which contributed in making the guns effectively obsolete.Isby 1988 317, 319 The gun was also used by Iraq during the Iran–Iraq War. Prior to the Gulf War in 1991, it was estimated that Iraq had 200 guns in service.Cullen Foss 1992 202 An unknown number of guns survived the conflict and would remain in service with the Iraqi Army until the 2003 invasion of Iraq.O'Halloran Foss 2002 378 Users Ba'athist Iraq 1991 IraqO'Halloran Foss 2002 378 Cullen Foss 1992 202Isby 1988 317 − Remained in service as late 2002 yesO'Halloran Foss 2002 391 Comparable weapons 12.8 cm FlaK 40 – Nazi Germany 120 mm M1 gun – United States See also 100 mm air defense gun KS-19 – contemporary and complementary weapons system 85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K) – previous generation Soviet AA-gun, much more known 152 mm air defense gun KM-52 – 152 mm anti-aircraft gun developed from the KS-30 Notes References Bibliography Cullen Tony Foss Christopher F Christopher F Foss Jane's Land-based Air Defence 1992−93 1992 Jane's Information Group 978-0-7106-0979-3 5th https://ftp.idu.ac.id/wp-content/uploads/ebook/tdg/ADNVANCED%20MILITARY%20PLATFORM%20DESIGN/Janes%20Land-Based%20Air%20Defence%201992-93%20by%20Tony%20Cullen,%20Christopher%20F.%20Foss%20(z-lib.org).pdf Isby David C. Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army 1988 Jane's Publishing Company Limited London 978-0-7106-0352-4 https://archive.org/details/weaponstacticsof0000isby registration Revised O'Halloran James C Foss Christopher F Christopher F Foss Jane's Land-Based Air Defense 2002−2003 2002 Janes Information Group 978-0-7106-2437-6 15th Category:Anti-aircraft guns of the Soviet Union Category:130 mm artillery Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1950s