Rocket artillery "sword"
Soon after the adoption of the Kortik anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex (ZRAK), developed in the Tula KBP and intended for self-defense of ships, work on the subject of combined anti-aircraft installations was continued. The Instrument Design Bureau went along the path of modernization of the already established complex (Kortik-M and Kortik-MO), and in the Moscow Design Bureau of Precision Engineering named after A.E. Nudelman began to work on their own project SURF, called "Palash".
The first reports on the development of the Palash appeared in the 1994 year, then for some time the information appeared in extremely scarce quantities. However, already in 97-m, the approximate appearance of the future anti-aircraft complex, or rather its gun part, became known - eight guided missiles and two 30-mm six-barreled guns. In the middle of the 2000-ies, the prototype of the Palash went to the field tests conducted at the “30 facility” in the Crimea. In the autumn of 2005, at the end of the firing range, the combat module of the anti-aircraft complex (index 3Р89) was sent to Sevastopol, where it was installed on the SRX No. 13 on the P-60 rocket boat. The ship tests of the Palace "Palash" lasted until the 2007 year. It should be noted that in the test sites and ship tests only firing from machine guns was carried out - the Sosna-R missiles were not ready by that time. In December of the same year, the complex was put into service, namely, into trial operation. In addition, it was planned to install the “Dummy” on the second boat, the P-239, but for a number of reasons, mostly financial ones, the P-60 remained alone.
With its layout, the ZRAK "Broadsword" in some way resembles its predecessor, "Dagger". The same massive base and AO-18 assault rifles and missile transport and launch containers located on the sides. However, "Broadsword" has a different guidance system, which also had a certain effect on the appearance. In the upper part of the 3P89 combat module, the Shar optical-location control station is located, closed by a spherical casing. Because of this detail, the entire combat module bears some resemblance to robots military purpose from some feature films, which was immediately noted by many lovers of military equipment. The Shar station includes a television-optical station with a television and thermal imaging channel, a laser rangefinder and an anti-aircraft missile control system. Also, at the very beginning of work on the Broadsword, it was planned to supplement the complex with a radar station located in a separate building. But so far, the radar has not been completed, it has not participated in the tests, and there can be no talk of adopting it into service. Thus, only the Shar station is used for detection and guidance, but some sources claim that the Broadsword automation can receive data from the carrier ship's own radars. Without the use of radar data, the Shar OLSU is capable of detecting and launching a missile at a target located within ± 178 ° in azimuth and from -20 ° to +82 in elevation. In this case, keeping the target on tracking is ensured at its angular velocity up to 50 deg / s. The maximum range determined by the laser rangefinder is 20 km, while taking the target for auto tracking can occur at shorter distances: from 16 km for an aircraft, 10 for a helicopter, and about 8-10 for a cruise missile. However, in most cases, reliable detection and tracking of a target is possible only at a distance of 6 km.
Artillery SIGN "Palash" consists of two automatic guns caliber 30 mm AO-18KD. They differ from the previous modifications by a longer barrel (80 gauges) and, as a result, better projectile ballistics. The aimed range of the guns is from 200 to 4000 meters, and the rate of fire is up to 5000 rounds per minute on the machine gun (total - up to 10 thousand). Palash artillery can effectively hit targets flying at speeds up to 300 m / s at altitudes up to 3 km. The reaction time of an artillery installation, according to Tochmash Design Bureau, is 5-7 seconds. Ammunition of machines - up to 1500 shells. The ammunition feeder is a chainless auger. AO-18KD can use the following types of shells:
- BPTS. Armor-piercing piercing projectile with a hard-alloy core (alloy of a residence permit). There is a tracer. Intended, first of all, to undermine the warhead of a fired cruise missile;
- OFZS. High-explosive fragmentation projectile;
- UTS. Fragmentation projectile equipped with a tracer.
As already mentioned, at the time of testing of the complex, the Sosna-R rocket (GRAU index 9М337), being developed by Tochmash Design Bureau, has not yet been brought up to the appropriate standard. Therefore, in the existing photos of the Palash with TPK missiles, the latter are either mock-ups or the result of photomontage. For this reason, the missile specifications declared by the design bureau will be given below. With the length and mass of TPK in 2390 mm and 36-39 kg (data vary in different sources), respectively, the rocket can hit aerodynamic targets at distances from 1300 meters. The maximum target range of the Pine-P target is 8 km in the case of airplanes or 4 km when working on anti-ship missiles. A missile is aimed at a target with a laser using the appropriate node of the Shar station. The stated accuracy of pointing is up to 15 angular seconds. During the flight to the target, the Pine-P can maneuver with transverse overload to 52 and longitudinal to 40 units. The maximum speed and altitude of the target at which the rocket can effectively hit it, is 700 m / s and 2-3500 m, respectively. Warhead rocket high-explosive fragmentation with 12-channel laser contactless fuse. Its total weight - 5 kilogram.
In addition to the “Palash” variant, an export version of the anti-aircraft complex called “Palma” has been developed. From the original modification, it differs in the composition of the equipment and versions. At the request of the customer, "Palma" can be made in several versions:
- Complete set: combat module (up to four on one ship), radar and station "Ball";
- only the combat module (can be completed with the OLSU "Ball") with rocket and artillery weapons;
- only the combat module (can be completed with the OLSU "Ball") with rocket armament;
- Only the combat module (can be completed with the OLSU "Ball") with artillery weapons;
- container modification. It is intended for use on unprepared ships, for example, on civilian vessels converted for military use.
In the Russian Navy Navy ZRAK "Broadsword" at the moment is available in only one instance - on a missile boat R-60. Nothing is known about equipping the Broadsword with other ships, however, in the light of the protracted development of the missile for the complex, it is hardly worth building optimistic plans about the fate of the entire complex.
The first reports on the development of the Palash appeared in the 1994 year, then for some time the information appeared in extremely scarce quantities. However, already in 97-m, the approximate appearance of the future anti-aircraft complex, or rather its gun part, became known - eight guided missiles and two 30-mm six-barreled guns. In the middle of the 2000-ies, the prototype of the Palash went to the field tests conducted at the “30 facility” in the Crimea. In the autumn of 2005, at the end of the firing range, the combat module of the anti-aircraft complex (index 3Р89) was sent to Sevastopol, where it was installed on the SRX No. 13 on the P-60 rocket boat. The ship tests of the Palace "Palash" lasted until the 2007 year. It should be noted that in the test sites and ship tests only firing from machine guns was carried out - the Sosna-R missiles were not ready by that time. In December of the same year, the complex was put into service, namely, into trial operation. In addition, it was planned to install the “Dummy” on the second boat, the P-239, but for a number of reasons, mostly financial ones, the P-60 remained alone.
With its layout, the ZRAK "Broadsword" in some way resembles its predecessor, "Dagger". The same massive base and AO-18 assault rifles and missile transport and launch containers located on the sides. However, "Broadsword" has a different guidance system, which also had a certain effect on the appearance. In the upper part of the 3P89 combat module, the Shar optical-location control station is located, closed by a spherical casing. Because of this detail, the entire combat module bears some resemblance to robots military purpose from some feature films, which was immediately noted by many lovers of military equipment. The Shar station includes a television-optical station with a television and thermal imaging channel, a laser rangefinder and an anti-aircraft missile control system. Also, at the very beginning of work on the Broadsword, it was planned to supplement the complex with a radar station located in a separate building. But so far, the radar has not been completed, it has not participated in the tests, and there can be no talk of adopting it into service. Thus, only the Shar station is used for detection and guidance, but some sources claim that the Broadsword automation can receive data from the carrier ship's own radars. Without the use of radar data, the Shar OLSU is capable of detecting and launching a missile at a target located within ± 178 ° in azimuth and from -20 ° to +82 in elevation. In this case, keeping the target on tracking is ensured at its angular velocity up to 50 deg / s. The maximum range determined by the laser rangefinder is 20 km, while taking the target for auto tracking can occur at shorter distances: from 16 km for an aircraft, 10 for a helicopter, and about 8-10 for a cruise missile. However, in most cases, reliable detection and tracking of a target is possible only at a distance of 6 km.
Artillery SIGN "Palash" consists of two automatic guns caliber 30 mm AO-18KD. They differ from the previous modifications by a longer barrel (80 gauges) and, as a result, better projectile ballistics. The aimed range of the guns is from 200 to 4000 meters, and the rate of fire is up to 5000 rounds per minute on the machine gun (total - up to 10 thousand). Palash artillery can effectively hit targets flying at speeds up to 300 m / s at altitudes up to 3 km. The reaction time of an artillery installation, according to Tochmash Design Bureau, is 5-7 seconds. Ammunition of machines - up to 1500 shells. The ammunition feeder is a chainless auger. AO-18KD can use the following types of shells:
- BPTS. Armor-piercing piercing projectile with a hard-alloy core (alloy of a residence permit). There is a tracer. Intended, first of all, to undermine the warhead of a fired cruise missile;
- OFZS. High-explosive fragmentation projectile;
- UTS. Fragmentation projectile equipped with a tracer.
As already mentioned, at the time of testing of the complex, the Sosna-R rocket (GRAU index 9М337), being developed by Tochmash Design Bureau, has not yet been brought up to the appropriate standard. Therefore, in the existing photos of the Palash with TPK missiles, the latter are either mock-ups or the result of photomontage. For this reason, the missile specifications declared by the design bureau will be given below. With the length and mass of TPK in 2390 mm and 36-39 kg (data vary in different sources), respectively, the rocket can hit aerodynamic targets at distances from 1300 meters. The maximum target range of the Pine-P target is 8 km in the case of airplanes or 4 km when working on anti-ship missiles. A missile is aimed at a target with a laser using the appropriate node of the Shar station. The stated accuracy of pointing is up to 15 angular seconds. During the flight to the target, the Pine-P can maneuver with transverse overload to 52 and longitudinal to 40 units. The maximum speed and altitude of the target at which the rocket can effectively hit it, is 700 m / s and 2-3500 m, respectively. Warhead rocket high-explosive fragmentation with 12-channel laser contactless fuse. Its total weight - 5 kilogram.
Module OESU "Shar" ZRAK "Palash"
In addition to the “Palash” variant, an export version of the anti-aircraft complex called “Palma” has been developed. From the original modification, it differs in the composition of the equipment and versions. At the request of the customer, "Palma" can be made in several versions:
- Complete set: combat module (up to four on one ship), radar and station "Ball";
- only the combat module (can be completed with the OLSU "Ball") with rocket and artillery weapons;
- only the combat module (can be completed with the OLSU "Ball") with rocket armament;
- Only the combat module (can be completed with the OLSU "Ball") with artillery weapons;
- container modification. It is intended for use on unprepared ships, for example, on civilian vessels converted for military use.
In the Russian Navy Navy ZRAK "Broadsword" at the moment is available in only one instance - on a missile boat R-60. Nothing is known about equipping the Broadsword with other ships, however, in the light of the protracted development of the missile for the complex, it is hardly worth building optimistic plans about the fate of the entire complex.
Information