T-155 Fırtına

T-155 Fırtına
Type Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin South Korea, Turkey
Service history
Wars Turkey-PKK conflict[1]
Syrian civil war
Production history
Designed 1998–2001[1]
Produced 2001–Present[1]
Specifications
Weight Combat: 56 tons[1]
Length 12 m (39 ft 4 in)[1]
Width 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)[1]
Height 3.43 m (11 ft 3 in)[1]
Crew 5 (Commander, Driver, Gunner, 2 Loaders)[1]
Main
armament
 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun[1]
Secondary
armament
 12.7 mm machine gun[1]
Engine MTU-881 KA 500 power pack[1]
1000+ hp[1]
Power/weight 17.85 hp/ton[1]
Suspension HSU[1]
Operational
range
 480 km (299 mi)[1]
Speed 66 km/h (41 mph)[1]

T-155 Fırtına (Storm) is a Turkish 155mm self-propelled howitzer based on the K9 Thunder by Samsung Techwin.

Features

Though essentially using the subsystems of the K9 howitzer, including the South Korean designed 155/52 caliber gun system and automatic ammunition feeding mechanism, and the German designed MTU-881 KA 500 diesel engine, the T-155 has considerable differences in its turret design, parts of the chassis, the navigation system, and electronic systems (such as the radio and fire control system) which were developed in Turkey. Unlike the K9, T-155 Fırtına lacks commander's digital panoramic sight. Through the Inertial Navigation System produced by ASELSAN the howitzer is able to determine the coordinates of the targets at 17.5 meters deviation. Fırtına can open fire within 30 seconds.[2]

According to the licence agreement with Samsung Techwin, the first eight T-155s were built in South Korea, while the remaining batch of more than 300 units would be produced in Turkey.[3] The total reported cost of purchase and technology transfer for the Turkish government was $1 billion.[4]

The T-155 Fırtına has a maximum firing range of 40 km, depending on the type of ammunition. It can reach a top speed of 66 km/h and has an operational range of 480 km.

The T-155 howitzers are built at the 1st Army Maintenance Center Command of the Turkish Army in Adapazarı. The gun is produced in by MKEK.[5] The production rate of the T-155 is 24 units per year. A total of 350 T-155 Fırtına howitzers were planned to be produced.[6] 281 have been delivered between 2005 and 2010.[7]

Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle

An indigenous Ammunition Resupply Vehicle, these vehicles have an Ammunition Transfer System similar to that of the South Korean K10 ARV. This vehicle has a boom that is extended towards the rear of the T-155 Fırtına turret where the resupply takes place. The Poyraz ARV has an Auxiliary Power Unit unlike the K10 ARV, which allows the vehicle's crew to use electronics, communication systems and an Ammunition Transfer System to run economically without the main engines being turned on.[8]

The Poyraz ARV can carry up to 96 155mm shells and is able to transfer 48 shells in 20 minutes. It has a range of 360 km.[9]

Upgrades

An upgraded version dubbed "Firtina 2" will begin production in 2017, featuring improvement to range and rate of fire. The new vehicles will also be fitted with remote weapons stations capable of carrying 12.7mm, 7.62mm machine guns and 40mm grenade launchers.[10]

Exports

Turkey

The Turkish Armed Forces has placed an order to manufacture 350 vehicles in total with 24 vehicles rolling off of the assembly line every year.

Azerbaijan

Talks were held with the Azerbaijani government regarding the purchase and sale of the military equipment. The sides were expected to sign the contract by the end of 2011.[11] A contract for 36 T-155 howitzers was signed in 2011, but was delayed due to complications regarding the German production of the engines and an embargo on Azerbaijan connected to conflict with neighboring Armenia. It was later reported that deliveries would start in 2014.[12]

Operators

Map with T-155 operators in blue

Current operators

Operational history

The T-155 Fırtına was first deployed in Operation Sun at the end of 2007 into January 2008 to fight the PKK militants in the northern part of Iraq.[13]

The T-155 was used in 2012 Syrian–Turkish border clashes and again during both the Jarabulus offensive (2016) and the Afrin offensive (2018).

Origins

Similar vehicles

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "T-155". Military Factory. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  2. ↑ Enginsoy, Umit. "Turkey hit Syria with S. Korean-designed howitzers". Hurriyet Daily News. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  3. ↑ 삼성 테크윈: 포병장비 (in Korean). Retrieved 2013-11-07.
  4. ↑ John Pike. "K9 155mm self-propelled howitzer". Global Security. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  5. ↑ "MKEK catalogue" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-09.
  6. ↑ "Korea seeks to sell tanks to Turkey". Korea Herald.
  7. 1 2 Medyabar. "TSK'dan Fırtına 2 için Sakarya onayı". Medyabar. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  8. ↑ "Mühimmat Transfer Sistemi (MTS)". aselsan.com.tr. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  9. ↑ "Türk yapımı 'Poyraz' düşmanların korkulu rüyası oldu!". www.yeniakit.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  10. ↑ "TSK'ya 'Fırtına 2'ler geliyor". SVT | Savunma ve Teknoloji (in Turkish). Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  11. ↑ "Azerbaijan interested in Turkey's Firtina Self-Propelled Howitzer". News.az. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  12. ↑ "Turkey to start the delivery of T-155 Firtina 155mm self-propelled howitzer to Azerbaijan in 2014". Armyrecognition.com. 2 January 2014.
  13. ↑ "Hürriyet: Hem karadan hem havadan" (in Turkish). April 27, 2008.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.