T-12 antitank gun
Encyclopedia
2A19 or T-12 is a Soviet smoothbore
100-mm anti-tank gun, which served as the main Eastern Bloc towed anti-tank gun from 1955 until the late 1980s.
In 1970 it was replaced in production by the T-12A or MT-12 "Rapira" which features a new smoothbore gun, the 100 mm 2A29 gun, as well as a redesigned carriage and gun-shield to protect the crew from machine gun fire and shell splinters. Thanks to the redesigned carriage with bigger wheel base, the MT-12 can be towed by the MT-LB
, at speeds up to 60 km/h on road or 25 km/h cross-country.
The 2A29R "Ruta" or MT-12R is a version with a RLPK-1 radar for engaging targets in a poor visibility environment (smoke/fog). From 1981 the gun could fire laser beam-riding guided misiles 9M117 Kastet
(weapon system 9K116) and carried the new designator 2A29K "Kastet" or MT-12K.
The weapon was planned to be superseded by the 2A45 Sprut-B 125 mm smoothbore anti-tank gun. Modern western tanks' frontal armour protection is far in excess of what can be penetrated by a 100 mm gun – even using the most modern APFSDS round. For a tank that can manoeuvre to take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses this is less of a problem – but for a weapon that is primarily defensive this is a serious problem. Today the T-12 is applied mostly in the role of ordinary artillery, using FRAG-HE shells.
is used as the transporter, twenty rounds are typically carried (10 APFSDS, 4 HE-Frag, 6 HEAT). Since the weapon is a smoothbore
, all the ammunition is finned for accuracy during flight.
The standard equipment consists of the panoramic sight PG-1M for indirect fire, and an OP4M-40U telescope for direct fire. The APN-5-40 or APN-6-40 are used for direct fire by night.
The gun can be fitted with the LO-7 ski for travel across snow or swampy ground.
3BM-2
APFSDS-T Tungsten
3BM23/3UBM10
APFSDS
HEAT
3BK16M/3UBK8
Beam riding laser guided projectile.
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
100-mm anti-tank gun, which served as the main Eastern Bloc towed anti-tank gun from 1955 until the late 1980s.
History
The T-12 entered service in 1955, replacing the BS-3 100 mm field gun. It was typically deployed in anti-tank units of armoured and motor rifle regiments to protect flanks against counter-attacks during rapid advances.In 1970 it was replaced in production by the T-12A or MT-12 "Rapira" which features a new smoothbore gun, the 100 mm 2A29 gun, as well as a redesigned carriage and gun-shield to protect the crew from machine gun fire and shell splinters. Thanks to the redesigned carriage with bigger wheel base, the MT-12 can be towed by the MT-LB
MT-LB
The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured vehicle which was first introduced in the late 1960s...
, at speeds up to 60 km/h on road or 25 km/h cross-country.
The 2A29R "Ruta" or MT-12R is a version with a RLPK-1 radar for engaging targets in a poor visibility environment (smoke/fog). From 1981 the gun could fire laser beam-riding guided misiles 9M117 Kastet
9M117 Bastion
The 9M117 Bastion is a Russian laser beam-riding anti-tank missile. It is used in a number of separate weapon systems including the 9K116-1 Bastion missile system , 9K118 Sheksna , Kastet and the 3UBK12 fired from the BMP-3...
(weapon system 9K116) and carried the new designator 2A29K "Kastet" or MT-12K.
The weapon was planned to be superseded by the 2A45 Sprut-B 125 mm smoothbore anti-tank gun. Modern western tanks' frontal armour protection is far in excess of what can be penetrated by a 100 mm gun – even using the most modern APFSDS round. For a tank that can manoeuvre to take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses this is less of a problem – but for a weapon that is primarily defensive this is a serious problem. Today the T-12 is applied mostly in the role of ordinary artillery, using FRAG-HE shells.
Description
The gun requires a crew of six: commander, driver of the towing vehicle, gun layer, loader, and two ammunition crewmen. When the MT-LBMT-LB
The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured vehicle which was first introduced in the late 1960s...
is used as the transporter, twenty rounds are typically carried (10 APFSDS, 4 HE-Frag, 6 HEAT). Since the weapon is a smoothbore
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
, all the ammunition is finned for accuracy during flight.
The standard equipment consists of the panoramic sight PG-1M for indirect fire, and an OP4M-40U telescope for direct fire. The APN-5-40 or APN-6-40 are used for direct fire by night.
The gun can be fitted with the LO-7 ski for travel across snow or swampy ground.
Operators
According to Jane's Armour and Artillery, the following countries have or had the T-12 and/or MT-12 in service: - 12 - 36 - 30 - 40 - 90 - 200 - 133 - 50 - 106 - 125 - 15 - 26 - 24 - est. 6,000 - 48 - 400 - 39Former operators
- passed onto successor states. - 138, passed onto successor states. - most destroyed in 1991 Gulf War or 2003 Invasion, none remain in service after 2003.APFSDS
APFSDS-T Tungsten
- Round weight: 19.34 kg (42.6 lb)
- Projectile weight: 5.65 kg (12.5 lb)
- Muzzle velocity: 1575 m/s
- Maximum range: 3000 m (3,280.8 yd)
- Penetration:
- 230 mm at 500 m (9 in at 550 yd)
- 180 mm at 2,000 m (7 in at 2,200 yd)
- 140 mm at 3,000 m (5.5 in at 3,300 yd)
3BM23/3UBM10
APFSDS
- Round weight: 19.9 kg (43.9 lb)
- Projectile weight: 10 lb (4.5 kg)
- Muzzle velocity: 1548 m/s (5,078.7 ft/s)
HEATHigh explosive anti-tankHigh explosive anti-tank warheads are made of an explosive shaped charge that uses the Munroe effect to create a very high-velocity partial stream of metal in a state of superplasticity that can punch through solid armor....
3BK16M/3UBK8
- Round weight: 23.1 kg (50.9 lb)
- Projectile weight: 9.5 kg (20.9 lb)
- Muzzle velocity: 975 m/s
- Penetration: 350 mm (13.8 in)
HE-FRAG
3OF12/3OF35- Round weight: 28.9 kg (63.7 lb)
- Projectile weight: 16.7 kg (36.8 lb)
- Muzzle velocity: 700 metre per second
- Maximum range (indirect): 8200 m (8,967.6 yd)
Guided projectile
3UBK-12 Kastet 9K117/3UBK10MBeam riding laser guided projectile.
- Round weight: 24.5 kg (54 lb)
- Projectile weight: 18.4 kg (40.6 lb)
- Average speed: 300 m/s
- Range: 100–5000 m (109.4–5,468.1 yd)
- Penetration: 550–600 mm (21.7–23.6 in)
Romania
- A407100 mm anti-tank gun M1977The A407 100mm anti-tank gun M1977 is a Romanian rifled 100-mm anti-tank gun which serves as the main towed anti-tank gun of the Romanian Land Forces from 1975 until present. Versions of the M1977 gun were installed on main battle tanks and ship turrets.-History:The A407 100mm anti-tank gun was...
- This artillery system was designed by Arsenal-Resita and is very similar to the MT-12. It can fire the same range of ammunition as the T-54/55 tank and has a maximum range of 2,200 m (HEAT) or 4,000 m (APC-T). Subversions are the A407M1 and the A407M2. In Romanian Army service, the A407 is known as the 100 mm anti-tank gun M1977 and is normally towed by the DAC 887R truck. The Model 2002 is an improved version, fitted with the automatic fire control system TAT-100.
People's Republic of China
- Type 73 - This appears to be a copy of the Soviet T-12.
- Type 86 - This is a 100mm smoothbore anti-tank gun that has some similarities with the 85mm Type 56 (D-44)85 mm divisional gun D-44The 85-mm divisional gun D-44 was a Soviet divisional 85-mm calibre field artillery gun used after World War II. It was designed as the replacement for the 76 mm divisional gun M1942 . The gun is no longer in front-line service with the Russian Ground Forces, although some 200 of the Chinese Type...
. It fires ammunition of the fixed type, including the Type 73 HE, Type 73 HEAT, Type 73 APFSDS and Type 86 APFSDS to a maximum range of 1,800 m.
See also
- List of anti-tank guns
- List of military equipment of Croatia
- List of artillery of the Soviet Union and Russia
External links
- T-12 walkaround on DishModels.ru
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/t-12.htm
- Profile part of The Wirlwind War a publication of the United States Army Center of Military History
- http://www.milparade.com/catalog/part5/tank_rounds.shtml
- http://www.arsenal.ro/Arsenal/