ZU-23-2

Name	ZU-23-2
Caption	A ZU-23-2 on display at Saint Petersburg Artillery Museum.
Origin
Type	Towed 23 mm Anti-Aircraft Twin Autocannon
Is artillery	yes
Service	1960 - present
Used by	See Operators section
Design date	Late 1950s
Production date	1960 - still in production
Variants	See Variants section
Spec label	ZU-23-2
Weight	0.95 tonnes (2,094 lbs)
Length
Width
Height
Crew	6
Traverse	360°

The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka (Russian: Зенитная Установка) - anti-aircraft mount.

Development history

ZU-23-2 was developed in the late 1950s. It was designed to engage low-flying targets at a range of 2.5 km as well as armoured vehicles at a range of 2 km and for direct defense of troops and strategic locations against air assault usually conducted by helicopters and low-flying airplanes. Development of this weapon into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) led to the ZSU-23-4 Shilka.

Description

It mounts two 2A14 23 mm autocannons on a small trailer which can be converted into a stationary mount for firing the guns. While in this position the wheels are moved aside. The autocannon can be prepared for firing from the march position in 30 seconds and in emergency can be fired from the traveling position. The weapon is aimed and fired manually, with the help of the ZAP-23 optical-mechanical sight which uses manually entered target data to provide limited automatic aiming. It also has a straight-tube telescope for use against ground targets such as infantry as well as unarmored or lightly armoured vehicles. The ammo is a feed by a conveyor belt from two ammunition boxes. Each of the ammunition boxes are located on the side of the twin autocannon and each carries 50 rounds. The fumes created by firing the weapon are partially removed through the side openings in the barrels. The following table lists the main characteristics of some of the available 23x152B ammunition used in 23mm AA guns:

{| border="1" width="90%" |----- !width="90"| Designation ! Type ! Projectile Weight [g] ! Bursting charge [g] ! Muzzle Velocity [m/s] !width="280"| Description |----- | BZT || API || align="center" | 190 | align="center" | ? | align="center" | 970 || Blunt AP steel core, with incendiary charge inside windshield cap. | align="center" | 980

Variants

Soviet Union

ZU-23 - Original Soviet variant.

ZU-23M - Upgraded Soviet variant. Has new targeting system (which includes laser rangefinder, television channel, optical mechanic device, can be reinforced with thermo location channel and a television system for usage at night) and electromechanic turn system.

Poland

ZU-23-2 - Polish designation for basic gun variant. Built under license in Zakłady Mechaniczne "Tarnów" S.A. since 1972. ZUR-23-2S Jod - Polish variant with electro-optical sight GP-1R and twin launcher for "Strela-2M" missiles, used from 1988

China

Type 85 Chinese built version of the ZU-23-2 with Twin-23mm guns.

Type 87 Chinese upgraded version with Twin-25mm guns.

General characteristics

Overall dimensions in firing position

*Length: 4.57 m (15 ft)

*Width: 2.88 m (9.44 ft)

*Height: 1.22 m (4 ft)

Weight: 0.95 tonnes (2,094 lbs)

Armament: two 2A14 Afanasyev-Yakushev 23x152mm (.90 in) autocannons

Barrel length: 2 m (6.5 ft)/ 87.3 calibers

Muzzle velocity: 970 m/s (3,182 ft/s)

Projectile weight: 186 g (6.27 oz)

Rate of fire

*Cyclic: 2,000 rounds per minute

*Practical: 400 rounds per minute

Effective range: 2-2.5 km (1.24-1.55 mi)

Effective altitude: 1,500-2,000 m (4,921-6,562 ft)

Crew: 6

Operators

- 5000 - 60 - 150 - 128 - Type 85, Type 87 - 8 - Type 85 - 220 as Nile and Sinai SP AA Systems and 350 upgraded with radar guidance ZU-23-2 - 198 - 10 - 1100 - 24 - 200 - 523 - 16 - 800 - until 2003, current situation unknown - 2 - 1000+ mostly mounted on M113 APC's for fire support on ground targets and air defense. - 450, unknown number captured by Free Libyan Army - 160 - Small number , some mounter on BTR-D - Unkhown number - 150 - 380 Type-87 - 20 - 20 - 5200 - 30 - 408 - 50 - 36 SPAAG mounted on an armoured SAMIL 100 heavy truck (like an oversized "technical"). Captured in Angola in the 1980s. SA Army designation "Zumlac". - 650 - 40 - 5 - Testing only - 25 - 200 - 5

Former Operators

- Passed on to successor states.

Notable appearances in media

The Zu-23-2 appears in the video game as a towed weapon and also mounted on the BMD-3 vehicle.

References

External links

Russian producer

ZU-23 - TWIN MOUNT 23 mm AA Guns – Walk around photos

Enemyforces.com

Gulflink

Photo gallery at pvo.guns.ru

Type 85 Twin-23mm Towed Anti-Aircraft Artillery

Type 87 Twin-25mm Towed Anti-Aircraft Artillery

Slovak Field upgrade kits producer

Category:Anti-aircraft guns of the Soviet Union Category:Cold War anti-aircraft guns Category:Weapons of Finland Category:Weapons of Poland Category:1960 introductions Category:Vietnam War artillery Category:23 mm artillery