T-155 Fırtına

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
T-155 Fırtına
Firtina obus kzlsngr.JPG
TypeSelf-propelled artillery
Place of origin Turkey
 South Korea
Service history
WarsKurdish–Turkish conflict[1]
Syrian Civil War
Production history
DesignerTurkish Land Forces
Agency for Defense Development
Samsung Techwin
Designed1995–2001
ManufacturerTurkish Land Forces
Produced2001–present
VariantsPoyraz ARV
Specifications
MassCombat: 56 tons[1]
Length12 m (39 ft 4 in)[1]
Width3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)[1]
Height3.43 m (11 ft 3 in)[1]
Crew5 (commander, driver, gunner, 2 loaders)[1]
ArmorPOSCO MIL-12560H armor steel
Main
armament
MKEK 155 mm 52 caliber[1]
Secondary
armament
12.7 mm machine gun[1]
EngineSTX-MTU MT881Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine
735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm
Power/weight17.85 hp/ton[1]
TransmissionSNT Dynamics X1100-5A3 4 forward, 2 reverse
Suspensionhydropneumatic
Maximum speed 66 km/h (41 mph)[1]

T-155 Fırtına (English: Storm) is a Turkish variant of K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzer co-developed with South Korea utilizing Turkish technology and design into existing K9 Thunder.[2][3][4][5][6] It is manufactured and assembled by Turkish Land Forces at the 1010th Army Equipment Repair Factory using imported subsystems from Korea.[3][7][8][9][10][11][12] It has an ongoing upgrade project dubbed as T-155 Fırtına II, possibly changing its engine to Ukraine origin to avoid Germany's restriction on Turkey's defense sales.

Development[]

Further information: K9 Thunder § Export

General characteristics[]

Further information: K9 Thunder § General characteristics

The T-155 retains most of features from K9 Thunder. However, its turret reflects original Turkish design, increasing both ammunition capacity and combat weight, thus reducing power to weight ratio. APU (auxiliary power unit) is installed while commander's panoramic sight is removed. Parts of the chassis, the INS (inertial navigation system), and electronic systems such as the radio and FCS (fire control system) were developed in Turkey. Inertial Navigation system was 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.[13]

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.

The gun is produced by MKEK.[14] The production rate of the T-155 is 24 units per year. More than 350[15] T-155 Fırtına howitzers were planned to be produced.[16] 281 have been delivered between 2005 and 2010.[17]

An upgraded version dubbed "Firtina 2" was to begin production in 2017, featuring improvement to range and rate of fire. The new vehicles were to be fitted with remote weapons stations capable of carrying 12.7mm, 7.62mm machine guns and 40 mm grenade launchers.[18]

Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle[]

The Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV) is an indigenous vehicle with an ammunition transfer system similar to that of the South Korean K10 ARV. The 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, which the K10 ARV lacks, that allows the vehicle's crew to use electronics and communication systems, and to run an ammunition transfer system economically without the main engines being turned on.[19]

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

Operational history[]

The T-155 Fırtına was first deployed in Turkey's Operation Sun at the end of 2007 into January 2008 to fight the PKK militants in the northern part of Iraq.[21] It was used in 2012 Syrian–Turkish border clashes and again during both the Jarabulus offensive (2016) and the Afrin offensive (2018).

Operators[]

Current operators[]

  •  Turkey Turkey originally planned to manufacture 350 Fırtına, 280 for Turkish Army and 70 for future customer, by 2011 per agreement with South Korea in exchange for free technology transfer from the Agency for Defense Development of South Korea. Turkey built 280 for its military use only.

Future operators[]

See also[]

Similar vehicles[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "T-155". Military Factory. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  2. ^ "한화디펜스". www.hanwha-defense.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  3. ^ a b "[첨단무기 개발비화]세계 최강의 K-9 자주포(VIII) 신인호 국방일보 기자" (in Korean). Republic of Korea Marine Corps. 2010-06-28.
  4. ^ "한.터키 국방장관 방산협력 협의". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  5. ^ "[블루칩 집중분석] 삼성테크윈". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  6. ^ "국산 K9자주포 첫 수출…터키에 1조3000억 규모". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  7. ^ "[거래소] 삼성테크윈, 터키에 6000만달러 규모 자주포 부품 계약". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  8. ^ "국산 자주포 부품 10억弗 터키 수출". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  9. ^ "삼성테크윈, 터키에 자주포 부품 10억달러어치 수출". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  10. ^ "K9 자주포 300문 10억달러 터키수출". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  11. ^ "자주포 부품 수출 배경과 의미". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  12. ^ "한국 방산업체, 터키와 대규모 무기판매 계약 체결". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  13. ^ Enginsoy, Umit. "Turkey hit Syria with S. Korean-designed howitzers". Hurriyet Daily News. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  14. ^ "MKEK catalogue" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-09.
  15. ^ "IDEF 2019: Turkey's New Generation Firtina SPH unveiled | Jane's 360". www.janes.com.
  16. ^ "Korea seeks to sell tanks to Turkey". Korea Herald. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  17. ^ Medyabar. "TSK'dan Fırtına 2 için Sakarya onayı". Medyabar. Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  18. ^ "TSK'ya 'Fırtına 2'ler geliyor". SVT | Savunma ve Teknoloji (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2017-07-15. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  19. ^ "Mühimmat Transfer Sistemi (MTS)". aselsan.com.tr. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  20. ^ "Türk yapımı 'Poyraz' düşmanların korkulu rüyası oldu!". www.yeniakit.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2017-05-06. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  21. ^ "Hürriyet: Hem karadan hem havadan" (in Turkish). April 27, 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  22. ^ "Turkey to sell self-propelled howitzers to Qatar | February 2019 Global Defense Security army news industry | Defense Security global news industry army 2019 | Archive News year".
  23. ^ "Türkiye'nin Katar ve Suudi Arabistan'a Fırtına Obüsü Satışını Almanya Engelledi". Haberler.com. 25 November 2017.
Retrieved from ""