Translation of http://pvo.guns.ru/zsu-37-2/index.htm
Brief description
By decision S of the USSR №426-211 dated April 17, 1957. is begun the development of new rapid-firing [ZSU] “the Yenisey” and “[Shilka]” with the radar guidance systems.
ZSU “the Yenisey” was developed for the provision of air defense of tank regiments and divisions for destruction of targets against the heights to 3000 m.
In ZSU-37-2 “the Yenisey” was used as far as 37- mm the automatic machine of 500P, developed in OKB -16 (the chief designer A.E. Nudelman). 500P did not have analogs about the ballistics, and its [patronyy] were not interchanged with other 37- mm by the automatic guns of the army and navy with exception of [maloseriynoy] antiaircraft site “squall”.
Specially for “Yenisey” OKB 43 was designed the coupled gun “Angar”, equipped for the sake of two automatic machines of 500P with the belt feed. “Angar” it had a system of liquid cooling it was trunk and the servo electrohydraulic actuators, which it was intended to replace as far as the electrical.
Induction “hangars” was accomplished with the aid of the noise-shielded radiopribornogo complex (RPК) “Baykal”, created in NII-20 GKRE and worked before the centimeter wave band - about 3 cm. however, as it was explained in the course of tests, RPK “Baykal” it could not independently with a sufficient effectiveness accomplish search for aerial target. Therefore on the decision S of №426-211 from 17.04.57 was provided for creation and transfer down official tests before the second quarter of 1960 of mobile RLS “the Ob'” for the administration ZSU.
RLS “Ob'” included was included commander vehicle “Neva” with acquisition radar “Irtysh” and RPK “Baykal”, placed in ZSU “Yenisey”. Complex “the Ob'” had to simultaneously direct fire six-eight ZSU. However, before the middle of 1959 of work along “the Ob'” were ended, all forces were cast down the finishing OF ZRK “circle”.
Chassis for “the Yenisey” was designed in KB “Uralmash (Ural Heavy Machinery Plant im. Sergo Ordzhonikidze)” under the leadership G.S. efimova on the basis of chassis of experimental self-propelled unit Su-100P. Its production was intended to deploy on Lipetsk the Tractor Plant.
ZSU-37-2 had the bulletproof armor plating, which in the places of storage of ammunition load provided protection from the 7.62-mm rifle armor-piercing bullet based on distance 400 m.
For the electric power supply of aircraft electrical wiring system “Yenisey” it was supplied for the sake of the special gas turbine engine, developed before US, whose use made it possible to [obeschpechivat] rapid readiness at the point of the combat at low temperatures of air.
Testings
[ZSU] “the Yenisey” underwent tests in parallel with ZSU “shilka”, but about its program.
Stages of preproduction tests [ZSU]
Type [ZSU] “[Shilka]” “The Yenisey”
The first experimental model is finished December 1960. December 1960.
Time of the carrying out of the plant tests December 1960. - August 1961. January 1960. - August 1961.
Time of the carrying out official tests On August 26, 1961. - On October 24, 1961. On August 10, 1961. - On October 20, 1961.
Place of the carrying out official tests [Donguzskiy] anti-aircraft firing range (Orenburg reg.) and tank range in st. Of [kubinka] (Moscow reg.)
In the course official tests:
it is made the shots 14 194 6 266
are perfected landing run, km 1 490 1 185
the duration of operation RPK, ch 172 375
“The Yenisey” had a killing zone on the distance and the ceiling, close down ZSU-37-2, and according to the conclusion of state commission " ensured” the protection of the tank troops before all phases of battle, since air attack weapons on the tank troops predominantly perform against the heights to 3000 m”. Normal firing - continuous turn to 150 shots down the barrel, then interruption 30 s (air cooling) and the repetition of cycle to [izraskhodvaniya] of ammunition load.
In the course of tests it was established that one ZSU “the Yenisey” exceeds on its effectiveness the six-gun battery 57- mm of guns S -60 and battery from [cheterykh] ZSU-57-2.
At the tests AS FAR AS ZSU “Yenisey” it ensured firing beside [dvizheniipo] to virgin soil with a velocity of 20- of 25 km/h. During the movement along the tank track on the firing range with a velocity of 8-10 km/h [ochnost] of firing was down 25% lower than based on the place. The accuracy of firing in the gun “of Angar” was 2-2,5 times higher than in gun S -68.
In the time official tests from the gun “of hangar” they made 6266 shots. In this case were noted only two delays even four breakdowns. In the course of tests it gave failures [SDU] (protection equipment from passive jamming). However, chassis showed good maneuvering characteristics.
RPK “Baykal” at the tests functioned it satisfactorily and showed the following results:
the limit of work on the target speed - to 660 m/s against the heights more than 300 m and 415 m/s against the heights of 100-300 m;
the medium range of detection of aircraft MiG-17 in the sector 30 deg. without the target designation - 18 km (maximum range of the accompaniment of a similar target - 20 km);
the maximum speed of target tracking on the vertical line - 40 deg/s. Time of the transfer beside the alert from the mode of preliminary readiness 10-15 s.
According to the data, obtained in the course of tests, it was proposed to use “Yenisey” for the defense of army antiaircraft missile systems “circle” and “cube”, since the zone of its effective firing closed over the dead zone of these ZRK.
Reception for the armament
On the terminations official tests AS FAR AS ZSU “Yenisey” and “Shilka” the commission recommended to the reception for the armament both ZSU. But after the decision S of №925-401 from 05.09.1962 for the armament was accepted only “Shilka”, and 20 [setyabrya] of the same year was published order [GKOT] about the termination of the works on “the Yenisey”. At the same time, more lately appeared order GKOT about identical rewarding of the organizations, which worked at both vehicles.
Projections
Projections OF [ZSU]-37-2 “Yenisey”
Tactical-technical given
Caliber, mm 37
Number of automatic machines 2
Index to [artchasti] Angar
Type of the automatic machine 500[P]
Weight of shell, kgf 0,733
The initial velocity of shell, m/s 1010
Ammunition load, [vystr]. 540
Total weight of automatic machines, kgf 2900
High-altitude interval of effective fire, m 100 - 3000
Slant range of firing against anti-aircraft targets, m 4500
The maximum speed of aerial target, m/s 660
Firing distance against ground targets, m 5000
Rate of fire, [vystr]./[min] 1048
Length of the maximum turn of one automatic machine, [vystr]. 150
Type RPK “Baykal”
Range of detection of a target of the type MiG-17, m 18000
Distance of the automatic tracking of the type MiG-17, m 20000
Limits of work RPK on the target speed, m/s 660/414
Bearing [VN] of gun, deg. -1 - +85
Bearing GN of gun, deg. 360
Type of the chassis object 123
Fighting weight ZSU, t 27,5
Dimensions of the installation:
- length, mm 6460
- width, mm 3100
Power of the engine of chassis, hp. 400
The maximum speed of movement, km/h 60
Crew, man. 4
Information sources
A. Shirokorad. “Shilka” and other domestic anti-aircraft self-propelled units. [Bronekollektsiya] of №2, 1998
History of domestic anti-aircraft PVO (Air Defense) of Russia
