Designation: | Shafie D-301 |
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Manufacturer: | Defence Industries Organisation (D.I.O.) | |
Product type: | Weapons & Weapon Systems | |
Name: | Towed howitzer |
For some years the Hadid Industries Group of the Defence Industries Organisation, Armament Industries Group, has been manufacturing a version of the Russian 122 mm D-30 towed howitzer under the local name of the 122 mm Shafie D-30I howitzer. This weapon has been offered on the export market but there are no known sales.
This is understood to be identical to the Russian D-30 covered in detail in a separate entry.
Some of the technical specifications supplied by Iran show that there are some physical differences between the Iranian and Russian weapons. For example, the Iranian weapon is slightly heavier. This increase in weight could well be due to different manufacturing processes, rather than a different design.
The 122 mm barrel is monobloc with a muzzle brake and draw bar which is located under the muzzle. The barrel is connected with the breech ring through the breech ring nut.
The weapon fires 122 mm ammunition of the semi-fixed type including high explosive, illuminating and smoke projectiles with various charge combinations. A maximum range of 17,000 m can be achieved using standard ammunition.
In late 2006 it was revealed that the Ammunition Industries Group of the Defense Industries Organization (DIO) of Iran had developed, and placed in production, a number of new artillery projectiles which have a significant increase in range when compared to currently deployed conventional artillery projectiles.
This includes a new 122 mm base bleed (BB) and hollow base (HB) artillery projectile with a significant increase in range.
The semi-automatic breech block is of the vertical wedge type. The recuperator is hydropneumatic, whereas the recoil brake is hydraulically controlled.
The cylinders of the hydraulic recoil brake and recuperator are connected to the projections on the breech ring and recoil together with the barrel.
The carriage shield serves for protection of the crew from the effect of small arms fire, shell fragments and muzzle blast.
The equilibrator is of a pneumatic pushing type. It is intended for the equilibration of the weapon parts moveable in elevation throughout the field of action of the cradle with the barrel.
This also facilitates the lifting of the wheels when changing from the travelling to the firing position of the weapon.
The firing jack, located under the carriage, is intended for lifting the howitzer during changing from travelling to the firing position and vice versa.
The travelling parts are connected to the top carriage and the wheels are provided with a pneumatic travelling brake, which is actuated from the vehicle.
For the direct engagement of stationary and moving targets, the optical sight is used. The panoramic telescope, with the range quadrant can be used for engaging indirect targets as well as for the engagement of direct targets. The sights, elevating and traverse mechanisms are mounted on the left side of the carriage.
During darkness, the sighting devices are illuminated by means of the instrument light and autonomous tritium illumination.
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