122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)

122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)
122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)
	D-30A in Afghan service
Type	Howitzer
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1960–present
Used by	Soviet Union and allies as well as nonaligned and post-Soviet states.
Wars	Lebanese Civil War; Western Sahara War; Uganda–Tanzania War; Soviet–Afghan War; Iran–Iraq War; Gulf War; First Nagorno-Karabakh War; Somali Civil War; Yugoslav Wars; Second Congo War; Boko Haram insurgency; Syrian Civil War; War in Iraq (2013–2017); War in Donbas; Yemeni Civil War (2014–present); Second Nagorno-Karabakh War; Tigray War; Russo-Ukrainian War; War in Amhara; Myanmar Civil war;
Production history
Designer	F.F. Petrov
Designed	1950s
Manufacturer	PJSC Plant No. 9
Produced	1960–present
Variants	See variants
Specifications
Mass	Combat: 3,210 kg (7,080 lb)
Length	Transport: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Barrel length	4.66 m (15 ft 3 in) 38 calibres
Width	Transport: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Height	Transport: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Crew	1+7
Shell	122 x 447mm .R; Separate loading charge and projectile
Caliber	122 mm (4.8 in)
Breech	Semi-automatic vertical sliding-wedge
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	tripod
Elevation	−7° to 70°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	Maximum: 10–12 rpm; Sustained: 5–6 rpm
Effective firing range	15.4 km (9.6 mi); 21.9 km (13.6 mi); (with rocket-assisted projectile)

The 122-mm howitzer D-30 (GRAU index 2A18) is a Soviet howitzer that first entered service in 1960. It is a robust piece that focuses on the essential features of a towed field gun suitable for all conditions. The D-30 has a maximum range of 15.4 kilometers, or over 21 km using rocket-assisted projectile ammunition.

With its striking three-leg mounting, the D-30 can be rapidly traversed through 360 degrees. Although no longer manufactured in the countries of the former Soviet Union, the D-30 is still manufactured internationally and is in service in more than 60 countries' armed forces.

The barrel assembly of the 2A18 gun is used by the 2S1 self-propelled howitzer. There are also Egyptian, Chinese, Serbian and Syrian self-propelled variants and conversions. The Syrian conversion utilizes the hull of a T-34 tank.

^ Francesco Palmas (2012). "Il contenzioso del sahara occidentale fra passato e presente" (PDF). Informazioni della Difesa (in Italian). No. 4. pp. 50–59. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-12.
^ Cooper, Tom; Fontanellaz, Adrien (October 2016). "La guerre du Kagera". Batailles et Blindés (in French). No. 75. Caraktère. pp. 72–81. ISSN 1765-0828.
^ Zaloga, Steven; Luczak, Wojciech; Beldam, Barry (1992). Armor of the Afghanistan War. Armor 2009. Concord Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-9623619097.
^ Cooper, Tom (2013). Great Lakes Conflagration: Second Congo War, 1998 2003. UK: Helion & Company Limited. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-920143-84-8.
^ "[Syria] Highway M-20 – Deir ez-Zor. Hunting for "snakes" – Шоссе M-20 – Дейр ез-Зор. Охота на "змей"". YouTube. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
^ "Ukrainian Military Deploys Turkish-made Bayraktar Drone in Donbas". Defense World Net. October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
^ شبكة المجد (8 September 2014). "#السلسلة_الوثائقية_الحوثيون–- الجزء الأول". Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018 – via YouTube.
^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's Pocket Book of Towed Artillery. New York: Collier. p. 93. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.

[1] Francesco Palmas (2012). "Il contenzioso del sahara occidentale fra passato e presente" (PDF). Informazioni della Difesa (in Italian). No. 4. pp. 50–59. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-12.

[2] Cooper, Tom; Fontanellaz, Adrien (October 2016). "La guerre du Kagera". Batailles et Blindés (in French). No. 75. Caraktère. pp. 72–81. ISSN 1765-0828.

[3] Zaloga, Steven; Luczak, Wojciech; Beldam, Barry (1992). Armor of the Afghanistan War. Armor 2009. Concord Publications. p. 7. ISBN 978-9623619097.

[4] Cooper, Tom (2013). Great Lakes Conflagration: Second Congo War, 1998 2003. UK: Helion & Company Limited. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-920143-84-8.

[5] "[Syria] Highway M-20 – Deir ez-Zor. Hunting for "snakes" – Шоссе M-20 – Дейр ез-Зор. Охота на "змей"". YouTube. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.

[30666howitzer2A18-6] "Ukrainian Military Deploys Turkish-made Bayraktar Drone in Donbas". Defense World Net. October 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2021.

[7] شبكة المجد (8 September 2014). "#السلسلة_الوثائقية_الحوثيون–- الجزء الأول". Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2018 – via YouTube.

[8] "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2018.

[:0-9] Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's Pocket Book of Towed Artillery. New York: Collier. p. 93. ISBN 0020806000. OCLC 911907988.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]