125 mm smoothbore ammunition explained

The following is a list of ammunition fired by the 125 mm smoothbore gun series used in the T-64, T-72, T-80, M-84, T-90, PT-91, T-14 Armata, and other tanks derived from those designs, as well as the 2A45 Sprut anti-tank gun.

APFSDS-T

Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) using a sabot and tracer (APFSDS-T). Typically used against other modern tanks.

There are different ways to measure penetration value. NATO uses the 50% criteria against 260BHN Steel, while the Soviet/Russia standard is higher (80% had to go through).

3VBM3/3BM9/10

Entered service in 1962. The projectile is Maraging steel.

3VBM6/3BM12/13

Entered service (estimated) in 1968. Essentially the same as the 3BM9 projectile with a tungsten carbide plug.

3VBM7/3BM15/16

Entered service (estimated 1972). A slightly longer 3BM12 projectile.

3VBM8/3BM17/18

Entered service (estimated 1972). An export version of the 3BM-15 without the tungsten carbide plug. Hence, it is an all-steel penetrator with inferior performance.

3VBM9/3BM22/23 (3BM22 "Zakolka")

Entered service 1976. Tungsten carbide penetrator core sheathed in steel. Enlarged cap help to increase positive normalization and hold a much larger penetrator.

3VBM10/3BM29/30 (3BM29 "Nadphil-2)

Entered service 1982. Depleted uranium-nickel-iron alloy sheathed in steel.

3VBM11/3BM26/27 (3BM26 "Nadezhda-R)

Entered service 1983. Tungsten-nickel-iron alloy penetrator core sheathed in steel. Utilised new 4Zh63 high-energy propelling charge. Penetrator is base-installed to prevent deflection during penetration against multi-layered composite armour. Improved penetrator cap made of aluminium alloy.

3VBM13/3BM32/33 (3BM32 "Vant")

Entered service in 1985. The projectile is an integrated depleted uranium-nickel-zinc alloy penetrator.

3VBM17/3BM42 (3BM42 "Mango")

Entered service in 1986. The projectile is double tungsten alloy rod sheathed in low melting point alloy covered with steel, intended to increase penetration against non-explosive reactive armour (NERA) such as Chobham armour. Is slowly being replaced by newer models such as 3BM59/60.

3VBM19/3BM42M (3BM44M "Lekalo")

From 1994, remained experimental and eventually evolved into the 3BM-59/60 meaning the outside design remained the same, the length of cartridge remained pretty much unchanged but the penetrator was further improved from the initial jacketed design which was improvement over the standard 3BM-42

3BM42-2 (3BM44-2 "Mango-2")

Currently in Experimental Phase, most famously seen at the Expo 2019 alongside 3BM-42 and 3BM-60. Uses the initial jacketed 3BM-42M penetrator but the cartridge is shorter over the Lekalo, designed to fit in the standard autoloader and is most likely to replace the standard 3BM-42 as main service round soon

3VBM20/3BM46 (3BM48 "Svinets")

Entered service in 1991.Uses a new advanced high elongation uranium Monoblock penetrator.

3VBM23/3BM60 (3BM60 "Svinets-2")

Entered service : 2016.[1]

the new round uses a new sabot design, and a Tungsten Alloy penetrator of increased length compared to prior generation Russian APFSDS ammunition. Used on 2A46M-4/5 with new autoloader.

3VBM22/3BM59 (3BM59 "Svinets-1")

Entered service: 2016.[3] Uses a new sabot design, and a new depleted uranium penetrator. Used on 2A46M-5 with new autoloader.

3VBM?/3BM69 "Vacuum-1"

Uses a new sabot. Reported to be uranium alloy. For use on 2A82-1M cannon on T-14 Armata.[5] [6]

3VBM?/3BM70 "Vacuum-2"

Uses a new sabot. Identical to 3BM69 in dimensions, the difference being that the projectile is made out of tungsten.

125-I

First-generation Chinese sabot round in service since 1993, also license produced by Pakistan.

DTW-125

Second-generation Chinese sabot round introduced in 1999. Initially 125-IIM acted as the export version with reduced velocity but with the introduction of DTC10-125, the DTW-125 itself became exported under the name “BTA4”

DTC10-125

Third-generation Chinese sabot round which was introduced in 2010 and the subject of a data leak on the War Thunder forum in June 2022 (leaked data is used here). This performance value is identical to value shown on Chinese state media, CCTV7.[7]

TAPNA

Produced by MSM Group in Slovakia. The penetrator is made from tungsten alloy. [8] [9]

HEAT-FS

High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) fin stabilized (HEAT-FS) rounds. Typically used against lighter or older tanks and armoured personnel carriers.

3VBK7/3BK12

Entered service 1962.

3BK12M

Entered service 1968, replacing steel liner with a copper liner. "M" means медь ("copper" in Russian) Uses 3V-15 detonator. Due to Soviet Union's copper economize policy production of the model is limited. Penetration performance claimed to be 10% higher than steel liner version.

3VBK10/3BK14

Entered service 1968.

3BK14M

Improved version, replacing steel liner with a copper liner.[10]

3VBK16/3BK18

Entered service estimated 1975. Introduced wave-shaping booster.

3BK18M

Improved warhead. Entered service estimated 1978, replacing steel liner with a copper liner. Improved wave-shaping booster.

3VBK17/3BK21

Entered service estimated 1980. Enhancements to improve reliability of the copper jet formation.

3BK21B

Entered service estimated 1982. "Material B" depleted uranium alloy liner to enhance penetration of advanced composite armours like Chobham.

3VBK21/3BK25

Entered service estimated 1985.

3VBK25/3BK29 "Breyk"

Entered service estimated 1988. A new type of explosive-filling was applied, which improved focusing of the jet stream.

3VBK25M/3BK29M

3VBK27/3BK31 "Start"

First seen publicly in 1998. Reportedly a triple charge warhead intended to reduce efficiency of NERA elements.[11]

HE-frag-FS

High explosive fragmentation fin stabilised. General purpose rounds, for use against infantry, bunkers and light vehicles and other "soft" targets.

3VOF22/3OF19

Entered service in 1962. Uses the 3V-21 detonator (mass = 0.431 kg, reliability = 0.98). The 90% lethal zone for infantry is reported to be 40 m wide and 20 m deep.[10]

3VOF36/3OF26

Entered service in 1970. Uses the 3V-21 detonator (mass = 0.431 kg, reliability = 0.98). The projectile creates between 600 and 2,000 fragments. The body is made up of 45Kh1 steel or 60S2 high-fragmentation steel for modern projectiles. Modern projectiles creates up to 2,500 effective fragments.

3VOF128/3OF82

Entered service in 2014. Uses the 3VM-18 programmable detonator. The projectile contains 450 tungsten rods, each weighing 3 grams and creates 2,500 fragments in a cone formation ahead of the projectile[13] when air burst mode is set. Air burst mode for use against infantry, light vehicles and helicopters, delayed mode use against bunkers and other constructions. Is currently used on the 2A46M-5 gun, mounted on the T-90M.[13]

Shrapnel-FS

3VSh7/3Sh7 "Voron"

Entered service in 1975. Uses the 3VM-17 time detonator. For use against wide area infantry and light vehicles. Time of detonation setting is mechanical, for modernization, the shell fuze could be set automatically by improved "Ainet" systems or "Kalina" systems, which are available on the T-90K commander tank or the regular main battle tanks such as the T-90A, T-90M, T-80UA, and the T-14 Armata main battle tank.[14]

3VSh8/3Sh8 "Ainet"

Entered service in 1988. Uses the 3VM-12 programmable detonator. A part of Remote detonation system "Ainet" on T-80UK commander tank.

ATGW/ATGM

9M112 Kobra

The 9K112 Kobra (NATO reporting name is AT-8 Songster) is also fired from the 125 mm main guns of the T-64 and T-80 series of tanks[15]

9M119 Refleks

The 9M119 Svir and 9M119M Refleks (NATO reporting name: AT-11 Sniper) anti-tank guided missile has semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) laser beam riding guidance and a tandem shaped charge HEAT warhead. It has an effective range of 75 m to 5000 m, and takes 17.6 seconds to reach maximum range. Refleks can penetrate about of steel armour and can engage low-flying air targets such as helicopters.[15]

3UBK21 Sprinter

Designed for the 2A82-1M gun on T-14 Armata tanks, the 3UBK21 Sprinter has millimeter wave semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) guidance and a tandem shaped-charge HEAT warhead. It has an effective range of 50 m to 12000 m. and can penetrate of steel rolled homogeneous armour (RHAe) after explosive reactive armour (ERA). It can also engage low-flying air targets such as helicopters.[16]

Guided shell

Sokol-1

The Sokol-1 guided shell is fired from the 125 mm main gun, it borrowed design from the 152mm artillery shell 3OF75 Santimetr-M and both have very similar appearance, but with an added shaped charge cap into its design similar to the M712 Copperhead, intended to defeat heavily armoured targets. It uses the technique that is referred to as the Russian concept of impulse corrections (RCIC), an impulse steering flight control system to correct the projectile's trajectory.

3UBK14F1/9M119F1

The 3UBK14F1 guided shell is fired from the 125 mm main gun, its design was modified from 9M119 missile, removing the rocket motor and replacing it with an extra thermobaric warhead, turning it into a guided shell. Its range was decreased to 3.5 km, and it is claimed to have three times the explosive power of regular thermobaric variant 125 mm guided missiles.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Headstamps, Color Codes, Markings - The Russian Ammunition Page . 2023-06-20 . www.russianammo.org.
  2. Web site: БАСТИОН, BASTION. ВОЕННО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ СБОРНИК. ИСТОРИЯ ОРУЖИЯ, ВОЕННАЯ ТЕХНИКА. MILITARY-TECHNICAL COLLECTION. HISTORY OF WEAPONS, MILITARY EQUIPMENT . 2021-07-25 . bastion-karpenko.ru.
  3. Web site: Headstamps, Color Codes, Markings - The Russian Ammunition Page . 2023-06-20 . www.russianammo.org.
  4. Web site: LLC. CalculatorSoup. Kinetic Energy Calculator. 2021-07-25. CalculatorSoup. en.
  5. Web site: 13 September 2016 . 152-мм пушка для Т-14: актуальность и перспективы .
  6. PAWLIKOWICZ . Leszek . SUROWIEC . Krzysztof . 2019 . MODERNISATION OF THE ARMOURED COMPONENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION'S GROUND FORCES IN THE YEARS 2015–2018. AN OUTLINE OF THE SUBJECT . Humanities and Social Sciences Quarterly . 10.7862/rz.2019.hss.41 . 213022852 . 2300-5327. free .
  7. Web site: No idea if this is a legit leak or not, but this image has been circulating . Twitter . en . June 1, 2022.
  8. Web site: 125 mm (APFSDS-T) . en . March 19, 2023.
  9. Web site: 125 mm (APFSDS-T) TAPNA . en . March 19, 2023.
  10. Web site: Stefan Kotsch . Das Panzerdetail - Munition der 125 mm Kanone D-81 . Kotsch88.de . 2010-06-26. de.
  11. Web site: Archived copy . www.knoe.odgw.net . 15 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050407021009/http://www.knoe.odgw.net/Military/125.htm . 7 April 2005 . dead.
  12. Web site: Vasiliy Fofanov's Modern Russian Armour Page . Armor.kiev.ua . 2010-06-26.
  13. Web site: Russia's T-90M Main Battle Tank to Complete State Trials in 2019. thediplomat.com. 8 June 2021.
  14. Web site: Т-90 - российский основной танк.
  15. Web site: 125mm Guided Rounds.
  16. News: Mizokami. Kyle. Russia's T-14 Tank Can Outshoot America's by Miles. 25 September 2018. Popular Mechanics. 2017-06-21.

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