2k22 Tunguska

The 2K22 Tunguska / 96K6 Pantsir / SA-19/SA-22 family of SPAAGMs owes its earliest origins to a 1970 directive for the replacement of the ubiquitous ZSU-23-4P SPAAG. The ZSU-23-4P was considered both lethal and effective by its Western opponents, but Soviet analysts were unimpressed with the lethality and the engagement envelope of the 23 mm weapons. Analysis indicated that a 30 mm gun would be much more lethal. Soviet operational analysis also indicated that the performance of the acquisition radar on the SPAAG was critical to combat effectiveness. The defeat of anti-tank helicopters in pop-up engagement geometries became an additional requirement after the 1972 debut of these weapons in Vietnam. Trials of the prototype 2S6 / 2K22 Tunguska SPAAGM commenced in 1980. The prototypes introduced several innovations, including a 30 mm gun derivative aircraft cannon, the 9K311 missile and a digital computer for controlling the system.

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The earliest production variant, the 2K22 / 2S6 Tunguska / SA-19 Grison, achieved IOC in 1982.

The immediate operaitonal imperative for the PVO-SV was to defeat th then new A-10 Thunderbolt, and US Army helicopters firing anti-armour missiles, such as the TOW equipped AH-1S and Hellfire equipped AH-64A Apache. From the Soviet perspective, both of these threats would pop up briefly above the radar/visual horizon, fire at Soviet tanks or SPAAGs, and then disappear below the horizon before the ZSU-23-4P or 9K33 Osa / SA-8 systems could respond with defensive weapon fire.

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The Soviets needed a weapon system which could win in a 'high noon' shootout with the A-10 or a nap-of-ther-earth pop-up rotary wing threat. This drove the design requirements for the Tunguska, and led to the development of the high speed 9M311 SAM, intended to cross the distance between the Tunguska and the target before the latter could hide below the horizon line. This capability would be supplemented by a 30 mm gun system, the Soviets clearly coveting the BundesWehr's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann FLAKPanzer Gepard SPAAG.

The missile requirement led to the unusual two stage 9M311 design, in which the first stage boosted the round to 900 m/s at burnout, the sustainer in the terminal stage burning to impact and maintaing a 600 m/s velocity. The missile employs command link guidance, with an automatic Command to Line Of Sight (CLOS) control loop for the terminal phase to impact, with an 18G capability. The engagement radar component of the 1RL144M Hot Shot system is claimed to operate in the millimetric band, using jam resistant monopulse angle tracking; a 1A29M optical sight is boresighted with the radar. A 1RL138 IFF system is included. Conceptually the 2S6 missile package has its closest Western equivalents in the Franco-German Roland system, and the UK Rapier Blindfire and Seawold systems.

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The gun requirement led to the adaptation of the 30 mm GSh-30 aircraft cannon, carried by Russian fighters: the 2A38 series liquid cooled 30 mm gun delivers a rate of fire of 1950-2500 rds/min, a muzzle velocity of 960 m/s, using the 2A42 cartridge and 0.39 kg projectile.

The initial 1982 2K22 2S6 Tunguska variant was superceded by the 2K22M/2S6M Tunguska M in 1990, and the 2K22M1/2S6M1 Tunguska M1 in 2003. The product line has been further developed as the Pantsir S, primarily in a road mobile configuration.

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The 9M113-M1 SAM has a higher impulse booster, and radio rather than laser fusing to improve effect against cruise missiles and precision guided munitions. Defeating the latter has become one of the primary requirements for late variants of the 2S6 and the newer Pantsir S.

Technical Specifications
Type: Tracked SAM system
In service: 1982-present
Designer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Designed: 1970-1980
Manufacturer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Unit cost: 25M US$[citation needed]
Produced: 1976-present
Variants: 2K22 (Tunguska), 2K22M (Tunguska-M), 2K22M1 (Tunguska-M1)
Weight: 34,000 kg
Length: 7.93 m
Width: 3.24 m
Height: 4.01 m or 3.36 m (radar stowed)
Crew: 4
Primary armament: 8 x 9M311 (or 3M87), 9M311K, 9M311-1, 9M113-M1 or 57E6 missiles
Secondary armament: 2 x 30 mm 2A38M (1,904 rounds carried)
Engine: V-46-4 turbocharged V-12 watercooled 4 cycle diesel 780 hp
Suspension: Hydropneumatic
Ground clearance: 450 mm
Operational range: 500 km
Speed: 65 km/h

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