Notes:
This is an Egyptian self-propelled howitzer that is basically a US M109
with the 155mm howitzer replaced by a 122mm D-30 howitzer.
This was done because the Egyptian Army had a large number of towed D-30
guns that they wished to be more mobile.
124 of these vehicles were built between 1987 and 2000. It was never
exported. The M109A2 base vehicles were obtained largely from surplus stocks in
the US.
In this
mounting, the turret has limited traverse; it is more of a casemate than a
turret. While elevation and
depression are from +70 to -5, traverse is manual and limited to 30 degrees left
or right. The SP-122’s turret has limited traverse because the D-30 does not
have the hydropneumatic recoil dampeners of the 155mm howitzer normally used on
this chassis, and the D-30 is not a perfect fit for the turret. The D-30 in this
role has a direct-fire capability with sights appropriate to this purpose. The
gun mechanism includes a mechanical semiautomatic loader which opens the breech
automatically and ejects the spent shell after each shot; the gun, however, is
loaded manually. The gunner has a
modicum of night vision, but for the most part he is relying on IF sights, a
telescopic sight for direct fire, and instructions from an FDC.
The turret roof
has a manually rotating cupola (without vision blocks) on the right side with a
pintle mount for a weapon, usually a DShK or M-2HB.
The loader also has a hatch with a weapon mount (though the hatchway has
neither a cupola not vision blocks); this is normally occupied by a PKT, DShK,
or M-2HB machinegun. Two clusters of four smoke grenade launchers are found one
on each side of the turret. Each side of the turret also has a large hatch,
useful for general loading of the vehicle or loading of ammunition.
At the rear of the vehicle are two large doorways allowing the SP-122 to
be loaded by automatic systems, conveyor systems, of piles of ammunition on the
ground. (The SP-122 is compatible
with the M992 FAASV. The Egyptians got
some FAASVs when they bought M109s in early 2014.) Each crewmember also has an
assault rifle (usually an AKMS). Two loaders are available; one normally fixes
the fuzes to the howitzer rounds and pulls the correct round from the ammunition
racks, while the other directly loads the gun and ensures the spent shells are
kept out of the way of smooth operations. Normally, a large spade is lowered
hydraulically at the rear of the SP-122 before firing commences. Other than
modifications to fit the chassis and turret, the D-30 used on the SP-122 has a
longer barrel than the standard D-30 and has a large, slotted muzzle brake.
As stated above,
the SP-122 is based on the M109A2 chassis. The SP-122 uses a Detroit 8V-71T
turbocharged diesel developing 405 horsepower.
The driver is in the front left of the hull, with the powerpack to his
right. The powerpack is a unified
powerpack which can be removed in one piece and replaced in less than an hour.
The transmission allows the SP-122 to be driven in manual or automatic mode.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$461,499 |
D, A |
1 ton |
23.18 tons |
5 |
16 |
Passive IR (G) |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
140/98 |
39/27 |
511 |
150 |
Trtd |
T4 |
TF8
TS4 TR4
HF10 HS3
HR3 |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
+1 |
Basic |
122mm D-30 L/40 Howitzer; DShK or M-2HB (C), DShK or M-2HB or PKT (L) |
85x122mm; 500x12.7mm or .50; 500x12.7mm or .50 or 1000x7.62mm |
Abu Zaabal T-122
Notes: Also
known as the T-34/122 (not to be confused with the Syrian T-34/122, or the
Turkish T-122 MRL), this was Egypt’s first attempt at mechanizing the D-30. The
D-30 was placed in a turret atop the chassis of a T-34 tank.
The T-122 was sort of a kludge, though a reasonably effective one, and
was not exported. The T-122 was used in the 1956 and 1973
Middle East Wars and continued in service, in ever-declining numbers,
until the 1980s. Most have been
relegated to ignoble ends like firing range targets.
Some 30 such modifications were made
While the
chassis has the armor levels of the T-34 tank, the turret is constructed from
relatively thin armor plates bolted together.
The turret has the lower part, and on steel posts, an armored roof; in
between those two are several droppable armor panels (from just behind the gun
on the left side around to just behind the gun on the right side), allowing the
crew to get some fresh air and relatively
cool air, as well as allowing fumes from the firing of the howitzer to escape.
The D-30 howitzer used is more or less stock, taken off the
ground-mounting carriage of a towed version of the D-30 and lightly modified to
mount it inside the turret. The
caliber length is the same (L/37), but a larger slotted muzzle brake is fitted.
(This huge muzzle brake was in fact absolutely necessary – the modified
turret and chassis could barely handle the much greater recoil of the D-30.) In
the rear of the turret, there is a rack for 24 rounds and fuzes (most of the
T-122’s onboard supply). The gun may be depressed to below zero degrees, and it
may engage ground targets; in fact, the T-122 was often used as an
ad hoc tank destroyer in the 1956 and
1973 Wars.
The T-122 has
two drums for extra fuel on either side of the vehicle, most T-122s carried
these at the front of the deck instead of the rear, with metal hoses leading
back to the engine. Some have been
seen with the drums at the front of the hull deck, however.
The details of the chassis have received little modification – in fact,
little more than what was needed to mount the new turret and gun.
The engine was the standard T-34 engine, the V-2-34 diesel engine
developing 500 horsepower, coupled to a manual transmission.
The vehicle is substantially heavier than the T-34 tank, eroding the
performance of the T-34 chassis.
The driver is in the front of the vehicle, near the top of the glacis; he has a
large hatch for entry and exit or to prop open in non-tactical situations.
The driver can lower and lock this hatch, using two vision blocks in the
hatch instead. Normally, the turret is manned with the commander, gunner, and
one loader, with the other two loaders inside the lower turret or hull.
There are no hatches in the turret roof and the T-122 has no
pintle-mounted weapons, though one could lower the turret armor panels and fire
away with personal weapons.
Twilight 2000
Notes: What was left of the “T-122 force” still in operable condition were
placed into service; they never numbered more than 12, and most were destroyed
during the Twilight War.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$420,182 |
D, A |
200 kg |
30 tons |
6 |
24 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
136/95 |
38/26 |
790+360 |
148 |
Trtd |
T4 |
TF10
TS5 TR3 HF50
HS17 HR10 |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
+1 |
Basic |
122mm D-30 L/37 Howitzer |
40x122mm |