AS
90 was manufactured by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (VSEL),
at Barrow-in-Furness and in 1992 was the subject of an order for 179
guns, under a fixed price contract for £300 million.
These 179 guns have completely equipped six Field Regiments, replacing
the older 120mm Abbot and 155mm M109 in British service.
At the beginning of 2005 three of
these Regiments were under the command of 1 (UK) Armoured Division in
Germany and three under the command of 3 (UK) Div in the United
Kingdom. AS 90 equipped with a
39 calibre gun fires the NATO L15 unassisted projectile out to a range
of 24.7 kms (Base Bleed ERA range is 30kms).
Funding is available for
the re-barrelling of 96 x AS 90 with a 52 calibre gun with ranges of
30 kms (unassisted) and 60 to 80 kms with improved accuracy and long
range ERA ammunition. However, due to the current inability of the
selected bi-modular charge system to meet the requirement for
insensitive munitions this program is on hold.
AS 90 has been fitted with
an Autonomous Navigation and Gun-Laying System (AGLS), enabling it
to work independently of external sighting references. Central to
the system is an inertial Dynamic Reference Unit (DRU) taken from
the US Army's MAPS (Modular Azimuth Positioning System).
The bulk of the turret
electronics are housed in the Turret Control Computer (TCC) which
controls the main turret functions, including gun laying, magazine
control, loading systems control, power distribution and testing.
Artillery has always been a cost effective way of
destroying or neutralising targets. When the cost of a battery of
guns, (approx £20 million) is compared with the cost of a close air
support aircraft, (£40 million) and the cost of training each pilot,
(£4 million+) the way ahead for governments with less and less to
spend on defence is clear.
|
AS 90
Specifications |
| 146
available |
| Crew |
5 |
|
Length |
9.07m |
|
Width |
3.3m |
|
Height |
3.0m overall |
|
Ground Clearance |
0.41m |
|
Turret Ring Diameter |
2.7m |
|
Armour |
17mm |
|
Calibre |
155mm |
|
Range |
(39 cal) 24.7kms (52 cal) 30kms |
|
Recoil Length |
780mm |
|
Rate of Fire |
3 rounds in 10 secs (burst) 6 rounds per minute (intense) 2 rounds
per minute (sustained) |
|
Secondary Armament |
7.62mm MG |
|
Traverse |
6,400mills |
|
Elevation |
-89/+1.244mills |
|
Ammunition Carried |
48 x 155mm projectiles and charges (31 turret & 17 hull) |
|
Engine |
Cummins VTA903T turbo-charged V8 diesel 660hp |
|
Max Speed |
53km/h |
|
Gradient |
60 degrees |
|
Vertical Obstacle |
0.75m |
|
Trench Crossing |
2.8m |
|
Fording Depth |
1.5m |
|
Road Range |
420kms |
Photo
Crown Copyright
|
