T-155 Fırtına

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T-155 Fırtına
TypeSelf-propelled artillery
Place of originTurkey
South Korea
Service history
WarsKurdish–Turkish conflict[1]
Syrian Civil War
Production history
DesignerTurkish Land Forces
Agency for Defense Development
Samsung Techwin
Designed1995–2001
ManufacturerTurkish Land Forces
Produced2001–present
VariantsPoyraz ARV
Specifications
MassCombat: 56 tons[1][unreliable source?]
Length12 m (39 ft 4 in)[1]
Width3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)[1]
Height3.43 m (11 ft 3 in)[1]
Crew5 (commander, driver, gunner, 2 loaders)[1]
Maximum firing range18 km (M107, HE)
39 km (MOD 274 HE/ER)
40 km (K307, BB/HE)
ArmorPOSCO MIL-12560H armor steel
Main
armament
MKEK 155 mm 52 caliber[1]
Secondary
armament
12.7 mm machine gun[1]
EngineSTX Engine STX-MTU MT881Ka-500 8-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine
735 kW (1,000 hp) @ 2,700 rpm
Power/weight17.85 hp/ton[1]
TransmissionSNT Dynamics X1100-5A3 4 forward, 2 reverse
Suspensionhydropneumatic
Operational
range
360 km
Maximum speed 65 km/h (41 mph)[1]

T-155 Fırtına (Turkish for Storm) is a Turkish variant of K9 Thunder 155 mm self-propelled howitzer originally developed by South Korea.[2][3][4][5][6][7] It is manufactured and assembled by Turkish Land Forces at the 1010th Army Equipment Repair Factory using imported subsystems from Korea.[4][8][9][10][11][12][13] It has an ongoing upgrade project dubbed as T-155 Fırtına II, possibly changing its engine to Turkish origin to avoid Germany's restriction on Turkey's defence sales.

Development[edit]

Further information: K9 Thunder § Exports

General characteristics[edit]

Further information: K9 Thunder § General characteristics

The T-155 retains most of the K9's features, such as the CN98 155 mm barrel and chassis, produced through the technology transfer of Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in South Korea.[2] However, its turret reflects original Turkish design that increases magazine capacity from 24 to 30 while decreasing hull ammunition storage from 24 to 18.[14] APU (auxiliary power unit) is installed while panoramic scope, which is used for manual firing, is removed. Parts of the chassis, the INS (inertial navigation system), and electronic systems such as the radio and FCS (fire control system) were developed in Turkey. Inertial Navigation system was produced by ASELSAN.

The howitzer is able to determine the coordinates of the targets at 17.5 meters deviation. Fırtına can open fire within 30 seconds.[15]

The T-155 Fırtına has a maximum firing range of 40 km, depending on the type of ammunition. It can reach a top speed of 65 km/h.

The gun is produced by MKEK under license by transferring the production technology of the K9's CN98 155 mm barrel from ADD.[2][16] The production rate of the T-155 is 24 units per year. More than 350[17] T-155 Fırtına howitzers were planned to be produced.[18] 281 have been delivered between 2005 and 2010.[19]

Operational history[edit]

The T-155 Fırtına was first deployed in Turkey's Operation Sun at the end of 2007 into January 2008 to fight the PKK militants in the northern part of Iraq.[20] It was used in 2012 Syrian–Turkish border clashes and again during both the Jarabulus offensive (2016) and the Afrin offensive (2018).

Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle[edit]

The Poyraz Ammunition Resupply Vehicle (ARV) is an indigenous vehicle with an ammunition transfer system similar to that of the South Korean K10 ARV. The vehicle has a boom that is extended towards the rear of the T-155 Fırtına turret, where the resupply takes place. The Poyraz ARV has an auxiliary power unit, which the K10 ARV lacks, that allows the vehicle's crew to use electronics and communication systems, and to run an ammunition transfer system economically without the main engines being turned on.[21]

The Poyraz ARV can carry up to 96 155 mm shells and is able to transfer 48 shells in 20 minutes. It has a range of 360 km.[22]

Fırtına 2[edit]

The new generation model dubbed "Firtina 2" was to begin production in 2017, featuring improvement to range and rate of fire. The new vehicles were to be fitted with remote weapons stations capable of carrying 12.7mm, 7.62mm machine guns and 40 mm grenade launchers.[23]

Fırtına 2 upgrade features:[24]

  • Enhanced fire control system (FCS)
  • Autoloader
  • Driver's vision
  • Automatic fire extinguishing system
  • Air-conditioning
  • Remote control weapon station (RCWS)
  • Refurbished suspension
  • Enhanced auxiliary power unit (APU)

Operators[edit]

Current operators[edit]

  •  Turkey: Turkey originally planned to manufacture 350 Fırtına, 280 for Turkish Army and 70 for future customer, by 2011 per agreement with South Korea in exchange for free technology transfer from the Agency for Defense Development of South Korea. Turkey built 280 for its own military.

Potential operators[edit]

  •  Qatar: In February 2019, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he was on the verge of signing an export deal for T-155 with Qatar. As of September 2023, there was no signed contract.[25]
  •  Ukraine: On 5 July 2023, Oleksiy Gromov, Deputy Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said he hoped to acquire a T-155.[26]

Failed bids[edit]

See also[edit]

Similar vehicles[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "T-155". Military Factory. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "Defense Export". Agency for Defense Development. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  3. ^ "한화디펜스". www.hanwha-defense.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  4. ^ a b "[첨단무기 개발비화]세계 최강의 K-9 자주포(VIII) 신인호 국방일보 기자" (in Korean). Republic of Korea Marine Corps. 2010-06-28.
  5. ^ "한.터키 국방장관 방산협력 협의". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  6. ^ "[블루칩 집중분석] 삼성테크윈". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  7. ^ "국산 K9자주포 첫 수출…터키에 1조3000억 규모". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  8. ^ "[거래소] 삼성테크윈, 터키에 6000만달러 규모 자주포 부품 계약". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  9. ^ "국산 자주포 부품 10억弗 터키 수출". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  10. ^ "삼성테크윈, 터키에 자주포 부품 10억달러어치 수출". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  11. ^ "K9 자주포 300문 10억달러 터키수출". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  12. ^ "자주포 부품 수출 배경과 의미". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  13. ^ "한국 방산업체, 터키와 대규모 무기판매 계약 체결". news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  14. ^ Toper, Ezgi. "What you need to know about Türkiye's self-propelled Firtina II howitzers". What you need to know about Türkiye's self-propelled Firtina II howitzers. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  15. ^ Enginsoy, Umit. "Turkey hit Syria with S. Korean-designed howitzers". Hurriyet Daily News. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  16. ^ "MKEK catalogue" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-09.
  17. ^ "IDEF 2019: Turkey's New Generation Firtina SPH unveiled | Jane's 360". www.janes.com.
  18. ^ "Korea seeks to sell tanks to Turkey". Korea Herald. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
  19. ^ Medyabar. "TSK'dan Fırtına 2 için Sakarya onayı". Medyabar. Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  20. ^ "Hürriyet: Hem karadan hem havadan" (in Turkish). April 27, 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  21. ^ "Mühimmat Transfer Sistemi (MTS)". aselsan.com.tr. Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2013-08-29.
  22. ^ "Türk yapımı 'Poyraz' düşmanların korkulu rüyası oldu!". www.yeniakit.com.tr (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2017-05-06. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  23. ^ "TSK'ya 'Fırtına 2'ler geliyor". SVT | Savunma ve Teknoloji (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2017-07-15. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  24. ^ "The Turkish Armed Forces Receive 6 More FIRTINA-II 155 mm Self-Propelled Howitzers From BMC". Overt Defense. 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  25. ^ "Turkey to sell self-propelled howitzers to Qatar".
  26. ^ Гулкевич, Борис (2023-07-05). "Україна очікує отримання турецьких САУ T-155 Firtina – Громов". Національний Промисловий Портал (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  27. ^ "Türkiye'nin Katar ve Suudi Arabistan'a Fırtına Obüsü Satışını Almanya Engelledi". Haberler.com. 25 November 2017.
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