Soviet Anti-Tank Systems, an OVerview

[dragoon500ly]

Material drawn from the FM-100 series and "Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army".

One of the key features of the Soviet Army is the importance that anti-tank warfare that is stressed throughout its organization. Every unit has an organic anti-tank capability, a legacy of 1941, when Soviet anti-tank weapons were few in number and hoplessly inadequate against the Germans. But the Soviets learn fast and by 1943, the combined arms anti-tank defense in depth had become their hallmark. The success of 1943 still guides Soviet anti-tank weapons and tactics to this day.

Anti-tank weapons are used to form a mutually supporting system at each level of organization, allowing the Soviets to optimise and integrate their employment. Slow firing, but accurate ATGMs provide the long range fire, engaging at ranges of up to 3,000 meters. At 1,500m, when volume of fire becomes more important than individual accuracy, tanks and anti-tank guns open fire. BMP guns open fire at 800m, beging better suited for short ranges than ATGMs. Close defense is provided by the widely deployed RPG-7s, their 300m effective range being the same as the ATGM's minimum range. Finally, all field and anti-aircraft artillery also have an anti-tank role.

The Soviet Army believes that the best anti-tank weapon is another tank. But they do not let their emphasis on tanks blind them to the importance of the combined arms approach to anti-tank defense. They are fully aware that the wide range of modern anti-tank weapons threatens the very basis of their armored offensive and much of their tactical evolution in recent years has been aimed at overcoming this threat.

While the Soviets field a range of ATGMs, ranging from the 1st Gen AT-1, AT-2 and AT-3, through the 2nd Gen AT-4 and AT-5 to the 3rd Gen AT-6. However, they still use towed anti-tank guns, mainly the 100mm T-12 in motor rifle divisions an the 85mm SD-44 in airborne units. THe aging 82mm and 107mm recoilless rifles have been largely replaced by man-portable "suitcase" AT-3 ATGMS and the 73mm tripod-mounted SPG-8 recoilless rifle. Hundreds of RPG-7 rocket grenade launchers provide close-range defence. By any defination, the Soviet anti-tank system is a formidable one.

[dragoon500ly]

The RPG-7 is the smallest and most widespread Soviet anti-tank weapon. Every motor rifle and airborne squad has an RPG-7, which is the squad's most important weapon. At night or in dense terrain the RPG-7 enjoys increased value. Combat experience has shwon just how effective the RPG-7 is.

The RPG-7 launches a PG-7 rocket-propelled anti-tank projectile with a HEAT warhead and fin stabilization.

The RPG-7 has two sights, the basic x2.5 power optical sight with rangefinding stadia and secondary "iron" sights. The optical sights are the most complicated part of the system and is too complicated for many trainees. The gunner must take many variables into account as well as make many estimated to sight in the weapon. The Soviet manual for this weapon devotes more space to sighting problems than to any other topic.

AIming the RPG-7 is difficult because the PG-7 projectile is seriously affected by crosswwinds. The reaction effect of its rocket motor causes the round to turn into the wind and the gunner must estimate the direction and wind speed as well as that of the target. The sight picture is gridded off in parallel vertical lines to determine the deflection for wind and target motion, while its rangefinder stradia measures the full target hight to estimate range. Maximum effective range is 500m, there are horizontal gridded lines on the sight to give proper elevation up to that range. US tests of captured RPG-7s confirmed that even well trained gunners are normally 10-15% off in estimating the range, greatly reducing first-round accuracy. Targets which are partially exposed or are moving are even more difficult to range in on and hit.

The optical sight filters glare, smoke and haze and can even be adjusted for temperature extremes. It is internally lit for night use or it can be replaced with a night sight, either the 6kg NSP-2 active infrared sight or the 3.5kg PGN-1 passive starlight scope.

When spped of fire is more important than accuracy, the gunner may use the iron sights which have no wind or deflection adjustment, but can be used to engage targets in the 200-500m range bracket.

The PG-7 warhead will punch a 5cm hole through about 280mm of armor. Armor penetration varies with range and individual rounds. Under 300m, the PG-7's speed actually reduces the penetration of its shaped charge, reduced to some 220mm.

Before the PG-7 round is loaded, it must first be assembled, the loader screwing the warhead and sustainer motor together with the booster charge. It is then loaded. Squeezing the trigger ignites the strip powder charge at the base of the projectile, ejecting it from the RPG-7 at some 177 m/s. Four stabilizing fins pop open as the projectile clears the barrel. The warhead arms after travelling some 5m and after 11m, the rocket sustainer motor kicks in, boosting the speed to 294m/s. If the round has not struck anything after is has been in flight for 5 seconds, or if it has travelled 900m, it will self-destruct. The gunner will observe the fall of shot, reload and fire again, this takes 14 seconds.

Soviet doctrine stresses that the RPG-7 should not engage targets in excess of 300m as this reduces target reaction time for suppressive fire or evasive action while still giving the gunner time for additional shots if the first round should miss.

[dragoon500ly]

DUring the Cold War years, the Soviets fielded three versions of the recoilless rifle, two have been since retired (still available in some of the Cat II, and all of the the Cat III and Mobilization Only divisions).

The B-10 82mm Recoilless Rifle. Introduced in the early 1950s, this fires fin-stabilized HEAT and HE rounds and is towed by the muzzle on a two wheeled mount that can be broken down into man-portable loads. The breech opens horizontally. The B-10 weighs 72kg (ready for firing), has a rate of fire of 5-6 rpm, a maximum range of 4,470m and an eff range of 390m. The HEAT shell weighs 3.6kg and will penetrate 240mm of armor, while the HE shell weighs 4.5kg and produces lethal fragments out to 20m.

The B-11 107mm Recoilless Rifle. Introduced in the early 1950s, this fires fin-stabilized HEAT and HE rounds and is towed by the muzzle on a two wheeled mount that can be broken down into man-portable loads. The breech swings down for loading. The B-11 weighs 305kg in its firing position, has a rate of fire of 5rpm, a maximum range of 6,650m and an effective range of 450m. The HEAT round weighs 7.5kg and will penetrate 380mm of armor, the HE shell weighs 8.5kg and will produce lethal fragments out to 50m.

The SPG-9 Recoilless Rifle. This replaces the B-10 and B-11 rifles and is a tripod-mounted, smooth-bore weapon. It is similar to the 73mm 2A20 gun mounted on the BMP-1 and BMD, the difference being in the propelling cartridge. While man-portable, a two-gun section of SPG-9s is normally carried in an APC, although it is always fired from its tripod and not from the vehicle. It fires a rocket assisted round and can be fitted with both active and passive night sights. Like the RPG-7, the shell self-destructs at maximum range. Two SPG-9s are found in the battalion anti-tank platoon, providing short range protection for the platoon's ATGMs. The SPG-9 weighs 60kg in its firing configuration. Has a rate of fire of 6rpm, maximum range is 1,960m and effective range is 800m. The only known round (in the 1980s) was a HEAT round that weighed 1.3kg and had an armor penetration of 400mm.