122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)

122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)
D-30 Howitzer of the Serbian army
Type	Howitzer
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1963–present
Used by	Soviet Union and allies as well as nonaligned and post-Soviet states.
Wars	Cold War, many regional conflicts.
Production history
Designer	F.F. Petrov
Designed	1950s
Manufacturer	PJSC «Plant № 9»
Produced	1963–present
Variants	See variants
Specifications
Weight	Combat: 3,210 kg (7,080 lb)
Length	Transport: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Barrel length	Bore: 38 calibres
Width	Transport: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Height	Transport: 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in)
Crew	1+7
Caliber	122 mm (4.8 in)
Recoil	hydropneumatic
Carriage	tripod
Elevation	−7° to 70°
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	Maximum: 10–12 rpm Sustained: 5–6 rpm
Effective firing range	15.4 km (9.6 mi) 21.9 km (13.6 mi) (with rocket-assisted projectile)

The 122-mm howitzer D-30 (GRAU index 2A18) is a Soviet howitzer that first entered service in the 1960s. It is a robust piece that focuses on the essential features of a towed field gun suitable for all conditions. The D-30 has a maximum range of 15.4 kilometers, or over 21 km using RAP ammunition.

With its striking three-leg mounting, the D-30 can be rapidly traversed through 360 degrees. Although no longer manufactured in the nations of the former Soviet Union, the D-30 is still manufactured internationally and is in service in more than 60 countries' armed forces.

The barrel assembly of the 2A18 gun is used by the 2S1 self-propelled howitzer. There are also Egyptian, Chinese, Serbian and Syrian self-propelled variants and conversions. The Syrian conversion utilizes the hull of a T-34 tank.

The 122 mm (originally 48 lines) calibre was adopted by Russia in the early 20th century, becoming very important to Soviet artillery during the Second World War. Development of the D-30 began in the 1950s, as a replacement for the M-30 howitzer, widely used in divisional and regimental artilleries. The D-30 also replaced the remaining 76 mm M1942 guns in motor rifle regiments.

Military requirements that led to the D-30 can only be deduced. Its role supporting tank and motor rifle regiments, and Soviet doctrine from the Great Patriotic War, suggest that while indirect fire was the primary role, direct fire anti-tank was very important. The latter is evidenced by the very effective HEAT shell, the low silhouette of the piece, its wide and rapid top-traverse and its shield.

The D-30 was designed by the well established design bureau at Artillery Plant No 9 in Sverdlovsk (now Ekaterinburg), at the time led by the eminent artillery designer Fëdor Fëdorovich Petrov (1902–1978). This team was responsible for designing the earlier M-30, the post-war 152 mm D-20 gun-howitzer, and other guns.

Soviet divisional artillery was assigned to manoeuvre regiments (in regimental artillery groups – RAGs) and as divisional troops (in divisional artillery groups – DAGs). A RAG was normally three batteries, each of six pieces, to each motor rifle and tank regiment. DAGs were mostly equipped with 152 mm pieces, but the DAG of a motor rifle division included a D-30 battalion. The role of an RAG was a normal field artillery role to support manoeuvre forces with indirect, semi direct and direct fire.