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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 30
kms). The gun has been fitted with an autonomous navigation and
gunlaying 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 gunlaying, 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.
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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 |
(39cal) 24.7kms (52cal) 30kms |
|
Recoil Length |
780mm |
|
Rate of Fire |
3 rounds in 10secs (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 |
53kph |
|
Gradient |
60 degrees |
|
Vertical Obstacle |
0.75m |
|
Trench Crossing |
2.8m |
|
Fording Depth |
1.5m |
|
Road Range |
420kms |
Photo Copyright
BAe Systems
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