T-12 antitank gun



2A19 or T-12 is a Soviet smoothbore 100-mm anti-tank gun, which served as the main Eastern Bloc towed anti-tank gun from 1955 until the late 1980s.

History
The T-12 entered service in 1955, replacing the BS-3 100 mm field gun. It was typically deployed in anti-tank units of armoured and motor rifle regiments to protect flanks against counter-attacks during rapid advances.

In 1970 it was replaced in production by the T-12A or MT-12 "Rapira" which features a new smooth bore gun, the 100 mm 2A29 gun, as well as a redesigned carriage and gun-shield to protect the crew from machine gun fire and shell splinters. Thanks to the redesigned carriage with bigger wheel base, the MT-12 can be towed by the MT-LB, at speeds up to 60 km/h on road or 25 km/h cross-country.

The 2A29R "Ruta" or MT-12R is a version with a RLPK-1 radar for engaging targets in a poor visibility environment (smoke/fog). From 1981 the gun could fire laser beam-riding guided missiles 9M117 Kastet (weapon system 9K116) and carried the new designator 2A29K "Kastet" or MT-12K.

The weapon was planned to be superseded by the 2A45 Sprut-B 125 mm smooth bore anti-tank gun. Modern western tanks' frontal armour protection is in excess of what can be penetrated by a 100 mm gun from anything but point-blank range – even using the most modern APFSDS round. For a tank that can manoeuvre to take advantage of the enemy's weaknesses this is less of a problem – but for a weapon that is primarily defensive this is a serious problem. Today the T-12 is applied mostly in the role of ordinary artillery, using FRAG-HE shells.

Description
The gun requires a crew of six: commander, driver of the towing vehicle, gun layer, loader, and two ammunition crewmen. When the MT-LB is used as the transporter, twenty rounds are typically carried (10 APFSDS, 4 HE-Frag, 6 HEAT). Since the weapon is a smoothbore, all the ammunition is finned for accuracy during flight.

The standard equipment consists of the panoramic sight PG-1M for indirect fire, and an OP4M-40U telescope for direct fire. The APN-5-40 or APN-6-40 are used for direct fire by night.

The gun can be fitted with the LO-7 ski gear for travel across snow or swampy ground.

Operators
According to Jane's Armour and Artillery, the following countries have or had the T-12 and/or MT-12 in service:
 * 🇩🇿 Algeria - 12
 * 🇦🇲 Armenia - 36
 * 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan - 30
 * 🇧🇾 Belarus - 40
 * Bosnia-Herzegovina - 90
 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria - 200
 * 🇭🇷 Croatia - 133
 * 🇨🇺 Cuba
 * Georgia - 50
 * 🇭🇺 Hungary - 106
 * 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan - 125
 * 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan - 15
 * 🇲🇩 Moldova - 26
 * 🇲🇳 Mongolia - 25+
 * 🇷🇺 Russia - est. 6,000
 * 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan - 48
 * 🇺🇦 Ukraine - 400
 * 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan - 39

Former operators

 * Soviet Union - passed onto successor states.
 * Yugoslavia - 138, passed onto successor states.
 * 🇮🇶 Iraq - most destroyed in 1991 Gulf War or 2003 Invasion, none remain in service after 2003.

Ammunition
Note: penetration numbers for RHA at 90 degrees.

APFSDS
APFSDS-T Tungsten
 * 3BM-2
 * Round weight: 19.34 kg
 * Projectile weight: 5.65 kg
 * Muzzle velocity: 1575 m/s
 * Maximum range: 3000 m
 * Penetration:
 * 230 mm at 500 m (9 in at 550 yd)
 * 180 mm at 2,000 m (7 in at 2,200 yd)
 * 140 mm at 3,000 m (5.5 in at 3,300 yd)

APFSDS
 * 3BM23/3UBM10
 * Round weight: 19.9 kg
 * Projectile weight: 10 lb
 * Muzzle velocity: 1548 m/s

HEAT

 * 3BK16M/3UBK8
 * Round weight: 23.1 kg
 * Projectile weight: 9.5 kg
 * Muzzle velocity: 975 m/s
 * Penetration: 350 mm

HE-FRAG

 * 3OF12/3OF35
 * Round weight: 28.9 kg
 * Projectile weight: 16.7 kg
 * Muzzle velocity: 700 m/s
 * Maximum range (indirect): 8200 m

Guided projectile

 * 9K117 Kastet 3UBK10/3UBK10M

Beam riding laser guided projectile.
 * Round weight: 24.5 kg
 * Projectile weight: 17.6 kg
 * Average speed: 300 m/s
 * Range: 100 - 5000 m
 * Penetration: 550 - 600 mm

Romania

 * A407 - This artillery system was designed by Arsenal-Resita and is very similar to the MT-12. It can fire the same range of ammunition as the T-54/55 tank and has a maximum range of 2,200 m (HEAT) or 4,000 m (APC-T). Subversions are the A407M1 and the A407M2. In Romanian Army service, the A407 is known as the 100 mm anti-tank gun M1977 (Tun antitanc calibrul 100-mm Model 1977) and is normally towed by the DAC 887R truck. It can also be towed with the DAC 665T truck. The Model 2002 is an improved version, fitted with the automatic fire control system TAT-100.

People's Republic of China

 * Type 73 - This appears to be a copy of the Soviet T-12.
 * Type 86 - This is a 100mm smoothbore anti-tank gun that has some similarities with the 85mm Type 56 (D-44). It fires ammunition of the fixed type, including the Type 73 HE, Type 73 HEAT, Type 73 APFSDS and Type 86 APFSDS to a maximum range of 1,800 m.