AK-130

The AK-130 is an automatic naval cannon with a caliber of 130 millimetres (5.1 in).

AK-130
Naval cannon AK-130 mounted on the Nastoychiviy destroyer.
TypeNaval cannon
Place of originUSSR
Service history
Used byUSSR and Russia
Specifications
Length9100 mm (70 calibers)
Caliber130 mm
Elevation85 degrees
Rate of fire10 - 40 rounds per minute per gun
Maximum firing range23,000 m (surface targets)
15,000 m (aircraft)
8,000 m (missiles)

History

The design of the cannon began in June 1976 in KB Arsenal. A first single-barrel cannon designated A-217 was made, followed by the twin-barrel A-218, which was chosen due to its higher rate of fire and appeal to the admiral of the USSR Navy S. G. Gorshkov.

The "Barricades" factory produced the first samples. The cannon went on trial operation on the Project 956 destroyer for 5 years, and was adopted into service in the USSR on November 1, 1985.

Description

Innovations include the unitary cannon cartridge and the automatic loading system.

It has a high rate of fire (up to 90 RPM), at the cost of greater weight. The autoloader removed the need of a loader and allows for continuous firing until the ammo storage is emptied.

The fire control system has sight correction devices for bursts of falling shells and a target post for firing at coastal targets. Its high rate of fire, when provided with adequate types of shells, allows the cannon to serve as anti-aircraft artillery. The cartridges include charges with remote and radar detonators.

It uses the MR-184 radar, a dual-band radar. It can track and target two targets. Its range is 75 km with a tracking range of 40 km. System weight is 8 tons.

Guidance

The Lev-218 (MR-184) guidance system was developed by KB Ametist on the basis of Lev-114: (MR-114 from the AK-100). According to some reports, Lev-214 (MR-104) was used instead on Project 956 destroyers. The system includes a target tracking radar, a TV-sight, the DVU-2 laser rangefinder, a ballistic computer, equipment selection system and counter-jamming. The system is able to receive target designation from detection equipment on the ship, movement parameters, elevate the cannons and can adjust shooting bursts as well as track projectiles automatically. The DVU-2, along with the software, was developed by TsNIIAG and PO LOMO, using an autonomous indirectly stabilized laser beam in 1977.

Users

The Russian Navy uses the cannon on Projects 956, 1144, 1164 and others.

Two A-218 turrets are placed on every Project 956 destroyer, one each on the bow and the stern side before a tank and helicopter hangar was added. The traverse is limited to 100 degrees from either side, with 320 rounds stored in every turret. Project 956 and 956E destroyers, as well as their variants are equipped with this configuration.

On Slava-class cruisers, a single A-218 is installed at the front of the ship. A horizontal sector of 210 degrees is provided and 340 rounds are stored in the turret. Slava-class cruisers are equipped with the Puma modernization device for artillery guidance systems (essentially the analogue of the Podacha terrestrial complex) for centralized "aimless" aiming at targets.

Kirov-class heavy nuclear cruisers carry a turret mounted at the rear, except for the very early variants which have 2 AK-100s. The turret has a 180-degree sector. The turret is installed on all variants, except for the first Kirov. 440 rounds are stored, and a Rus-A centralized guidance system for naval artillery is installed.

Cartridge

Cartridges used on A-217, A-218, A-222 and A-192M systems are:

  • F-44 - Explosive round, projectile weight 33.4 kg, explosive weight 3.56 kg, with 4MRM fuze.
  • ZS-44 - Anti-aircraft round, projectile weight 33.4 kg, explosive weight 3.56 kg, with DVM-60M1 fuze.
  • ZS-44R - Anti-aircraft round, projectile weight 33.4 kg, explosive weight 3.56 kg, with AR-32 fuze.

Maximum allowed error for ZS-series rounds:

  • 8 m (radio-controlled fuze, anti-ship missiles)
  • 15 m (radio-controlled fuze, aircraft)

Cartridge weight: 52.8 kg. Length: 1364–1369 mm, unitary loading.

Ships with AK-130

See also

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
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