BMY/Abu Zaabal SP-122

     Notes:  This is an Egyptian self-propelled howitzer that is basically a US M109 with the 155mm howitzer replaced by a 122mm D-30 howitzer.  This was done because the Egyptian Army had a large number of towed D-30 guns that they wished to be more mobile.  124 of these vehicles were built between 1987 and 2000. It was never exported. The M109A2 base vehicles were obtained largely from surplus stocks in the US.

     In this mounting, the turret has limited traverse; it is more of a casemate than a turret.  While elevation and depression are from +70 to -5, traverse is manual and limited to 30 degrees left or right. The SP-122’s turret has limited traverse because the D-30 does not have the hydropneumatic recoil dampeners of the 155mm howitzer normally used on this chassis, and the D-30 is not a perfect fit for the turret. The D-30 in this role has a direct-fire capability with sights appropriate to this purpose. The gun mechanism includes a mechanical semiautomatic loader which opens the breech automatically and ejects the spent shell after each shot; the gun, however, is loaded manually.  The gunner has a modicum of night vision, but for the most part he is relying on IF sights, a telescopic sight for direct fire, and instructions from an FDC.

     The turret roof has a manually rotating cupola (without vision blocks) on the right side with a pintle mount for a weapon, usually a DShK or M-2HB.  The loader also has a hatch with a weapon mount (though the hatchway has neither a cupola not vision blocks); this is normally occupied by a PKT, DShK, or M-2HB machinegun. Two clusters of four smoke grenade launchers are found one on each side of the turret. Each side of the turret also has a large hatch, useful for general loading of the vehicle or loading of ammunition.  At the rear of the vehicle are two large doorways allowing the SP-122 to be loaded by automatic systems, conveyor systems, of piles of ammunition on the ground.  (The SP-122 is compatible with the M992 FAASV. The Egyptians got some FAASVs when they bought M109s in early 2014.) Each crewmember also has an assault rifle (usually an AKMS). Two loaders are available; one normally fixes the fuzes to the howitzer rounds and pulls the correct round from the ammunition racks, while the other directly loads the gun and ensures the spent shells are kept out of the way of smooth operations. Normally, a large spade is lowered hydraulically at the rear of the SP-122 before firing commences. Other than modifications to fit the chassis and turret, the D-30 used on the SP-122 has a longer barrel than the standard D-30 and has a large, slotted muzzle brake.

     As stated above, the SP-122 is based on the M109A2 chassis. The SP-122 uses a Detroit 8V-71T turbocharged diesel developing 405 horsepower.  The driver is in the front left of the hull, with the powerpack to his right.  The powerpack is a unified powerpack which can be removed in one piece and replaced in less than an hour. The transmission allows the SP-122 to be driven in manual or automatic mode.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$461,499

D, A

1 ton

23.18 tons

5

16

Passive IR (G)

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

140/98

39/27

511

150

Trtd

T4

TF8  TS4  TR4  HF10  HS3  HR3

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

+1

Basic

122mm D-30 L/40 Howitzer; DShK or M-2HB (C), DShK or M-2HB or PKT (L)

85x122mm; 500x12.7mm or .50; 500x12.7mm or .50 or 1000x7.62mm

 

Abu Zaabal T-122

     Notes: Also known as the T-34/122 (not to be confused with the Syrian T-34/122, or the Turkish T-122 MRL), this was Egypt’s first attempt at mechanizing the D-30. The D-30 was placed in a turret atop the chassis of a T-34 tank.  The T-122 was sort of a kludge, though a reasonably effective one, and was not exported. The T-122 was used in the 1956 and 1973  Middle East Wars and continued in service, in ever-declining numbers, until the 1980s.  Most have been relegated to ignoble ends like firing range targets.  Some 30 such modifications were made

     While the chassis has the armor levels of the T-34 tank, the turret is constructed from relatively thin armor plates bolted together.  The turret has the lower part, and on steel posts, an armored roof; in between those two are several droppable armor panels (from just behind the gun on the left side around to just behind the gun on the right side), allowing the crew to get some fresh air and relatively cool air, as well as allowing fumes from the firing of the howitzer to escape.  The D-30 howitzer used is more or less stock, taken off the ground-mounting carriage of a towed version of the D-30 and lightly modified to mount it inside the turret.  The caliber length is the same (L/37), but a larger slotted muzzle brake is fitted.  (This huge muzzle brake was in fact absolutely necessary – the modified turret and chassis could barely handle the much greater recoil of the D-30.) In the rear of the turret, there is a rack for 24 rounds and fuzes (most of the T-122’s onboard supply). The gun may be depressed to below zero degrees, and it may engage ground targets; in fact, the T-122 was often used as an ad hoc tank destroyer in the 1956 and 1973 Wars.

     The T-122 has two drums for extra fuel on either side of the vehicle, most T-122s carried these at the front of the deck instead of the rear, with metal hoses leading back to the engine.  Some have been seen with the drums at the front of the hull deck, however.  The details of the chassis have received little modification – in fact, little more than what was needed to mount the new turret and gun.  The engine was the standard T-34 engine, the V-2-34 diesel engine developing 500 horsepower, coupled to a manual transmission.  The vehicle is substantially heavier than the T-34 tank, eroding the performance of the T-34 chassis.  The driver is in the front of the vehicle, near the top of the glacis; he has a large hatch for entry and exit or to prop open in non-tactical situations.  The driver can lower and lock this hatch, using two vision blocks in the hatch instead. Normally, the turret is manned with the commander, gunner, and one loader, with the other two loaders inside the lower turret or hull.  There are no hatches in the turret roof and the T-122 has no pintle-mounted weapons, though one could lower the turret armor panels and fire away with personal weapons.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: What was left of the “T-122 force” still in operable condition were placed into service; they never numbered more than 12, and most were destroyed during the Twilight War.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$420,182

D, A

200 kg

30 tons

6

24

Headlights

Enclosed

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

136/95

38/26

790+360

148

Trtd

T4

TF10  TS5 TR3  HF50  HS17  HR10

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

+1

Basic

122mm D-30 L/37 Howitzer

40x122mm