Vehicle data sheet
ZU-23-2 AA cannon
Manufacturer: , Soviet Union
| Type: Guns | Weight: 0.95 t |
| Produced: 1960 | Size: Length 4.57 m, Height 1.22 m |
| Number built: | Engine: , 0 HP |
| Crew: 2 | Speed: 0 km/h |
Description
The ZU-23-2 "Sergey", also known as ZU-23, is Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft win-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka (Russian: Зенитная Установка) - anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13. The ZU-23-2 (2A13) mounts two 2A14 23 mm autocannons on a small trailer which can be converted into a stationary mount for firing the guns. While in this position the wheels are moved aside.
The autocannon can be prepared for firing from the march position in 30 seconds and in emergency can be fired from the traveling position. The weapon is aimed and fired manually, with the help of the ZAP-23 optical-mechanical sight which uses manually entered target data to provide limited automatic aiming. It also has a straight-tube telescope T-3 for use against ground targets such as infantry as well as unarmored or lightly armoured vehicles. The ammo is a feed by a conveyor belt from two ammunition boxes. Each of the ammunition boxes are located on the side of the twin autocannon and each carries 50 rounds.
The fumes created by firing the weapon are partially removed through the side openings in the barrels. It is also used on the soviet IL-28 jet bomber, Normally, once each barrel has fired 100 rounds it becomes too hot and is therefore replaced with a spare barrel. Each weapon is normally provided with two replacement barrels as part of its standard equipment. Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company is offering to upgrade the 2A14 guns to the 2A14M standard with a barrel life of 10,000 rounds instead of 8,000 rounds.
The cannon carriage is based on the earlier anti-aircraft twin heavy machine gun, which mounted 14.5 mmb heavy machine guns. ZU-23-2 can be identified by different placement of the ammunition boxes (at right angles to the gun carriage) and by muzzle flash suppressors. In another similarity to the ZPU series, single-barrel and four-barrel versions of the ZU-23 were also developed. However, these versions never entered service. ZU-23-2 can be towed by a number of different vehicles. In USSR and later Russia the most frequently used towing vehicles for it were GAZ-66 4x4 trucks and GAZ-69 4x4 light trucks.