AP-104 howitzer (Pacifica)
| AP-104 howitzer | |
|---|---|
| Type | Towed gun-howitzer |
| Place of origin |  Pelinai |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2002—present |
| Used by | Pelinai |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Yarimaka Artillery Foundry |
| Unit cost | ~$1.57 million (2018) |
| Produced | 1999—present |
| No. built | ~5,500+ (as of 2022) |
| Variants | AP-104, AP-104M, AP-104M2 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 5,600 kg |
| Length |
|
| Barrel length | 8.2 m |
| Crew | 8 |
| Shell | Type A3082, Type A3182, Type A3382, Type PT2411R3, 2G4, 2S17, Type AN4 |
| Caliber | 155 mm |
| Breech | Vertical semi-automatic sliding wedge |
| Recoil | Hydropneumatic recoil absorber |
| Carriage | Split trail carriage |
| Elevation | -5° to +68.3° |
| Traverse | -25° to +25° |
| Rate of fire |
|
| Muzzle velocity | Up to 906 m/s |
| Effective firing range |
|
| Maximum firing range | ~44.3 km (2G4) |
| Sights | x6 direct fire sight; digital fire control system |
The AP-104 howitzer (Pelinese: АП-104) is a towed 155mm gun-howitzer manufactured by Yarimaka Artillery Foundry since 1999. It is currently the primary towed 155mm artillery piece of the Pelinese White Army, which adopted it in 2002 as a replacement for the AP-55. Two revisions (AP-104M and AP-104M2) have since been introduced to increase performance, reduce mass, and simplify construction.
The manufacturing of howitzer barrels, breech assemblies, and most carriage components for the AP-104 takes place in Yarimaka, Yukisora, along with final assembly and testing; digital components such as the fire control system are sourced from Samororiya in northern Stelossia. Spare gun barrels are sourced from the primary factory in Yarimaka as well as a smaller artillery production facility in Korolyeviya. Production of the AP-104 has expanded since 2002 and is estimated to have a maximum yearly manufacturing capacity of at least 1,000 barrels.
History
Design
The AP-104 is a towed gun-howitzer design intended primarily for usage in the indirect fire role, with a limited direct fire capability using optical sights. It uses a much higher percentage of titanium and other low-density components in its structure than the preceding AP-55 howitzer design in order to reduce mass by 25% while also increasing the size of the gun barrel.
The cannon itself has a rifled barrel of 8.2 meters in length, a semi-automatic, vertically sliding breech for loading, and a conventional hydropneumatic recoil absorption system. The heavier barrel is 1.8 meters longer than the preceding AP-55 gun-howitzer, allowing for increased range and rate of fire in the AP-104, and ends in a muzzle brake that also possesses a forged-in tow connection ring.
The AP-104 is relatively mobile for a 155mm howitzer, and is light enough to be air transportable: inter-theater airlift mobility is accomplished through military transport aircraft such as the KaR-11M2 Lebed, which can carry it in pairs, while battlefield air deployment is done by suspending the howitzer under a heavy lift helicopter like the Ha-5. Terrestrial movement over up to moderately difficult terrain can be provided by a standard 6x6 military truck.
Ammunition
The AP-104 howitzer has the capability to fire a variety of contemporary and legacy 155mm separate loading cased charge shells, including high explosive shells, cluster shells, guided shells, and nuclear artillery shells. The most common types to be issued to Pelinese artillery batteries operating the AP-104 in the past or present are listed below.
| Name | Shell type | Mass as fired | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3082 | High-explosive/fragmentation | 44 kilograms | Pelinese 155mm HE-F shell adopted in 1954; carries 7.1 kilograms of RDX/TNT explosive filling. Removed from frontline service; existing stocks are relegated to artillery crew training purposes. |
| A3182 | High-explosive/fragmentation | 45 kilograms | 1968 revision of the A3082 to replace RDX/TNT filling with 7.5 kilograms of plasticized explosive in order to improve long-term compound stability and reduce cook-off risk. No longer in production after the adoption of the A3382 shell, though significant legacy stockpiles are still in active usage. |
| A3382 | High-explosive/fragmentation | 48.3 kilograms | New artillery shell introduced in 1989; allows greater propellant usage. Possesses 11.4 kilograms of plasticized explosive filling. Currently in active production at an approximated rate of 400,000 shells per year, with maximum manufacturing capacity estimated at 2.4 million shells per year. A3382D variant adds a base bleed module to increase range and accuracy of fire. |
| Type PT2411R3 | High-explosive anti-tank | 35 kilograms | Anti-tank shell introduced in 1961 and repeatedly updated up to the latest revision in 2002. Rarely used. |
| 2G4/2G4M | Cannon-launched guided projectile | 50 kilograms | 155mm cannon-launched precision guided munition capable of using satellite- and laser-based targeting. The 2G4 was adopted into service in 2015, while the modernized 2G4M is currently entering service. |
| 2S17 | Cluster munition | 47 kilograms | Cluster munition carrying dual-purpose anti-personnel/armor shaped charge bomblets. Currently in production and service. |
| Type AN4 | Tactical nuclear artillery shell | 44 kilograms | 155mm nuclear artillery shell with a maximum yield of approximately 2.4 kilotonnes of TNT equivalent. The Pelinese White Army is estimated to possess several thousand AN4 shells at minimum, with current production of more being likely. |
Variants
Operators
Current operators
- Pelinai — circa 5,500