ZU-23-2 ZU-23 Zenitnaya Ustanovka 23 mm anti-aircraft twin autocannon

The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft twin autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka - anti-aircraft mount.
ZU-23-2 was developed in the late 1950s. It was designed to engage low-flying targets at a range of 2.5 km as well as armoured vehicles at a range of 2 km and for direct defense of troops and strategic locations against air assault usually conducted by helicopters and low-flying airplanes.[1] Development of this weapon into a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) led to the ZSU-23-4 Shilka.
Description
It 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 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 thorough the side openings in the barrels.[1]

The cannon carriage is based on the earlier ZPU-2 anti-aircraft twin heavy machine gun, which mounted two KPV 14.5 mm 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 four-wheels drive trucks and GAZ-69 four-wheel drive light trucks.[1]

[edit] Ammunition
The 23mm AA guns utilizes the same 23x152B case as the wartime VYa aircraft cannon, although in steel rather than brass as in the aircraft gun. Due to different loadings and primers the ammunition is not interchangeable, however; ammunition of the anti-aircraft cannon can be identified from its steel casings, ammunition for the aircraft cannon having brass cases instead.[2]
Service history
ZU-23-2 entered service with the Soviet Army in 1960. ZU-23-2 is often mounted on trucks for use in both anti-aircraft and fire support roles. It can also be mounted on the roof of the MT-LB multi-purpose tracked APCs. Specially modified three-legged ZU-23-2 is used in BTR-DG based airborne SPAAG. Cheap, easy to operate and still effective, the ZU-23-2 is still used by the Russian Army and by more than 20 other armies. The Finnish military nickname for the weapon is Sergei. There are also non-ex-Soviet produced versions of the weapon. One example is the Polish ZUR-23-2TG, which has improved sights and is armed with "Grom" missiles in addition to the autocannons. Another is the Finnish 23 ItK 95, which is often vehicle mounted, like a technical.
From WIkipedia.



[edit] Variants

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• static
• display
• captured
• gun
• Soviet
• AA
• Iraq
• OIF
• Iraqi
• Republican
• Guard
• towed
• surplus

[ersatzersatztube]

Sorry to all I didn't re-edit. It's too historical now, I leave it misnamed.

[ersatzersatztube]

tipex12 looks correct. Thanks and I will be reediting.

[ersatzersatztube]

I have another video with this weapon check it out.

[TrassseB]

Thats a ZPU-2 not a ZU-23

[utaszcsakany]

ZU-2 and not ZU-23!

2x14,5 mm

[centurion180ad]

The optical-mechanical gunsight is missing.

This mount is useless, without the gunsight.

[soneNS77]

2x kpv 14,5 ( skida Shipca medju oci na 1500m)

[zerocker45]

this is either a ZPU-2 or a twin 37mm AAA

[9394JP731]

This stuffs looks like an enlarged copy of the WW2 Flak 30 with twin barrels!

[TATARSTAN59500]

haha this is zpu no zu have more than 50 years old

[twisterwep]

thts zpu 14.5 not 23 mm

[bratb2094]

@kevrs2 This movie proven only imagination of technical staff in building "weapon" wich use as a base a M2 machine gun with lot of different metal detail to change its look. I read obout it on web but dont remember where.

[Dimasans]

вот дебиляторы