152 Mm SpGH DANA

The DANA (Dělo automobilní nabíjené automaticky (gun on truck loaded automatically) is a wheeled self-propelled artillery piece. It is also known as the Samohybná Kanónová Húfnica vzor 77 (ShKH vz. 77; self-propelled gun howitzer model 77). It was designed by Konštrukta Trenčín and built by ZTS Dubnica nad Váhom in the former Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia). Introduced in the 1970s, it was the first wheeled 152 mm self-propelled artillery gun to enter service. It is based on a modified eight-wheel drive (8×8) Tatra 815 chassis with excellent cross-country mobility. Currently it is in service with the Czech Republic, Libya, Poland, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Compared to tracked vehicles, wheeled vehicles have the advantages of being cheaper to build and easier to maintain with greater mobility. Tire pressure can be regulated to allow good mobility off-road and there is power-assisted steering on the front four wheels. It lowers 3 hydraulic stabilizers into the ground before firing, and has a roof mounted crane to assist with ammunition loading.

The crew of the DANA consists of the driver (operates the hydraulic stabilizers) and commander sitting in the front cabin, the gunner (aims the gun and opens fire) and loader operator (selects the appropriate amount of powder charges) are on the left side of the turret, the ammo handler (sets the shells' primers) is on the right side turret.

Development

The DANA was designed in the late 1970s by Konštrukta Trenčín to provide the Czechoslovak People's Army with an indigenous self-propelled indirect fire support weapon without having to resort to purchasing the Soviet 2S3 Akatsiya SPG. Design work was completed in 1976 and the DANA project was handed off to production at ZTS Dubnica nad Váhom. It was accepted into service in 1981, and by 1994 over 750 units had been built. The DANA was also exported to Poland and Libya.

Design

The DANA was a significant departure from contemporary self-propelled guns as it used a wheeled chassis and featured an innovative automated loading system which was the first of its kind at the time of its introduction to service. The vehicle has a driving cabin at the front, an open-topped fighting compartment at mid-length and the engine compartment in the rear. The front crew cabin seats both the driver/mechanic and vehicle commander. The armoured turret is installed on a traversable mount adapted to the Tatra 815 wheeled chassis (8x8) and is divided into two halves, divided by the howitzer's recoil mechanism and a pathway for the reciprocating action during firing. The left half of the turret is occupied by the gunner and first loader and houses the various fire control optics, electro-mechanical gun laying controls, the automatic propellant charge feeding device, and an auxiliary ammunition magazine. The right side of the turret contains a mechanized projectile delivery system which is operated by a second loader at this position.

The DANA's primary weapon is a 152 mm howitzer with a monolithic barrel (with a fixed rifling pitch) equipped with one expansion chamber. The howitzer has a semi-automatic, vertically- sliding-wedge-type breech which opens to the left side. The recoil assembly consists of a hydraulic buffer, two pneumatic return cylinders and a controlling plunger which governs the displacement of the buffering system. The gun laying is carried out by an electro-hydraulic drive system or an emergency manual control.

DANA's unique feature is that its autoloader is able to load a shell and a cartridge in any elevation of the barrel.

As there is no gyroscopic or similar system for independent, automated and autonomous gun laying in the DANA, the gunner of howitzer uses a ZZ-73 panoramic telescope with a PG1-M-D collimator for indirect gun laying. This sight has a horizontal scale used to set the appropriate horizontal laying via aiming at reference points. This means that the DANA is not an autonomous system there needs to be an additional device to assist in gun laying (in fact, the firing positions of such artillery systems are usually prepared before the guns are positioned there). For direct fire engagements, the gunner uses an OP5-38-D telescopic sight.

Ammunition

As of 2014, there are three main shell types used by Czech Army:
# 152-EOF, which means "high-explosive" with a maximum range of
# 152-EOFd, which means "high-explosive long-range" with a maximum range of
# 152-EPrSv, which means "high-explosive anti-tank" used for direct-fire at armored targets

General characteristics

* Length:
* Width: 2.8 m (9 ft)
* Height: 2.6 m (8.53 ft)
* Weight: 23,000 kg (50,706 lbs)
* Performance:
** Maximum Road Speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
** Range: 600 km (373 mi)
** Rate of Fire: 3 rpm for 30 minutes
** Maximum Gun Range: 28 km (17 mi)
** Fording: 1.4 m (4.59 ft)
** Vertical Obstacle: 1.5 m (5 ft)
** Trench: 1.4 m (4.59 ft)
* Crew: 4 to 5
* Armament:
** Primary: 152 mm gun-howitzer, length: 5,580 mm (37 calibers)
** Secondary: 12.7 mm machine gun (MG) DShK
* Elevation: -4° to +70°
* Traverse: ±45°
* Powerplant: one V-12 air cooled diesel Tatra T2-939-34 engine delivering 345 horsepower (257.27 kW)

Variants

152 mm ShKH Ondava

The ShKH Ondava is a development step started during the late 1980s with a longer 152 mm barrel (47 calibers), new muzzle brake (2 chamber), new loading mechanism etc. Max range is 30 km. The Ondava project ended with the velvet revolution and dissolution of the Czechoslovak state. Technical experience was carried over to the Zuzana project.

152 mm ShKH MODAN vz.77/99

The ShKH MODAN is a Slovak upgrade of DANA with longer range, higher accuracy and rate of fire. The upgrade consists of a new on-board control system that enables higher combat efficiency and reduction of crew from 5 to 4 members.

152 mm ShKH DANA-M1 CZ

The DANA-M1 CZ is a Czech upgrade of the DANA, developed by Excalibur Army from Prague. The upgrade package consists of a new fire control system, new navigation aids and a modified chassis with T3-930 engine.

152 mm ShKH DANA M2

Further modernization by Excalibur Army which features a new more resistant cabin and the NBC filtration system.

155 mm ShKH M2000 Zuzana

The Slovak ShKH Zuzana has been modified with a 155 mm gun (45 calibers) to conform to NATO standards. First adopted by the Slovak Army in 1998, , the Slovak Army possesses 16 such units with plans to adopt more. The M2000G is a version for the Cypriot National Guard with different signals equipment, 76mm smoke grenade launchers and an MG3 7.62mm machine gun instead of the NSVT of 12.7mm. It entered service in 2001.

155 mm ShKH A40 Himalaya

The ShKH Himalaya is an adaptation of the system to a tracked chassis required by export customers. It is essentially a tracked variant of ShKH Zuzana with the same 155 mm turret mounted on a T-72 chassis with S1000 engine.

155 mm ShKH Zuzana 2

Initially known as Zuzana A1 and then Zuzana XA-1, this is the latest development of the Zuzana. It was unveiled for the first time in 2004. This model is fitted with a 155/52 ordnance and has other improvements such as a reworked turret and a different engine: the Tatra T3B-928.70 of 330 kW.

155 mm ShKH DITA

Prototype self-propelled gun-howitzer vehicle is a new modern artillery weapon using a NATO 155 mm standard ammunition. It derives from the original Czechoslovak concept of Tatra truck-mounted howitzers, but it takes the autonomy of operation to the next level. DITA offers an unprecedented rate of fire with only 2 members of the crew required – the driver and the commander. It features a modern Onboard Control System with high speed in taking up and leaving the firing position, great accuracy, and excellent hard terrain crossability. The concept uses a fully autonomous superstructure, so the weapon can mount on a tracked chassis, too. In January 2021, the DITA program has reached a functional prototype readiness milestone with a series of tests and trials scheduled ahead.

155 mm ShKH Morana

At the 2022 Eurosatory military trade fair, CSG presented a new evolution prototype of the DANA family. The Morana self-propelled gun-howitzer is mounted on Tatra 8x8 truck chassis and uses NATO-standard 155/52 gun developed by Excalibur. The howitzer has fully automatic reloading and fully automated gun guidance, thus eliminating the need for the crew to dismount the vehicle to fire. The 4-door fully armored cabin can accommodate up to 4 crew members, with standard complement being 3 and minimum crew of 2 (driver and commander). In addition, a 12.7 mm machine gun is mounted for self-protection.
The Morana gun offers long range up to and the vehicle carries 45 rounds. Fire readiness can be achieved in 40 seconds from stopping in firing position. The howitzer can fire up to six projectiles during the first minute and has multiple-round simultaneous-impact (MRSI) ability. Maximum road speed of the vehicle is up to 90 km.

Combat history

Used By Libya during the Chadian–Libyan conflict against Chad.

Used by Georgia against Russia during the Russo-Georgian War. Two Georgian DANAs were destroyed and two captured in 2008.

Used during the First Libyan Civil War and Second Libyan Civil War.

Used by Poland during the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). Five Polish DANAs had been used in Afghanistan in Ghazni Province since 2008.

Used by Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war against Armenia.

Used by Ukraine during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. An unknown number of 152 mm ShKH DANA M2 and 152 mm ShKH DANA vz. 77 were supplied by the Czech Republic in 2022.

Operators

Current operators

* – unknown quantity of DANA M1
* – 164 vz. 77 (to 1 July 2008) of original 273
* – 120 vz. 77
* – 111 vz. 77
* – 135 vz. 77 and 16 M2000 Zuzana
* – 47 vz. 77 delivered by the Czech Republic from 2004
* – 12 M2000G Zuzana via Greece
* – 26 152 mm ShKH DANA M2 were ordered in 2020. An unknown number of 152 mm ShKH DANA M2 and 152 mm ShKH DANA vz. 77 were supplied by the Czech Republic in 2022.

Former operators

* – 408, passed on to successor states the and .
* – 108

Comparable weapons

*Archer Artillery System
*DRDO Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System ATAGS
* ATMOS 2000
*A-222 Bereg
*2S22 Bohdana
*CAESAR self-propelled howitzer

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