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The 2K25 ''Krasnopol''Krasnopol-M2
Retrieved 4 July 2018.
is a Soviet 152/ 155 mm
cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
-launched, fin-stabilized,
base bleed Base bleed is a system used on some artillery shells to increase range, typically by about 20–35%. It expels gas into the low pressure area behind the shell to reduce base drag (it does not produce thrust). Since base bleed extends the ran ...
-assisted, semi-automatic
laser-guided Laser guidance directs a robotics system to a target position by means of a laser beam. The laser guidance of a robot is accomplished by projecting a laser light, image processing and communication to improve the accuracy of guidance. The key ide ...
, artillery weapon system. It automatically 'homes' on a point illuminated by a laser designator, typically operated by a drone or ground-based artillery observer. Krasnopol projectiles are fired mainly from Soviet self-propelled howitzers such as the
2S3 Akatsiya The SO-152 (Russian: СО-152) is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled gun developed in 1968, as a response to the American 155 mm M109 howitzer. Development began in 1967, according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Sovie ...
and
2S19 Msta-S The 2S19 Msta-S is a 152.4 mm self-propelled howitzer designed and manufactured by Uraltransmash in the Soviet Union and later in Russia, which entered service in 1989 as the successor to the 2S3 Akatsiya. The vehicle has the running ...
and intended to engage small ground targets such as
tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engin ...
s, other direct fire weapons, strong-points, or other significant point targets visible to the observer. It can be used against both stationary and moving targets (providing these remain within the observer's field of view).


Development

The weapon system was developed in the
Tula Tula may refer to: Geography Antarctica *Tula Mountains *Tula Point India *Tulā, a solar month in the traditional Indian calendar Iran * Tula, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province Italy * Tula, Sardinia, municipality (''comune'') in the pr ...
-based
KBP Instrument Design Bureau JSC ''Konstruktorskoe Buro Priborostroeniya'' (KBP) (russian: АО «Конструкторское бюро приборостроения», AO konstruktórskoje bjuró priborostrojénija Joint-Stock Company - Instrument Design Bureau) is one ...
under the supervision of A.G. Shipunov. Work on the project was initiated in the 1970s. In February 1986 the ''Krasnopol'' system was adopted by the Soviet Army under the designation 30F39, and began mass production in ''Izhmash'' and ''Izhmeh'' factories. Since 2002, it is augmented by the 120- and 122 mm Kitolov-2 laser-guided system. A 155 mm variant of the project was also developed to access the commercial markets, which can be fired from howitzers such as the G6 and M109A6. Besides Russia, the Krasnopol is also manufactured by Chinese defence industry conglomerate
Norinco China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (North Industries Corporation), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese state-owned defense ...
.
On July 28 2022 Russian news agency
TASS The Russian News Agency TASS (russian: Информацио́нное аге́нтство Росси́и ТАСС, translit=Informatsionnoye agentstvo Rossii, or Information agency of Russia), abbreviated TASS (russian: ТАСС, label=none) ...
reported that
Kalashnikov Group JSC Kalashnikov Concern (), known until 2013 as the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant (), is a Russian defense manufacturing concern and joint-stock company headquartered in the city of Izhevsk in the Republic of Udmurtia as well as the capital ci ...
is working on an modernization of Kraznopol with increased range, better at striking small-size target, enhanced warhead and raise the efficiency during clouds and strong wind.


Description

The ''2K25 Krasnopol'' systemFAS Williams, Walter, ''Threat Update: Krasnopol--A Laser-Guided Projectile for Tube Artillery''
Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth
consists of the 30F39 guided shell, a 1D22, 1D20, or 1D15 laser target designator (LTD), and the 1A35 shot synchronization system. The laser designation system has a range of , while the projectile itself has a range of and a target seeker radius of . The two-part projectile is divided into the following sections: target seeker, guidance module, warhead and rear compartment. The seeker and guidance module are stored as a single component in sealed container, as is the rear section with warhead; this allows the oversized projectile to be loaded and transported inside existing ammunition containers in legacy self-propelled howitzers. The two components are joined immediately prior to firing. The system functions as follows. The observer determines the target location (e.g. map coordinates or bearing and distance from their own position), ensures that their laser target designator can 'mark' the target and requests or orders a fire mission against the target using Krasnopol. A gun is then aimed at the target location and a guided shell is fired. The firing unit uses their 1A35K command device to send a signal via a communications link confirming the firing of the projectile to the 1A35I observation post device with the observer. The laser target designator is then used to illuminate the target and the in-flight projectile detects the radiant laser energy reflected by the target and the navigation system steers the shell towards the point of greatest incident energy—the designated target with
top attack Plunging fire is a form of indirect fire, where gunfire is fired at a trajectory to make it fall on its target from above. It is normal at the high trajectories used to attain long range, and can be used deliberately to attack a target not suscep ...
pattern. The iris of the optical seeker head is protected by a cap which is ejected by a mechanical timer upon firing. The guidance module contains an inertial reference system, a power source, various electric motors and controls and four folding wings used to execute command guidance signals. The warhead is a high explosive fragmentation type which can also be used against heavily armored vehicles such as tanks owing to the steep trajectory of the projectile which allows it to defeat the relatively thin roof armor on most vehicles. Behind the warhead is a rear compartment which houses four folding stabilizers. Krasnopol system can also fire a
salvo A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute. As a tactic in warfare, the intent is to cripple an enemy in one blow and prevent them from fighting b ...
from multiple artillery pieces on one target using a single
laser designator A laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target. Laser designators provide targeting for laser-guided bombs, missiles, or precision artillery munitions, such as the Paveway series of bombs, AGM-114 Hellfire, or ...
. After destruction of the initial target, the LTD operator may request or order another target. If these subsequent targets are close together they should be upwind (from the previous target) to reduce smoke and dust interference with the designator. ''Krasnopol'' is capable of hitting targets moving at speeds up to .


Performance problems in India

In December 2006, The Indian Express reported that India’s Russian Krasnopol 155mm laser-guided shells have displayed defective performance during Army test-firing in the Mahajan ranges in Rajasthan in 2004 and 2005. In March 2007, Defence Minister Shri AK Antony confirmed the extent of the problem. In a June 2009 report the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said, "Krasnopol proved to be a complete dud during testing at high altitudes, as it was woefully short on both range and accuracy. 'Such procurement of defective quality ammunition adversely impact the Army's operational preparedness,' " The performance issue of the shell appears to be linked to the unique high altitude environments the Indian army has to conduct operations in. An environment not envisioned when designing the shell. "The problem is that the ammunition works when fired in the plains but goes totally inaccurate when it's being fired from, say, 11,000 feet to a target at 17,000 feet," sources said. The Army is hoping that the Russian team will find a way to correct the defect in the munitions." . The age of some of the stockpile has also been cited as a source of the problem "The Indian army attributed these problems to age related decline in the ammunition and a newer batch was ordered in 2002, "The performance of the first lot of quantity 1000 rounds of projectiles procured in 1999 has deteriorated over the years the recently during test firing by the Army, it was observed that the performance was not up to the mark". The Russian Academy of Sciences established the following findings. "Krasnopol projectile was developed for use at heights of up to 3000m...the highest range in the Nothern Caucauses at a height of 2500m." The Indian army tested the round at 4500m. "Two Krasnopol projectiles fired at the range appeared to be short of the homing head lock on zone due to incorrect firing tables." and the use of NATO charges instead of Russian contributed to the fault, "standard NATO propellant charges used in the FH-77B artillery system at zero and sub zero temperatures have unstable characteristics, particularly the muzzle velocity". "To exclude abnormal operation of the Krasnopol projectile in highland conditions the Instrument Design Bureau has developed and introduced improvements... which provide equal accuracy in the highlands and plains." Listed improvements were: Replace NATO propellent charges with Russian ones that have a temperature range of -50c to +60c. Adjustment of sustainer ignition timing from 7.0s to 0.3s after firing. The projectile was tested in the Jammu and Kashmir ranges at heights up to 4500m and over 1000m height differences between target and fire position. "Targets were directly hit and completely destroyed." "Each target was killed with a single Krasnopol projectile.". Since 2019 India uses the
M982 Excalibur The M982 Excalibur (previously XM982) is a 155 mm extended-range guided artillery shell developed in a collaborative effort between the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering ...
155 mm extended range guided artillery shell developed by the US Army, in addition to the Krasnopol. A 2018 competitive assessment by the Indian Army of various available 155mm precision-guided rounds selected the M982 Excalibur for purchase. It did not include Krasnopol in the comparison. It's believed that the more expensive M982 will eventually replace Krasnopol in the Indian inventory.


Variants

*2K25 Krasnopol The original model of the ''Krasnopol'' was designed to be used with former Soviet-Bloc
artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
systems of , such as D-20,
2S3 Akatsiya The SO-152 (Russian: СО-152) is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled gun developed in 1968, as a response to the American 155 mm M109 howitzer. Development began in 1967, according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Sovie ...
, 2A65 (Msta-B). ''Krasnopol'' carries a
high explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...
fragmentation warhead. The entire missile weighs . However, its length made it incompatible with the autoloader of the 2S19 152mm Self-Propelled Gun. *2K25M Krasnopol-M The ''Krasnopol-M'' was a miniaturized version of the projectile, developed in the mid-1990s by Shipunov's team at the KBP Design Bureau taking advantage of new electronics technology acquired in the design of the 120 mm Kitolov-2 guided projectile (similar in construction and purpose; this is in essence a smaller model of the Krasnopol to be used with the
2S9 NONA S9 may refer to: Transportation * SIAI S.9, a 1918 Italian flying boat * Aircraft registration prefix of São Tomé and Príncipe * USS ''S-9'' (SS-114), a 1920 S-class submarine of the United States Navy * County Route S9 (California) * Ran ...
120 mm mortar and designated 3OF69 and a related projectile for 122 mm howitzers designated
Kitolov-2M Kitolov-2M is a Russian laser-guided mortar and artillery shell with Malakhit automated artillery fire control system able to attack stationary and moving targets with top attack pattern. The 120mm mortar round is called Kitolov-2 and the 122mm ...
3OF69M) was made with a shorter length to enable it to be used with autoloader-equipped self-propelled guns without having to be disassembled into two parts. It also comes in an alternate caliber to allow it to be used with NATO-standard 155 mm howitzers. Besides the reduced total length, the Krasnopol-M also has a different protective cap for the optical seeker. *K155M KM-1M Krasnopol-M2, a further development based on Krasnopol-M, is a 155mm artillery projectile designed to engage armored targets. It uses a semi-active laser (SAL) guidance system in the terminal phase of its trajectory. Krasnopol-М2 GAP (Guided Artillery Projectiles) was developed to be used with artillery systems such as M109A1-6, G5/ G6, FH77,
TRF1 The TRF1 is a 155mm French towed howitzer produced by Nexter (ex Giat Industries) and used by the French Army. The TRF1 was showcased in 1979 at the Eurosatory arms trade show, as a replacement for Armée de Terre's Obusier_de_155_mm_Mod%C3%A8le_ ...
among others. *GP1 and GP6: Chinese versions of Krasnopol.


Users

* * * * * * *


See also

* Ukraine manufactured equivalent *
Kitolov-2M Kitolov-2M is a Russian laser-guided mortar and artillery shell with Malakhit automated artillery fire control system able to attack stationary and moving targets with top attack pattern. The 120mm mortar round is called Kitolov-2 and the 122mm ...
*
KM-8 Gran KM-8 Gran is a Russian 120mm guided mortar weapon system with Malakhit fire control system using semi-active laser guidance to perform a top attack and able to attack moving and stationary targets.M712 Copperhead The M712 Copperhead is a 155 mm caliber cannon-launched guided projectile. It is a fin-stabilized, terminally laser guided, explosive shell intended to engage hard point targets such as tanks, self-propelled howitzers or other high-value targe ...
*
M982 Excalibur The M982 Excalibur (previously XM982) is a 155 mm extended-range guided artillery shell developed in a collaborative effort between the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering ...
*
KBP Instrument Design Bureau JSC ''Konstruktorskoe Buro Priborostroeniya'' (KBP) (russian: АО «Конструкторское бюро приборостроения», AO konstruktórskoje bjuró priborostrojénija Joint-Stock Company - Instrument Design Bureau) is one ...
*
Basir Basir is an Iranian laser-guided, 155 mm high explosive Shell (projectile), artillery shell designed to destroy enemy tanks, vehicles and other moving or non-moving targets with high precision. These shells were unveiled on January 30, 2012, o ...
*
XM395 Precision Guided Mortar Munition The XM395 Precision Guided Mortar Munition (PGMM) is a 120 mm guided mortar round developed by Alliant Techsystems. Design Based on Orbital ATK's Precision Guidance Kit for 155 mm artillery projectiles, XM395 combines GPS guidance and di ...
*
Bofors/Nexter Bonus 155 BONUS (''BOfors NUtating Shell)'' is a 155 mm artillery cluster round, developed in cooperation between Bofors of Sweden and Nexter of France, designed for a long range, indirect fire top attack role against armoured vehicles. Development on B ...
*
Strix mortar round Pansarsprängvinggranat m/94 ''STRIX'' is a Swedish endphase-guided projectile fired from a 120 mm mortar currently manufactured by Saab Bofors Dynamics. STRIX is fired like a conventional mortar round. The round contains an infrared imaging ...


References

{{Reflist


External links

*https://kalashnikov.com/en/product/special/spec/krasnopol.html
Foreign Military Studies Office Publications - Red Thrust Star
152mm artillery shells 155mm artillery shells Guided artillery shells KBP Instrument Design Bureau products Military equipment introduced in the 1980s Weapons of Russia Weapons of the Soviet Union