Al-Fao: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Iraqi self-propelled artillery}} |
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{{refimprove|date=October 2011}} |
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[[File:AL Fao 210mm SP.jpg|thumb|AL Fao 210mm SP]] |
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'''Al-Fao''' is a [[self-propelled artillery]] system designed for the [[Iraqi Army]] by the late [[Canada|Canadian]] [[weapon]]s [[engineer]], [[Gerald Bull]]. It is one of the world's most powerful artillery pieces, with a [[caliber]] of 210 mm and a [[Range of a projectile|range]] of 56,000 metres (35 miles).<ref>[http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=736 "Saddam's Supergun And Verne's Columbiad"] www.technovelgy.com., 12 October 2006<!-- 9/12/2006 -->. Retrieved 29 October 2011</ref> The Al-Fao weighs 48 tons and is claimed to be able to fire four 109 kg (240 lb) rounds a minute, with a top speed of about 72 km/h (44 mph) attainable on the road. Its [[projectile]]s could be filled with [[chemical weapon]]s such as [[sarin]], [[Sulfur mustard|mustard]] or [[phosgene]] gases as well as conventional [[Explosive material#High_explosives|high explosive]]s. |
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'''Al-Fao''' was a project for a [[self-propelled artillery]] system designed for the former [[Iraqi Army]] by the [[Canadians|Canadian]] weapons engineer [[Gerald Bull]]. It would have been one of the world's most powerful artillery pieces, with a 53-caliber, {{convert|210|mm|in|abbr=on}} gun firing 109-kilogram shells over a [[Range of a projectile|range]] of {{convert|57|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The Al-Fao system was to weigh 44 tonnes, and its 550 hp engine was to give it a top speed of {{convert|90|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} on roads, and {{convert|60-70|km/h|mph|abbr=on}} cross-country.<ref>{{harvnb|Altobchi|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2022|pages=46,II}}</ref> The Al-Fao's [[autoloader]] was to provide it with a rate of fire of four rounds a minute.<ref>{{harvnb|Altobchi|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2022|page=47}}</ref> |
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A self-propelled howitzer using the same 155 mm gun as the South African [[G6 howitzer|G6]], similar to the Al-Fao and named '''Majnoon''', was also designed by Gerald Bull on an Iraqi order.<ref>{{harvnb|Altobchi|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2022|page=46}}</ref> |
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The weapon is named after the [[Al-Faw peninsula]] in southern [[Iraq]], which was the scene of heavy fighting during the [[Iran–Iraq War]] in the 1980s. (The difference in spelling is due to differing [[transliteration]]s of the Arabic name.) |
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The design of the Majnoon and Al-Fao started around 1988. That year, South Africa had tried to sell the [[G6 howitzer]] to Iraq, but the Iraqis found it too expensive, and requested that Bull design two equivalents for them.<ref>{{harvnb|Altobchi|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2022|page=II}}</ref> Prototypes of each model had to be ready by May 1989, in time for the Baghdad International Arms Fair. Numerous French, German and Spanish companies were contracted to manufacture parts for the guns, while the design for the chassis was bought in Czechoslovakia and modified to South African specifications. The deadline was met, and the prototypes of both Majnoon and Al-Fao were presented at the Arms Fair, although these were far from complete. However, by early 1990, the Iraqis had imported all the know-how, equipment and machinery necessary to produce them, as well as ammunition. Subsequent events prevented the realisation of the Majnoon and Al-Fao projects.<ref>{{harvnb|Altobchi|Cooper|Fontanellaz|2022|pages=46-47}}</ref> |
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The [[gun]] was designed and built in [[Europe]] and was first displayed publicly in [[Baghdad]] in 1989. It does not appear to have entered into Iraqi service, however and none were captured during the 1991 [[Gulf War]]; the programme was probably cancelled thereafter. It was similar in design to the [[South Africa]]n [[G6 howitzer]], with which Bull was also involved as a designer, and appears to have been directly inspired by that system. Interestingly the Al-Fao, sometimes referred to as G7, was a wheeled mount. While G6 is already a big and heavy [[Self-propelled gun|SP]], Al-Fao is even bigger. To handle the [[howitzer]]'s recoil, the wheeled platform was not robust enough, so a very large [[muzzle brake]] had to be fitted. The Al-Fao was one of two similar self-propelled howitzers developed by Bull for the Iraqis, the other being the [[Al-Majnoon]] 155 mm howitzer (sometimes transliterated as ''Al-Majnoonan'' and based directly on the [[G5 howitzer]], thus essentially a parallel development to the G6). |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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== References == |
== References == |
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===Notes=== |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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== |
===Bibliography=== |
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* {{cite book |last1=Altobchi |first1=Ali |last2=Cooper |first2=Tom |last3=Fontanellaz |first3=Adrien |title=Al-Hussein: Iraqi indigenous conventional arms projects, 1980-2003 |date=2022 |publisher=Helion & Company Publishing |location=Warwick, UK |isbn=978-1-914377-18-1}} |
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* [http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=736 Saddam's Supergun and Verne's Columbiad: Science Fiction in the News] |
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[[Category:210 mm artillery]] |
[[Category:210 mm artillery]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:155 mm artillery]] |
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[[Category:Wheeled self-propelled howitzers]] |
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[[Category:Artillery of Iraq]] |
[[Category:Artillery of Iraq]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:Six-wheeled vehicles]] |
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Latest revision as of 03:05, 28 June 2023
Al-Fao was a project for a self-propelled artillery system designed for the former Iraqi Army by the Canadian weapons engineer Gerald Bull. It would have been one of the world's most powerful artillery pieces, with a 53-caliber, 210 mm (8.3 in) gun firing 109-kilogram shells over a range of 57 km (35 mi). The Al-Fao system was to weigh 44 tonnes, and its 550 hp engine was to give it a top speed of 90 km/h (56 mph) on roads, and 60–70 km/h (37–43 mph) cross-country.[1] The Al-Fao's autoloader was to provide it with a rate of fire of four rounds a minute.[2]
A self-propelled howitzer using the same 155 mm gun as the South African G6, similar to the Al-Fao and named Majnoon, was also designed by Gerald Bull on an Iraqi order.[3]
The design of the Majnoon and Al-Fao started around 1988. That year, South Africa had tried to sell the G6 howitzer to Iraq, but the Iraqis found it too expensive, and requested that Bull design two equivalents for them.[4] Prototypes of each model had to be ready by May 1989, in time for the Baghdad International Arms Fair. Numerous French, German and Spanish companies were contracted to manufacture parts for the guns, while the design for the chassis was bought in Czechoslovakia and modified to South African specifications. The deadline was met, and the prototypes of both Majnoon and Al-Fao were presented at the Arms Fair, although these were far from complete. However, by early 1990, the Iraqis had imported all the know-how, equipment and machinery necessary to produce them, as well as ammunition. Subsequent events prevented the realisation of the Majnoon and Al-Fao projects.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Altobchi, Cooper & Fontanellaz 2022, pp. 46, II
- ^ Altobchi, Cooper & Fontanellaz 2022, p. 47
- ^ Altobchi, Cooper & Fontanellaz 2022, p. 46
- ^ Altobchi, Cooper & Fontanellaz 2022, p. II
- ^ Altobchi, Cooper & Fontanellaz 2022, pp. 46–47
Bibliography
[edit]- Altobchi, Ali; Cooper, Tom; Fontanellaz, Adrien (2022). Al-Hussein: Iraqi indigenous conventional arms projects, 1980-2003. Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing. ISBN 978-1-914377-18-1.