TS024 FRENCH AUF1 TA 155 MM SELF-PROPELLED HOWITZER FRENCH

The GCT 155 mm is a French tracked self-propelled howitzer, which was produced by the Nexter concern. The first prototypes were built in the mid-79s of the twentieth century, and serial production continued in the years 1977-1995, ending with the production of about 400 vehicles. The 155 mm GCT is powered by a 12-cylinder Hispano-Suiza HS-110 engine with 720 HP. Its main armament is the 155 mm GCT F1 cannon-howitzer, and its auxiliary armament is a single 7.5 mm machine gun. The GCT 155 mm was created in response to the demand of the French army formulated in the early 1970s for a completely new self-propelled howitzer, providing better protection for the crew and greater mobility. When designing the 155mm GCT, a slightly redesigned chassis of the AMX-30 tank was used, which shortened the development work. In the basic version (AUF1), the range of a shot with an ordinary missile reaches 23-25 km, and when firing a missile-assisted missile - up to about 30 km, at the expense of the accuracy of the shot. In the course of serial production, however, a modified (AUF2) was also created with a higher rate of fire, better fire control system and greater range - up to 42 km! The 155 mm GCT was used in combat, probably during the Iraqi-Iranian war in 1980-1988, and certainly in the Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991. At present (2017), the GCT 155 mm is used by the armed forces of France, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.