Russo-Ukrainian War: D-30 (2A18) 122mm Howitzer

Source: Reuters

     A gunner of the National Police of Ukraine with his D-30 122mm howitzer somewhere in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, January 12, 2025. Designated the 2A18 but far better known as the D-30, the howitzer first accepted for Soviet Army service in 1960 and even today, remains a mainstay in artillery units of over 60 nations. While Russia no longer produces the D-30, it is currently license-built in Egypt, Iraq, and Sudan. In 2020, the Russian Army had 4,570 D-30 howitzers in service compared to only 129 examples in the Ukrainian Army. As of January 13, 2025, Russia has lost 114 D-30 howitzers while Ukraine has lost 16.

     The D-30 replaced the World War II era M-30 122mm howitzer with the D-30 reaching artillery units within Soviet Army divisions and regiments starting in 1963. The D-30 is distinctive in that it uses a tripod carriage which, when deployed, permits 360 degrees of traverse for the howitzer. This also provides a low profile, making the D-30 less conspicuous. Usually, the D-30 is deployed on even ground and once a position is selected, a hydraulic jack underneath the carriage center is lowered to the ground which lifts the howitzer. Once this is complete, the wheels are raised (in the photograph here, they have been removed to reduce the size of the D-30) and the movable two stabilizer legs are deployed and secured. The jack is then lowered so that the stabilizer legs touch the ground. The mount for the howitzer permits 70 degrees of elevation and 7 degrees of depression. It should be mentioned that if the barrel is pointed directly over one of the stabilizer legs, gun elevation is limited to 22 degrees. This is to prevent the D-30 from being displaced due to imbalance. In action, the D-30 weighs a little over 3 tons. When in traveling position, the D-30 is towed by its barrel, the tow ring underneath the muzzle brake. Maximum tow speed on roads is no more than 50 miles per hour. Usually, the D-30 is towed by a 6x6 truck though any vehicle capable of towing at least 3 tons can handle the D-30.

     The D-30 uses a semi-automatic, vertical sliding-wedge breech. By semi-automatic, it means when the howitzer is fired, the empty cartridge case is automatically ejected from the breech which then remains open, allowing a new projectile to be loaded. This permits a skilled crew (usually 6 to 8 men) to fire between 10 to 12 rounds every minute though a more sustainable rate is 5 to 6 rounds per minute. Recoil is reduced by way of a multi-baffled muzzle brake and a hydro-pneumatic recoil system mounted above the barrel. The muzzle brake accounts for half of the recoil reduction though the overpressure caused by firing the D-30 is about twice that of comparable caliber guns. As such, it is a danger to unprotected crew and often, gunners use very long lanyards to enable them to fire the D-30 from a distance to reduce the effects of the overpressure wave.

     The D-30 can fire a wide array of ammunition. The two most common projectiles are the 3OF56 HE-Frag (High-Explosive Fragmentation) and BK-6M HEAT-FS (High-Explosive Anti-Tank Fin Stabilized) munition. The 3OF56 has a nearly 9 pound payload of A-IX-2 explosive and can use a number of fuzes, to include the common RGM-2. The maximum range is 9.6 miles. If using a RAP (Rocket Assisted Projectile), such as the TF ER BB XM09 (made by Yugoimport), that range increases to 13.4 miles. As the D-30 was designed for direct engagement (another reason for the low profile), the BK-6M round (with 3.5 pound A-X-1 explosive filler) can, with a full charge, reliably penetrate 400mm of armor at a little under 1,000 meters (.6 of a mile). For indirect fire, a PG-1M panoramic telescope is most often used (supplemented with a K-1 collimator) and for direct fire, a OP4M-45 telescopic sight.

Russo-Ukrainian War: Abandoned Russian D-30 in Kherson Oblast

     It should be noted that Ukraine is not being invaded by one country, Russia, but also Belarus and Chechnya. The latter is a de facto independent state but is within the Russian republic while Belarus is an independent country. Both of these countries have supplied troops to the invasion and in the case of Belarus, allowed Russian troop movements through their territory.

     The city of Kherson, located in south Ukraine, is being reported as surrendering to Russian forces as of March 2. The city's mayor, Igor Kolykhaev, stated that Russian soldiers are within the city and that there are no Ukrainian military forces within the city limits. However, other reports state there are still skirmishes occurring outside the city proper. If Kherson is, indeed, under Russian occupation, it gives the Russians a vital port on the Black Sea and secures a base of operations to launch attacks against Odessa. The Kherson Oblast (region) continues to see combat with several battles having been fought and still ongoing within the area. Cities lost to Russian forces include Melitopol and Berdiansk while the cities of Mykolaiv and Zaporozhzhia are still being contested.

     The photograph here shows a part of a Russian column destroyed somewhere within the Kherson Oblast. The gun being towed is a D-30 122mm howitzer. This is a weapon nearly 60 years old, having entered service in 1963. Although no longer built in Russia, the Russian military still has some 4,750 D-30 howitzers in service. It is still built in other countries and over 60 nations (including Ukraine with a reported 129 examples) have the D-30 in their military arsenals. This is a testament to its design and robustness. When deployed in action, the D-30 unfurls three stabilizers with the gun in the center, fitted atop a turntable that allows 360 degree rotation. The hydro-pneumatic recoil system sits on top of the gun barrel which allows for a low profile of the D-30. The gun has a maximum elevation of 70 degrees and a maximum depression of 7 degrees. The D-30 uses a semi-automatic, vertical sliding-wedge breech. The howitzer has a crew of seven and a trained team can run 10 to 12 rounds through the gun per minute though in practice, it is usually half that rate of fire. In part, this is because the muzzle brake is so large (in order to absorb half the recoil forces) that is creates a massive over-pressure around the gun. This means the crew typically uses a long lanyard to fire the gun and stands well away from it, reducing load times. The low profile also means the D-30 can be used for direct fire and comes with a telescope sight for anti-tank duties. The typical range of the D-30 using standard high-explosive rounds is 9.6 miles but with rocket-assisted shells, it can attain a range of 13.6 miles.

     The truck the howitzer is being towed by appears to be either a ZiL-131 or a Ural 4320. The white “Z” on the rear gate has been the subject of a number of online articles. Some state the “Z” means the unit is part of the thrust into Ukraine from the east. A “Z” with a white square around it indicates forces coming up from Crimea (from the south) into Ukraine while a “O” means units from the north that pushed into Ukraine from Belarus. Chechen units are believed to use a white “X”, special forces a white “A”, and Russian Marines a white “V”. Some other sources state these may simply be general identification marks to avoid friendly fire incidents without any specific allocation to where units are going within Ukraine.

Originally posted on March 2, 2022.