According to Global Network, the Russian Satellite News Agency in Moscow reported on January 25 that the first batch of the latest "Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance system of Russia's "Vega" Concern (a subsidiary of Rostec Corporation) has been Equip the Russian armed forces. The first batch of the latest AZTK 1B75 "Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance system (also known as "Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance system) is capable of conducting artillery reconnaissance, determining the firing positions of artillery and rocket launchers , as well as the launching positions of enemy anti-aircraft missiles or tactical missiles. This system uses sound and photoelectric sensors for reconnaissance, which will greatly enhance the counter-battery combat capabilities of the Russian artillery force.
"Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance is designed to detect and determine the position of artillery, mortars, multiple rocket launchers , as well as the launch positions of anti-aircraft missiles and tactical missiles, and at the same time correct the firing deviation of its own artillery. The system detects the firing point by recording the acoustic and optical signals of artillery fire. Through triangulation, the accurate coordinates of the enemy position can be obtained and displayed on the electronic map. The system was first demonstrated as a model at the "Army-2018" international military and technology forum, and successfully completed national testing in December 2018.
Previously, the Russian army had a complete artillery reconnaissance and counter-artillery system inherited from the Soviet army. It could use the "Zoo" radar station to detect artillery shell launches and missile launches, as well as sound detection and muzzle flash detection systems. The "Penicillin" system uses the principle of sound detection and muzzle flash detection, optical reconnaissance and acoustic reconnaissance to detect enemy positions. Therefore, it can not be suppressed by electronic warfare , and its position will not be exposed due to the radiation of the radar station, while maintaining a relatively high accuracy.
"Penicillin" can receive the coordinates of an enemy artillery target in an average of 5 seconds, can successfully detect targets up to 25 kilometers wide, and can maintain a safe distance from the enemy in fully automatic mode. The "Penicillin" system can provide shooting services for both single artillery and division-level artillery units. It can be integrated into the tactical Internet and artillery automatic control systems, and its radio communication range can reach 40 kilometers. The automated control system can realize intelligence information sharing, and the received data will immediately enter the reconnaissance, strike and shooting command network, and even be provided to the missile forces of the Russian Army, Aviation, and Air Force. The
"Penicillin" system consists of several sound receivers mounted on the ground, and a mast with photovoltaic modules mounted on a truck chassis. The "Penicillin-OEM" photoelectric module consists of 6 annular thermal imagers and 6 TV cameras. It can detect artillery targets within a radius of 25 kilometers and calculate enemy artillery position information within 5 seconds.
In 2018, the AZTK 1B75 "Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance system successfully passed the national inspection, and after the video was published online, foreign countries also became interested in it. The American "National Interest" magazine stated that the performance of Russia's new weapon system that can destroy heavy artillery is very unique. The AN/TSQ-51 of the American Hughes Company, Sweden and the AR-THUR artillery positioning radar jointly developed by Norway , vulnerable to anti-radar measures. However, Russia's "penicillin" cannot be detected using traditional methods, and its performance exceeds that of currently commonly used artillery reconnaissance systems.
The Russian army believes that the "Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance system can quickly detect targets that need to be destroyed in counter-artillery fire, can calculate the sound and location of artillery launches, and use these data to calculate the accuracy of enemy artillery units or multiple rocket launcher systems. coordinates, which gave Russian artillery the opportunity to strike accurately.
The Russian army’s “Zoo” anti-artillery radar system is a very old weapon that was in service as early as the 1980s during the Soviet period. Although Russia has made improvements to this radar, the performance of the latest "Zoo" radar is still far behind that of its Chinese, American and European counterparts.
uses the principle of combining sound and light intelligence and cannot be suppressed by radio electronic warfare. This is a major advantage. If the "Penicillin" and "Zoo" radar reconnaissance systems are combined, the enemy's artillery fire can be suppressed and completely destroyed within 5 minutes.These systems will be integrated into a new unified tactical control system, and the coordinates of enemy artillery will be instantly transmitted to the artillery system and immediate strikes will be carried out.
However, the Russian army has always only boasted about how powerful its weapons are, and never talked about the potential shortcomings of its own weapons. In fact, this technology of using sound measurement and muzzle flash measurement is very old and has been used on the battlefield long before the invention of radar.
Acoustic positioning refers to a technology that uses instruments to receive sound signals for triangulation positioning and determine the direction, distance and location of the sound source. More than a hundred years ago, acoustic detection instruments were used in air defense operations and were later used by artillery reconnaissance troops. During World War I, the British, French and German armies proposed a device that could passively determine enemy artillery positions. Scientists devised a method to use artillery ears and naked eyes to sense enemy artillery sounds and muzzle flashes, and then continuously mark them on a map for positioning. . Later, there were breakthroughs in acoustic and optical technology, and acoustic meters and flash meters appeared, which put them into practical use.
At present, acoustic detection and muzzle flash measurement technology are no longer mainstream, and advanced artillery such as China and the United States have long since eliminated them and no longer use them.
During World War II, approximately 75% of the U.S. Army's artillery reconnaissance was completed by acoustic meters and muzzle flash measurements. After World War II, with the birth of artillery positioning radar and moving target reconnaissance radar, acoustic and photometric technology was left out because the accuracy could not be improved. After the Vietnam War, the US military had completely eliminated the artillery acoustic and photometric force.
China’s artillery sound and light measurement technology learned from the Soviet Union and has developed multiple models of artillery sound measurement instruments and flash locators. By the 1980s, the Chinese Army's artillery reconnaissance in border operations mainly relied on acoustic detection and muzzle flash positioning. By the mid-1980s, the technical level of domestic acoustic measuring instruments had clearly surpassed that of the Soviet Union.
The detection distance of the domestic sound and light reconnaissance system can reach more than 20 kilometers, the front width of the acoustic whistle is 10 kilometers, and the positioning accuracy can reach 100 meters. It can measure more than 20 gun positions at the same time and can be used for army-level counter-artillery. Combat. Later, our army had a new type of artillery reconnaissance radar, and acoustic detection equipment began to be retired one after another.
After the new century, the reconnaissance methods of Chinese artillery have made significant progress. At present, China's artillery acoustic and optical measurement equipment have been integrated with the reconnaissance radar of artillery forward reconnaissance vehicles. There is no need to equip a complex, expensive and bulky acoustic and optical measurement system, and the same is true for the US military.
Russia’s development of the “Penicillin” artillery reconnaissance system still does not break away from the technical scope of traditional acoustic measurement and muzzle flash measurement. It only improves the information means. Its performance is improved compared to the old acoustic and light measurement system, and it is a relatively perfect technology. Retro. In fact, it is caused by the low technical level of Russia's own artillery reconnaissance radar. The Russian army's intention is to use the "Penicillin" artillery reconnaissance system to make up for the lack of performance of its own artillery positioning radar. This is roughly equivalent to someone developing an abacus that is automatically operated by a robot in the 21st century.
