UAZ 469 (M71)

_YugoSlav · July 20, 2023, 5:45am

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UAZ 469 (M71)

History

The effective surprise strikes of Israeli aviation, which destroyed most of the opposing planes on the ground in June 1967, left a strong impression on the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA). One of the conclusions from the analysis of that war was that air defense must be strengthened and aviation at the airport better protected from the first strike at the beginning of the war. The armed intervention of the Warsaw Pact in Czechoslovakia in August 1968 imposed another serious issue of airfield defense. The list of measures that needed to be taken was long - from the procurement of air defense missile systems to the improvement of the protection of aviation base locations and infrastructure. One of the relatively cheap solutions was to design towed anti-aircraft weapons from surplus guns used on aircraft withdrawn from service.

The guns selected were the 12.7mm AN/M3 aircraft machine guns, previously installed on F-84G Thunderjet and F-86E Sabre jet aircraft with almost two times the fire rate of the Browning M2. The development of the AA weapon was assigned to VTI in 1967, while its production was entrusted to Technical Overhaul Institute Hadžići. One of the most critical components was the trailer, which enabled the weapon to be easily and quickly transferred from the traveling to the firing position. In 1972, the towed AA weapon was introduced into the armament under the official designation anti-aircraft machine gun 12.7mm M3 four-barreled (PAM 12.7/4) or M71. Despite the introduction of new Zastava M55 triple-barreled AA guns, Strela-2M and Strela-1M missile systems, and extremely effective 40 mm Bofors N/70 guns in the late seventies, M71s were not phased out of service.

At the beginning of the Yugoslav war in 1991, there were about 380 pieces of M71s in the JNA inventory. During the war, their role changed and dozens of four-barreled M3 machine guns were used as anti-infantry weapons. They were often mounted on vehicles to increase their effectiveness, most commonly on the TAM 110 T7 4x4 military truck. The most sophisticated conversion was carried out by the Serbian 1st Bijeljina Light Infantry Brigade, unofficially known as “Panthers” which coupled the M71 and an armored chassis of the UAZ 469 utility vehicle. The technical was most likely scrapped at the end of the war.

Specifications

Essentials
- Length; > 4025 mm
- Width; > 1785 mm
- Height; > 2081 mm
- Ground Clearance; 300 mm
- Track; 1453 mm
- Wheelbase; 2380 mm
- Mass; > 2290 kg
- Crew; 3
- Four-wheel drive (4x4)
Protection
- Armor; 8-10 mm
- APS; N/A
- ERA; N/A
- Smoke; N/A
Mobility
- Engine; UMZ-451MI, 2.45-liter petrol petrol engine, 75 Hp @ 4000 rpm
- Power/weight; < 32,8 hp/t,
- Transmission; 4 gears
- Top speed; < 100 kph
- Amphibious; No
- Gradient; 70%
- Side slope; 30%
- Vertical obstacle; 0.5 m
- Trench; 0.5 m
- Fording depths; 0.5 m
Firepower
- Main;
  - M71 4x 12.7 mm AN/M3 machine gun
    - Stabilizer; No
    - Elevation; -5° / +85°
    - Traverse; 360°
    - Zoom; N/A
    - Fire rate (one gun): 1,150-1,250 shots/min
    - Muzzle velocity: 829-1048 m/s
    - Belt capacity; 100 rounds
    - Ammo in storage; unknown
    - Maximum firing range (vertical): 1,500 m
    - Maximum firing range (horizontal): 6,620 m
    - Weight; 785 kg
    - Dimensions; 3,400×2,470×3,050 mm
    - Penetration at 10 m: 31 mm
    - Ammunition types: M20, M8, M1, M2