- Yes
- No
History:
The ZSU-23-4 or Shilka is a soviet made air defence system that entered service in 1960. It’s main role would be to provide anti aircraft cover against low flying aircraft.
The design was quite successful, seeing continued service for the remainder of the USSRs existence, would see extensive export both within and outside the Warsaw Pact and receive several upgrades as it’s service life extended, keeping it’s relevancy despite the 2K22 Tunguska entering service.
As the soviet union dissolved, the successor states would receive armoured vehicles that were in service. The Shilka was no exception to this. Ukraine would receive approximately 150 units and would enter Ukrainian service.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, Ukraine would sell a large amount of equipment and would continue to do so for a while. The Shilka was oddly one of the vehicle family’s that had no sale. Ukraine would attempt to remedy this by developing a modernised version.
At an unknown time, a test vehicle was made and presumably driven around somewhere close to the Malyshev Plant.
In 1990, a singular prototype of the ZSU-23-4M Donets would be made. It was a radical departure from the base variant as it differed by:
- Using the hull of a T-80UD instead of the GM-575, resulting in an additional 14 tons of weight and 15km/h higher road speed.
- 4 Strela-10 sam containers were put on the sides of the turret which in turn was a modified ZSU-23-4 turret.
- Ammo capacity had increased to 4000 rounds.
This vehicle was designed to act as a intermediary between the ZSU-23-4 and 2K22 and also to capitalise on the successful T-80UD sales to Pakistan.
Despite the modernisation, there were no orders and the Donets ceased production. What happened to it is unknown. A short study by Vladimir Il’in published in the Russian journal Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye 1999, No.10 was made though not much else is known from documentation made around the prototypes time
The ZSU-23-4 would continue serving in the Ukrainian armed forces. Ukraine would later make a domestic modernisation known as the ZSU-23-4M-A1 Rokach after deciding against obtaining the Biała modernisation from Poland.
Specifications:
Weight- 35t
Max speed- 65km/h
Crew- 4
Armament- 4x 23mm 2A7 autocannons (4,000 rounds) and 4x 9M333 surface to air missiles.
Maximum armour: 50mm
Height- Around 3.5m
Length- 7.08m
Width- 3.56m
Sources:
Tekhnika i Vooruzheniye 1999, No.10