NGANASAN:
spravne
In the photo there is a Finnish Patria 155GH52-SP-155 self-propelled gun prototype in trials in Finland, in summer 2001 or 2002. The chassis is from the Soviet T-55 tank while the cannon is the Patria 155GH52 (155 millimetre gun-howitzer, L/52 barrel) or 155 K 98 in FDF naming system. The cannon was installed in a 360-degree-traverse mount shielded with lightly armoured superstructure, which replaces the original turret.
The system was developed as a part of the export sales to Egypt, which bought the licence for local manufacturing of the 155GH52 as well as full technology transfer of the expertise and necessary machinery, a few prototype units, and in the contract Patria was obligated also to develop a prototype of a SPG using the T-55 chassis (which Egypt had plenty of) and the 155GH52. According to the contract, the SPG was to share as much commonality with the towed 155GH52 as possible - which made a proper turret assembly used in modern SPH's impossible, as it would have required modifications of the elevation mechanism.
The SPG had a maximum firing rate of 8 rounds per minute (10 rounds with an exceptionally fast crew), the traverse is 360 degrees, elevation -6 to 66 degrees, and in test firings at FDF Katajaluoto test range it reached a maximum range of slightly over 43 kilometres (around 27 miles) with good dispersion. It carries 45 shells and 49 sets of charge bags in an armoured compartment. When set up to fire, the top cover is to be opened so that the gun can operate properly (with the sides of the superstructure still providing ballistic protection to the crew from small arms fire and shell splinters), and the hydraulic spade at the rear has to be dug to the ground to stabilise the chassis. If fired outside of the frontal 30 degree arc, for that also a pair of hydraulically lowered frontal support legs were added to the prototype later on.
An Egyptian steel workshop Abu Zaabal Co. manufactured the 155GH52 for Egypt (with at least the first batch having been assembled from parts of partially Finnish origin), but the SPG was never procured, despite the Egyptian military having been satisfied with the prototype.