The AS-90 (Braveheart) is a lightly-armoured self-propelled artillery pieceused by the British Army, it was first delivered in 1993.

The AS90 is used by five field regiments of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and Royal Horse Artillery;1 RHA, 3 RHA, 4 RA, 19 RA and 26 RA, replacing the FV433 Abbott 105 mm SPG, the M109 155 mm SPG, or the FH 70 155 mm towed gun. It is built by the Armaments division of Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (VSEL, owned by BAE Systems since 1999), who provided 179 vehicles from 1992-95 at a cost of £300 million.

The AS90 is fitted with a 155 mm gun (39 calibre) which fires the NATO L15 projectile out to a range of 24.7 km (30 km with Extended Range Ammunition). From 2002 the gun was rebarrelled to 52 calibre to push the unassisted range to 30 km and with long-range ERA ammunition to 60 to 80km.^*

The vehicle is fitted with an autonomous navigation and gun laying system (AGLS) and all main turret functions are controlled by a Turret Control Computer (TCC).

Characteristics

• Crew: 5, driver plus 4 gun crew
• Length: 9.07 m
• Width: 3.3 m
• Height: 3.0 m
• Armour: 17 mm (maximum, steel)
• Weight: 45 tons
• Calibre: 155 mm
• Range: 24.7 km (39 cal), 30 km (52 cal) standard charges
• Rate of fire: 3 rounds in 10 seconds (burst), 6 rounds per minute (intense), 2 rounds per minute (sustained)
• Secondary armament: 7.62 mm L7 GPMG
• Ammunition carried: 48 projectiles and charges (31 turret and 17 hull), 1000 MG rounds
• Engine: Cummins VTA930T V8 diesel, 660 bhp
• Max Speed: 53 km/h (Road)
• Range: 420 km (Road)
• Ground clearance: 0.41 m; Gradient: 60°; Vertical obstacle: 0.75 m; Trench crossing: 2.8 m; Fording depth: 1.5 m

Other Variants

AS-90D - Modified for desert use. Thermal protection for crew and extra cooling for engine and machinery. Tracks adapted for reduced wear in sandy conditions

AS-90 "Braveheart" - Basically the AS-90D, but fitted with the 52 calibre length gun. This mod has been cancelled due to design problems.

See also

British self-propelled artillery