The ZIL-135 is a large eight-wheeled military transport and self-propelled artillery truck manufactured by ZiL during the Cold War from the Soviet Union starting in 1959. Its purpose was to carry and launch a Luna-M (NATO: Frog-7) surface-to-surface artillery rocket. The ZIL-135 was widely exported to other communist countries, most notably North Korea, where it is a common sight in films and military marches. It also served as the TEL for the BM-27 Uragan artillery rocket system.
This vehicle has two gasoline engines that power its 20 tonnes to a maximum speed of 65 kph. One engine drives the four wheels on the left of the truck, while the other engine drives the four wheels on the right. The ZIL-135 has eight wheel drive, but only the front and rear axles are used for steering. It has a maximum cruising range of 500 km.
The cab of the ZIL-135 is NBC protected, allowing the rockets to be fired without exposing the crew to possible contaminants.[1][2] The six-man crew can emplace or displace the system in three minutes.
Variants
ZiL
- ZIL-135 (9P113): launcher for 9K52 Luna-M (NATO: Frog-7) missile (1959)
- ZIL-135B: amphibious version of ZIL-135 (1959)
- ZIL-135E: non-amphibious version of ZIL-135B (1960)
- ZIL-135L: improved suspension (1961)
- ZIL-135LM: ZIL-135L with manual transmission (1963); production transferred to BAZ
- ZIL-135K: launcher for S-5 missile (1961), based on the ZIL-135E; production transferred to BAZ in 1962
- ZIL-135E: diesel-electric transmission (1965)
- ZIL-135KM: launcher for P-5 Pyatyorka (NATO: SS-N-3 Shaddock) missile (1962, prototype for BAZ)
- ZIL-135KP: land train (1969)
- ZIL-135LN: chassis-cab based on ZIL-135K
- ZIL-135P: amphibious landing transport (landing barge) (1965)
- ZIL-135SH: prototype zero-turn radius version. It had two ZIL-375Ya V8 engines, one to power a generator to turn the front struts (from an Il-18) and the other drove the rear axle, which was from a ZIL-130.
BAZ
- ZIL-135K: launcher for FCR-2 missile (1961)
- BAZ-135LM: ZIL-135K with manual transmission (1963-1994)
- BAZ-135LMT (BAZ-135L7): tropical weather version of BAZ-135LM (1968)
- BAZ-135LMP: launcher for BM-27 Uragan MLRS (1976)
- BAZ-135LTM: transporter for Luna-M missile (1963)
- BAZ-135L4: civilian version (1968)
- BAZ-E135G: experimental prototype with gas turbine engine
- BAZ-135M1: prototype with a single diesel engine
- BAZ-135MB: launcher for SPU-35V, Tu-143 and Tu-243 (1964)
- BAZ-135MBP: BAZ-135MB with metal cargo platform
- BAZ-135MBK: BAZ-135MB with increased cargo and towing capacity (1991)
- BAZ-135MBL: (1993)
Specifications
- Length: 30.41 ft
- Width: 9.19 ft
- Height: 8.30 ft
- GVW (without missile): 11.57 tons
- Ground clearance: 580 mm
- Pitch angle: 57°
- Engine: 2× ZIL-375YA V-8 6.9 liter gasoline engines
- Horsepower: 180 hp × 2
- Top speed: 40.39 mi/h
- Range: 248.55 mi
- Fuel consumption: 3 mpgus - 1 mpgus
References
- Russell Phillips. Red Steel: Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of the Cold War Shilka, 2013^
- WeaponSystems.net, BM-27 Uragan.^