Peru: AMX-13 light tanks converted into 122mm self-propelled howitzers

March 2018 Global Defense Security army news industry
Posted On

According to the Brazilian website www.forte.jor.br, the Peruvian army plans to convert from 30 to 40 old French-made AMX-13 105mm light tanks into self-propelled 122 mm howitzers, called AMX-D30 Vulcano.

Peru AMX 13 light tanks converted into 122mm self propelled howitzers
AMX-D30 Vulcano, a conversion of AMX-13 105mm light tanks into 122mm self-propelled howitzers (Picture source: Diseños Casanave Corporation S.A.C)

The agreement on the implementation of the relevant work for the Peruvian army was signed on March 8, 2018 by the Peruvian military industrial association Diseños Casanave Corporation S.A.C. (DICSAC), belonging to the Ministry of Defense of Peru, the arms company FAME S.A.C. and the Central Arsenal of the Peruvian Army.

It is reported that the conversion will be carried out by mounting Soviet-era D-30 122mm howitzers on old French-made AMX-13 chassis. The towed D-30 howitzers are already in the Peruvian army storage. The howitzers will be mounted in an open circular rotation unit with a standard shield. In addition, in the self-propelled pilot installation, TVN-5 night vision devices will be installed and ACS will be equipped with modern VHF P-030U (another Ukrainian production).

DICSAC is the developer of the AMX-D30 Vulcano project and will be the prime contractor for the conversion. Previously, DICSAC had already been involved in the conversion of part of the AMX-13/105 tanks of the Peruvian army into the upgraded versions of the Escorpion with the installation of additional ATGM units (in the version AMX-13RA5 Escorpion 1 - c ATGM 9M14-2T "Malyutka", version AMX-13RA8 Escorpion 2 - with the installation of the DANTE fire control system and Ukrainian P-2 "Barrier" ATGMs). More than 30 tanks were modernized, and 30 old AMX-13 tanks armed with a 75-mm cannon were converted into Alacran self-propelled antitank missile systems in three options with Russian ATGM "Cornet-E." It is reported that the Peruvian army kept about 40 unmodernized tanks AMX-13/105 in storage; these are supposed to be converted into SAU Vulcano SPHs.

It's not the first time, that the Soviet/Russian D-30 122 mm howitzers are used to create new mobile tracked or wheeled self-propelled howitzers.

China developed the SH-2, a D-30 122mm howitzer mounted at the rear of a 6 × 6 cross country light truck chassis. The 122 mm howitzer retained the distinctive multi-baffle muzzle brake and recoil-recuperator mechanism mounted above the gun barrel on the original D-30/Type 86.

The Serbian Defense Company YugoImport developed the SOKO SP RR 122 mm (Self-Propelled Rapid Response), a truck-mounted gun-howitzer based on integration of 122 mm D-30 J howitzer with 6x6 truck chassis.