Poland OOB

[Pibwl]

ZU-23-2 AA guns

An issue of ZU-23-3 gun mutations is vague, because Polish Army doesn't bother to inform citizens which versions and with what sights they use, but for Wikipedia purpose I researched the subject from several articles in military press about sights development for these guns.

088 ZU-23-2 AA-Gun (basic Soviet variant FC=5) - Poland didn't buy a license to manufacture ZAP-23 opto-mechanical vector sights, only basic optical sights, so it might have had worse FC, than Soviet version (now all have 5). On the other hand, maybe ZU-23-2 guns with ZAP-23 sights should have better FC, than weak 5? (worse than WWII 37mm gun or 40mm Bofors, which have 10)..
Here's Bulgarian manufacturer's description: https://arconpartners.net/anti-aircr...-sight-zap-23/

I don't know however (and maybe nobody knows) how rich were versions sold to numerous African or Asian countries - while we can assume, that Warsaw Pact (except for Poland) had standard ZAP-23 sights, which is mentioned in Russian publications as standard equipment. Poland wanted to develop own sights instead - what took 20 years...


79 ZUR-23-2S Jod (Polish ZU-23 combined with Strela missiles and new sights GP-1R of 1988, FC=15) - vision should be 0 (15), just like basic ZU-23 (no night sights at all).

619 ZU-23-2E (improved AA gun with new CKE-1 sights of 2002, FC=20) - name should be ZU-23-2K in fact (E was a proposal with central battery fire control, while K have new individual collimator sights).
Now it has vision 40, while it should have 0 from the start, and 30 only from 2004 (CKE-1N sights with passive night vision). Vision 40 was obtained only in 2016 (CKE-1T sights with TI). These versions might be added.

Icon should be 1979 (ordinary ZU-23, without missiles)

BTW: thanks to CKE sights and new Polish APDS ammo, efficient range grew to 5500 m, but I don't know if it matters.


95 ZUR23-2KG Jodek (Polish ZU-23 with Grom missiles of 2002) - FC should be 20 (now 15), like unit 619 of the same year with the same family sights CKE-2 (it can engage targets flying 500 m/s, comparing to 300 m/s in case of ZAP-23).
Vision should be 0, and 30 only from 2004 (CKE-2N sights, as above)

169 ZUR23-2KG Jodek - it might represent version with more advanced CP-1 sights with laser RF, but it has no TI, only passive night channel (now: vision 40).
It was introduced in 2007 (or more safely: 2008) (now: 106).

I would suggest to improve FC to 25 (now 20) - CP-1 programmable sights are told to be big improvement, able to fight guided bombs and drones.