Iraqi 152mm HE Projectile

Overview

The Iraqi 152mm High-Explosive (HE) Projectile represents artillery ammunition produced or stockpiled by Iraq, primarily based on Soviet designs acquired during the Cold War era. These projectiles were manufactured for use in Soviet-supplied 152mm gun-howitzer systems that formed the backbone of Iraqi heavy artillery during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) and subsequent conflicts. Iraqi production facilities, particularly the Al-Qa’qaa and Nassr State Establishments, manufactured local variants while also maintaining stocks of original Soviet ammunition. These projectiles remain a significant unexploded ordnance (UXO) concern in Iraq and Kuwait.

Country/Bloc of Origin

  • Primary Origin: Iraq (domestic production based on Soviet designs)
  • Design Basis: Soviet Union/Eastern Bloc
  • Development Period: 1970s-1990s
  • Production Context: Iraq acquired 152mm artillery systems from the Soviet Union beginning in the 1960s and subsequently developed domestic manufacturing capabilities. Local production was established at state-owned facilities including Al-Qa’qaa State Establishment and Nassr State Establishment for Mechanical Industries
  • International Context: Iraqi variants were based on Soviet OF-540 and related designs, with some modifications for local manufacturing capabilities and available materials

Ordnance Class

  • Type: Artillery projectile
  • Primary Role: High-explosive, general-purpose bombardment
  • Delivery Method: Gun-launched from 152mm gun-howitzers
  • Category: Conventional ammunition
  • Fire Support Role: Division and corps-level artillery fire support, counter-battery fire, area suppression, and fortification destruction

Ordnance Family/Nomenclature

  • Iraqi Designations: Various, often based on Soviet nomenclature with Arabic script markings
  • Associated Soviet Designations: OF-540, OF-25 (earlier variant)
  • Caliber: 152.4mm (6 inches)
  • Common Names: 152mm Iraqi HE, 152mm fragmentation projectile
  • Related Variants:
    • Standard HE (fragmentation)
    • Extended-range variants (when available)
    • Illumination rounds
    • Smoke rounds
  • Compatible Systems:
    • 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer
    • D-20 gun-howitzer
    • ML-20 gun-howitzer
    • 2S5 Giatsint self-propelled gun (limited)

Hazards

Primary Hazards:

  • Blast: Significant overpressure wave capable of causing fatal injuries at close range and structural damage
  • Fragmentation: Steel body produces lethal high-velocity fragments upon detonation; lethal radius approximately 30-40 meters, fragment danger radius extends to 200+ meters
  • Unexploded Ordnance Risk: Dud rates in combat conditions and aging stockpiles create significant UXO hazards

Sensitivity Factors:

  • Impact Sensitivity: Point-detonating fuzes are sensitive to hard contact
  • Degradation: Aging fuzes may become unpredictable; corrosion can affect fuze mechanisms and explosive stability
  • Environmental Factors: Extreme heat exposure (common in Iraq) can affect explosive stability and fuze reliability

Special Hazards:

  • Fuze Condition: Iraqi ammunition manufacturing quality varied; fuze reliability may be inconsistent
  • Booster Sensitivity: Booster explosive charges can be sensitive to shock
  • Propellant Degradation: Separate-loading propellant charges may become unstable with age
  • Unknown Modifications: Some Iraqi ammunition was modified or locally manufactured with unknown quality control

UXO Considerations:

  • High failure rates observed in some Iraqi ammunition lots
  • Partial detonations may leave exposed explosives
  • Desert burial and re-exposure cycles complicate detection
  • Fuze arming mechanisms may be in unpredictable states

Key Identification Features

Dimensions:

  • Length (projectile body): Approximately 550-650mm (21.7-25.6 inches) depending on variant
  • Diameter: 152.4mm (6 inches)
  • Weight: Approximately 43-46 kg (95-101 lbs)

Physical Characteristics:

  • Shape: Ogival (curved) nose with cylindrical body and boat-tail base
  • Body Material: Steel
  • Rotating Band: Copper or copper alloy, single or double band near base
  • Base: Boat-tailed for improved ballistics, may have base plug or tracer cavity

Color Schemes and Markings:

  • Body Color: Typically olive drab, khaki, or desert tan
  • Markings: Arabic script indicating lot number, date of manufacture, and filling type
  • Iraqi State Establishment Markings: May include manufacturer codes
  • Color Bands: May feature colored bands indicating projectile type (HE typically unmarked or with specific coding)

Distinctive Features:

  • Arabic/English mixed markings common
  • Varying quality of finish depending on production facility
  • Soviet-style design elements with potential local modifications
  • Fuze well at nose designed for PD (point-detonating) fuzes

Fuzing Mechanisms

Common Fuze Types:

  • RGM-2: Soviet point-detonating fuze with super-quick and delay settings
  • V-90: Variable time fuze
  • Iraqi-Manufactured Variants: Local copies of Soviet designs

Fuze Characteristics:

  • Arming Method: Setback and spin-arming during firing
  • Functioning Modes:
    • Super-quick (instantaneous) for surface detonation
    • Delay (0.05-0.15 seconds) for penetration before detonation
  • Safety Features: Bore-safe design requires minimum spin rate and setback acceleration for arming
  • Booster: Typically tetryl or RDX-based booster charge

Arming Sequence:

  1. Propellant ignition creates setback force, releasing first safety
  2. Projectile enters barrel, begins rotation
  3. Centrifugal force from spin releases rotor safety
  4. Fuze arms after leaving muzzle at safe distance
  5. Upon impact, firing pin strikes detonator

UXO Fuze Concerns:

  • Partially armed fuzes may be extremely sensitive
  • Corroded safety mechanisms may fail unpredictably
  • Impact damage may leave fuze in dangerous intermediate state

History of Development and Use

Development Background: Iraq’s 152mm artillery ammunition capability developed alongside its acquisition of Soviet heavy artillery systems beginning in the 1960s. As Iraq expanded its military under Ba’athist rule, significant investment was made in domestic ammunition production to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.

Production History:

  • 1970s: Initial domestic manufacturing capabilities established
  • 1980-1988: Massive production increase during Iran-Iraq War
  • 1990s: Continued production despite international sanctions; quality control reportedly declined

Combat Employment:

  • Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988): Extensive use in artillery duels, offensive operations, and defensive positions. 152mm artillery was a primary Iraqi fire support asset
  • Gulf War (1990-1991): Iraqi artillery positions engaged by Coalition forces; large quantities captured or destroyed
  • Post-2003: Stockpiles looted; ammunition appeared in insurgent attacks and improvised explosive devices

Current Status:

  • Original Iraqi production ceased after 2003
  • Large quantities remain as UXO throughout Iraq and Kuwait
  • Stockpile ammunition of varying age and condition exists
  • Demining and UXO clearance operations ongoing

Impact on Doctrine: Iraqi reliance on Soviet-caliber artillery created logistical standardization with Eastern Bloc allies during the Cold War. The extensive use of 152mm systems in the Iran-Iraq War demonstrated both the effectiveness and ammunition consumption rates of sustained artillery operations.

Technical Specifications

SpecificationValue
Caliber152.4mm
Projectile Weight43-46 kg (approximately)
Explosive FillTNT or TNT/RDX mixture
Explosive Weight5.5-6.5 kg (approximately)
Muzzle Velocity655-700 m/s (dependent on charge and system)
Maximum Range17,000-24,000 m (dependent on system)
Lethal Radius~30-40 m
Fragment Danger Radius200+ m
Operating Temperature-40°C to +50°C (design specification)
Fuze TypePoint-detonating with optional delay
PropellantSeparate loading, bagged charges

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How can Iraqi 152mm projectiles be distinguished from original Soviet ammunition? A: Iraqi-produced projectiles typically feature Arabic script markings, often mixed with English characters, and may display Iraqi state establishment codes. The quality of manufacture, including surface finish and marking consistency, may differ from Soviet production standards. However, many physical dimensions and design features are identical since Iraqi production was based on Soviet specifications.

Q: Why did Iraq use the 152mm caliber rather than the Western 155mm standard? A: Iraq’s artillery standardization on 152mm reflected its primary arms supplier relationship with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The USSR supplied complete artillery systems including the D-20 gun-howitzer and 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, requiring ammunition in the Soviet 152mm caliber. This created long-term logistical dependencies and drove domestic production in this caliber.

Q: What makes Iraqi 152mm UXO particularly hazardous? A: Several factors increase hazards: variable quality control in Iraqi manufacturing, prolonged environmental exposure in desert conditions, unknown storage history during sanctions periods, potential for partial arming during combat, and the sheer quantity fired during multiple conflicts. Additionally, some fuze components may have been manufactured with materials of inconsistent quality.

Q: What artillery systems fired these projectiles in Iraqi service? A: The primary systems included the towed D-20 152mm gun-howitzer and the 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer. Iraq also operated the older ML-20 gun-howitzer and limited numbers of 2S5 Giatsint systems. All these systems are of Soviet origin and were supplied to Iraq between the 1960s and 1980s.

Q: How does the explosive effect of 152mm HE compare to Western 155mm HE? A: The Soviet 152mm and Western 155mm HE projectiles are broadly comparable in effect. The 155mm M107 carries approximately 6.6 kg of explosive compared to approximately 5.9 kg in the Soviet OF-540 design that Iraqi ammunition was based on. Fragment patterns and lethal areas are similar, though specific fuze and body designs affect fragmentation characteristics.

Q: Were Iraqi 152mm projectiles ever modified for use in improvised explosive devices? A: Yes, following the 2003 invasion and subsequent looting of Iraqi ammunition depots, 152mm artillery projectiles were documented in improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The large explosive content made them attractive for insurgent use in roadside bombs and other improvised weapons.

Q: What is the current UXO clearance status for Iraqi 152mm ammunition? A: Clearance operations continue throughout Iraq and Kuwait decades after major combat operations. Organizations including the UN Mine Action Service and various NGOs conduct survey and clearance operations. The scope of contamination from multiple conflicts means complete clearance will require many more years of sustained effort.

Q: How should suspected Iraqi 152mm UXO be handled if encountered? A: Never approach, touch, or attempt to move suspected UXO. Mark the location if possible without approaching closely, evacuate the area, and report the location to local authorities, military forces, or humanitarian demining organizations. All artillery ammunition should be considered extremely dangerous regardless of apparent condition.

SAFETY NOTICE: This lesson is intended for educational and training purposes. All ordnance should be considered dangerous until proven safe by qualified personnel. Unexploded ordnance should never be handled by untrained individuals—report findings to military or law enforcement authorities.