SOV - 125mm 3VOF22/3VOF36 (strely OF19/OF26)

3VOF22 and 3VOF36 rounds with OF19 and OF26 fragmentation and fragmentation rounds for T-72 M1 tank


Shrapnel-tearing rounds are designed for firing at field shelters, lightly armoured vehicles and enemy live fire.


Two types of fragmentation rounds are used in the T- 72 M1 tank:


1. 3VOF22 round with OF19 fragmentation round
2. the 3VOF36 cartridge with the OF26 fragmentation-tearing projectile



1. Splinter-tear projectile OF 19
The OF19 round is the first type of fragmentation round designed for the T-72 M1 tank.
The body of the missile is made of : ordinary ammunition steel. On the body there are two guiding copper hoops which guide the missile in the barrel. On the rear part of the missile body there is a screwed stabilizer, which has a body and four supercaliber stabilizing wings mounted on pivots and secured with aluminum rivets. This stabilizer uses the principle of arrow stability to stabilize the projectile. The blasting charge consists of a T t.j ( tritol ) with a total weight of 3,148 kg. For stabilization at the bottom there is a bakelite ring which serves to fix the projectile to the magazine in the tank. As an igniter is used impact head igniter V-429E.The weight of the projectile is 23 kg.



2. Fragmentation-tearing missile OF 26
The OF26 is a newer type of fragmentation and burst round designed for the T-72 M1 tank.
It differs from the OF 19 by the mouthpiece in the head section of the projectile and by the brand of explosive used, A-IX-2 i.e. ( 80% flagmatised hexogen with 5% wax + 20% Al aluminium pyrotechnic powder ). This explosive increases the effect of the OF26 fragmentation-tearing projectile by about one third compared to the older type of OF19. The muzzle fuze is the same as that of the OF19.
The maximum firing range for the OF19 and OF26 fragmentation rounds is 5000 m for direct firing and 12000 m for indirect firing.



V-429E fuze
The V-429E lighter is an impact-operated muzzle- and mask-safe muzzle-loader. When fired, it is reliably secured within 5 to 7 m of the muzzle. It is shipped from the factory set to "0" and with the hood screwed on. It can be used with or without the hood.
Methods of setting the igniter according to the effect:
- Crushing - i.e. the effect is instantaneous, the indicator is set to "0" the hood is folded down.
- jerky - i.e. the effect is delayed, the pointer is set to "0" and the hood is on.
- jerky with delay - i.e. it acts with a greater delay, the indicator is set to "3 "the hood is on.



Fragmentation effect of OF19 and OF26 bullets
The fragmentation effect is used to destroy enemy live forces, weakly covered targets, and against aerial targets. The fragmentation effect uses the effect of shrapnel created from the metal body of the missile when its bursting charge explodes to destroy targets. The combat value of the fragmentation effect depends on the number of effective shrapnel and the area that is affected by the shrapnel.
The fragmentation effect of a projectile in the target depends on:
1. On the number of effective shrapnel:
We consider an effective shrapnel to be a shrapnel of 5 g on a live force and 20 -25 g on lightly armored and airborne targets. The quantity of effective shrapnel for OF19 and OF26 missiles is approximately 400 to 500 pieces.
2. On the method of shrapnel dispersal:
When the fragmentation effect is set, 15 - 20% of the shrapnel is generated from the head portion of the projectile. It is up to 60 - 70% of the shrapnel from the cylinder part and 5 - 10% of the shrapnel from the bottom part. From this it can be seen that it will be important how the bullet hits and when the igniter action occurs.
The maximum range of the shrapnel will be within 200 to 250 m for the OF19 and 270 to 330 m for the OF 26. This difference is due to the specific energy of the explosive, where in the OF 19 a TRITOL is used with a specific energy of the explosive e= 4.1.106 J/kg and in the OF 26 a FLAGMATIZED HEXOGEN is used with a specific energy of the explosive e= 5.6.106 J/kg.
3. On the depth of the pit:
After impact of a projectile set for fragmentation, a pit is formed which affects the effect. The greatest fragmentation effect is to a pit depth of 20 to 25 cm after the explosion. If the depth of the pit is increased to 35 to 40 cm, the effect is reduced up to twice as much. If the pit is 50 cm deep ( in mud on snow ) the effect is minimal.



The Tearing effect of OF19 and OF26 missiles detonated in the target environment
By setting the fuse for the bursting effect on OF19 and OF26 rounds, this effect will be used to destroy defensive installations and obstacles ( trenches, shelters, wire roadblocks ), firing positions, warehouses and the like.
The missiles will affect the target environment to a small extent by the shrapnel effect and to a large extent by the bursting effect of the gases produced by the explosion of the bursting charge after the missile has impacted the target environment.
When a projectile explodes in the target, the pressure of the gases acts on the particles of the environment and usually ejects them upwards and sideways. A pit is formed in the environment. The appearance and volume of the pit is varied by:


- the nature of the explosive
- the depth of penetration of the projectile into the environment
- the characteristics of the environment



Projectile with fragmentation - bursting projectile
1 - hood, 2 - head primer, 3 - bullet body, 4 - sealing rings,
5 - fuses, 6 - stabilizer body, 7 - stabilizer wings, 8 - ring,
9 - wing pin, 10 - burnable Ž40 cartridge, 11 - sealing cartridge,