| PZA Loara-A | |
|---|---|
 The PZA Loara-A anti-aircraft vehicle | |
| Type | Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun |
| Place of origin |
 Poland |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 45 tonnes |
| Length | 6.67 m (21 ft 11 in) |
| Width | 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.19 m (7 ft 2 in) |
| Crew | 3 (commander, driver, gunner) |
|
| |
| Armor | conventional steel |
Main armament | 2 × 35×228mm L/90 autocannon |
Secondary armament | none |
| Engine |
diesel S-1000 1000 hp |
| Power/weight | 20 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
Operational range | 650 km (400 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 60 km/h (37 mph) |
The PZA Loara (Polish: Przeciwlotniczy Zestaw Artyleryjski or "anti-aircraft artillery system") is a Polish armored radar-directed self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system. The original PZA Loara prototype was based on the chassis of the T-72 MBT. The production version known as PZA Loara-A is based on the chassis of the PT-91 MBT.
Description[]
The system was developed by Poland in the late 1990s. Based around the chassis of the PT-91 "Twardy" tank, the Loara mounts an armored turret holding two Oerlikon KDA 35 mm cannons 35x228 mm linked to a radar-based fire control system. It was originally planned that it would work closely together with the PZR Loara, a missile-armed version vehicle based on the PZA, prior to the PZR's cancellation. The Loara is an autonomous fire unit capable of performing its tasks independently or acting as a component in a wider air defence system. The system has two radars, a 3D search radar and an engagement radar. The search radar has a range of 26 km and is capable of tracking and identifying up to 64 targets at once. The radar system can also be operated on the move, refreshing its data every second. The system also has a laser range-finder, TV and FLIR cameras giving the system both all-weather day/night capabilities and the ability to operate entirely passively in a heavy ECM environment. The Loara has a reaction time of under 10 seconds.[citation needed]
The system can engage aircraft flying at very low altitudes up to 5,000 m, and flying at speeds of up to 500 m/s. It is also effective against lightly armored ground and naval targets.
Currently the only user of this system is the Polish army which ordered a small number.
Operators[]
Poland: 3–5 prototypes
Awards[]
It was awarded two awards at International Defence Industry show in Kielce in 2004:
- Defender 2004
- Grand Prix 2004
References[]
External links[]
- PZA Loara at the manufacturer's web site (in English).
- 35 mm cannon KDA at the manufacturer's web site (in English).
- More information about PZA Loara (in Polish).
- defence orders from India for Polish armoured vehicles.
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The original article can be found at PZA Loara and the edit history here.