Iraq reactivates old Russian D30 122mm howitzers.

The Iraqi army has reactivated its Soviet-age D-30 122 mm towed howitzers, according to the Al-Alam News Network. "The Iraqi troops are supposed to use the reactivated D-30 howitzers during a military operation against terrorists in the central part of Iraq. Previously, the country`s armed forces were operating these artillery systems; however, in the early 2000s the howitzers were phased out. Iraq has restored the D-30 guns and mounted them on Scania trucks," the Al-Alam news agency said.

Russian D-30 122mm towed howitzer at defense exhibition in Nizhny Tagil, Russia.  (Picture source Army Recognition)

The D-30 is a Russian-made 122 mm towed howitzer that first entered service in the 1960s with the Russian army. The D-30 122 mm howitzer has a maximum range of fire of 15.4 km, a muzzle velocity of 690-740 m/s (depending on the propellant charge), a barrel length of 4.66 m, a weight of approximately 3,200 kg, a rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute, and a combat readiness time of about 2.5 minutes.

It should be mentioned that the Iraqi military previously operated the Saddam modification of the D-30 (a slightly improved variant of the Serbian D-30J howitzer). The maximum range of fire of the Saddam/D-30J gun was increased to 17.3 km. The enhanced artillery system received a hydraulic firing jack (instead of the baseline mechanical one) and a new dual-chamber muzzle break.