The TRF1, originally known as GIAT 155 mm Tracté (TR) is a 155mm French towed howitzer produced by Nexter (ex Giat Industries) and used by the French Army.
| TRF1 | |
|---|---|
 French soldiers prepare to fire a TRF1 | |
| Type | Towed howitzer |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1990–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | Gulf War[1] Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 10.52 t |
| Length | 10.0 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Barrel length | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) L/40 |
| Width | 3.09 m (10 ft 2 in) traveling |
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) traveling |
| Crew | 8 |
| Calibre | 155 mm (6.1 in) NATO standard |
| Carriage | wheeled Split-trail |
| Elevation | −6° to +66° |
| Traverse | 27° left / 38° right[2] |
| Rate of fire | 3 shots in 15 s., 6 shots/min. (because it is necessary to let the tube cool down) |
| Effective firing range | 24 km (15 mi) with high-explosive shells 30 km (19 mi) with long-range ammunition |
The TRF1 was showcased in 1979 at the Eurosatory arms trade show, as a replacement for Armée de Terre's BF-50. Giat produced it from 1984 to 1993.
Performance
edit- Setting out of battery: 2 min
- Crossing of slopes of 60%, fords of 1.20m.
- Horizontal field of fire: 445mil to the left, 675mil to the right.
- Hydraulic aiming
Ammunition
edit- Capacity of tractor: 56 rounds, 32 on pallets and 24 in racks.
- Can fire all 155 mm ammunition (the normal ammunition is the high-explosive shell).
- Casings are combustible, which improves rate of fire: there is nothing to extract before reloading.
Combat history
editThe TRF1 was used in combat by Ukrainian Ground Forces during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Photographic evidence shows that at least one TRF1 was destroyed in combat near Lyman.[3]
Operators
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Current operators
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Cyprus – 12 delivered in 1991[4][5]
Saudi Arabia – 28 delivered in 1990–1991[4]
Senegal – 8 delivered in 2011[4][6]
Ukraine – 6 ex-French Army guns bought in September 2022[7]
Former operators
edit
See also
edit- Soltam M-71 – (Israel)
- G5 howitzer – (South Africa)
Media related to Canon 155 TRF1 at Wikimedia Commons
References
edit- ^ Merchet, Jean-Dominique (22 July 2008). "Quand tire l'artillerie" [When artillery fires]. secretdefense.blogs.liberation.fr (in French).
- ^ a b 155 TR F1 155 mm Howitzer. Ordnance & Munitions Forecast. Forecast International. May 2003.
- ^ "Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine".
- ^ a b c "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 85.
- ^ The Military Balance 2016, p. 464.
- ^ "Ukraine : la France dresse le bilan des équipements militaires livrés". www.defense.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2024-03-04.
- ^ a b "La seconde vie des TRF1 français commence en Ukraine (actualisé)". lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr (in French). Retrieved 2022-09-11.
Works cited
edit- International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routledge. ISBN 9781857438352.
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