Al-Fao
| Al-Fao | |
|---|---|
Al-Fao prototype on display at the Baghdad Arms Exhibition, 1989 | |
| Type | Self-propelled artillery |
| Place of origin | Iraq |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Gerald Bull |
| Designed | 1988–1990 |
| Manufacturer | Taji industrial complex |
| No. built | 2 prototypes |
| Variants | Majnoon |
| Specifications (Al-Fao) | |
| Mass | 48,000 kg (106,000 lb) |
| Length | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Barrel length | 11.13 m (36.5 ft) |
| Width | 3.5 m (11 ft) |
| Height | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Shell weight | 109.4 kg (241 lb) |
| Caliber | 210 mm (8.3 in) |
| Elevation | 0° to +55° |
| Traverse | 40° |
| Rate of fire | 4 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 997 m/s (3,270 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 45,000 m (49,000 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 57,340 m (62,710 yd) |
Main armament | 1× 210 mm (8.3 in) gun |
| Engine | Mercedes-Benz, diesel 550 hp (410 kW) |
| Drive | 6×6 |
| Transmission | Manual |
| Maximum speed | 90 km/h (56 mph) |
| References | |
Al-Fao was a project for a self-propelled artillery system designed for the former Iraqi Army by the Canadian weapons engineer Gerald Bull. It would have been one of the world's most powerful artillery pieces, with a 53-caliber, 210 mm (8.3 in) gun firing 109-kilogram shells over a range of 57 km (35 mi). The Al-Fao system was to weigh 44 tonnes, and its 550 hp engine was to give it a top speed of 90 km/h (56 mph) on roads, and 60–70 km/h (37–43 mph) cross-country. The Al-Fao's autoloader was to provide it with a rate of fire of four rounds a minute.
A self-propelled howitzer using the same 155 mm gun as the South African G6, similar to the Al-Fao and named Majnoon, was also designed by Gerald Bull on an Iraqi order.