Nora B-52

The Nora B-52 is a Serbian 155 mm self-propelled howitzer designed by Military Technical Institute and manufactured by Yugoimport SDPR.

Nora B-52
Nora B-52 NG
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	Serbia
Service history
Used by	See Operators
Production history
Designer	Military Technical Institute
Manufacturer	Yugoimport SDPR
Unit cost	$0.7 million (K0) $2.0 million (2021) [1] $7.06 million (2024)[2]
Produced	2006–present
No. built	138 delivered 108 more on order
Specifications
Mass	34 tonnes (K-I) 27.4 - 28 tonnes (K0, K1, M03) 25 tonnes (MGS-25)
Length	11000 mm
Width	2950 mm
Height	3450 mm
Crew	3-5
Elevation	-3° to +65°
Traverse	60°
Rate of fire	6-12 projectiles per minute (depending on version) first 3 rounds in 20 seconds
Maximum firing range	56km (HE ERFB/RA-BB VLAP)[3]
Armor	STANAG 4569 Level II on the front and back, STANAG 4569 Level I on the sides, mine protection STANAG 4569 Level 2A and 2B, NBC protection through a pressurized hull and filter-ventilation system (K-I)
Main armament	155 mm/52-calibre (23 liter chamber) or 155 mm/52-calibre (25 liter chamber)
Secondary armament	7,62mm machinegun 7,62mm or 12,7mm RCWS can also be installed
Engine	turbo diesel 410 hp
Suspension	8x8 off-road wheels
Operational range	1,000 km (620 mi), at speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) for K-I version
Maximum speed	Paved road: 90 km/h (56 mph) Unpaved road: 25 km/h (16 mph) Off-road: 15 km/h (9.3 mph)

History

The first self-propelled Nora B (developed on the basis of Nora C) was designed by the Military Technical Institute in 1984 with a modified 152 mm Nora M-84 howitzer mounted on an FAP 8x8 truck bed and was a third generation of artillery systems.^[4] Later, in the 2000s, Military Technical Institute developed new versions of 4th generation artillery systems with 52 caliber 155 mm gun for fitting on a new system of Nora family with B-52 designation.

Serbia has exported the Nora B-52 artillery systems (B-52 selected versions of self-propelled howitzer K1, KE, KI), reconnaissance BOV M11, command (BOV M10) and battery fire control and meteorological vehicles, ammunition loading trucks, artillery battlefield software for platoon, battery and division level to the armed forces of Myanmar, Kenya, and Bangladesh.^[5][6] One fully equipped battery usually consist of 6-12 self-propelled howitzer, reconnaissance 1-2 BOV M11, three command BOV M10 (1 for each platoon and 1 for battery command), 3-6 munition trucks, communication and workshop vehicle, 2-3 general supply vehicles (fuel, food, water, etc.) and 1-2 fire direction and gunfire locator vehicle with radar and sound ranging. With latest order for Cyprus the new BOV M16 Miloš instead of BOV M11 was delivered as artillery reconnaissance and artillery battery command vehicle.^[7][8]

Variants

B-52 is made in following versions:

• K0 – first serial variant, open turret, manual power drive and line of sight.
• K1(S) – semi-open turret, full automatic, independent automatic navigation, automatic fire and control system, smaller crew number.
• M03 (S) – semi-open turret, automatic based on K0, K1 designs, with S designation for Serbian Army.
• KE – semi-open turret, full automatic export variant.
• K-I (M15) – additional armored full automatic with closed turret, new stronger chassis, radar on barrel for measuring projectile trajectory and speed, NBC protected cabin and turret, automated fire-suspension system, smoke grenade launcher, intercom for crew and new software; with M15 designation for Serbian Army.^[9]
• M21 – upgraded variant featuring STANAG 4569 level 2 protection.^[10]
• NG – upgraded variant with increased auto-loader capacity (30 in the auto-loader with additional 6 on the vehicle), 60 second deployment time and fully automatic fire data setting.^[11]
• MGS-25 Aleksandar – newset variant featuring rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute and a maximum firing range of 32.5 km with standard ammunition and 56 km with the 155 mm HE ERFB RA/BB (VLAP), laser guided long range ammunition, smaller crew, 12 rounds ready for fire in a revolver type of automatic loader, 12 additional ammunition that are stored in a storage box located at back behind the crew cabin and engine-hydraulic compartment, smaller weight (~25 tonnes), automatic leveling of gun in north direction, new smoke and light grenade.^[12]It can be remotely controlled by crew via separate remote control up to 100 meters from vehicle thanks to high level of automation of all functions. As a fully autonomous module it can be mounted on different trucks chassis (Kamaz and MAN, among others).^[12][13]

K designation stands for Kamaz chassis, number for orientation of main weapon in relationship to north and letter for level of equipment and/or export designation.

All versions have differences in chassis, armour, turret, loading and support system. All versions with automatic loader features multiple rounds simultaneous impact capability. Standard equipment includes a computerized fire control system and a land navigation system. Ballistic protection is provided against small arms fire, shell splinters and some mines.^[14][15][16] For training and simulation purposes special computer simulator was developed by Mihajlo Pupin Institute that includes terrain maps of customer country with ability to train up to 3 batteries or up to battalion of 18 gun, including crews for artillery designation on targets.^[17][18][19]

Ammunition

There are various type of ammunition available that includes domestic and foreign 155mm projectiles as it is JBMOU-compatible. Depending on ammo used different maximum ranges and effects on target can be achieved.

Designation	Type	Range in m	Caliber	Note
M107	HE M88	32,000	155 mm	produced by Sloboda
M04	ERFB	34,000		produced by Sloboda
M02	ERFB/BB	41,850		produced by Sloboda
M02	ERFB-BB	44,000		produced by Sloboda
M15	HE ERFB RA/BB	41,100 [20]		produced by Sloboda[3]
Krasnopol	BB	30,000		produced by KBP
M982 Excalibur	BB	40,000		produced Raytheon
not designated	HE V-LAP	67,000		in development by Yugoimport SDPR[21]

Operators

Map of Nora B-52 operators in blue

Current operators

• Bangladesh – 42 in service with the Bangladesh Army (fitted with SAGEM Sigma 30 inertial navigation platform system for autonomous navigation and pointing)^[22][23][24]
• Cyprus – 24 in service with the Cypriot National Guard^[25]
• Kenya – 18 in service, 12 more on order^[26][6][27]
• Myanmar – 40 in service with the Myanmar Army^[28]
• Serbia – 24 in service with the Serbian Army ^[29]

Future operators

• Algeria – 48 on order^[30]
• Azerbaijan – 48 on order^[31]

Potential operators

• Brazil^[32]
• Pakistan – tested by Pakistan Army in 2017^[33][34][35]
• UAE – tested by UAE Army in 2017
• United States of America – tested by the U.S. Army in 2021 as shoot-off participant together with Archer Artillery System, CAESAR self-propelled howitzer, and ATMOS 2000^[36][37][38]

Gallery

• 
  Nora B-52 M21 of Serbian Army
• 
  Nora B-52 K1 of Bangladeshi Army
• 
  Nora B-52 NG
• 
  MGS-25 Aleksandar

See also

• Archer Artillery System – (Sweden)
• Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System – (India)
• ATMOS 2000 – (Israel)
• A-222 Bereg (artillery system) – (Russia)
• 2S22 Bohdana – (Ukraine)
• CAESAR self-propelled howitzer – (France)
• 152 mm SpGH DANA – (Czechoslovakia)
• G6 howitzer – (South Africa)
• AHS Kryl – (Poland)
• PCL-09 – (China)
• PCL-161 – (China)
• PCL-181 – (China)
• PLL-09 – (China)
• Type 19 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer – (Japan)
• 155 mm SpGH Zuzana – (Slovakia)