Difference between revisions of "PG87 (25 mm)"

From War Thunder Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Edits)
(Edits)
Line 11: Line 11:
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
<!-- ''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.'' -->
The overall design of the PG87 is very similar to its reverse-engineered Soviet counterpart, the ZU-23-2 while being larger and used 25x183 mmB cartridge as its selected ammunition; giving it a straight ballistic and higher velocity (1,050 m/s;970-980 m/s) than ZU-23-2, comparable to the 25 mm Oerlikon KBA autocannon.
+
The overall design of the PG87 is very similar to its reverse-engineered Soviet counterpart, the ZU-23-2. Based on a larger 25x183 mmB cartridge, it has a straight ballistic trajectory and a high muzzle velocity.
  
 
=== Available ammunition ===
 
=== Available ammunition ===
 
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
* '''Default:''' AP-T · FI-T*
+
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''Type 87 HE:''' FI-T*
+
* '''Type 87 HE:''' {{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''Type 87 AP:''' AP-T
+
* '''Type 87 AP:'''{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
  
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
Line 32: Line 32:
 
|-
 
|-
 
| Type 87 AP || 63 || 60 || 47 || 35 || 26 || 19
 
| Type 87 AP || 63 || 60 || 47 || 35 || 26 || 19
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 +
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 +
|-
 +
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 +
|-
 +
| Type 87 HE || FI-T* || 1,050 || 0.25 || 0 || 0.1 || 19 || 47° || 56° || 65°
 +
|-
 +
| Type 87 AP || AP-T || 1,050 || 0.25 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 56° || 65°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 37: Line 56:
 
=== Comparison with analogues ===
 
=== Comparison with analogues ===
 
<!-- ''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.'' -->
Thanks to the overall larger calibre of 25 mm, the PG87 has a straighter trajectory compare to the Soviet ZU-23-2 and its quad-mount [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|AZP-23]] found on the [[ZSU-23-4]], although the lesser choice on ammunition might seem disappointing at first glance; the default penetration from Type 87 AP-T round can penetrates most NATO vehicles' sides, its rate of fire also helps it gunning down its targets.
+
Thanks to the overall larger calibre of 25 mm, the PG87 has a straighter trajectory compare to the Soviet ZU-23-2 and its [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|AZP-23]] quad-mount found on the [[ZSU-23-4]], although the lesser choice on ammunition might seem disappointing at first glance; the default penetration from Type 87 AP-T round can penetrates most NATO vehicles' sides, its rate of fire also helps it gunning down its targets.
  
While shared similar traits to [[Oerlikon KBA (25 mm)|Oerlikon KBA]], PG87 doesn't come with any type of APDS round (however, ZPT90 based on PG87 does), which could be a drawback against vehicles with thicker sides.
+
It has a high muzzle velocity (1,050 m/s) than the ZU-23-2 (970 and 980 m/s), comparable to the 25 mm Oerlikon KBA autocannon. However, the Oerlikon cannon can fire APDS rounds at an even higher velocity. While it shares similar traits to the [[Oerlikon KBA (25 mm)|25 mm Oerlikon KBA]], the PG87 doesn't come with any type of APDS round.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.'' -->
At first glance, the gun does looks like a ZU-23-2 from Soviet Union, but its 25 mm calibre become the major difference between these two guns; it was aimed to be comparable to NATO's Oerlikon KBA, thus having a higher velocity and higher penetration than ZU-23-2. The default belt itself has a balanced arrangement of shells of AP-T and FI-T, more than enough to gun down even the toughest aircraft at their tiers if they are careless enough to enter its kill-zone.
+
The default belt itself has a balanced arrangement of shells of AP-T and FI-T, more than enough to gun down even the toughest aircraft at their tiers if it is careless enough to come into range. while Type 87 AP is still enough to gun down tanks with thinner sides, but it struggles to penetrate Soviet tanks with thicker sides.
  
While overall being better than its Soviet counterpart, there is a major drawback for PG87: its reload rate. For the towed gun version found on ZSD63, it takes up to 35 seconds to reload, which is very fatal in heated fight, so do conserve ammo and wait until the target is within 800 m- the target will have lesser chance to escape the short burst of 25 mm shells; it also doesn't compatible with ZPT90's 25 mm APDS shell found on IFVs, thus leading to a lower penetration than Oerlikon KBA (M791 with 91 mm penetration at point-blank); while Type 87 AP is still enough to gun down tanks with thinner sides, but it struggles to penetrate Soviet tanks with thicker sides.
+
There is a major drawback for PG87: its reload time. For the towed gun version found on ZSD63, it takes up to 35 seconds to reload, which is very fatal in heated fight, so do conserve ammo and wait until the target is within 800 m: the target will have lesser chance to escape the short burst of 25 mm shells.  
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 53: Line 72:
 
* High muzzle velocity and penetration
 
* High muzzle velocity and penetration
 
* High rate of fire
 
* High rate of fire
* Type 87 FI-T round has high explosive mass
+
* The Type 87 FI-T round has high explosive mass
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
 
* Small ammo pool for the towed version
 
* Small ammo pool for the towed version
* Slow reload time (takes up to 35 seconds to reload for the towed version)
+
* Very long reload time (takes up to 35 seconds to reload for the towed version)
 
* Type 87 AP-T round still struggles to penetrate tanks with over 70 mm side armour
 
* Type 87 AP-T round still struggles to penetrate tanks with over 70 mm side armour
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' -->
After the certification of the reverse-engineered PG85 23 mm anti-aircraft gun in 1985, an upgraded version of this gun with 25 mm calibre in view of NATO's Oerlikon KBA, dubbed PG87 was then passed certification in 1987 with new IR tracking gunsight, serving as an enhanced version of PG85 and was used as field tow AA gun or as the composition of the later PGZ95/[[PGZ04A|04A]] SPAAG.  
+
After the certification of the reverse-engineered PG85 23 mm anti-aircraft gun in 1985, an upgraded version of this gun with 25 mm calibre dubbed PG87 was then passed certification in 1987,in view of the Oerlikon KBA equipping some NATO countries. With new IR tracking gunsight, it served as an enhanced version of the PG85 and was used as field tow AA gun and on the later PGZ95/[[PGZ04A|04A]] SPAAG.  
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==

Revision as of 11:50, 16 March 2022

Description

The 25 mm PG87 (PG87式25毫米双管高射炮) is a Chinese anti-aircraft gun. It is the enlarged version of the previous 23 mm PG85 anti-aircraft gun, the reverse-engineered version of the Soviet ZU-23-2.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

General info

The overall design of the PG87 is very similar to its reverse-engineered Soviet counterpart, the ZU-23-2. Based on a larger 25x183 mmB cartridge, it has a straight ballistic trajectory and a high muzzle velocity.

Available ammunition

  • Default: AP-T · FI-T*
  • Type 87 HE: FI-T*
  • Type 87 AP:AP-T
Penetration statistics
Belt Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Default 63 60 47 35 26 19
Type 87 HE 2 2 2 2 2 2
Type 87 AP 63 60 47 35 26 19
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
Mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive Mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Type 87 HE FI-T* 1,050 0.25 0 0.1 19 47° 56° 65°
Type 87 AP AP-T 1,050 0.25 N/A N/A N/A 47° 56° 65°

Comparison with analogues

Thanks to the overall larger calibre of 25 mm, the PG87 has a straighter trajectory compare to the Soviet ZU-23-2 and its AZP-23 quad-mount found on the ZSU-23-4, although the lesser choice on ammunition might seem disappointing at first glance; the default penetration from Type 87 AP-T round can penetrates most NATO vehicles' sides, its rate of fire also helps it gunning down its targets.

It has a high muzzle velocity (1,050 m/s) than the ZU-23-2 (970 and 980 m/s), comparable to the 25 mm Oerlikon KBA autocannon. However, the Oerlikon cannon can fire APDS rounds at an even higher velocity. While it shares similar traits to the 25 mm Oerlikon KBA, the PG87 doesn't come with any type of APDS round.

Usage in battles

The default belt itself has a balanced arrangement of shells of AP-T and FI-T, more than enough to gun down even the toughest aircraft at their tiers if it is careless enough to come into range. while Type 87 AP is still enough to gun down tanks with thinner sides, but it struggles to penetrate Soviet tanks with thicker sides.

There is a major drawback for PG87: its reload time. For the towed gun version found on ZSD63, it takes up to 35 seconds to reload, which is very fatal in heated fight, so do conserve ammo and wait until the target is within 800 m: the target will have lesser chance to escape the short burst of 25 mm shells.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • High muzzle velocity and penetration
  • High rate of fire
  • The Type 87 FI-T round has high explosive mass

Cons:

  • Small ammo pool for the towed version
  • Very long reload time (takes up to 35 seconds to reload for the towed version)
  • Type 87 AP-T round still struggles to penetrate tanks with over 70 mm side armour

History

After the certification of the reverse-engineered PG85 23 mm anti-aircraft gun in 1985, an upgraded version of this gun with 25 mm calibre dubbed PG87 was then passed certification in 1987,in view of the Oerlikon KBA equipping some NATO countries. With new IR tracking gunsight, it served as an enhanced version of the PG85 and was used as field tow AA gun and on the later PGZ95/04A SPAAG.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
  • references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


China anti-aircraft guns
25 mm  PG87 · ZPT90
35 mm  PG99-35-2
37 mm  Type 65
57 mm  WA318
  Foreign:
12.7 mm  M2HB (USA)
20 mm  KwK30 (Germany)
40 mm  Dual Automatic Gun M2 (USA)