107mm B-11



Overview


107mm B-11

Soviet produced 107mm B-11 recoilless rifle on display at the Polish army museum.
Source: Zala - © CC BY-SA 4.0

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Recoilless rifle
Entered service
1954
Status
Limited service
Development
Early 1950's
Developer
Soviet Union - KBM Kolomna
Production
1954 - 1964
Producer
Soviet Union - TOZ
Number produced
Produced in large numbers
Designations
52-M-883 (GRAU index)
RG107 | Rückstoßfreie Geschütz 107 (East German service)
Notable users
Soviet Union

Description


Introduction

The B-11 is an early Cold War era recoilless rifle of Soviet origin. It was developed in the early 1950's for used by motorized infantry and airborne troops. It is a dual role weapon intended for both anti-tank use and engaging infantry positions and crew served weapons.

Design

The B-11 is an up-scaled version of the 82mm B-10 recoilless rifle. The larger caliber makes for a more potent shaped charge warhead and extends the practical range. Furthermore it fires a larger shell in the indirect fire mode. The B-11 is a breech loaded weapon that is normally fired from its tripod. A direct fire and indirect fire sight are fitted.

Firepower

The BK-883 HEAT round has an effective range of about 450 meters and penetrates about 380 mm RHA. This was enough to penetrate contemporary tanks, making it a far more reliable anti-tank weapon than the smaller caliber SPG-82 or B-10 recoilless rifles. For indirect fire the O-883 HE-fragmentation shell is used. This can be fired out to 6.65 km but with limited accuracy. It proved more useful in the stand-off engagement of infantry positions where the gun crew of the B-11 has line of sight.

Mobility

The B-11 has two road wheels and can be towed behind a vehicle. These include the GAZ-69 4x4 light truck and ZiS-151 and ZiL-157 6x6 medium trucks. These vehicles also transport the crew and the ammunition. A towing eye on the muzzle allows it to be quickly attached to a towing vehicle. It takes about a minute to set up the B-11 on its tripod. In an emergency it can be fired of its wheels with reduced effectiveness. The crew can manhandle the B-11 over short distances in the field. It can also be disassembled in three major parts for transportation by pack animals.

Users

The B-11 was adopted in quantity in Soviet service for use by motorized infantry and VDV airborne forces. After about a decade it was being replaced in service by anti-tank guided missiles for the anti-tank role and by howitzers such as the D-30 for more effective indirect fire. The B-11 was exported to various Warsaw Pact nations and Soviet allies. Small numbers remain in service in third world nations and conflict areas today.

Details


Facts B-11
General
Origin
Soviet Union
Type
Recoilless rifle
Crew
3 to 5
Dimensions
Weight
304.8 in total
128 kg barrel
101 kg tripod
37 kg per wheel assembly
2.3 kg PBO-4 sight unit
Length
3.56 m
Width
1.45 m
Height
0.9 m in travel configuration
1.19 m in firing position
Ordnance
Type
107mm smoothbore
Barrel length
3.38 m
Muzzle brake
No
Muzzle velocity
381 m/s for BK-883 HEAT
Elevation
-10° to +45°
Traverse
35° left to 35° right
Fire control
Sights
PBO-4 sight unit
3x with 18° field of view for direct fire
2.5x with 9° field of view for indirect fire
Firepower
Rate of fire
5 to 6 rpm
Range
0.45 km practical for BK-883 HEAT
1.4 km maximum for BK-883 HEAT
6.65 km for O-883A HE-fragmentation
Carriage
Type
Fixed two wheel carriage
Limber
No, towing eye on muzzle
Gun shield
No
Tread
1.25 m
Ground clearance
0.32 m
Emplacement time
1 minute
Mobility
Towing vehicle
GAZ-69, ZiS-151 or ZiL-157 truck
To be carried internally over long distance travel
Autonomous mobility
Can be moved by crew over short distances

Media


Related articles


106mm M40

The M40 Recoilless Rifle can be considered the American counterpart of the B-11. It has a roughly similar size and performance but weighs less.

82mm B-10

The 82mm B-10 is a smaller counterpart to the 107mm B-11. These recoilless rifles were introduced in the same year.