Sora 122mm

Self-propelled howitzer 122mm SORA
122mm SORA at "Partner 2013"
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	Serbia
Production history
Designer	Military Technical Institute Belgrade
Manufacturer	IMK 14. Oktobar Kruševac, Prva Petoletka
No. built	2 prototypes
Specifications
Weight	18 tonnes
Crew	3
Shell	separate loading, cased charge
Caliber	122 mm
Elevation	-5 to +70 degrees
Traverse	25 left and right
Rate of fire	6 rds/min
Maximum firing range	TF-462: 15.3 km (9.5 mi) TF ER BT ХМ08: 18.5 km (11.5 mi) TF ER BB ХМ09: 21.5 km (13.4 mi)
Main armament	2A18 122 mm (4.8 in) howitzer
Engine	Mercedes-Benz OM 402 188 kW
Power/weight	10,68 kW/t
Operational range	500 km (310 mi)
Speed	Road: 80 km/h Off-road: 20 km/h

Self-propelled howitzer 122mm SORA (Serbian: Самоходна хаубица 122mm СОРА, tr. Samohodna haubica 122mm SORA) is a Serbian 122mm self-propelled howitzer developed by the Military Technical Institute (MTI) for the Serbian army. Self-propelled howitzer SORA features whole upper part of 122mm howitzer D-30J mounted on the rear end of modified FAP 2026 BS/AV truck chassis. Main functions of the weapon system, such as navigation, gun lying, loading of ammunition and deployment, are fully automatic.

After decision to keep the 122mm caliber in use, Serbian army decided to modernize D30 howitzer according to the world trends in self-propelled artillery. Assignment to develop the system was entrusted to the MTI, while production of the functional models was given to IMK 14. Oktobar Kruševac.

Work on this project began in March 2004, and in 2009 first functional model was completed by IMK. After its March roll-out, it underwent a series of initial firing trials, involving about 18 rounds, the first three of which were conducted with reduced charges and the remainder with full charges.

Improvements were subsequently made to the stabilisation system, whose forward-facing stabilisers proved unable to adequately absorb the recoil forces during firing. Another goal was to demonstrate loading of the weapon at all elevation angles, and this was successfully achieved, according to MTI.

The first prototype of SORA was publicly demonstrated in 2009, representing a fairly simple installation of the 122mm D-30J howitzer on a wheeled chassis.

But that was only the first phase of development. After that MTI begun work on further improvements of the system, which included installation of the automatic loader, inertial navigation system, automatic transition from the transport position to firing position...

Second prototype of SORA was completed in 2013, and first time publicly presented at Partner 2013 arms fair. This was the final configuration with the 122mm autoloader, inertial and satellite navigation, positioning and orientation subsystems, automatic combat to march position switching and a remote control unit which can be wired or wireless, allowing the control of the howitzer from the distance up to 200m.