Type 59 Chinese 57mm Towed Anti-Aircraft Gun

The Type 59 57mm Towed Anti-Aircraft Gun is a Chinese version of the Russian S-60 57mm Towed Anti-Tank Gun. The S-60 is a towed, road-transportable, short- to medium-range, single-barrel 57-mm antiaircraft gun system. The S-60 recoil-operated weapon replaced the earlier 37mm models in most Warsaw Pact units. It is a powerful weapon, well suited to attack armored vehicles as well as low-flying aircraft. In addition to on-carriage optical fire control, the S-60 also employs off-carriage fire control with the PUAZO-6/60 director and the SON-9 or SON-9A radars. Originally the PUAZO-5 director and SON-4 radar were used. Further improved director/radar combinations became available in subsequent years. Recognition features of the S-60 are the long, thin tube with a multi-perforated muzzle brake, a distinctive gun shield that folds down, and the horizontal feed tray which holds the four-round clips. The normal Soviet prime mover is the Ural-375 truck. The four-wheel carriage can be leveled and stabilized on jacks to form a point firing base. Loading is accomplished by 4-round horizontally fed clips. The S-60 also has an ammunition-ready rack that can hold 4 four-round clips near the ammunition feed mechanism on the left side of the breech. A twin version, the S-68, is mounted on the self-propelled ZSU-57-2, and twin and quad versions are used by the Soviet Navy. It should be noted that the ammunition for the 57mm antiaircraft guns is not_ interchangeable with that used by the 57mm antitank and assault guns. This is due to the different configurations and dimensions of the cartridge cases. Besides on-carriage optical fire control, the S-60 also employs an off-carriage FLAP WHEEL fire control radar, mounted on a separate van. The towed S-60 system lacks the mobility of the newer SAM systems with which it is being replaced. A self-propelled version, the ZSU-57-2, with twin 57-mm guns mounted on a modified T-54 tank chassis, was introduced in 1957. The ZSU-57-2 has the same characteristics as the S-60 except that it is not radar-controlled. It is now considered obsolete.