45 mm/89 SM-20-ZIF (45 mm)

Description

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Vehicles equipped with this weapon

• Neustrashimy
• Spokoinyy

General info

The 45 mm/89 SM-20-ZIF weapon system is a unique multi-purpose system mounted on the Spokoinyy and Neustrashimy Cold War destroyers. It is essentially the up-calibered equivalent to the 40 mm Bofors auto-cannon seen in the vast majority of American vessels and modern German vessels and the 2pdr QF auto-cannons mounted in British vessels. We can immediately see the difference between systems not only by caliber, but the enhanced platform it is mounted on gives a substantial upgrade to targetting speeds. They are unique 45mm multi-purpose systems that excel at AA duties and destruction of light armor.

Available ammunition

The SM-20-ZIF has access to a single set of ammunition: HEF* and HEF-T*. While HEF only, these rounds prove a significant challenge for lightly armored targets. The fast rate of fire (~120 RPM per cannon, ~480 RPM per turret) poses a significant threat for anyone in range. It not only can cripple external modules like funnels, turrets, bridge and the like but it will reduce the crew count at an impressively fast rate at close ranges. It does not have access to AP-T or HE-VT like the 40 mm weapon systems.

Comparison with analogues

Compared to 40 mm/70 MEL58 (40 mm)

Despite the fact the SM-20-ZIF has a higher caliber, the uses and performance per gun are not significantly different. Both share a fairly similar ROF (~120 RPM vs ~300 RPM) in proportion to caliber. However, when both are set on their respective mounts, we can spot a clear difference in performance, specially when comparing their respective platforms. The SM-20-ZIF are mounted in a quad-cannon turret with 4 turrets per ship while the MEL58 are mounted in a double-cannon turret with 2 turrets per ship. If we do the maths we can see the difference in the overall RPM compared of both ships. The SM-20-ZIF can fire 1920 RPM while the MEL58 can fire 1200 RPM. The SM-20-ZIF nearly doubles the amount of RPM. While it is harder to aim and to perform against aircraft due to the lack of HE-VT* (considering both vessels are using their respective targetting radars), the amount of rounds the SM-20-ZIF can put in the air makes the chances of hitting the target more likely than using HE-VT*. Not only makes the chances higher but can cover a far wider range instead of a focused spot in the air.

Compared to 2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)

It is pretty much straight forward that the SM-20-ZIF has overall better performance as a Cold War weapon system compared to a WW2 weapon system. While this is true, the fact it the 2pdr can carry and use AP ammunition compared to the HEF restricted belt makes a significant change in uses as the 2pdr is able to pierce thicker armor at the cost of explosive filler.

Compared to Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)

While all the Bofors generally stay the same (with exception of the MEL58 that has an increased fire rate), the Mark 2 is the closest counterpart to the SM-20-ZIF as this is a quad mount. Performance wise, nothing that hasn't been discussed before in terms of ammunition, targetting and ROF. While close to what the SM-20-ZIF is able to achieve (~150 RPM per gun, ~2400 RPM mounted in 4 turrets), the higher caliber makes a tough competitor against the Mark 2 series only as it is a quad mount.

Usage in battles

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Pros and cons

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Pros:

Cons:

History

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Media

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See also

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• reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
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External links

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• encyclopedia page on the weapon;
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USSR naval cannons
20 mm	ShVAK
25 mm	2M-3
30 mm	AK-230 · 30 mm/54 AK-630 · BP "Plamya"
37 mm	37 mm/67 70-K · V-11
45 mm	45 mm/46 21-K · 45 mm/68 21-KM · 45 mm/89 SM-20-ZIF · 45 mm/89 SM-21-ZIF
57 mm	AK-725
75 mm	75 mm/50 Canet patt.1892
76 mm	34-K · 39-K · 76 mm/60 AK-176M · AK-726 · D-56TS · F-34 · Lender AA gun, pattern 1914/15
85 mm	85 mm/52 92-K · 85 mm/54.6 ZIS-C-53 · 90-K
100 mm	100 mm/56 B-34 · 100 mm/70 SM-5-1 · Minizini
102 mm	Pattern 1911
120 mm	120 mm/50 pattern 1905
130 mm	130 mm/55 pattern 1913 · 130 mm/58 SM-2-1 · B-13
152 mm	152 mm/57 B-38
180 mm	180 mm/57 B-1-P · 180 mm/60 B-1-K
305 mm	12-inch/52 pattern 1907 · 305 mm/54 B-50
	Foreign:
40 mm	2pdr QF Mk.IIc (Britain) · Skoda (Czechoslovakia)
47 mm	3 pdr QF Hotchkiss (Britain)
76 mm	76 mm/40 Ansaldo mod.1917 (Italy)
88 mm	SK C/30 (Germany)
120 mm	120 mm/50 Mk.4 Bofors M1924 (Sweden) · 120 mm/50 O.T.O. Mod.1933 (Italy)
152 mm	152/53 mm O.T.O. Mod.1929 (Italy)
320 mm	320 mm/44 Ansaldo model 1934 (Italy)