The NORA B-52 is one of the leading players in the truck-mounted howitzer market. Its predecessor,
the MGS-25 Alexander, offers new features which make it one of the best in its class.
But, these truck-mounted howitzers are generally ignored compared with their counterparts,
such as the Archer, ATMOS 2000 and CAESAR. As Weapon Detective, we are now investigating
the NORA B-52 and MGS-25 Alexander, the Serbian solutions for modern artillery.
The NORA
B-52 takes its name from the abbreviation of the Serbian words "Novo oruđe artiljerije",
meaning "new artillery weapon". Different variants of this truck-mounted howitzer,
or shortly TMH, are in service of the five nations.
The MGS-25 Alexander is a new system based on the NORA B-52. It has more advanced features.
The NORA B-52 is a little-known TMH. By saying that, we indicate two facts. First,
their popularity is lesser than the Archer, ATMOS 2000, and CAESAR.
Second, many sources mention many different origin stories about them. Navigating was a
big challenge for us in the sea of information pollution. We tried to reach the most accurate
conclusion with cross-checks as best we could. Please, do not hesitate to share your information
on this subject in the comment section. In the mid-1970s, the weapons and aircraft
design institute of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia,
Vojnotehnički institute, or shortly VTI, began a study on a new generation howitzer family.
The brilliant Canadian engineer Gerald Bull, who had also worked in
the South African G5 and G6 projects, was involved in this endeavour of Yugoslavia.
The first step was the development of the M84 NORA based on a similar carriage to the 152mm
26-calibre D-20 gun-howitzer. Compared with its Soviet counterpart, the M84 had better
ballistic performance and easier and more rapid handling capabilities in the firing position.
Besides, it had a 39-calibre barrel and could fire extended-range munitions.
The towed variant of the new howitzer was also called the NORA-A and was introduced in 1984.
In the same year, the VTI began to develop the NORA-B
and NORA-C versions with a 45-calibre barrel. The last was a towed artillery system. Thanks
to its auxiliary power unit, it could change its position without requiring a towing vehicle.
The self-propelled howitzer variant, the NORA-B,
was innovative as it was one of the earliest examples of TMH.
Besides, the VTI worked on the conversion of the 130mm M46 gun with a 155mm 45-calibre gun
to replace the M68, which was a domestically produced 155mm howitzer based on the U.S. M114.
It was called M46/84. But, because of the Breakup of Yugoslavia,
the NORA-B, NORA-C and M46/84 never reached the production stage. The turmoil in the following
years also prevented further development efforts. During this period, the world saw Serbia,
one of the successor states of Yugoslavia, as the bad boy of Europe and isolated it.
However, the situation began to normalize after the Kosovo War.
This new era brought new opportunities. First, thanks to the CAESAR, many armies
had begun to be interested in TMHs. Second, the Serbian military industry
had been free from the shadow of the international arms embargo.
So, the VTI reinitiated the NORA-B programme. But, this time, it preferred a 155mm 52-calibre gun
instead of a 152mm 45-calibre to increase its chance in the international market.
The prototype of the new variant called NORA B-52K0 was completed in 2003.
It was based on FAP-2632 8x8 truck. The hull and semi-open turret were unarmoured.
This variant was delivered to the Serbian Army for tests in 2007.
After the trials, the NORA B-52K1 version was introduced based on the feedback received.
It had an armoured cabin and semi-open turret, as well as a fully automatic gun
laying and loading capability and an advanced fire control system.
These improvements increased the accuracy and reduced the crew number.
But, VTI quickly realised that the domestic FAP-2632 was not preferable for foreign customers.
So, it began to offer the KAMAZ-63501 and MAN 8x8 truck-based variants of the TMH
called NORA B-52KE. And it worked.
Myanmar adopted the KAMAZ-based NORA B-52 and became the first operational user.
After the TMH achieved many export successes, the Serbian Army officially took the NORA B-52K-I
variant into service in 2019. This version has a closed turret, a more robust chassis,
and a more advanced fire control system. The 155mm barrel of the NORA B-52K-I is fitted with muzzle
velocity radar. Due to improvements, the combat weight of this variant has increased to 34 tons.
The armoured forward cabin and turret of the NORA B-52 are resistant to
small arms and shell splinters. The vehicle can also withstand landmines
containing 6-kilogram TNT-equivalent explosives anywhere under the hull.
The NORA B-52K-I also has NBC protection and is supported by an automatic fire suspension system.
The 8x8 chassis offers good off-road mobility. It is also supported by a central tire inflation
system. The NORA B-52 can travel at a speed of 25 kilometres per hour on rough terrain.
When travelling, the gun is locked towards the front of the vehicle.
The NORA B-52 can be ready to fire in less than one and a half minutes after it stops. During the
action, the turret is traversed to the rear. Before firing, the TMH is stabilized via a
four-armed hydraulically folding carriage. The NORA B-52 adjusts the elevation and traverse
of the barrel automatically with its advanced fire control system. The TMH has network-centric
warfare capability, and all these processes can also be controlled from the command centre.
The NORA B-52 is supported by an inertial navigation system, and also it can be
fitted with GPS on demand. So, thanks to all these systems, the TMH has high accuracy.
The NORA B-52 has a modular design, and the users can choose different types of electronics.
For example, the Bangladesh Army preferred the SAGEM Sigma 30 inertial navigation system.
Thanks to the auxiliary power unit,
the NORA B-52 can execute firing functions even if the main engine is not running.
In case of failure of the electrical-power subsystem, there are hydraulic backups on the TMH.
The NORA B-52 fires 155mm rounds developed by a local Sloboda company, but it is
compatible with standard NATO munitions. The ranges of the M107 high-explosive,
M04 extended range full bore, M02 extended range full bore/base bleed, and M15 extended
range full bore rocket-assisted/base bleed projectiles are 32,000, 34,000, 41,850 and
56,000 metres, respectively. Sloboda is currently working on a new extended range full bore base
bleed projectile with 44,000 metres range. The NORA B-52 can also fire the M982 Excalibur and
a 155mm variant of the Krasnopol guided munitions. The rate of fire of the NORA B-52 is four to
six rounds per minute. But it can send three rounds in less than 20 seconds in burst mode.
The barrel can be elevated between -5 to +65 degrees.
Even though the turret has a 360-degree turning, the practical traverse is 30 degrees to the right
and left during the fire. The TMH has the multiple
rounds simultaneous impact capability. The automatic loader carries two cassettes
containing 12 projectiles and 12 propellant charges. It can be refilled from the container on
the deck of the vehicle. The container has eight removable cassettes, each containing six housings.
The NORA B-52 has a five-person crew. The TMH is 11 metres long, 2.95 metres wide,
and 3.45 metres high. Its combat weight is 28,000 kilograms. The 410 horsepower
turbocharged diesel engine provides a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour.
The range of the vehicle is 500 kilometres. The NORA B-52 can negotiate 0.5-metre vertical steps,
1.6-metre trenches and can be ford to a depth of 1 metre.
Serbia began to work on the MGS-25 Aleksandar in 2012 and has built two prototypes until today.
One has a 23-litre chamber, and the other has a 25-litre chamber. With its fully automated
unmanned turret, the MGS-25 Aleksandar has the same design concept as Swedish Archer.
But it is much lighter with its 27,000 kilograms combat weight. All gun functions are controlled
from the armoured forward cabin. The variant with a 25-litre chamber can send a V-LAP munition to
67,000 kilometres range. The turret holds a revolver-type automatic loader with 12 rounds.
The MGS-25 Aleksandar also carries 12 additional pieces of ammunition stored in a storage box at
the back behind the forward cabin. Thanks to full automation, the crew reduces to three.
Depending on the customer's demand, the TMH can be built on the KAMAZ-63501,
MAN TGS or FAP 3240 BS/AV 8x8 trucks. As you may notice, we described the
NORA B-52 as a TMH since the beginning of this video. Yes, it has a truck chassis. However,
it is a wheeled self-propelled howitzer, or shortly SPH, rather than TMH.
The basic logic of the TMH is to mount a howitzer on a truck rather than tow it.
It has a relatively simple design. Generally, these types of systems do not have a turret.
The crew is out in the open without armour or NBC protection during the firing.
Defining the NORA B-52 as a wheeled SPH is more convenient from this perspective.
The MGS-25 Aleksandar is even more appropriate for this definition, like the Archer.
You may ask why we prefer the term TMH so far. We intended to save this assessment for
our analysis section. So, let's correct this intentional mistake and call them SPH now.
Other than Serbia, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Kenya and Myanmar preferred the NORA B-52.
How could this SPH find new customers in the international market while the Archer could not?
First, Serbia has taken over the lion's share of the highly
prestigious Yugoslavian defence industry.
This country was founded in its current form in 2006, but no one can say it is only 16 years old.
It is not also new in the market. Serbia has prestige in the traditional Yugoslavian market.
Second, the Serbian defence products have lower costs than the Western rivals and better quality
than the former Eastern Bloc systems. So, they are preferable options for a country
that has a limited budget but needs a weapon system with high effectiveness.
Besides, although the political position of Serbia brings some
disadvantages, it also brings unique advantages. Relations between this country and the West have
improved significantly since the mid-2000s. However, the Kosovo issue still
prevents a full recovery. Therefore, many countries
with distant relations with the West see Serbia as a more reliable arms supplier.
Of course, the four foreign users of the NORA B-52 did not make this choice for one reason alone.
But, we may say that the first reason was effective in Cyprus' choice for the NORA B-52.
The second reason brought success in Kenya. The third reason had a significant
impact on Bangladesh and Myanmar deals. Even though the Swedish defence industry
was also highly prestigious, it had not achieved to create a traditional market for its artillery
systems during the 1970s and 1980s. The Swedish self-propelled and towed
howitzers had high quality, but unlike the Serbian counterparts, they were expensive.
Yes, like Yugoslavia, Sweden was a neutral country, but still,
it was not in the middle of the East and the West. It is a part of the Western world.
Let's accept it no one can expect Bangladesh, Cyprus,
Kenya and Myanmar to buy the Archer from Sweden. But at the same time, no one can expect
Switzerland to shortlist the NORA B-52 or MGS-25 Aleksandar of Serbia.
So, these same-class SPHs are not true rivals in the international market.
Although they offer similar capabilities, they are suitable for different customer profiles.
According to our analysis, the NORA B-52 and MGS-25 Aleksandar are currently unrivalled
in their unique market. So, many countries, which need an affordable but highly effective
modern SPH, would probably prefer them. We think that the NORA B-52 and MGS-25 Aleksandar will be
mentioned most often, thanks to their superior features and the unique position of Serbia.
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