Raad-2

Raad-2 / Thunder-2
Type - Self-propelled howitzer
Place of origin - Iran
Service history
In service - 1997 - Present
Used by - Iran
Wars - none
Production history
Designer - Defense Industries Organization
Designed - September 1997
Produced - 1997 - Present
No. built - at least 250
Variants - Raad-2M
Specifications
Mass - 36 tons
Length - 6.72 m (without the gun)
Width - 3.10 m
Height - 1.66 m (without the turret)
Crew - 3 (commander, driver and gunner)
Rate of fire - 5 rounds/min
Effective firing range - 30 km (19 mi)
Main armament - 155 mm HM44 howitzer
Secondary armament - 12.7 mm HMG
Engine - V-8 diesel for Raad-2 / 5TDF for Raad-2M / 840 hp for Raad-2 / 700 hp for Raad-2M
Suspension - Torsion bar
Operational range - 500 km
Maximum speed - 70 km/h (43 mph)

Raad-2 (Persian:رعد-۲, means Thunder-2) is an Iranian self-propelled howitzer.
Development
In early September 1997, it was reported that Iran had successfully tested a locally built rapid fire mobile field gun known as Raad-2 (Thunder-2).
It uses a turret that has a similar layout to the M109A1 155mm/39-cal self-propelled howitzer. The Iranian Defense Industries Organization claimed that the 155 mm HM44 howitzer manufactured by the Hadid facility of the Iranian Defense Industries Organization had a high firing rate and accuracy. The gun's range was reported as 30 km (19 mi), and it also includes features such as a laser range-finder and a semi-automatic loading system.
The gun looks exactly like 155mm/39-cal M185 gun from M109A1 and is fitted with a double baffle muzzle brake, fume extractor, screw breech mechanism, hydro-pneumatic recuperator and a hydraulic recoil brake. DIO says that the barrel life is around 5,000 rounds.
The vehicle uses a chassis based on the T-72, distinctive due to the cover of the cooling fan on the chassis. The hull is apparently based on the BMP-1.
The Raad-2 is crewed by 5 persons, with the driver stationed at the left with the power pack at the right.
Variants
Raad-2 - basic SPG version with a Russian V12-type V-84MS diesel engine.
Raad-2M - Raad-2 upgraded with a Ukrainian-made 5TDF engine instead of a V-8 Diesel engine.