The Bangladesh Army has successfully inducted a new generation of radar-controlled Chinese anti-aircraft guns supplied by NORINCO.
The Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, SBP (Bar), OSP, ndu, psc, PhD witnessed the firing of 35 mm Twin Barrel Anti-Aircraft Gun System CS/AA3 for the first time on Bangladesh soil on 11 March 2024 at AD Firing Range at Inani in Cox’s Bazar as the chief guest.
The CS/AA3 has three major components including the CS/AA3 towed twin anti-aircraft gun, a separate generator trailer vehicle to power the gun, and a fire control unit (FCU) with its own APU.
A battery is comprised of two firing units, and two batteries make for a company. There are two self-propelled fire control units to guide the entire battery, each responsible for two firing units. The fire control system of the CS/AA3 battery is based on the Swiss Skyguard system with some improvements.
An entire company comprises of two batteries of four 35 mm twin guns, four generator trailers, two fire control vehicles, and eight 6×6 trucks for towing the guns, generators and carrying ammunition. There are at least 18 vehicles in a company.
A regiment usually comprises of two companies in total. A CS/AA3 regiment comprises of a total of eight guns proving very dense air defence fire.
Each gun system requires a crew of three to operate at any given time. The main advantage is it can operate on full automatic model with target tracking and firing fully controlled by the fire control unit.
Usually a gunner is present as a failsafe in case there is a jam or failure with the gun system. The two other crew are needed to replenish the ammunition as required.
The CS/AA3 is a licensed variant of the Oerlikon GDF-006. The newest variant, which is used by the Bangladesh Army can fire NORINCO’s version of AHEAD ammunition. Improvements upon the Swiss system includes introduction of a Ka-band tracking radar further enhancing its anti-ECM capabilities.
NORINCO also included an upgraded Phased array search radar, C-band tracking radar with parabolic antenna and a one set integrated electro-optronic sensor.
In terms of performance the gun itself is designed to engage aerial targets at a maximum range of 4,000 m. This would translate into a maximum 20 seconds of interception window before impact.
The cannons of the gun are chambered in a 35×228 mm cartridge – fed from 7-round clips – which are capable of firing a variety of ammunition natures, including the Norinco 35 mm Programmable Time Fuze Pre-fragmented (PTFP) round.
The CS/AA3 is effectively a gun-based SHORAD used in conjunction with QW-18A VSHORAD and FM-90 SHORAD in the Bangladesh Army. Being a SHORAD it is regarded as the last line of defence against incoming aircraft, missiles and loitering munitions for other ground-based assets and personnel of the Bangladesh Army.
The 57 Air Defence Regiment Artillery, of the 10 Infantry Division based at Ramu has been raised with the CS/AA3 SHORAD gun to enhance the air defence along the strategic southern border with Myanmar.
It is to be noted the Bangladesh Army already inducted the Oerlikon GDF-009. This is the most advanced iteration of the GDF-series currently in production today.
