Nudelman-Suranov NS-23

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	Weapon: Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 Type: Autocannon Country of Origin: USSR Year Adopted: 1944 Overall Length (mm): 1985.0 Overall Length (in): 78.15 Weight (kg): 37.00 Weight (pounds): 81.57

The Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 was a Soviet 23mm autocannon developed during World War II by designers A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Suranov. It was intended to replace the earlier Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23, offering improved performance and a simpler, lighter design. The NS-23 used a short-recoil operation system and was chambered for the powerful 23x115mm round, capable of delivering a high rate of fire (approximately 550 rounds per minute) while maintaining manageable recoil and weight for aircraft mounting. Its compact dimensions made it well-suited for fighter aircraft and bomber defensive installations.

Introduced in 1944, the NS-23 was quickly integrated into several Soviet aircraft, including the Lavochkin La-9 and La-11 fighters, the Tupolev Tu-2 bomber, and early variants of the MiG-15 jet fighter. It remained in service through the late 1940s and into the early 1950s before being superseded by the more advanced NR-23 cannon, which offered a higher rate of fire and improved performance. Nonetheless, the NS-23 was produced in large quantities during its service life and was exported to Soviet allies during the early Cold War.

The NS-23 earned a reputation for reliability and destructive firepower, especially against enemy bombers and lightly armored ground targets. Its effectiveness helped cement the Soviet doctrine of heavy cannon armament in fighter aircraft, a philosophy that continued well into the jet age. Though now obsolete, surviving examples of the NS-23 are preserved in museums and found on decommissioned aircraft, representing a key transitional design between wartime and early postwar Soviet autocannon development.

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