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💥 Who can supply anti-aircraft cannon Russia ZU-23-2?
The ZU-23-2 — the workhorse of low-altitude air defence
The ZU-23-2 (Russian: Zenitnaya Ustanovka — "anti-aircraft mount") is a Soviet-designed twin-barrel 23 mm autocannon introduced in 1960 by the Tula Arms Plant. Six decades later it remains one of the most widely fielded low-altitude anti-aircraft weapons in the world — in continuous production, in continuous service, and continuously in demand.
It is primarily used by the PLA (People's Liberation Army) as the Type 85 licensed copy, and has been exported extensively to nations in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The ZU-23-2 also serves as the towed anti-aircraft artillery piece for Russian airborne forces, and is the base weapon system for the ZSU-23-4 Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft platform.
Why it is still relevant in 2026
Modern surface-to-air missiles get most of the headlines, but the ZU-23-2 has found a whole new generation of relevance as an anti-drone weapon system. Its high rate of fire, radar-independent optical sighting, and ability to engage low-slow-small (LSS) targets at short range makes it well-suited to counter-UAV missions where MANPADS and SAM systems are ineffective or economically wasteful.
Ukraine, Russia, and multiple Middle-Eastern operators have modernised existing ZU-23-2 systems with modern optical / electro-optical sights, laser rangefinders, and remote-controlled mounts — extending the useful service life of the platform well past 2040.
ZU-23-2 Technical Specifications
| Type | Twin-barrel towed anti-aircraft autocannon |
| Calibre | 23 × 152 mm B |
| Weapon | 2 × 2A14 autocannon (belt-fed) |
| Combat weight | 950 kg (in firing position) |
| Travelling weight | 1,100 kg (on wheeled trailer) |
| Rate of fire (per barrel) | 800–1,000 rounds/min cyclic |
| Rate of fire (combined) | 1,600–2,000 rounds/min |
| Practical rate of fire | 400 rounds/min combined |
| Muzzle velocity | 970–980 m/s (HE-I / API-T) |
| Effective range (air targets) | 2,500 m slant range |
| Maximum ceiling | 2,000 m effective / 5,100 m maximum |
| Effective range (ground targets) | 2,000 m (personnel), 2,500 m (light vehicles) |
| Elevation | −10° to +90° |
| Traverse | 360° (manually cranked) |
| Ammunition feed | 50-round belted magazine per barrel (2 × 50 rd) |
| Sight (standard) | ZAP-23 optical anti-aircraft sight |
| Crew | 5 (gunner, loader, driver, section leader, ammunition handler) |
| Setup time (travel to firing) | 15–20 seconds |
23 × 152 mm Ammunition Types
The 2A14 autocannon fires the 23 × 152 mm B round. STEC supplies the full spectrum of ammunition types compatible with the ZU-23-2:
| Type | Designation | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| HE-I | OFZ | High-explosive incendiary — primary anti-aircraft round |
| HE-I-T | OFZT | High-explosive incendiary tracer — fire correction |
| API-T | BZT | Armour-piercing incendiary tracer — light vehicles / hardened UAVs |
| HEI-T | MDZ | Instant-fuze incendiary tracer — thin-skinned air targets |
Standard combat load is a mixed belt — typically 3 HE-I : 1 API-T : 1 HE-I-T — giving the gunner both explosive effect against aircraft/drones and armour-defeat capability against ground targets in a single burst.
STEC Armour Malaysia — licensed ZU-23-2 supplier
STEC Armour (M) Sdn Bhd is a Malaysian defence brokerage licensed under the Strategic Trade Act 2010, with valid brokering permits covering ML1, ML3, and ML4 categories. The ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft cannon falls under ML1 (weapons of 12.7 mm and above) and its ammunition under ML3.
We supply the ZU-23-2 in the following configurations:
- New production — from OEM factories in Russia, China (Type 85), Poland (ZUR-23-2KG modernisation), and Egypt
- Modernised systems — with electro-optical sights, laser rangefinders, digital fire-control computers, and remote-control mounts
- Overhauled ex-service units — factory-refurbished to zero-hour condition, ideal for cost-conscious reserve-force procurement
- Ammunition — 23 × 152 mm HE-I, HE-I-T, API-T rounds in factory-fresh production, delivered in standard 20-round wooden ammunition boxes or 50-round belted magazines
- Spare parts — barrel liners, recoil springs, feed mechanisms, breech blocks, sights, and the complete armourer's spare-parts scale
Procurement process for ZU-23-2 systems
- Enquiry — contact STEC via our Contact page with your requirement: quantity, configuration (new / modernised / overhauled), ammunition load, spare-parts scale, and destination country.
- End-User Certificate (EUC) — issued by the customer's Ministry of Defence or authorised armed-forces procurement authority.
- Commercial proposal — STEC issues a formal quotation with system pricing, ammunition unit price, training package, spare-parts scale, delivery lead time, and payment terms.
- Contract, export licence, import licence — STEC obtains Malaysian export authorisation; customer confirms destination-country import authorisation.
- Production & factory acceptance testing — OEM production run, function firing, and (optional) customer inspection team witnessing.
- Delivery — military-standard packaging, arms-carrier logistics (usually break-bulk sea freight for towed systems), destination port clearance, and delivery to the customer's designated depot.
Typical lead time: 6–12 months from signed contract to delivery for new-production systems; 3–6 months for overhauled units and ammunition-only orders.
Ready to enquire about ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft cannons?
Contact STEC Armour Malaysia today for a formal quotation.