Defensa: Venezuelan Navy ships begin to be equipped with Soviet ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns

The rate of fire of the gun is 2,000 rounds per minute, the range is 2.5 kilometers

The Venezuelan Navy needs to maintain the combat capability of its aging fleet. However, due to Western sanctions, its leadership has to modernize ships based on current capabilities. This involves equipping ships with Soviet and Iranian weapons, writes military expert Bernardo de la Fuente in an article for Defensa.

Patrol ship PC-21 of the "Guaicaiperi" type of the Avante project of the Venezuelan Navy
Patrol ship PC-21 of the "Guaicaiperi" type of the Avante project of the Venezuelan Navy
Image source Wikipedia/Creative Commons

The Italian Lupo-class frigates, which once formed the basis of the Venezuelan Navy, have been officially decommissioned. Some of their functions have been transferred to the Avante-class Guaicaiperi-class patrol ships. However, they lost their Western weapons systems.

Currently, the Avante 2400 project ships are equipped with Soviet ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns, Iranian SM-90 missiles and Italian B515/Ilas 3 torpedo tubes.
Bernardo de la Fuente, military expert

Caracas cooperates with Moscow and Tehran, which provide the country with military-technical assistance.

The Venezuelan Navy does not have submarines, oceanographic vessels, and naval aviation does not have patrol aircraft.

All this limits the ability of the naval forces to control the coastline and respond to external threats.
Bernardo de la Fuente, military expert

The Soviet ZU-23 23 mm anti-aircraft gun consists of 2 2A14 automatic cannons, a machine gun, a sight, and a platform on the move. It was adopted in 1960.

ZU-23 characteristics:

  • Rate of fire - 2000 rounds per minute.
  • Installation weight - 950 kg
  • Projectile weight - 190 g
  • Firing range - 2.5 km
  • Crew - 5 people
  • Transportation speed on the highway - 70 km/h

Read more on the topic:

Fired from mobile ZU-23 installations: Russian paratroopers practiced fighting drones in Vitebsk

Gathering dust in the warehouses of the Ministry of Defense: the Soviet ZU-23-2 was called the ideal weapon against kamikaze drones

Straight from the USSR: the modernized "zushka" ZU-23-2 has become a threat to drones

Telegram Дзен
2025-09-08 14:25:42 Yuliya Shelkovenko Military technology VMS Venesuely ZU-23
Sources
Defensa

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