The ASU-57 was designed to be a light-weight assault gun that could be air-dropped and deployed by rocket-assisted parachute (PP-128-500 or P-7) along with the troops. It was lightly armored and armed with a 57 mm gun Ch-51, a development of World War II ZIS-2 but with some similarities to the Ch-26. From 1954, an improved 57mm gun Ch-51M with much shorter double-baffle muzzle brake was fitted. The gun fired standard caliber 57x480R ammunition of the ZIS-2 anti-tank gun, such as the BR-271 series and the O-271U, of which it had 30 on board. The ASU-57's engine was taken from the GAZ-M-20 "Pobeda" civilian car.
The ASU-57 was a successful design, and saw service with Soviet airborne divisions for around 20 years before being replaced by the ASU-85. During its years of operation 54 vehicles would have been assigned to each airborne division.
One main drawback was the vehicle's welded aluminum hull, which offered little protection for the crew. However for airborne troops such vehicles are invaluable, giving lightly armed soldiers who are isolated behind enemy lines mobile artillery support on the battlefield.
Every vehicle was equipped with a radio 10 RT-12 and intercom system TPU-47. Late-production models (from 1961) had the R-113 and R-120, as well as a TVN-2 night vision device for the driver.
| ASU-57 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Airborne Tank Destroyer / Assault Gun |
| Place of origin |  Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1951 |
| Used by | USSR Egypt Vietnam Yugoslavia Ethiopia |
| Wars | Six Day War Ogaden War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Astrov Design Bureau |
| Manufacturer | MMZ |
| Produced | 1950-1962 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 3.4 tonnes |
| Length | 3.48 m (11 ft 5 in) (with gun) |
| Width | 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 1.18 m (3 ft 10 in) (shield up) |
| Crew | 3+6 |
| | |
| Armor | 6 mm |
| Main armament | 1x Ch-51 or Ch-51M L/73 57mm Gun |
| Secondary armament | 1x 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun |
| Engine | one M-20E4 water cooled gasoline engine 50hp (37.29 kW) (55hp with later engine) |
| Fuel capacity | 140 liters (37 gallons) |
| Operational range | 250 km (160 mi) |
| Speed | 45 km/h (28 mph) |
