OVERVIEW: The 115mm High-Explosive (HE) tank round is an unguided, indirect fire-capable munition designed for use with smoothbore tank guns such as the Soviet 2A20. It is intended primarily for use against soft targets, field fortifications, and light vehicles through explosive blast and fragmentation effects.

DETAILS: The 115mm HE round consists of a steel shell filled with high explosive, typically TNT or a similar compound, and is fitted with either an impact or delay fuze depending on mission requirements. It is designed for use with the 2A20 115mm smoothbore gun mounted on the T-62 main battle tank. Unlike armor-piercing ammunition, the HE round prioritizes area effects and can be used in indirect fire roles. Upon detonation, it produces a large fragmentation pattern effective against troops in the open, unarmored vehicles, and light defensive positions. These rounds are fin-stabilized and feature fixed cartridge cases, allowing rapid loading and firing.

ROLE SUMMARY:
Category: Tank Gun Ammunition
Primary Use: Anti-personnel and anti-material (soft targets)
Function: Blast and fragmentation through high-explosive filling
Strong Against: Infantry positions, light vehicles, unarmored infrastructure
Weak Against: Armored vehicles, reactive armor, targets in defilade
Platform: T-62 main battle tank (equipped with 115mm 2A20 gun)
Integration: Standard ammunition for 2A20; not compatible with rifled or 120/125mm tank guns

SOURCE:
Janes Ammunition Handbook ; Russian Ministry of Defence Archives ; U.S. Army Foreign Materiel Exploitation Reports ; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/115_mm_tank_gun