Self-propelled Artillery and Mortars:

2S9 120-mm SELF-PROPELLED

HOWITZER/MORTAR (SO-120)

The 120-mm 2S9 Nona-S (Anemone) self-

propelled howitzer/mortar was first seen in
public in May 1985 and it is an airborne
artillery assault vehicle that has been
developed to carry out two tactical
functions: conventional artillery
equipment to replace existing mortars and
howitzers and as a direct fire anti-tank
weapon system firing HEAT projectiles.
The 2S9 has a crew of four; commander, driver/mechanic, gunner and loader. The 2S9
hull is a stretched version of the BMD airborne combat vehicle and is divided into three
compartments; the command compartment, the fighting compartment and the engine
compartment. The two-man turret is located in the middle of the hull and is of welded
steel construction with 16-mm thick frontal armor. The turret roof has two hatches, one
for the gunner and the other for the loader. The track is the same as that used on the BMD
airborne combat vehicle and the suspension is hydro-pneumatic with an adjustable
ground clearance of between 100 and 450-mm. The ground clearance is adjustable by the
driver/mechanic from within the vehicle. There are six road wheels each side and five
track-return rollers. The 2S9 is armed with a 120-mm breech-loaded mortar (2A60) with
a barrel approximately 1.8-m long. The mortar is probably provided with an interrupted-
screw breech mechanism and a chamber detent to retain a round in place when the barrel
is elevated. Ammunition is fixed and loading is manual, although ramming is automatic.
The 120-mm mortar has a rate of fire of 6 to 8 rds/min. In the indirect fire role the mortar
fires high explosive, white phosphorous and smoke rounds. Mounted below the turret rear
is an ammunition loading hatch and mounted on top of the hull is a device for loading
ammunition from the ground directly into the fighting compartment. This allows
sustained fire missions to be carried out whilst still retaining onboard ammunition supply.
The 2S9 takes 30 seconds to come into action and a similar time to come out of action.
When in the firing position the suspension is raised to provide a more stable firing
platform. Standard equipment includes an NBC system, night vision equipment and an
electric bilge pump. The 2S9 is amphibious and is powered in the water by two water-jets
at the rear. Power can be delivered to the water-jets and the track at the same time. When
in the water, splash vanes can be erected in front of the driver's position. For air transport
the 2S9 can be carried by any former Soviet Military Air Transport (VTA) medium or
heavy cargo aircraft. It can be para-dropped from the An-32 `Cline', Il-76 `Candid' or An-
22 `Cock' aircraft using the PRSM-915 heavy drop system, from heights between 300
and 1500 m.
2S23 120-mm SELF-PROPELLED
HOWITZER/MORTAR SYSTEM

The 120-mm 2S23 self-propelled

howitzer/mortar system is essentially a
modified version of the turret used with
the 2S9 system mounted on a modified
BTR-80 (8 x 8) armored personnel carrier
chassis. The all-welded steel turret of the
2S23 does differ from that observed on the
2S9 (SO-120) in a number of areas
including the installation of three
electrically operated smoke dischargers
either side of the turret firing forwards and
a raised commander's cupola towards the rear of the turret on the left side which
overhangs the side of the turret. On the 2S23 the infra-red searchlight is mounted on the
forward part of the commander's cupola which is also provided with vision devices.
Forward of the cupola is a 7.62-mm pintle-mounted machine gun. The turret is also
provided with vision blocks for direct observation. The 120-mm main armament,
designated the 2A60, has a maximum range of 8000-m with a maximum rate of fire being
6 to 8 rds/min. In addition to firing former Soviet 120-mm mortar bombs, the 120-mm
weapon of the 2S23 can also fire mortar bombs fired by the French Thomson-Brandt
MO-120-RT-61 mortar system that is used by many countries around the world. This
fires a wide range of mortar bombs including HE, HE extended range, illuminating and
smoke. The direct fire sight is located to the left of the 120-mm main armament while the
indirect fire sight is mounted in the turret roof on the left side. The indirect sight housing
of the 2S23 appears to be slightly different from that of the earlier 2S9 (SO-120) system.
Although the chassis of the 2S23 is similar to that of the BTR-80 it does have a number
of differences including removal of all firing ports and their associated vision devices,
removal of the side doors between the second and third road wheels, different roof
hatches and removal of the commander's roof-mounted infra-red searchlight. Although
the doors in the upper hull sides have been removed, a door is fitted in the lower part of
the hull between the second and third wheels as an emergency exit. The 2S23 retains the
amphibious characteristics of the original BTR-80 and has a single water-jet at the rear of
the hull with a trim vane being mounted on the front of the vehicle. This folds back onto
the glacis plate when not required. Standard equipment on the 2S23 includes an NBC
system, night vision equipment and a central tire pressure regulation system that allows
the driver to adjust the tire pressure to suit the type of ground being crossed.
2S1 122-mm GVOZDIKA SELF-PROPELLED HOWITZER (SO-122)

Weight 15.7/19.68
(tons):

Speed 61.5/50
(km/h):

Crew: ?

Chassis: RT-76?

Armament:  1 x 122mm gun (30-

40 rounds)
o Rate of fire:
5-8 rds/min
o Max. Range
of fire: 15.3-
21.9 km

Armor: ?

Range (km): 350?

2S3 152-mm AKATSIA SELF-PROPELLED GUN/HOWITZER

D./Weight 27.5
(tons):

Speed 63
(km/h):

Crew: 4

Chassis: 2S3

Armament:  1 x 152mm GUN (46

rounds)
o Rate of fire:
3.5 rds/min
o Max. Range
of fire: 17.3
km
 1 x 7.62mm m/gun

Armor: 13mm

Range (km): 500

2S5 152-mm GIATSINT-S SELF-PROPELLED GUN

D./Weight 28,2
(tons):

Speed 63
(km/h):

Crew: 4/5

Chassis: 2S3

Armament:  1 x 155mm gun (30

rounds)
o Rate of fire: 5-6
rnd/min
o Muzzle velocity:
942 m/sec
o Max. Range of
fire: 28.2 km
 1 x 7.62mm m/gun

Armor: 13mm

Range (km): 500

2S19 152-mm MSTA-S SELF-PROPELLED ARTILLERY SYSTEM

Max firing range, km:

24.7
HEF projectile
28.5
HEF gas-assisted projectile
Min firing range, km 6.5
Rate of fire, rds/min 8
Elevation, deg 68
Depression, deg -4
Traverse, deg 360 15
Fire pattern: 1/374
in range, Epr/Xmax
11
in deflection, Epd, m
HEF projectile weight, kg 43.56
Onboard ammunition load, rds 50
Mount weight, t 42.5
Crew, men 5
2S7 (2S7M) PION 203-mm SELF-PROPELLED GUN (SO-203)

Weight 46
(tons):

Speed 60
(km/h):

Crew: 7

Chassis: ?

Armament:  1 x 203mm gun (30-

40 rounds)
o Rate of fire: 2
rds/min
o Max. Range
of fire: 37.5
(55.0) km

Armor: ?

Range (km): 500

2S4 240-mm TULPAN SELF-PROPELLED MORTAR (SM-240)

D./Weight 27.5
(tons):

Speed 63
(km/h):

Crew: 4

Chassis: 2S3

Armament:  1 x 240mm mortar

(20 mines or 10
ARMs)
o Rate of fire:
prob. 1
mine/min
o Range of
fire: 9.8 km -
standart
mine, 18 km -
ARM (active-
reactive
mine)
 1 x 7.62mm m/gun

Armor: ?
Range (km): 500