The missile units and artillery of the RF Armed Forces are currently mainly equipped with the following weapons: 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled guns (122 mm), 2SZ Akasya 152 mm self-propelled guns, 2S19 self-propelled guns “Msta-S” (152 mm), “Msta- B” (152 mm), guns 2S5 “Hyacinth” (152 mm) and 2S7 “Peony” (203 mm).
120-mm self-propelled guns 2S23 “Nona-SVK”, 2S9 “Nona-S”, 2S31 “Vena” and their towed analogue 2B16 “Nona-K” are also designed for fire support of combined arms units. In addition, the troops have the following mortar guns: automatic 2B9M “Vasilek” (82 mm), 2B14-1 “Tray” (82 mm), mortar complex 2S12 “Sani” (120 mm), self-propelled 2S4 ” Tulip » (240 mm) ).
Approximately the same legacy from the Soviet army went to the rocket troops and artillery of the Ukrainian armed forces. Until recently, on the battlefields during a special military operation, the combat capabilities of the artillery of both sides were of approximately equal quality. At the same time, there was a significant quantitative advantage on the part of the Russian artillery.
In this regard, it should be noted that the firing range of the 2S1 Gvozdika guns is 15.1 km, 2S3 Akatsiya – 17.3 km, Msta-S – just over 24 km, Giatsint-B (S) – 28.5 km.
However, the situation on the line of contact began to gradually change with the advent of Western-style weapons to equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The fact is that in the early 1990s, NATO member states adopted the Joint Ballistic Memorandum of Understanding, which defines a new standard for 155-mm howitzers and sets the maximum firing range of high-explosive fragmentation shells at 30 km and active-reactive – 40 km. That is, with the adoption of this document, the firing range of NATO howitzers has become greater than that of most Russian weapons.
But here it should be specifically noted that the supply of Western-made weapons to Ukraine is relatively small.
How was the Ukrainian artillery park updated?
Currently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine is equipped with various types of 155-mm howitzers of Western production. Sometimes, in this regard, the opinion is expressed in the Russian expert community that it will make it difficult to procure weapons with “various type” shells.
The United States sent 90 M777 howitzers to Ukraine, Australia six and Canada four. The M777 is a towed howitzer currently used by the US Army and Marine Corps.
The M777 is distinguished from other howitzers by its high-precision Towed Artillery Digitization computerized fire control system, which uses data from GPS and unmanned aerial vehicles to target the target and ensures accurate shooting at long distances.
A particular advantage of the M777 is its compatibility with the laser-guided M172 Copperhead and the M982 Excalibur with GPS and inertial guidance. The maximum firing range of the M777 with conventional shells is 24.7 km, with special shells – 40 km.
However, M777 howitzers supplied from the United States to Ukraine do not have a digital fire control system and cannot use M982 Excalibur shells.
Poland supplies Ukraine with a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer AHS Krab caliber 155 mm with a barrel length of 52 caliber. The AHS Krab is a self-propelled howitzer based on the licensed chassis of the South Korean K9 Thunder howitzer manufactured in Poland using the British AS-90 turret system, also produced under license. The maximum firing range of the AHS Krab reaches 40 km.
Slovakia supplies Ukraine with Zuzana 2 self-propelled artillery mounts. The gun is mounted on a TATRA 8X8 wheeled chassis. Self-propelled guns are equipped with a 155-mm howitzer with a barrel length of 52 caliber and a maximum firing range of 41 km. The on-board computer of the self-propelled guns provides automatic coupling to the terrain. Machines can exchange information with each other and receive data from the command point.
France delivered to Ukraine 155 mm CAESAR wheeled self-propelled artillery assemblies with a barrel length of 52 caliber, developed by GIAT Industries. The maximum firing range of CAESAR self-propelled guns reaches 42 km, according to other sources – 46 km.
“Coalition-SV” should be used correctly
In 1989, the artillery regiments of the motorized rifle and tank divisions of the Soviet Army adopted the 152-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S19 “Msta-S” with a firing range of more than 24 km.
According to its characteristics at the time of its adoption, Msta-S approximately corresponded to its foreign counterparts, but after the adoption of the above-mentioned “ballistic memorandum” by the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, it began to lag behind Msta-S. Self-propelled artillery installations of NATO countries in terms of data.
There was a need to develop a new weapon with superior characteristics than the howitzers of NATO countries. Officially, work on the creation of promising self-propelled guns called 2S35 “Coalition-SV” began in 2006.
In 2011, the phase of publishing study design documents was completed. By 2013, the Ural Transport Engineering Plant had produced the first two prototypes of the Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled guns, and in 2014 a series of 10 2S35 units was commissioned, which took part in the Victory Parade on Red Square.
Koalitsiya-SV is a Russian 152mm special artillery system based on the T-90 tank with a maximum firing range of up to 80 km, a maximum ammunition load of up to 70 rounds and a rate of fire of up to 16 rounds per head. minute. This is much higher than NATO examples.
The most important nuance is that unmanned aerial vehicles gain great importance in target determination today. This gives ranged artillery the characteristics of precision weapons, even with conventional shells.
In this regard, the batteries, divisions and self-propelled artillery regiments of the 2S35 “Coalition-SV” howitzer, if not equipped with UAVs as a means of reconnaissance and fire control, operate in a single reconnaissance and fire circuit. in real time, then at full volume, it will not be possible to use the high tactical and technical capabilities of the Coalition-SV.
The author’s view may not coincide with the editors’ position.
Author biography:
Mikhail Mikhailovich Khodarenok is a military observer for socialbites.ca, a retired colonel.
Graduated from the Minsk Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft Missile School (1976),
Air Defense Military Command Academy (1986).
Commander of the S-75 anti-aircraft missile battalion (1980–1983).
Deputy commander of an anti-aircraft missile regiment (1986-1988).
Senior officer of the Air Defense Forces Chief of Staff (1988-1992).
General Staff Main Operations Directorate Officer (1992-2000).
Graduate of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (1998).
Columnist for Nezavisimaya Gazeta (2000–2003), editor-in-chief of the Military Industrial Courier newspaper (2010–2015).