The Russian army is armed with artillery systems of different calibers and for different purposes. Of great interest are tools of special power, designed to solve special problems. Such weapons, as well as all the processes around them, attract the attention of domestic and foreign specialists. For example, OE Watch magazine published by the US Office of Foreign Military Research recently presented its views on these issues.
In the September issue of the OE Watch magazine from the Foreign Military Studies Office, there is an interesting material on Russian artillery systems of special power in general, current events related to them, as well as the prospects for such weapons. An article by author Chuck Burtles was titled Russian Heavy Artillery: Leaving Depots and Returning to Service.
At the beginning of the article, the author recalls the main features of the development of Soviet and Russian artillery of special power in recent decades. Thus, the Soviet Union at one time developed a number of large-caliber artillery systems, including the 2S4 "Tulip" 240-mm self-propelled mortar or the 2S7 "Pion" 203-mm self-propelled howitzer. Such weapons were intended to disrupt communications, control and logistics, destroy command posts, as well as various city and field fortifications using conventional and nuclear weapons.
After the end of the Cold War, the Russian military sent most of these weapons to long-term storage sites. This decision was made for several main reasons. First of all, the partial abandonment of powerful weapons was associated with the improvement of the international situation and the lack of the need for means of delivering tactical nuclear warheads over a relatively long range. In addition, the further development of other weapons affected the fate of the "Peonies" and "Tulips". Newer and more advanced weapons, such as the 2S19M Msta-SM, as well as missile systems like the Iskander, could with sufficient efficiency solve the same tasks as the artillery of special power.
OE Watch reminds of the main technical features of the heavy-duty Russian guns. Self-propelled mortar 2S4 "Tulip" is a 240-mm gun 2B8, mounted on a modified chassis "Object 123". The latter is similar to the chassis of the 2S3 Akatsiya howitzer. It is equipped with a V12 V-59 diesel engine and develops power up to 520 hp. The self-propelled vehicle is capable of speeds up to 60 km / h on the highway. The Tulip's own crew consists of four people, but they need the help of five more fighters to fire. They follow the self-propelled gun in a second ammunition transport vehicle.
The 2S4 mortar is capable of using mines of all basic types: high-explosive fragmentation, chemical and nuclear. At the same time, according to official data, now only conventional shots are included in its ammunition load. The rate of fire of the system is 1 shot per minute. The standard ammunition for the Tulip is a 240-mm high-explosive fragmentation mine weighing 130 kg. Such a product is launched at a distance of up to 9.5 km. There are also active-rocket mines with a firing range of 18 km. Even during the war in Afghanistan, the "Daredevil" mine with semi-active laser homing appeared.
According to OE Watch, Russia is currently upgrading its 2S4 Tulip mortars. First of all, the update affects communication and fire control systems, due to which compatibility with modern means of control over troops is ensured. In addition, barrels and anti-recoil devices are being repaired or replaced, which have exhausted their resource.
The 2S7 Pion self-propelled howitzer was built using a 203 mm 2A44 gun. For its transportation, a tracked chassis equipped with a V-46 engine with a capacity of 780 hp is used. The chassis provides a travel speed of up to 50 km / h. The Peony's crew consists of seven people. Its modernized version 2S7M "Malka" is operated by six gunners, but seven more people can be transported in a separate transport vehicle.
The 2S7 ammunition can include conventional and special projectiles, although, according to official data, this system currently uses only conventional ammunition. The principle of separate loading with variable propelling charge is used. The rate of fire of the howitzer reaches 1.5 rounds per minute.
In 1983, the USSR launched mass production of the modernized version of the Pion - 2S7M Malka. The chassis of this combat vehicle is equipped with a V-84V diesel engine with a capacity of 840 hp. In addition, the "Malka" has an improved fire control system and improved means of loading. All this made it possible to bring the rate of fire to 2.5 rounds per minute. According to reports from the Russian profile press, a new 203-mm projectile with semi-active laser guidance is under development.
C. Burtles cites some information from articles from the Russian editions "Krasnaya Zvezda" and "Army Collection", devoted to the further development and operation of artillery of special power. According to the current plans of the command, a number of such systems should be removed from storage, modernized and returned to service. It is reported that the equipment will be transferred to the 45th Svirskaya Artillery Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, a high-powered brigade and to other similar formations of ground forces.
Usually Russian large-caliber guns are combined into batteries of 8-12 units each. OE Watch notes that the same means are used to control the combat work of such units as in other artillery units with other weapons - for example, the 1V12M Kharkiv complexes.
C. Burtles points out a curious feature of the current discussions of Russian guns. Much attention is paid to the characteristics and capabilities of such systems, while the reasons for their return to the service are of little interest to the discussants. Nevertheless, the author of OE Watch gives his own answer to such questions. Currently, there is no need for barrel delivery vehicles for tactical nuclear warheads. At the same time, new guided munitions are being created. These factors allow us to imagine a new role for large-caliber guns.
The American edition suggests that the new target of "Peony" and "Tulip" may be the defeat of well-defended objects in urban areas. The target of 203-mm and 240-mm shells can be structures that cannot be effectively hit with artillery of 122 and 152 mm calibers.
Another possible reason for the return of artillery to service OE Watch considers concerns related to the production and supply of various weapons, as well as their stocks in army warehouses. The Iskander operational-tactical complexes and the new 300-mm multiple launch rocket systems are superior in a number of characteristics to the 2S4 and 2S7 products, but they are inferior to them in terms of cost and simplicity of ammunition. In the event of a large-scale conflict, it will be easier for industry to fire large quantities of artillery shells rather than missiles.
In addition, the simultaneous operation of missiles and artillery makes it possible to create a flexible and economical target destruction system. Cheaper shells can be used for massive shelling of area targets, while missiles should be assigned the task of hitting specific targets.
The article “Russian Heavy Artillery: Leaving Depots and Returning to Service” was accompanied by two large quotes from publications of Russian publications. The first of them was taken from the material "Hone the accuracy of hits" by A. Alexandrovich, published in the May issue of the Russian magazine "Army Collection". This article, first of all, talked about the course of the exercises of the artillerymen, but it provided very interesting information about the further development of existing weapons and the introduction of new systems into practice.
The reason for the appearance of the article in the "Army Collection" was the tactical exercises held at the Sergeevsky training ground as part of the camp training of the 5th Combined Arms Army gunners. A significant amount of quotation in OE Watch is given for the description of the shot of a 2C4 mortar. The system is said to be quieter than expected, with only a long noise from the vibrating barrel demonstrating the power of the shot. With the help of a separate mechanism, the 240-mm mine is loaded into the barrel, followed by not the loudest clap. The projectile can fly at a distance of 20 km, fly over a hill or a multi-storey building, etc. Heavy ammunition in the fall is capable of penetrating a Khrushchev building from the attic to the basement, and this applies to the "usual" high-explosive fragmentation mine.
OE Watch also quotes Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Polshkov, a senior officer in the Missile and Artillery Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army, whose statements were published by the Army Collection. He said that this year army officers have been trained at research institutes and will soon be training battery commanders. The latter will have to master the operation of high-precision ammunition. In addition, the formations will receive a number of such weapons for practical shooting. Lieutenant Colonel Polshkov noted that areal targets are a thing of the past, and victory depends on which object and how accurately will be hit in the shortest time.
The citation of the Army Collection in OE Watch ends with information about the Krasnopol guided missile. This complex includes a gun, the projectile itself and a laser designator. The latter is used by the operator to highlight the selected target. The flying projectile catches the reflected laser beam and independently aims at the illuminated object. The target of such a projectile can be anything from a car to a building. The firing range is 30 km.
Also Ch. Burtles cited a large quotation from the article "Malka" - an argument of great power "by Yuri Andreev, published in the newspaper" Krasnaya Zvezda "on July 16. This material was devoted to the current modernization of high-power artillery systems, as well as the supply of updated combat vehicles to the ground forces.
In July it was reported that 12 newest Malka self-propelled guns with 203-mm guns were transferred to the artillery formations of the Central Military District. The cited article mentioned the "origin" and the main features of this technique. In particular, it was pointed out that one of the disadvantages of the "Pion" was the lack of accuracy of the fire. In the 2S7M "Malka" project, new means of communication and control were used, which made it possible to increase the main combat characteristics. Now the data coming from the senior battery officer is immediately displayed directly on the screens of the commander and gunner. Having received the data, they can prepare the weapon for firing.
The artillery unit is now controlled using the 1V12M complex, which has modern topographic reference systems. With its help, it is possible to control the fire of several self-propelled guns in manual and automatic modes.
Also "Krasnaya Zvezda" wrote that "Malka" has a good modernization potential. Updating such equipment can be carried out with the help of modern technologies and devices. Artillery systems should be developed, first of all, with the help of guided munitions, and now laser guidance systems are on the agenda. The issue of application of the so-called. fuse with controlled aerodynamic effect. It is also possible to use cluster shells with self-aiming submunitions. Improving the aerodynamics of the projectile can increase the firing range by 30%. All this allows us to imagine the general appearance of the artillery system of the future.
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Foreign publications on Russian weapon systems and equipment are of interest, especially when they appear in serious publications published by the Pentagon structures. It is easy to see that the publication "Russian Heavy Artillery: Leaving Depots and Returning to Service" by OE Watch magazine considers a topical issue, but at the same time does not contain the usual statements for our time that correspond to the current position of the American leadership.
It should be noted that Chuck Burtles, considering Russian publications about the current state of affairs and the prospects for high-power artillery, made a couple of mistakes that led to incorrect conclusions. On the basis of publications in the "Army Collection" and "Krasnaya Zvezda", a conclusion is drawn about the design of 203-mm guided projectiles similar to the existing 152-mm Krasnopol. However, if you look closely, both articles don't talk about it.
In the case of the "Army Collection", the officer's story about the training of personnel touched upon the problems of the operation of self-propelled guns 2S19 "Msta-S". It was their calculations in the summer period of training that were to receive the products "Krasnopol" for practical shooting, and this is exactly what Lieutenant Colonel A. Polshkov spoke about. Thus, one of the bases for OE Watch's conclusions was the misinterpretation of the disclosed information.
As for the article in Krasnaya Zvezda, it also does not speak directly about the development of guided missiles for the Peony / Malka. It only describes the possible ways of developing such artillery systems, which include the creation of laser-guided shells. However, Krasnaya Zvezda does not write that such products are already being created or are being prepared for delivery to the army. It turns out that the second basis for the conclusions of the foreign publication was the lack of understanding of the context.
Nevertheless, despite the errors with the hypothetical development of large-caliber guided projectiles, the new material from FMSO and OE Watch is of great interest. It touches upon various aspects of the operation, use and prospects of high-power artillery - both independent and in connection with other types of equipment. All this shows that Russian artillery systems are attracting the attention of foreign experts and are being comprehensively studied. Accordingly, their further development should lead to the emergence of new assessments and, possibly, even to a certain change in the tactics and strategies of foreign armies.
OE Watch Magazine, September 2018:
Army Collection Magazine, No. 5 2018:
