Ukraine army destroys Russian 152mm 2A36 Giatsint-B towed gun

On August 18, 2023, Naalsio posted a tweet showing a destroyed Russian Ural-4320 military truck towing a 152mm 2A36 'Giatsint-B' howitzer. The location of the destruction remains undisclosed. This event has garnered attention as it is the first time a loss of this type has been recorded and verified through video.
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 152-mm gun 2A36 «Giatsint-B» towed by a Ural-4320 (Picture source: Twitter account of Naalsio )

The destruction of artillery equipment may seem trivial, but this is the first time we have documented the loss of the 2A36 'Giatsint-B' howitzer. This allows us to delve deeper into the technical characteristics of this towed cannon.

The 2A36 Giatsint-B is a Soviet/Russian towed 152mm field gun that has been in service since 1975. Manufactured by Uraltransmash Works, the gun has been used by various countries, including Russia, CIS nations, Finland, Iraq, and Ukraine. It has seen action in multiple conflicts such as the Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and more recently, the Russo-Ukraine War, of course.

Weighing 9,760 kilograms, the gun measures 12.92 meters in transport configuration and 12.30 meters in combat configuration. The barrel itself is quite long, measuring 7.562 meters, and can extend up to 8.197 meters with a muzzle brake. The gun is 2.34 meters wide and has a height of 2.76 meters when in transport. It requires a crew of eight to operate.

In terms of operational capabilities, the gun has a caliber of 152mm and can fire six rounds per minute. The projectile has a muzzle velocity ranging from 560 to 945 meters per second. The effective firing range of the gun varies depending on the type of ammunition used; it can fire up to 30.5 kilometers with OFS and up to 40 kilometers with OFARS. The gun has an elevation range from -2 to +57 degrees and a traverse range from -25 to +25 degrees.

The 2A36 Giatsint-B is designed to suppress and destroy enemy manpower and equipment. It is also well-suited for counter-battery fire. One of the remarkable features of this gun is its ability to operate in extreme weather conditions, having been tested in temperatures ranging from -50°C to 50°C.

The destruction of this howitzer, captured and broadcasted on video, highlights the challenges faced by the Russian armed forces in terms of the durability and resilience of their equipment in the current context of the conflict in Ukraine. Replacing destroyed equipment remains a major issue in the conflict, and it remains to be seen whether Russia will be able to replace and repair its equipment faster than the Ukrainians can.

 152-mm gun 2A36 «Giatsint-B» ( Picture Source: Vitaly V.Kuzmin )