Ukrainian army destroys a second Russian 2S4 240mm most powerful mortar carrier in the world

On December 29, 2022, a picture was released on Twitter showing the destruction by the Ukrainian army of one Russian-made 2S4, the most powerful 240mm self-propelled mortar carrier in the world. The 2S4 also nicknamed Tyulpan was destroyed by the counter-battery fire of the Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian army has already destroyed or damaged three 2S4 mortar carriers of the Russian army.
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Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 2400mm self-propelled mortar carrier destroyed by Ukrainian artillery. (Picture source Alex Ukrainian soldier)

Recently, the Russian MoD (Ministry of Defense) announced that the 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm self-propelled mortar is intensively used in the fights against the Ukrainian army. This mobile mortar system has no equivalent in the world.

Before the war in Ukraine, the Russian armed forces had a total of about 100 2S4s but it is estimated that well over 400 2S4s have been produced. It entered into service with the Russian army in 1975. As of 31 December 2022, at least 3 have been lost or damaged in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.

The 2S4 is a 240mm self-propelled mortar carrier that is based on a tracked armored chassis. The hull is of all-welded steel armor construction that provides the crew with protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. It has a crew of four with the other five crew members being carried in the support vehicle. The driver and vehicle commander are seated front left with the power pack to the right and the crew/ammunition compartment extending to the rear.

The 2S4 is armed with one 240 mm smoothbore mortar which has powered elevation from +50° to +80º with a powered traverse of 10º on the left and right. The vehicle carries 40 mortar rounds which are stored in two drum-type magazines. The mortar can fire conventional high-explosive fragmentation mortar bombs 3OF-864 with a range from 800 m to 9,650 m and a high-explosive fragmentation rocket-assisted projectile with a maximum firing range of 18,000 m. It can also fire chemical, concrete-piercing, and tactical nuclear ammunition.

A small one-man open-top turret is located at the front left side of the hull which is armed with one PKT 7.62mm machine gun.

Russian military source also indicates that the 2S4 can fire the Smel'chak (Daredevil) laser-guided mortar projectile with a range from 3.6 km to 9.2 km with laser target designation range being 0.2 to 5.0 km.

In the road position, the 240mm mortar weapon system is lying on the roof of the hull, while in the firing position, the mortar is erected at the rear of the hull between 50° to 80°. At an elevation of +60º rate of fire is one round in 62 seconds and with an elevation of +80º, a maximum rate of fire of one round every 77 seconds can be achieved.

The 2S4 is based on a tracked chassis consisting of torsion bar suspension with on each side six road wheels, a drive sprocket at the front, an idler at the rear, and four track-return rollers. The vehicle can run at a maximum road speed of 60 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 500 km.

The Russian-made 2S4 Tyulpan is the most powerful 240mm self-propelled mortar carrier in the world. (Picture source Vitaly Kuzmin)