New BMP-2B9 82mm self-propelled mortar carrier armoured with 2B9 Vasilek at KADEX 2016 10206162.

The installation on the 82mm 2B9 Vasilek (Cornflower) on a the tracked platform BMP-1 improves the mobility and significantly reduce the time for fire and to change fire position before firing of counter battery. The mortar can ready to fire less than few minutes from inside the vehicle.

In road position, the 2B9 mortar is stored inside the vehicle body. When the vehicle is in firing position, two sliding doors are open to erected the mortar, the crew has now the capacity to control the mortar and have access to the automatic guidance mechanisms of the 2B9 mortar.

The 2B9 Vasilek (Cornflower) is an automatic 82 mm gun-mortar developed in the Soviet Union in 1967 and fielded with the Soviet Army in 1970. It was based on the F-82 automatic mortar. Unlike conventional mortars, the 2B9 can fire in single and automatic mode using four-round clips. Rounds can be loaded from either the muzzle or the breech.

The cyclic rate of fire at automatic is 170 rds/min, though the sustained practical rate is approximately 100 to 120 rds/min. The barrel can be water-cooled during sustained firing. With water cooling, the weapon can fire 300 rounds in 30 minutes. Without water cooling, this falls to 200 rounds. The 2B9 has a firing range from 770 to 4,270 m.