Breaking news
Russian army to receive 2S33 Msta-SM and Koalitsiya-SV advanced artillery systems TASS 52403162.
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Defence & Security News - Russia
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| Russian army to receive 2S33 Msta-SM and Koalitsiya-SV advanced artillery systems | |||
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The artillery units of the Western Military District will begin to receive Msta-SM and Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled (SP) howitzers soon. Over 30 2S33 Msta-SM howitzers are said to be earmarked for the newly activated 1st Guards Armored Army.
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 Russian-made 2S33 Msta-SM howitzers |
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The Msta-SM is designed to eliminate enemy battlefield nuclear weapons, artillery and mortar batteries, armor, including tanks, antitank, air defense and missile defense systems and manpower.
The firepower of the 2S33 Msta, the predecessor of the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV, is based on the 152-mm 2A65 gun featuring a rate of fire of over 10 rounds per minute (rd./min.), which is higher than the rate of fire of other artillery systems. It was achieved through upgrading the design of the loading mechanism. Target selection and gun laying can be executed both from the battery command post using a special automated control system and from the howitzer itself. The latter fires both guided projectiles and ordinary high-explosive ones. The 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV is the latest Russian-made 152-mm SP howitzer from the Burevestnik research institute in Nizhny Novgorod. It is designed for destroying battlefield nuclear assets, artillery and mortar batteries, tanks and other armored vehicles, manpower, antitank, air defense and missile defense systems, control centers and field fortifications and for preventing the enemy’s reserves from making it to the frontline. The development of the 2S35 was kicked off in 2006. The Urals Transport Machinebuilding Plant had manufactured the first two prototypes by 2013 and delivered a 10-unit series in 2014. After the 2S35 passes its tests, it is to enter service with the Russian Army’s Field Artillery and to oust the obsolete 2S3 Akatsiya and 2S19 Msta-S SP howitzers from the inventory. |
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<align="center">
 Russian Army 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV in the 2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade |
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The Koalitsiya-SV has a turreted layout. Its hull’s shape is similar to that of the T-90 tank and divided into the driver’s, fighting and engine compartments. Compared to the T-90, the bow of the hull has been modified heavily to accommodate the driver’s compartment. The driver’s combat station with the controls is in the middle of the compartment, with the commander and gunner seated on the driver’s left and right respectively. The unmanned fighting compartment is in the middle of the hull.
The 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV SP howitzer is furnished with an automated gun laying, target selection, navigation and relative-positioning system. The gunner’s and commander’s stations are equipped with displays showing the data fed by the common information and command system. The integration of 2S35 SP howitzers with the common tactical-level command and control system enables them to receive external target designation via a digital communications channel, watch terrain round the clock, generate fire missions by themselves and control their own fires. The Koalitsiya-SV’s foreign competition includes the US-made M109A7 PIM SP howitzer that entered production in 2012 as an upgraded variant of the M109A6 Paladin. The purpose of the upgrade was to extend the service life of the M109A6 by 30-40 years and improve its performance. The modernized SP howitzer is fitted with a digital fire control system and an improved semiautomatic loading system. German SP howitzer PzH 2000 developed by KMW (Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann) in 1998 is a rather strong rival to the Koalitsiya-SV. Rather high performance has been shown by South Korea’s K-9 Thunder SP artillery system from Samsung Techwin. It is a 155-mm weapon with semiautomatic loading, capable of firing the first three rounds within 15 s. However, the rate of fire drops then to 6-8 rd./min. The maximum range of the K-9 using RAPs stands at 50 km. Its ammo load comprises 48 rounds. Good SP artillery system designs also include the Chinese-made 155-mm PLZ-05 howitzer closely resembling Russia’s Msta-S. It has a range of 40 km with the 8-rd./min. rate of fire. The PLZ-05 entered service in 2007. The high performance of the foreign SP artillery systems indicates that Russia’s Koalitsiya-SV and they will soon lock horns in stiff competition on the global arms market. |
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