Russia Transforms BMP-1 73mm Cannon into Powerful Towed Artillery.

Russian craftsmen have begun repurposing the remains of BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) into towed guns. The Telegram group "Russia no context" shared footage of a test involving one of these trailer-mounted guns on May 28, 2024.
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The Russian armed forces extracted a 73-mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore gun from a BMP-1 and mounted it on a wheeled base. (Picture source: Russian Social Media)

The Russian armed forces extracted a 73-mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore gun from a BMP-1 and mounted it on a wheeled base, likely sourced from a 2B9 Vasylok automatic mortar. These guns might have been salvaged from BMP-1s destroyed in Ukraine.

The Russian military is expected to deploy this wheeled version of the 2A28 Grom gun to support infantry and in defensive operations. However, there is a shortage of highly explosive fragmentation OG-15V ammunition, and the armor-piercing PG-15Vs are unlikely to cause significant damage to Ukrainian positions.

The BMP-1 gun, designated as the 2A28 Grom, is a 73-mm smoothbore cannon. It was designed to provide sufficient firepower for light armored vehicles and to support infantry, which will likely be its role here. The 2A28 gun can fire two main types of ammunition: armor-piercing PG-15V projectiles and explosive OG-15V projectiles. PG-15V ammunition is designed to penetrate enemy armor, while OG-15V is intended for high-explosive fragmentation effects, which would be more advantageous in this case.

The cannon has a direct fire range of about 750 meters, allowing reasonable accuracy for short-range targets. The cannon can reach a maximum range of 1300 meters for long-range firing using a parabolic trajectory. With a well-trained crew and precise adjustments, particularly using drones for fire correction, the maximum range can be extended up to 4 kilometers from closed positions.

The 2A28 Grom is mounted in a monoblock configuration, meaning the cannon is made from a single piece, providing increased durability and strength. The cannon is screwed into a breech equipped with a wedge bolt, a robust and reliable locking mechanism. Ejectors are installed in the breech to ensure efficient extraction of spent cases after firing, a detail visible in the video demonstrating the cannon's operation.

The 2A28 Grom has been widely used on BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles. Although the technology is relatively old, it remains effective in certain combat conditions, particularly when modified and used as a towed weapon for infantry support or defensive operations, as demonstrated by the recent Russian adaptations on the 2B9 Vasylok automatic mortar bases. These adaptations show ingenuity in reusing military equipment, although effectiveness against well-defended positions may be limited by ammunition availability and terrain.

A Russian BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle. ( Picture Source: Vitaly V.Kuzmin)