152 mm self-propelled howitzer 2S43 “Mauve”.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
There is such a tradition among Russian gunsmiths – to give artillery installations “flower” names. And just the other day, military engineers added bright mallow inflorescences to a fragrant variegated bouquet of acacias, tulips, asters, hyacinths and geraniums.
In nature, the “mallow” blooms from June to August. Five flowers open almost simultaneously, with a brush. Approximately this is how the explosions of 152-mm shells from the self-propelled gun 2S43 “Malva” look from the air, which manages to fire seven aimed shots in a minute.
Experts say that “Malva” is a reissue on wheels of “Msta-S”. But the Malva turned out to be not only faster with a new automatic loading and fire control mechanism, but also more mobile on the BAZ-6010-027 chassis (Bryansk Automobile Plant), which is known for its reliable 8×8 wheel arrangement.
This base is easily accelerated to 80 km / h by the YaMZ-8424.10 engine with a capacity of 470 liters. s.. This allows you to reduce the deployment time of the gun in a closed position and leave it as a spare in off-road conditions.
The assembly of weapons at the Nizhny Novgorod Burevestnik Central Research Institute, which is part of Rostec, was especially “sharpened” for the elimination of command posts, defensive structures, artillery, rocket and mortar batteries, air defense systems, columns of armored vehicles and enemies. labour.
“Malva” is capable of accurately hitting 24-kilometer areas or placing seven shells at one point almost simultaneously. Such a blow allows you to destroy any engineering structure in one minute. At the same time, the rifled barrel of the new self-propelled guns accelerates the Krasnopol-M2 guided munitions up to 25 km, and Krasnopol-D (with an inertial guidance system and GLONASS correction) up to 43 km.
The “Malva” cabin provides high security for the crew (5 people) and ammunition (30 rounds).
On a diesel engine tank “Malva” you can travel along the contact line 1000 kilometers. At the same time, it can accommodate its 32 tons in an Il-76 transport aircraft and cover this distance in an hour. Such a weapon will not lie idle in the zone of a special military operation. It will become another nightmare for the mercenaries of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Malva” has already successfully passed the state tests and will soon appear on the front line.
