Russian flowers of large sizes: “Peony”, “Hyacinth”, “Tulip”. Self-propelled howitzers "Gvozdika" and "Akatsiya" Self-propelled artillery gun 2 with 1 photo

The 122-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S1 "Gvozdika" is designed to destroy open and hidden enemy personnel, weapons and military equipment. The development of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun was started by resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 609-201 of July 4, 1967. The artillery part of the self-propelled gun was created at OKB-9 (-Uralmash-) on the basis of the 122-mm towed howitzer D-30 and retained that the same internal structure of the barrel, ballistics and ammunition. The new howitzer received the factory index D-32 and the index GRAU 2A31. The 2S1 self-propelled gun chassis was developed by specialists from the Kharkov Tractor Plant on the basis of the MT-PB multi-purpose armored tractor. The first four prototypes of the 2S1 Gvozdika were submitted for field testing in August 1969. The 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun was adopted for service in 1971, and its mass production began in 1972.

The machine body is welded from steel plates, the maximum thickness of which reaches 20 mm. This armor provides protection from lung fire small arms and fragments of small-caliber shells and mines. The control compartment and the engine-transmission compartment are located in the front part of the hull, and the fighting compartment is located in the middle and aft parts of the hull, as well as in the turret. The turret accommodates three crew members: in front on the left is the gunner, behind him is the installation commander and to the right of the gun is the loader. Ammunition is stored in the rear part of the self-propelled gun body. The armor of the self-propelled gun is bulletproof and provides protection against damage by armor-piercing bullets of 7.62 mm caliber at a distance of 300 m.

The main armament of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun is a 122-mm D-32 howitzer, housed in a circular rotation turret, which is installed in the rear of the vehicle. The howitzer barrel consists of a monoblock pipe, a breech, a coupling, an ejection device and a two-chamber muzzle brake. Vertical wedge shutter with semi-automatic mechanical (copier) type. Sector lifting mechanism with manual drive. Guidance of the gun in the vertical plane is carried out in a range of angles from -3° to +70°. The recoil brake is hydraulic spindle type, the knurl is pneumatic. The recoil and retractor brake cylinders are fixed in the breech and roll back along with the barrel. The barrel is balanced by a push-type pneumatic balancing mechanism. The ramming mechanism is of an electromechanical type, designed for separate loading of a projectile and a loaded cartridge case into the barrel chamber after placing them on the rammer tray.

The 2S1 “Gvozdika” self-propelled howitzer is equipped with a PG-2 periscope sight (index 10P40), designed both for firing from closed positions and for direct fire. PG-2 consists of a panorama, a mechanical sight with a matching unit, and an OP5- direct-fire optical sight 37, parallelogram drive and electrical unit.

The transportable ammunition of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun usually consists of 35 high-explosive fragmentation and 5 cumulative shells. The self-propelled howitzer can fire all types of ammunition from the D-30 towed howitzer. The BP-1 cumulative rotating projectile is fired with a special Zh-8 charge weighing 3.1 kg; initial speed 740 m/s; table range is 2000 m. Armor penetration along the normal is 180 mm, at an angle of 60° - 150 mm, at an angle of 30° - 80 mm; armor penetration does not depend on distance. When shooting high explosive projectile the maximum range is 15,300 m. When using an active-missile projectile, this figure increases to 21,900 m. The Kitolov-2 laser-guided projectile was also developed for it. This projectile can hit stationary and moving targets with a high degree of probability.

The self-propelled gun is equipped with a 210-kilowatt YaMZ-238 diesel engine, allowing the vehicle to reach a maximum speed of 60 km/h on the highway. The engine is coupled with a mechanical transmission. The chassis of the 2S1 “Gvozdika” self-propelled howitzer consists, for one side, of seven road wheels, a front drive wheel and a rear idler wheel; there are no support rollers. The track rollers are made of aluminum alloy. Between the hub and the outer ring with the rubber band of each roller, two disks are welded, forming an internal air chamber that increases the buoyancy of the machine. The drive wheels, located at the front of the housing, have removable ring gears, making them easy to replace if excessive wear occurs. The track tensioning mechanism is located inside the housing. Track tension is also adjusted from inside the machine. The tracks with rubber-metal joints are 400 mm wide, but can be replaced with wider ones (670 mm) for increased maneuverability in snow and wetlands.

The 2S1 “Gvozdika” suspension consists of fourteen torsion bar shafts located across the car. For this reason, the road wheels on the starboard side are shifted slightly forward relative to the rollers on the left side. Automotive-type hydraulic shock absorbers interact with the balancers of the first and last road wheels. The vertical stroke of these road wheels is additionally controlled by spring buffers.

The self-propelled gun 2S1 “Gvozdika” has a hermetic body and overcomes water obstacles by swimming. Movement afloat is carried out by rewinding the tracks, while the vehicle reaches a speed of 4.5 km/h. However, there are a number of limitations here. So the water flow speed should not exceed 0.6 m/sec, and the wave height should not be higher than 150 mm. In addition, when overcoming water obstacles, there should not be more than 30 shots on board the installation.

The combat weight of the 2S1 “Gvozdika” does not exceed 16 tons, which allows it to be transported by aircraft military transport aviation. A vehicle of this type is in service with the ground forces of Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Iraq. Yemen, Libya. Poland. Russia, Syria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ethiopia and former Yugoslavia.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the 122-mm self-propelled gun 2S1 “Gvozdika”
Combat weight, t 15.7
Crew, people 4
Overall dimensions, mm"
length with gun forward 7265
case length 7265
width 2850
height 2285
ground clearance, mm 400
Armor, mm: 20, all-round protection against B-32 armor-piercing bullets from a distance of 300 m
Armament 122 mm howitzer D-32
Ammunition 40 rounds
Rate of fire, rds/min 4-5
Engine YaMZ-23a, V-shaped, 4-stroke liquid-cooled engine, power 210 kW
Specific engine power, kW/t 13.4
Specific ground pressure. MPa 0.047
Maximum speed, km/h:
on highway 60
afloat 4.5
Cruising range on the highway, km 500
Fuel capacity, l 550
Obstacles to be overcome:
wall height, m ​​0.70
width of the ditch. m 2.75
ford depth, m floats

By the time serial production of the 2S1 self-propelled gun began, NATO countries already had various 105-mm self-propelled artillery units of a similar class in service, created in the 1950s–1960s, for example, the American M108 or the British FV433. Let the reader not be confused by the difference in calibers; this is due to the fact that 122 mm howitzers existed only in Russia, and in the West, the 105 mm caliber was generally accepted for divisional level howitzers. In addition, the high-explosive fragmentation effect on the target of Soviet 122-mm shells and Western 105-mm shells was comparable. Thus, the reduced area of ​​damage to openly located manpower in a prone position for the 122-mm 53-OF462 projectile was 310 m2, and for the high-explosive 105-mm M1 projectile - 285 m2. Only in the early 1970s. The 122-mm howitzers 2S1, D-30 and M-30 received new 3OF24 ammunition filled with a more powerful explosive, due to which their effectiveness increased by approximately 1.5 times.

Upgraded self-propelled gun 2S34 “Khosta” with a 120-mm rifled mortar gun 2A80-1.
Adopted by the RF Armed Forces in 2008.

“Gvozdika” can be compared with the above-mentioned foreign peers. At the time of adoption, the 2S1 self-propelled gun was superior to its American competitor M108 in terms of firing range with a high-explosive fragmentation projectile - 15.2 km versus 11.5 km, but was significantly inferior in maximum rate of fire - 4–5 rounds per minute versus 10 rounds per minute. Both self-propelled guns were floating, but the 2S1 was 5 tons lighter and floated on its own, and for the M108 it was necessary to develop an individual watercraft (six inflatable rubberized containers). The maximum speeds of 2S1 and M 108 were approximately the same - 60 and 56 km/h, respectively. However, the cruising range of the Soviet car, thanks to the diesel engine, was significantly greater - 500 km versus 350 km. In addition to the main armament, the M 108 also had auxiliary weapons - a 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun on the commander's cupola, while the 2S1 self-propelled gun did not have a defensive machine gun at all.

SAU 2S1 (right) one of military units IRGC during a review after a training exercise.
Iran 2009

The British self-propelled gun FV433 Abbot (“Abbot”), built on the basis of the FV430 universal tracked chassis, was armed with a 105 mm X24 gun. Loading of the gun was separate, semi-automatic - the projectile was sent into the barrel bore by the loading mechanism, and the charge was inserted by the loader. As a result, the rate of fire of the Abbot self-propelled gun reached 12 rounds/min, for the 2S1 - 4–5 rounds/min. With the L31 projectile weighing 16.1 kg, the maximum firing range was 17 km, for the 2S1 it was 15.2 km. As an auxiliary weapon, a 7.62 mm Bren machine gun was installed on the self-propelled gun turret. In terms of mobility, the English self-propelled guns were inferior to the 2S1, having a maximum speed on the highway of 48 km/h (for the 2S1 - 60 km/h) and a range of 390 km (for the 2S1 - 500 km). To overcome water obstacles, Abbot was forced to use an individual flotation device - a waterproof canvas casing, it was attached along the perimeter of the upper hull plate, stretched over a sliding frame.

Thus, the indisputable advantages of the 2S1 self-propelled guns compared to its modern foreign analogues include high maneuverability and relatively low weight, which allow the 2S1 to be used in conjunction with amphibious infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. The disadvantages of the 2S1 self-propelled guns can be considered a low rate of fire, lack of anti-aircraft machine gun, limited right sector of vision for the driver mechanic.

Technical characteristics of self-propelled gun 2S1 “Gvozdika”

The combat path of 2S1 self-propelled howitzers began in Afghanistan. True, the tactics of their use in the Afghan war differed from the one for which they were actually developed - the 2S1s did not fire from indirect positions, but were used as assault weapons. For example, in the operation to capture the base areas of Khaki-Safed and Shingar, 2S1 batteries advanced behind the attacking assault groups, destroying enemy resistance points with direct fire. Similar tactics, tested during the Second World War, significantly reduced personnel losses. In difficult terrain, when accompanying assault groups, specially designated 2S1 reserve batteries were also used for fire support.

In 1986, 2S1 self-propelled guns were used during the offensive in Kandahar province. The battalions that were squeezing out the Mujahideen who were holed up in the green area received additional fire support a specially designated platoon of self-propelled howitzers. During the offensive, this self-propelled gun platoon destroyed seven enemy firing points, and another nine firing points were destroyed by two platoons of 82-mm mortars. In general, it can be said that, given the difficult conditions in Afghanistan, the first combat use The 2S1 self-propelled gun turned out to be quite successful.

Self-propelled gun 2S1 on a transporter in Damascus.
Syria, September 2012

SAU 2S1 on a pontoon, military competition " Open water».
Russia, 2016

After the collapse of the USSR, 2S1 self-propelled howitzers participated in almost all conflicts that broke out across its vast territory. For example, 2S1s were used in Transnistria during the armed conflict between the troops of the unrecognized Transnistrian Republic (PMR) and the armed forces of Moldova. Moreover, decisions to provide assistance to the PMR not only with equipment, but even with fire from the artillery units entrusted to them, were sometimes made by officers of the 14th Army even without the consent of their superiors. So, on June 20, 1992 “in the morning at training center 59th Motorized Rifle Division, Lieutenant Colonel “N” and Major “V” independently removed a battery of 122-mm 2S1 self-propelled howitzers (at that time there were only four guns in the battery) and opened fire, destroying the concentration of manpower and equipment of the Moldovan Army in the area of ​​the television tower ( Gerbovetsky forest) and near the traffic police post on the Chisinau-Bendery highway.”

The 2S1 was used in Karabakh, during the civil war in Tajikistan, and during the Georgian-Ossetian conflicts. In 2007, Georgia had 35 2S1 self-propelled guns, and after the August 2008 war, another 12 2S1 self-propelled guns were delivered to Georgia from Bulgaria.

Russian federal troops actively used the 2S1 in two Chechen campaigns. For example, 2S1 self-propelled howitzers of the Marine Corps in the fall of 1999 provided artillery support to the 100th Special Purpose Division of the Russian Internal Troops. It is known that in 1992–1993. Chechen separatists managed to capture several Gvozdika self-propelled guns along with ammunition, which they used against the federals.

Since 1979, 2S1 self-propelled guns have been supplied to Iraq. Until 1989, 150 self-propelled guns were sent to this country, which made it possible to significantly increase the power of Iraqi artillery, which was actively used during the Iran-Iraq War of 1980–1988. To be fair, it should be noted that the USSR supplied weapons to both sides of this conflict. 2S1 self-propelled guns were used by the Iraqi military not only against Iranian troops, but also against international coalition forces during their ground offensive operation to liberate Kuwait - “Desert Sword”. True, in this case the 2S1 self-propelled guns did not show themselves particularly well, however, like the entire Iraqi army. During the large-scale air attack that preceded the ground offensive, the coalition forces managed to almost completely destroy the command and control system of the Iraqi troops. Almost nothing is known about the use of the 2S1 self-propelled guns during the invasion of Iraq by coalition forces in 2003.

Currently, a small number of 2S1 self-propelled guns are in the Iranian army; in all likelihood, these self-propelled guns were captured from Iraq during the 1980-1988 war.

In 2011, during the civil war in Libya, 2S1 self-propelled guns were used by government forces against rebels. Large quantities of 2S1 self-propelled guns were supplied to Syria. But during the years of the civil war, self-propelled guns of government forces more than once fell into the hands of various opposition forces (including the al-Nusra Front and ISIS) as trophies, so now they are used on both sides of the front.

Judging by some reports, the 2S1 self-propelled gun was also used by the Houthi rebels during the fighting in Yemen - 25 self-propelled guns were delivered to this country.

Returning to the European continent, we can mention that the Gvozdika self-propelled guns were used during the Yugoslav wars by all participants in the confrontation. Army of Yugoslavia in 1982–1983 100 2S1 units were supplied from the USSR, which then went to the states formed on the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

Despite the reliability and unpretentiousness of the 2S1 self-propelled guns, their considerable age is making itself felt, and some countries that operate these self-propelled guns are already looking for a replacement for them. Among them, for example, is Finland, which currently has 72 2S1 self-propelled guns (designated PSH 74 in the Finnish army). In July 2016, the Finnish Ministry of Defense announced that it was negotiating the acquisition of South Korea 155-mm self-propelled howitzers K9 Thunder. According to unofficial sources, it is planned to purchase about 50 K9 howitzers with the corresponding amount of ammunition. The total procurement budget is approximately 100 million euros.

Back in 2013, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine decided to remove the 2S1 self-propelled gun from service. Ground Forces as outdated. If in 1992 Ukraine had 563 self-propelled guns 2S1, then by 2014 there were 312 units left (according to “Military Balance - 2014”). In the 24th, 30th, 72nd and 93rd mechanized brigades, the artillery divisions were already completely disbanded; in other units they were at various stages of disbandment. By the spring of 2014, 159 self-propelled guns were sent to storage bases, another 12 self-propelled howitzers of the 36th separate brigade Coastal defenses were never returned to Ukraine after the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.

With the outbreak of hostilities in the Donbass, most of the Ukrainian 2S1 self-propelled guns were returned to service, but the training of crews for them was delayed. As a result, a significant part of the 2S1 self-propelled guns reached the front only in the fall of 2014. It is known that at least five 2S1 self-propelled guns of the 51st separate mechanized brigade were captured by the enemy in 2014 in the Ilovaisk direction.

Behind long years SAU 2S1 service for this good car there weren't many modifications. And those mostly appeared after the end of its mass production and were aimed at maintaining the car at a modern level.

For example, in Poland a modification was developed - 2C1T Goździk with an improved TOPAZ fire control system produced by WB Electronics (the same system was installed on the 152-mm Dana-T self-propelled gun-killer). The Poles proposed a more radical modernization of the 2S1 in 2009 - in the new Rak-120 they replaced the original 122 mm gun with a 120 mm mortar with an automatic loader. The installation's ammunition load was 60 rounds.

A similar modernization of self-propelled guns was carried out in Russia. Here in 2003 they developed a version of the self-propelled gun, designated 2S34 “Khosta”, adopted by the Armed Forces Russian Federation in 2008. The first production 2S34s were handed over to the troops, probably in 2010.

The modernization of the 2S1 self-propelled guns into the 2S34 version was carried out at the Perm OJSC Motovilikha Plants. Instead of a 122-mm howitzer, the vehicle was equipped with a 120-mm rifled semi-automatic gun-mortar 2A80-1 with a muzzle brake, as well as a modern automatic guidance and fire control system (ASUNO) 1B168-1 with auxiliary weapons - a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun on commander's turret.

The modern 2A80 mortar gun allows you to fire high-power projectiles, all types of 120-mm Soviet/Russian-made finned mines, as well as 120-mm high-precision guided projectiles. The gun was provided with vertical aiming angles from –2° to +80°, and the installation of ASUNO made it possible to automate the control of its aiming in the vertical and horizontal planes. The car also received automatic system topographic reference and orientation.

After modernization, the combat effectiveness of the 2S34 Khosta self-propelled guns increased approximately 3 times compared to the old 2S1. According to the developer, this result was achieved by increasing the target rate of fire from 4–5 rounds/min to 7–9 rounds/min (unit shot, automatic aiming recovery), increasing the power of ammunition up to 2 times, improving the firing mode (cooling barrel, the presence of an indicator of barrel overheating, elimination of gas contamination), improving crew habitability conditions, reducing the time for preparing the first shot.

It is known that the Khosta self-propelled guns were part of the self-propelled artillery battery of the 1st motorized rifle battalion of the 21st separate motorized rifle brigade in Totskoye (Orenburg region).

Technical characteristics of self-propelled guns 2S34 “Khosta”

Recently, information has appeared about an attempt to modernize 2S1 in Ukraine. For this purpose, at the beginning of 2016, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine sent three 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled guns to the Kharkov Tractor Plant. According to the plant management, the 2S1 “will replace outdated communications and electrical equipment, and install a modern domestic navigation system, which will significantly reduce the time required to prepare the crew for firing. The combat module and weapons will also be overhauled.” It is planned to replace the engine - instead of YaMZ, one of the European models will be installed (a Volvo diesel is tentatively planned). It was assumed that in the summer of 2016 the updated Gvozdikas would undergo practical tests. However, this has not happened yet.

In addition to modernizing the self-propelled gun itself, work was also carried out to improve the 122 mm ammunition used by the 2S1. Thus, back in 1997, an active-reactive 122-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile with ready-made rifling was developed, with which the maximum firing range of the 2S1 increased from 15.2 to 21.9 km.

Also, to increase the maximum firing range, a 122-mm M95 artillery projectile with a super charge charge was created in Croatia, thanks to which the projectile accelerates to 718 m/s and flies 17.1 km.

Given the interest in the introduction of high-precision artillery ammunition with target guidance at the final part of the trajectory, similar projectiles were developed for the 2S1. In 2002, Russia adopted the Kitolov guided weapons complex, developed by the Tula Instrument Design Bureau, which included adjustable high-explosive fragmentation projectiles with a passive homing head (receives a reflected signal from the target illumination with a laser target designator-rangefinder) of 120 and 122 calibers mm.

The 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun can fire 122-mm Kitolov-2M high-explosive fragmentation shells to a maximum range of 13.5 km. Projectile length - 1,190 mm, weight - 28 kg, of which the warhead accounts for 12.25 kg, explosive mass - 5.3 kg. The probability of hitting targets is at least 0.8. The projectile is controlled along its flight path using aerodynamic rudders equipped with a special drive powered by the energy of incoming air flows. Homing heads for Kitolov-2 ammunition are produced by LOMO OJSC.

Unlike ordinary artillery shells of the same caliber, which are effective only when firing at areas, “Kitolov-2M” allows you to hit specific single targets, firing from closed firing positions without preliminary zeroing. However, to do this, there must be an observer-gunner with laser device backlight. This makes the gunner vulnerable, especially if the enemy has laser irradiation sensors (the target must be illuminated within ten seconds). They also play a significant role weather, - for example, in low clouds, the projectile may simply “not have time” to aim at the reflected beam.

In general, despite the fact that back in the 1990s. The 2S1 self-propelled gun was considered obsolete; the time had not yet come to “take off its hooves” (as the hero of the old Soviet film “Crew” said) and send it into final retirement. The Gvozdika continues to be in service with the armies of Russia and other CIS countries, and is also successfully used in many foreign countries.

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The post-war period was characterized by a sharp complication of the tasks of divisional, corps and army artillery. Under possible application conditions nuclear weapons and given the capabilities of advanced technologies, it was urgently necessary to reconsider the role self-propelled artillery throughout the entire weapons system.

The result was the creation in the late 60s and early 70s of a number of heavy artillery systems, such as: 122 mm self-propelled howitzer, 152 mm self-propelled gun 2S5 "Gyacinth-S", self-propelled 203.2 mm. A worthy representative of the above-mentioned “flower garden” was the divisional self-propelled howitzer 2S3 “Akatsiya”.

Background and history of the appearance of the howitzer

After the end of the Great Patriotic War In self-propelled artillery regiments, there remained self-propelled artillery units that quickly became obsolete, although they had proven themselves excellently in anti-tank warfare and in breaking through fortified areas: SU-76, SU-85, SU-100, SU-152 and ISU-152.

But the emergence of ATGMs, on the one hand, and the absence of the need for narrow specialization, on the other, created the preconditions for the emergence of qualitatively new systems.

The military understood the need to develop self-propelled guns for firing from indirect firing positions during the war, so their design began already in 1947. However, the voluntary decisions of N. S. Khrushchev, who came to power and fell under the influence of nuclear scientists and rocket developers, forced all work to be curtailed.

Since 1963, after the removal of Khrushchev, the All-Russian Research Institute of Transport Engineering (VNII-100) has been conducting research to formulate the proposed type of new self-propelled guns.

Not only the experience of creating their own self-propelled guns was taken into account. The one that appeared in the US Army and its towed counterpart were actively studied.

On July 4, 1967, Resolution No. 609-201 of the USSR Council of Ministers was issued on the start of full-scale development of heavy self-propelled systems. A special requirement for them is the ability to fire nuclear weapons. Moreover, for the American M109 they created the M454 nuclear projectile (power - 0.1 kilotons).

The choice of weapon did not cause controversy - . But there was a hitch with the choice of chassis. We looked at the "Object 124", an anti-aircraft chassis missile complex 2K11 “Krug” and “Object 432”, chassis of the new T-64 tank. However, none of them came up.

For the self-propelled guns, the main part of the weight of which fell on the turret and gun complex located in the stern, it was decided to use a front-engine chassis layout. This design was developed by engineer G.S. Efimov.

The design had sufficient torque and was designed for the V-59U multi-fuel diesel engine located in the front part of the chassis. The rear part of the chassis was intended to accommodate equipment and ammunition.

The Ural Transport Engineering Plant was appointed the lead developer of the new self-propelled gun.

Numerous tests led to the abandonment of cap loading, planned for use in the product.

Unburnt parts of the fabric cap could cause the next charge to ignite. For this reason, cartridge-type charges were used to arm self-propelled guns. This solution greatly simplified the placement, storage and transportation of ammunition for the howitzer.

Increased gas contamination in the compartment was eliminated by installing a powerful ejector and creating sleeves with improved sealing, i.e. more complete locking of the barrel when firing.

After eliminating the identified deficiencies in 1970, the final version of the 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer (object 303) was put into production. An interesting detail is that the series launch began a year before it was put into service.

Design and modifications of 2S3

Rolled armor steel was used to make the hull and turret. The thickness of the armor protection was 30 mm in the frontal part of the self-propelled gun and 15 mm on the sides. This was enough to protect against bullets and shrapnel.

At the same time, it was planned to use artillery systems in the rear of existing units, without going to the front edge of the front. A rotating turret was used to place the artillery gun.

The engine and transmission compartment is covered with armored steel and is located on the right in front of the installation.

Engine – multi-fuel diesel V-59U, supercharged power 520 hp.

To the left of the front engine is the driver's seat. For driving, periscope devices are used, at night a night vision device with IR illumination, the headlight for it is located on the SAO turret.

The rest of the free space is given over to the placement of an artillery system with equipment and equipment, ammunition and duplicated control and communication systems.

The turret with the gun is mounted on a ball chase of the hull. To the left in front of the gun is the gunner's seat with the necessary guidance devices - the PG-4 artillery panorama and the OP5-38 sight.

The command chair is placed behind the gunner's seat, and the roof is equipped with a rotating commander's cupola with a TKN-3A combined sight and an OU-3GK searchlight. A 7.62 mm PKT machine gun is mounted on the turret.

To the right of the gun is a place for the loader. The aft compartment is used for stowing charges and shells.

Later modifications are equipped with a single drum mechanized laying.

Bunches of gunpowder are placed in a box on the floor; this is necessary to complete the charges for firing at a certain range. Next to the box is storage for shells. The supply of ammunition from the ground is made possible by two mechanical stowages (for shells and charges) and hatches in the stern. The main weapon of the self-propelled gun is the 152-mm howitzer 2A33.

The ballistics and barrel are unified with the towed version of the D-20 gun. The ammunition is standardized, the howitzer can use the entire range of 152 mm shells for howitzers of this caliber produced in the USSR and Russia.

The charges are designed specifically for self-propelled guns, in metal casings.

The weapon consists of:

• barrel, in terms of ballistic characteristics it repeats the D-20 barrel, but at the same time differs in mechanization. The self-propelled gun is equipped with an ejector and a device for purging the barrel after a shot;
• shutter, vertical wedge type, with mechanical or electrical control;
• rammer;
• recoil device systems, the presence of a serviceable, normally functioning hydraulic system is essential for using a howitzer in a cramped self-propelled gun compartment;
• cradles, it was this design that made it possible to place the gun;
• balancing and lifting mechanisms, this device allows you to set the required elevation angles and fix the barrel at them;
• fencing, it is necessary to protect the crew members at the time of the shot.

The presence of a muzzle brake significantly reduces recoil when firing. The muzzle brake is cast, multi-chamber, jet type. A semi-automatic wedge breech with automation operating on the principle of a copier is placed on the breech block.

Automation opens the lock after a shot, facilitating the correct ejection of the cartridge case. A special handle to the right of the breech allows you to manually open the bolt.

Near the breech, on the fence, mounted:

• control parts of the electric trigger and backup mechanics;
• charge rammer;
• measuring scale for controlling the rollback of the gun body;
• shot prohibition safety mechanism.

The turret has two mounts for AKMS/AKS-74 assault rifles, which, if the equipment is damaged, together with the PKT machine gun and F-1 grenades in the stowage, will serve for self-defense of the crew.

Vertical adjustment is carried out by an electric lift; in case of failure, all electrical equipment is duplicated for mechanical control.

Similarly, the descent is carried out either using an electric trigger or by pressing the lever with your hand. To prevent vertical vibrations of the implement, a pneumatic balancing mechanism has been created.

The first modernization was carried out after the production of almost two hundred self-propelled guns. By installing one new mechanized stowage, it was possible to add six rounds to the transportable ammunition load and made it possible to mechanically supply ammunition from the ground. The radio station R-123 was replaced with R123M. The modernized vehicle went into production under the name 2S3M in 1975.

During the modernization in 1987, the GRAU index was replaced with 2С3М1 and the following work was carried out:

• panorama PG-4 was replaced by 1P5;
• internal communication R-124 was replaced by a more advanced complex 1B116;
• outdated radio stations of the R-123M type were replaced with modern ones, equipped with an encryption complex, R-173;
• We installed 1V519 equipment to receive information from the fire control vehicle.

The next modernization became possible only in 2006. The self-propelled guns were adapted for the installation and use of the 1V514-1 Mekhanizator-M automatic guidance, adjustment and fire control system.

In addition, 82 mm mortars were installed on the armor to provide a smoke screen for the 1B519. The gun was replaced with the 2A33M version, with the ability to fire active rockets of the Krasnopol type and a slightly modified purge system.

For export deliveries, the 2S3M2-155 version was simultaneously created; in this case, the gun and ammunition storage racks were replaced with shells and charges more suitable for 155 mm. This complex is intended for countries using NATO standard ammunition.

Characteristics of 2S3 "Acacia"

The performance characteristics of self-propelled howitzers of various modifications are presented in the table:

Comparison with foreign models and combat use of 2S3 "Akatsiya"

Compare performance characteristics self-propelled guns can be found in the table below. As seen latest versions“Acacia” is quite at the level of Western models, but nevertheless, at present, a number of questions are raised by the caliber used.

Western countries after World War II we switched to the 155 mm caliber; it provides more opportunities for modernization than the 152 mm caliber we are used to. 3 millimeters of difference is not much, but the difference in the weight of the explosive and the total mass of the projectile increases significantly due to these 3 mm. In addition, it should be noted the long barrel length of foreign howitzers.

First of all, this is due to economical and technological methods of metal processing; it is worth noting that howitzers with a longer barrel length are currently in service in the Russian Federation. “Acacia” was put into service with the possibility of transportation by aviation and rail, which imposed certain restrictions on its overall dimensions.

Currently, methods are being sought to improve the firing range and combat load of projectiles of this caliber, this is due both to the impossibility of modernizing the technological lines for the production of projectiles and charges for them, and to the search for new technologies and solutions in barrel processing.

Howitzer purpose:

• destruction of concentrations of military units and armored personnel carriers;
• counter-battery shooting, with adjustment of fire by the “Zoo” complex or the like;
• destruction rocket launchers;
• destruction of heavy armored vehicles in marching columns or in crowded areas;
• destruction of strongholds;
• destruction of DOS and DZOS.

It has been used successfully in a variety of conflicts for over 40 years. She passed her first trial by combat in Afghanistan. Having become the main self-propelled gun of the 40th Army, in the amount of 50 pieces, "Acacia" accompanied columns and participated in assaults on fortified areas.

The use of "Acacias" is known during the clearing of villages at direct fire. It is worth noting that in this case, this command decision was justified by the lack of heavy anti-tank weapons in the Mujahideen's arsenal. Otherwise, the self-propelled guns would have been destroyed in their firing positions.

2S3 also took part in the following combat operations:

• conflicts in Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Congo;
• fighting in the Middle East;
• war in Afghanistan;
• Chechen wars.

Today, 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers are available in more than twenty-five countries around the world.

Having deserved positive reviews, being easy to operate and reliable in combat, the Akatsiya will serve for a long time not only in the Russian army, but also in the armies of other states. And the use of the latest guided ammunition allows it to correspond to the most modern artillery models.

Video

Floating self-propelled gun 2C1 “Gvozdika”

1*

Scheme of self-propelled gun 2S1 “Gvozdika.”

Howitzer D-32 caliber 122 mm

SAU 2C1

Shooting modes:

Notes:

122-mm self-propelled howitzer 2S1 “GVOZDIKA”

Floating self-propelled gun 2C1 “Gvozdika”

The development of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun was started according to Decree No. 609-201 of July 4, 1967. The artillery unit was developed at OKB-9 (Uralmash), and the chassis was developed at the Kharkov Tractor Plant.

The artillery part of the self-propelled guns was developed on the basis of the 122 mm towed howitzer D-30. The internal structure of the barrel, ballistics and ammunition are the same as the D-30. The new howitzer received the factory index D-32 and the GRAU index - 2A31.

The barrel of the D-32 howitzer consisted of a monoblock pipe, a breech, a coupling, an ejection device and a double-chamber muzzle brake. Vertical wedge shutter with semi-automatic mechanical (copier) type. The lifting mechanism was sectoral and had only a manual drive.

The recoil brake is hydraulic spindle type, the knurl is pneumatic. The recoil and retractor brake cylinders are fixed in the breech and roll back along with the barrel.

The barrel is balanced by a push-type pneumatic balancing mechanism.

The ramming mechanism is of an electromechanical type, designed for separate loading of a projectile and a loaded cartridge case into the barrel chamber after placing them on the rammer tray.

The PG-2 periscope sight (index 10P40) is designed both for firing from closed positions and for direct fire. PG-2 consists of a panorama, a mechanical sight with a matching unit, an OP5-37 direct-fire optical sight, a parallelogram drive and an electrical unit.

The SAC 2S1 chassis was developed on the basis of the MT-LB.

In the self-propelled gun, the control compartment and engine-transmission compartments are located in the front part of the hull, and the fighting compartment is located in the middle and aft parts of the hull, as well as in the turret.

The armor of the self-propelled gun is bulletproof; it must “hold” a 7.62 mm rifle bullet at a distance of 300 m.

The transmission of the self-propelled gun is mechanical, the suspension is torsion bar. The tracks have rubber-metal joints.

1* In 1969, OKB-9 developed a project for installing the Aktiya, Gvozdika and Tulip products on a single unified chassis based on the BMP-1, where the products could have best characteristics than those created on the basis of MT-LB and ob. 123.

Scheme of self-propelled gun 2S1 “Gvozdika.”

Howitzer D-32 caliber 122 mm

SAU 2C1

The 2S1 self-propelled gun has a hermetic body and overcomes water obstacles by swimming. When afloat, the track tracks act as blades. The caterpillars rewind in the water, thanks to which the speed of movement afloat reaches 4.5 km/h.

The Gvozdika self-propelled gun can be transported by An-12 aircraft.

The first four 2S1 prototypes were submitted for field testing in August 1969. The 2S1 was adopted for service in 1971, and mass production began in 1972.

Shooting modes:

Sighting rate of fire when firing directly, rds/min. 4-5

Sighting rate of fire when firing from closed positions:

when firing shots from the ground without repacking the charges, rds/min. 4-5

when using shots from an ammunition rack and at different elevation angles, rds/min. 1.5-2

The transportable ammunition of the 2S1 self-propelled gun is usually 35 high-explosive fragmentation and 5 cumulative shells. The self-propelled howitzer can fire all types of ammunition from the D-30 towed howitzer.

The BP-1 cumulative rotating projectile is fired with a special Zh-8 charge weighing 3.1 kg; initial speed 740 m/s; table range 2000 m.

Normal armor penetration is 180 mm; at an angle of 60° - 150 mm, at an angle of 30° - 80 mm, armor penetration does not depend on distance.

starting speed cumulative projectile 35K-13 is 726 m/s.

The Sh1 projectile with arrow-shaped striking elements is interesting. It is designed for the M-30, but can also be fired from the D-32. The arrow-shaped elements fly out in a cone with an angle of 24°.

A self-propelled artillery mount (SAU) is a type of combat vehicle that is an artillery piece mounted on a wheeled or tracked self-propelled platform. Self-propelled guns are used to support tanks or infantry in defense or attack.

The “finest hour” of self-propelled artillery units was the Second World War. After its completion, they were supplanted by more efficient and versatile (albeit more expensive) tanks. The second birth of self-propelled guns occurred in the 60-70s of the last century. However, both in their design and in their concept of use, the machines of this time were already radically different from the self-propelled guns of the war.

During the war, self-propelled guns performed almost the same tasks as tanks: they destroyed enemy armored vehicles, went on attacks with infantry units, and fired direct fire at enemy fortifications. The Nazis most actively used self-propelled guns. In the German classification of self-propelled guns, there were special tank destroyers and several types of assault guns. Even self-propelled ones were used anti-aircraft installations, created on the basis of tanks. However further development basic concepts battle tank(MBT) led to the disappearance of tank destroyers and assault guns.

In the mid-60s, the USSR began developing a “flower” series of self-propelled artillery units. The deadly machines were named after beautiful garden plants. One of these “flowers of war” was the 122-mm self-propelled gun 2S1 “Gvozdika”.

This fighting machine for many years it was in service with the Soviet army, it was actively exported, today the Gvozdika self-propelled gun is used by the Russian armed forces, as well as in several dozen other armies around the world. In addition to the USSR, the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun was produced under license in Poland and Bulgaria.

In the early 80s, the American military department released a Soviet Big 7 poster. It showed the most dangerous types of Soviet weapons ground forces. Among the depicted samples was the Gvozdika self-propelled gun.

During its operation, this artillery mount went through several modernizations; many specialized combat vehicles were developed on its basis, some of which also went into series.

Self-propelled gun 2S1 "Gvozdika" took part in large quantities conflicts, during which it showed its high reliability and effectiveness.

History of creation

After the end of the war, it became clear that the previous concept of using self-propelled artillery as assault guns and tank destroyers was outdated. At the same time, another trend emerged: self-propelled artillery began to displace towed artillery. Self-propelled guns were faster-firing and maneuverable, had a significant firing range, good protection, and could more successfully support their own troops in defense and carry out an artillery offensive.

Already in the fifties, active work began on new models of this military equipment in many countries. For a long time in the USSR, more resources were allocated to development missile weapons, this often came to the detriment of aviation and cannon artillery. However, later, Soviet strategists nevertheless came to the conclusion that a large-scale war was unlikely, as it would lead to mutual nuclear destruction, and began to prepare for local conflicts. They began to actively engage in the creation of new models of self-propelled artillery guns after the resignation of Secretary General Khrushchev.

In 1965, exercises were conducted that clearly showed that Soviet self-propelled artillery was significantly behind its Western counterparts. In 1967, a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers was issued on the start of work on the creation of a 122-mm self-propelled artillery mount, which later received the name 2S1 “Gvozdika”.

Initially, there were three chassis options for the new self-propelled gun: it was proposed to create it on the basis of the BMP-1, the MTLB tracked transporter, and also on the SU-100P chassis. The main armament of the new self-propelled guns was to be the 122 mm D-30 howitzer.

The option with the SU-100P was excluded almost immediately; after modernization, they decided to use the MTLB tractor as a base for the new self-propelled gun. Initially, this tractor had insufficient stability and did not satisfy the designers in terms of permissible loads on the chassis. Therefore, the MTLB base had to be lengthened and one additional road wheel had to be introduced on each side.

The 2S1 Gvozdika was supposed to replace the 122-mm D-30 and M-30 howitzers in the artillery units of motorized rifle regiments. In 1969, four samples were ready for field testing.

The Kharkov Tractor Plant (KhTZ) was appointed as the lead developer of the installation. The self-propelled howitzer was designed by OKB-9.

The tests carried out showed high level gas contamination in the fighting compartment of a self-propelled gun during firing. Later this problem was resolved. Work was also carried out on the creation of a gun with cap loading, but it ended to no avail. This type of loading did not provide any significant advantages, either in range or in shooting accuracy.

In 1970, the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun was put into service. The next year, serial production of the artillery mount began, only in 1991 it was completed. In 1972, a parachute system was developed for landing the Gvozdika from the air, but the self-propelled guns were never adopted by the Airborne Forces.

In 1971, the car began to be manufactured under license in Poland. In 1979, licensed production was launched in Bulgaria. Bulgarian self-propelled guns in their own way technical specifications inferior to Soviet models.

Description of design

The body of the self-propelled artillery mount has a classic design for these vehicles: in the front part of the vehicle there is a power compartment and a control compartment, and in the middle and rear part there is a fighting compartment. The hull is welded from rolled armor plates, it provides protection from bullets and shrapnel, is completely sealed and allows the self-propelled gun to overcome water obstacles by swimming. The Gvozdika armor “holds” a 7.62 mm caliber bullet at a firing range of three hundred meters. The 122 mm gun is mounted in a rotating turret, with crew seats located in it.

The light weight of the self-propelled gun allows it to be transported using transport aircraft.

The power compartment of the artillery mount is located in the bow of the vehicle on the right, on the left side of it is the driver’s seat, instruments and controls. On the left side of the turret there is a place for the loader and sighting devices, behind which is the place for the commander of the vehicle. The installation commander's seat is equipped with a rotating turret. The loader is located on the right side of the tower.

The turret of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun contains a 122 mm 2A31 gun. In terms of its characteristics and the ammunition used, it is completely identical to the 122-mm D-30 howitzer. The gun consists of a pipe, a two-chamber muzzle brake, an ejector and a breech. An electromechanical rammer is used to dispense ammunition. The gun's vertical aiming angles range from -3 to +70°. Shooting can be carried out with shells from the ground; a large stern door is used to feed them. In this case, the rate of fire of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun is from four to five shots per minute; when firing from the side, it decreases to two shots per minute.

The firing range of the self-propelled gun is from 4070 to 15200 meters.

The ammunition load of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun is forty rounds, some of the shells are located along the side walls of the hull, and some are located along the rear and side walls of the turret. The self-propelled gun can use a wide range of ammunition: high-explosive fragmentation, cumulative, chemical, agitation, smoke, and lighting. Projectiles can be equipped various types fuses. The Kitolov adjustable ammunition was developed specifically for the 2S1 Gvozdika artillery mount.

In 1997, an active-reactive 122-mm projectile was developed specifically for this vehicle, which allows increasing the firing range to 21.9 km.

The self-propelled gun fire control system consists of a TKN-3B combined sighting device, which can be used at any time of the day, as well as two TNPO-170A periscope sights. All of them are installed in the commander's cupola. The gunner has a 1OP40 panoramic sight (used for firing from closed positions) and an OP5-37 sight, which is used during direct fire. The driver's and loader's positions are equipped with surveillance devices.

The vehicle is equipped with a V-shaped diesel engine YaMZ-238N with eight cylinders. Its maximum power is 300 hp. With. The transmission is mechanical, has six forward gears and one reverse gear. The fuel tanks are located in the walls of the sides of the car, their total volume is 550 liters, which is enough to cover 500 km on the highway.

The chassis of the self-propelled unit is a modified chassis of the MTLB tractor. Two additional road wheels were introduced into it. The guide wheels are located at the rear of the unit, and the drive wheels are at the front. The width of the self-propelled tracks is 400 mm; if necessary, tracks 600 mm wide can be installed on the vehicle, which significantly increases the cross-country ability of the self-propelled gun.

The Gvozdika self-propelled gun is capable of overcoming water obstacles. Movement in water occurs due to rewinding of tracks; the maximum speed of the machine is 4.5 km/h.

Self-propelled gun modifications

Since the launch of the self-propelled gun into mass production, several modifications of the vehicle have been created:

• 2S1M1 - Russian modification with a new fire control system 1B168-1.
• 2S34 "Hosta" - Russian modification, developed in 2003. It is equipped with a 2A80-1 howitzer and a 7.62-mm PKT machine gun on the commander's cupola. In 2008, it was adopted by the Russian Armed Forces.
• 2C1T Goździk. Polish modification of a self-propelled gun with an improved TOPAZ fire control system.
• Rak-120. Another Polish modification, which was created in 2008-2009. The 122 mm gun was replaced by a 120 mm mortar with an automatic loader. Ammunition - 60 rounds.
• Model 89 is a Romanian modification created in the 80s. The vehicle uses the MLI-84 BMP chassis.
• Raad-1 is an Iranian 122 mm self-propelled howitzer mounted on a Boragh IFV chassis.

The modernization of the 2S1 Gvozdika has also begun in Ukraine. In 2019, KhTZ received three self-propelled guns. They planned to install a Swedish Volvo engine, new electrical equipment, modern systems communications and navigation made in Ukraine.

In addition to modifications, over the years, several special vehicles were created on the basis of the Gvozdika self-propelled gun: the 2S8 Astra self-propelled mortar, the self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S15 “Norov”, self-propelled gun 2S17 “Nona-SV”, tracked version of the MLRS “Grad” and multi-purpose tractor 2S1-N.

The creation of various vehicles based on the Gvozdika self-propelled guns was also carried out in other countries:

• The BMP-23 is an infantry fighting vehicle created in Bulgaria. It was equipped with a 23-mm 2A14 cannon and a Malyutka anti-tank missile system.
• LPG - artillery fire control vehicle. It can also be used as an ambulance.
• KhTZ-26N is a Ukrainian snow and swamp-going vehicle based on the Gvozdika self-propelled gun chassis.
• TGM-126-1 - Ukrainian transport vehicle on the 2S1 chassis.

Organizational structure

This self-propelled howitzer entered service with artillery divisions of tank and motorized rifle regiments. The division consisted of three batteries, each of which had six self-propelled guns. In total, the division included sixteen self-propelled guns.

Combat use of self-propelled gun "Gvozdika"

The first serious conflict in which Gvozdika took part was the war in Afghanistan. Typically, 2S1 batteries followed the assault units and fired direct fire. Less commonly, the installations were used for firing from closed positions. In general, the Gvozdiki performed quite well in difficult Afghan conditions.

Self-propelled guns "Gvozdika" participated in almost all conflicts that took place in the territory former USSR after its collapse.

“Carnations” were used by troops of the unrecognized Transnistrian Republic against the armed forces of Moldova. These installations were also used during the Civil War in Tajikistan.

Russian federal troops used the 2S1 in the first and second Chechen campaigns. During the first war, several self-propelled guns with ammunition were captured by Chechen separatists.

"Carnations" were used during the Georgian-Ossetian conflicts. These vehicles are actively used in eastern Ukraine by both government troops and separatists.

The self-propelled gun "Gvozdiki" was used during the Yugoslav wars by all participants in the confrontation.

Back in the 80s, Gvozdiki self-propelled guns were delivered to Iraq and took part in the Iran-Iraq conflict. The Iraqi Army then used them against coalition forces in 1991. It should be noted that soviet artillery(both reactive and cannon) did not show its best side in that war.

In 2010-2011 During the Libyan Civil War, Carnations were used by government forces against rebels. Currently, these machines are actively used by almost everyone warring parties in the Syrian conflict. They were supplied in large quantities to the Syrian government forces and often fell into the hands of the rebels as trophies. They are used by both the al-Nusra Front and ISIS, banned in Russia.

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