2s19 Msta-S 152 mm self-propelled howitzer

Santimetr

Krasnopol (M)

152mm rounds for artillery systems and 2S19

The 152 mm 2S19 MSTA-S self-propelled howitzer is designed to defeat unsheltered and covered manpower, weapons and materiel to division level. MSTA-S entered service with the Russian Army in 1989. MSTA-S comprises a turret mounted on a tracked armoured chassis which has been based on elements of the T-72 and T-80 main battle tanks. It is manufactured by Uraltransmash of Ekaterinberg, Russia. Uraltransmash also produce a towed version, called MSTA- B. ARMAMENT The howitzer's 152 mm gun is the 2A64, manufactured by the Barrikady State Production Association, Volgograd, Russia, which produces a variety of large-caliber artillery armament for the Russian Army and Navy. Elevation is from +68 to -3 degrees with 360 degree traverse. There is also a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun that is remotely controlled by the commander. Three smoke grenade dischargers are mounted on each side of the turret. 50 rounds of ammunition for the howitzer gun are carried onboard and 300 cartridges for the machine gun. AMMUNITION MSTA-S fires a variety of ammunition - HE-FRAG (high explosive fragmentation), HE-FRAG with base gas bleed, cluster projectiles with fragmentation submunitions and the Krasnopol laser-guided 152 mm projectile. It can also fire the 3RB30 jammer carrying projectiles which set up radio intereference to disrupt enemy communications. These have a range of 22 km and can jam frequencies between 1.5 to 120 MHz to a radius of 700 m.

KRASNOPOL LASER-GUIDED PROJECTILE The Krasnopol projectile
has been developed by the KBP Instrument Making Design Bureau, Tula, and is designed to defeat armoured vehicles and weapon emplacements. It has inertial mid-course guidance and semi-active laser homing. The laser seeker is produced by LOMO of St Petersburg. To protect the optics of the homing head, the nose unit separates in flight. The projectile comes in two sections - projectile unit (warhead, booster and fin assembly) and control section (autopilot, homing head and nose unit), to enable fitting in standard ammunition rack. The projectile has a range of 3 to 20 km, and can hit a target by the first shot without registration. Krasnopol is designated by the 1D15 (1D22) laser designator and has a 1A35 shot synchronisation system.

Ammunition and gun loading, laying and retargeting are highly automated, allowing maximum firing rate of 8 rounds per minute with onboard rounds and 6-7 rounds per minute with rounds from the ground. A battery of 8 MSTA-S can deliver 3 tons of projectiles on a target in one minute and move on to the next firing point before reaction firing. The laying control system is co-ordinated with the fire control vehicle. All the onboard ammunition is stored in the turret and a mobile reloading tray allows loading and firing at all angles of laying without needing the gun to return to the loading position. A charge loading mechanism is also provided. The system provides automatic gun loading for projectiles and semi-automatic loading for charges. The design of the ammunition rack allows different types of projectiles to be stored in the same rack. The automatic loading mechanism can select the type of ammunition and control the loading and the number of rounds. Used ammunition cases are ejected automatically to reduce the build-up of waste gases. The gun housing is tightly sealed to provide protection for the crew against recoiling gun parts and powder fumes. There are separate conveyers in the rear of the turret that allow the loading of ground ammunition. Before the howitzer starts off, the projectile conveyer is folded and fixed on the turret and the charge conveyer is folded inside the turret. The automatic loading and laying system has manual back-up for firing in the event of a power failure. All the gunner has to do is hold the panoramic sight on the laying point. The commander also has control of the firing and laying equipment.

Currently, 155mm artillery systems are virtually in service at division/corps/army levels in all armed forces, including the NATO countries. In addition, a number of former Warsaw Pact countries and those countries used to operate Soviet/Russian-made armament and military equipment are also adopting the 155mm artillery systems. Since 1986, under the agreement for the unification of artillery systems, the NATO countries have adhered to standard ballistic characteristics for 155mm artillery pieces under development. This makes it possible to use an array of artillery munitions from NATO countries, as well as other producers of 155mm artillery projectiles. Currently, self-propelled artillery systems play a major role in fire support owing to their high fire power, maneuverability, autonomy and a capability of executing a wide range of combat missions from the destruction of armored objects, personnel and military equipment all the way through to counterbattery fire, minelaying and disruption of combat control systems by jamming SW and USW radio communications. Today, the international armament market is marked by fierce competition among major artillery manufacturers. The primary buyers of artillery armament include countries from the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. The 152mm Msta-S self-propelled howitzer, demonstrated at exhibitions in Russia and abroad, in the 1960s drew a particular interest from foreign experts owing to its high technical characteristics. However, the 155mm artillery pieces are more attractive to potential customers since they can fire a wider range of artillery munitions. To meet the market demand, the Transmash Central Design Bureau and the Uraltransmash Federal State Unitary Enterprise offer the modernized 155mm Msta-S self-propelled howitzer. It differs from the series-produced 152mm howitzer in a computer-aided automated fire control system which ensures topographic control and orientation, firing data calculation, automatic gun laying and correction during firing. The howitzer is equipped with a navigation terminal which receives data from the GLONASS/NAVSTARr satellite navigation system; an interface unit for the Adler and Techfire control systems; as well as new ammunition stowage and loading equipment. In addition, Msta-S can fire both foreign and Russian-made 155mm projectiles of enhanced lethality and longer range. Both self-propelled howitzers were demonstrated at the Ural Expo Arms 2000 exhibition.