152 mm howitzer 2A65
| 152 mm howitzer 2A65 | |
|---|---|
 152-mm howitzer 2A65 «Msta-B» in the Saint-Petersburg Artillery museum. |
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| Type | howitzer |
| Place of origin | USSR |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | combat: 6,800 kg (15,000 lb) |
| Crew | 6 |
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| Shell | OF45 (High explosive) |
| Caliber | 152.4 mm (6.00 in) |
| Elevation | -3.5° to +70° |
| Traverse | 28° |
| Rate of fire | 8 (burst) |
| Muzzle velocity | 810 m/s (2,700 ft/s) |
| Maximum range | 24.7 km (15.3 mi) |
The 2A65 "Msta-B" is a Soviet towed 152 mm howitzer. The "B" in the designation is an abbreviation for Buksiruemyi, or towed. This weapon has been fielded in Russian forces since at least 1987 and is currently in service with Russian front and army level artillery units. The 2A65 howitzer, like many pieces of modern artillery, is capable of firing nuclear artillery shells.
For conventional missions, the 2A65 fires a 43.6 kg high explosive OF45 projectile. The howitzer can also fire the OF61 HE projectile with a range of 29 kilometers, the 42.8 kg OF23 improved conventional munition projectile with a range of 26.5 kilometers, the 9K25 cannon launched guided projectile with a range of 20 kilometers, as well as the D-540 smoke shell with a range of 17.4 kilometers. The OF23 is a cargo projectile that scatters 42 HEAT bomblets capable of penetrating 100 mm of steel armor.
The howitzer is towed by either the KrAZ-260 6x6 truck or the Ural 4320 6x6 truck.
The 2A65 is deployed with the 9th Artillery Brigade in Luga, the 288th Artillery Brigade in Inzhenernyy, and the 291st Artillery Brigade in Maikop, as well as being stored in Perm and near Novgorod.[1] It is also in service with other units in other Russian military districts. The total number of active 2A65 howitzers in Russian service is estimated at 370.
The 2A65 is also in service with the 11th Artillery Brigade in Ternopil and the 55th Artillery Brigade in Zaporizhya.
A self-propelled version, the 2S19 "Msta-S", is produced.
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[edit] Operators
Belarus - 140
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Kazakhstan - 90
Russia - 370 est.
Ukraine - 180
Armenia
[edit] Variants
- M-390 - This is a 155mm export version of the 2A65, developed by Factory No 9 in Yekaterinburg.[2]
- MZ-146-1 - This is also a 155mm export version that was shown in public for the first time in 2008. Contrary to the original, this type is fitted with a fume extractor.
[edit] See also
[edit] Citations
- ^ Warfare.ru website on 2A65.
- ^ "М-390 155 мм дальнобойная гаубица > ГУП "Завод N 9" > Участники > ВТТВ-Омск' 99 | Омская выставка вооружений.". Archived from the original on 2009-06-11. http://www.rbs.ru/vttv/99/firms/zavod9/r-m390.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
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