2B9 Vasilek
| 2B9 Vasilek | |
|---|---|
 82 mm 2B9 Vasilek Gun-mortar | |
| Type | Gun-mortar |
| Place of origin |  Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| Wars | Soviet war in Afghanistan |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | combat: 632 kg (1,393 lb) |
| Shell | 3.23 kg (7.1 lb) bomb |
| Caliber | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Breech | muzzle or breech loaded |
| Elevation | -1º to 85º |
| Traverse | 60º |
| Muzzle velocity | 270 m/s (890 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 4,720 m (5,160 yd) |
The 2B9 Vasilek (Cornflower) is an automatic 82 mm gun-mortar developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and subsequently fielded in the Soviet Army. Unlike conventional mortars, the 2B9 can fire in automatic mode using four-round clips, and rounds can be loaded from either the muzzle or the breech. Because of its wheeled carriage, the 2B9 resembles a light artillery piece more than a conventional mortar.
The 2B9 was used in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet units and is still found in Russian airmobile infantry units.
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