2S3 Akatsiya (SO-152) / (M1973)

History

To match the capabilities of the US Army and their introduction of the 155mm armed M109 SPA (self-propelled gun), the Soviet Union began to develop a similar 152mm caliber (152, 4mm). 2S3 "Akatsiya" ("Acacia"). Known as "M1973" in American nomenclature, the Soviet vehicle began development in 1968, manufacturing was managed by Uraltransmash, and production spanned from 1967 to 1993. Eventually, several main forms emerged, including a fully modernized version of the system, which maintained the functional pieces of the artillery.

Since then, the 2S3 has seen quite a bit of battlefield activity and has proven its accuracy and mechanical reliability more than once. As a result, today (2014) many are deployed on the front lines, mainly with former Soviet states and global allies.

At the heart of the 2S3 is the D-series L/27 main gun based on the Army's D-20 howitzer. Typically, a vehicle can carry 40 to 46 projectiles in a mixed arrangement, including HE-FRAG (High Explosive, Fragmentation), HEAT-FS (High Explosive, Anti-Tank, Stabilized), Armor Piercing, Tungsten (AP- T), smoke and lighting projectiles. The main gun is mounted on a turret and can be rotated 360 degrees. The mount also offers a height range of -4 to +60 degrees. Loading is via a semi-automatic vertical wedge breech with a rate of fire of four rounds per minute.

Conventional shells have a range of up to 11.5 miles, while rocket-assisted projectiles (RAPs) have a range of up to 15 miles. Secondary armament (optional) consists of a remote-controlled 7.62mm PKT machine gun chambered for 1,500 x 7.62mm ammunition.

The 2S3 is normally equipped with a crew of 6, including the driver, vehicle commander, gunner, loader and two ammunition handlers, although some versions have a crew of 4. Armor protection ranges from 15mm to 30mm and is the thickest part along the front of the hull and turret.

The vehicle's powertrain includes a 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled, V-59 Series diesel engine producing 520 hp at 2,000 rpm. This is connected to the planetary gears. The undercarriage (track wheel arrangement) shows six twin tire wheels on one side of the hull, with the drive sprocket at the front and the track idler at the rear.

The hull is mounted on an independent torsion bar suspension system with hydraulic shock absorbers on the first and sixth wheelsets. Performance specifications include a maximum road speed of 40 mph.

The original 2S3 vehicles, known simply as "2S3", were produced from 1970 to 1975. The 2S3M brand was subsequently introduced as a modernized version, which included a slightly revised hatch layout and more internal storage space for more 152mm projectiles. The main gun was updated to support the laser-guided RAP and was produced from 1975 to 1987. Produced from 1987 to 1993, the 2S3M1 marked the new 2S3 standard when it was introduced, as it featured new sights and additional equipment to improve battlefield support and awareness.

Both the previous 2S3 and 2S3M brands were eventually upgraded to this standard. The 2000 2S3M2 became another brand that further modernized, introducing an automatic fire control system (FCS) as well as externally mounted smoke grenade launchers and satellite navigation systems. The brand is exported under the name 2S3M2-155.

2SM3 is a well-known development mark for 2S3, which includes a new FCS and howitzer more in line with the modern 2S19 Msta SPA. Therefore, it can share the same ammunition license.

The 2S3 has proven to be a huge number of operators, and many still see the system as a front-line weapon. In addition to its obvious links with the Russian army (which absorbed the stockpiles of thousands of former Soviet troops), the vehicle has also been adopted by the armies of Azerbaijan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Cuba, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Libya , Russia, Slovakia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. Former operators include Bulgaria, East Germany and Iraq.

The U.S. Army obtained four samples from Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and three more from dealing with the Ukrainian government after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Russian Army maintains approximately 930 active 2S3 systems in its inventory, with an additional 1,600 possibly in storage. It is also used by the Russian Navy.

The 2S3 has become a truly battle-tested weapon system, first used in Wrath during the Soviet-Afghanistan war (1979-1989). It was subsequently deployed during the Tajikistan Civil War (1992-1997) and served in two Chechen wars (1994-1996, 1999).

In the 2008 South Ossetia war, 2S3 returned to the game with impressive results. In turn, foreign militaries have dutifully demonstrated their 2S3s, such as the Libyan Civil War in 2011 and the Syrian Civil War that also originated in 2011.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

46x152mm projectile.

1,500 x 7.62 mm ammo.

8 x Smoke Grenade.

Changes