Army-2022: Russian military moves to address artillery weaknesses
One of three new Russian artillery systems entering production, the Magnolia is based on an ATV chassis and intended for use in the Arctic. (Photo: Russian MoD)
Russia is commencing series production of three new artillery systems and a specialised reconnaissance vehicle to address weaknesses highlighted by operational experience in Ukraine.
The performance of Russian artillery in the Ukraine conflict has highlighted serious weaknesses in the army’s reconnaissance-strike capability. The Russian Ground Forces intend to improve tactical reconnaissance, implement better C2 systems to enable faster decision-making, and enhance tactical mobility of artillery assets.
The latter focus may indicate another lesson learned from the war, where Ukrainian forces efficiently employ highly mobile tube and rocket artillery systems on wheeled chassis, such as Nexter’s CAESAR or Lockheed Martin’s HIMARS.
Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) announced on 15 August the beginning of series production of three new artillery systems – the 152mm 2S43 Malva SPH, the 120mm Floks mortar-gun
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