Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) Corporation has partially completed trials of the latest Arctic self-propelled Magnolia artillery gun on a two-section tracked DT-30 Vityaz all-terrain vehicle. The intermediary results were successful. The corporation plans to complete acceptance trials in extreme Arctic conditions in 2022, the Military-Industrial Courier writes.
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Magnolia 120mm self-propelled gun is based on a DT-30PM chassis (Picture source: Central Research Institute "Burevestnik")
The Russian combat experience in Syria called to design new self-propelled guns. The warring parties actively engaged artillery weapons mounted on automobile undercarriage, including civilian ones. The makeshift guns are highly mobile and can rapidly arrive in the combat area, change positions and effectively accompany the advancing force.
The first reports about the Magnolia project appeared in 2018. The Burevestnik Central Research Institute designed it in the framework of Nabrosok R&D, which also produced 2S41 Drok self-propelled mortar and 2S40 Flox gun. It was reported that an artillery weapon on a two-section transporter was designed with a universal 120 mm gun. The 2A80 gun of Magnolia can operate as a howitzer, a mortar, and a cannon. It will operate in a harsh climate and fire various munitions (high-power fragmentation, cumulative, incendiary, thermobaric, cluster, etc.). Artillery units deployed in the Arctic and the Extreme North will be armed with Magnolia.
Head of the main missile-artillery department of the Defense Ministry Lieutenant-General Nikolai Parshin said over 50 R&D had been accomplished to upgrade artillery weapons. Over 20 percent of them were initiated by designers. Parshin noted Tor-M2DT antiaircraft complex and Magnolia on Vityaz DT-30PM snow-and-swamp going vehicle. The undercarriage promoted successful Vityaz trials in the Arctic with variable soils that block the movement of most hardware.
Russian Ground Forces Commander-in-Chief Army General Oleg Salyukov said the family of self-propelled artillery and mortar arms designed by Nabrosok R&D will increase the mobility and firepower of battalion artillery.
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