| Armament |
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The 2S3 Akatsiya is armed with the 2A33 152mm howitzer, which is a modified variant of the D-20 towed howitzer but with a bore evacuator added behind the muzzle brake. The barrel has a double-baffle muzzle brake, fume extractor and a gun barrel traveling lock. The 2S3 Akatsiya can fire at a rate of 30 rounds in 10 minutes or 75 rounds per hour. The 2S3 can fire a wide range of ammunition including the HE-FRAG OF-540, which is fitted with an RGM-2 fuze, weighs 43.5 kg, contains 5.76 kg of TNT, has a maximum muzzle velocity of 655 m/s and a maximum range of 18,500 m. Other types of projectiles fired include BP-540 HEAT-FS (also referred to as HEAT-SS, for spin-stabilised), HE/RAP (High-Explosive Rocket-Assisted Projectile) with a range of 24,000 m, AP-T, illuminating, smoke, incendiary, flechette, scatterable mines (anti-tank and anti-personnel) and the Krasnopol laser-designated projectile covered in the entry for the 152 mm 2S19. The 152 mm gun has an elevation of +60° and depression of -4°. Turret traverse is a full 360°. The commander has a cupola that can be traversed through a full 360º and a single-piece hatch cover opening to the rear. Mounted on the forward part of the hatch is a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun which can be aimed and fired from inside the turret.
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| Design and protection |
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Driver's and engine-transmission compartments are located in a front part of a hull, fighting compartment with rotatory turret – in middle and rear parts of the hull. A single door is mounted to the right side of the turret. The hull bottom carries a turntable mounted on a ball race resting on five rollers. The 152.4 mm L/27 howitzer D-22 (2A33) can be elevated from -4° to +60° with a turret traverse of a full 360°. The all-welded steel hull of the 2S3 provides protection for the crew against the firing of small arms and shell splinters.
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| Propulsion |
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The 2S3 Akatsiya uses a modified tracked chassis of the SA-4 Ganef (2K1 Krug-Russian-made surface-to-air missile system mounted on the chassis of a self-propelled artillery system SU-100P. The 2S3 is powered by a V-59 V-12 water-cooled fuel-injected diesel engine developing 520 hp, coupled to a manual transmission with 6 forward and 2 reverse gears. The torsion bar suspension each side consists of six dual rubber-tyred road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front, idler at the rear and four track-return rollers. The first and last return rollers support the inside of the track only. The first, second and sixth road wheel stations have a hydraulic shock-absorber and there is a distinct gap between the first and second and second and third road wheels.
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| Accessories |
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The 2S3 has infra-red night vision equipment and an NBC system. According to Russian sources, the NBC system also keeps the turret clear of fumes when the gun is fired. An infrared searchlight is mounted to the left of a 7.62 mm machine gun. Earthmoving equipment is attached to the front part of the hull allows the 2S3 to self-dig hull-down protected position. The 2S3 Akatsiya can cross 0.7 m high vertical obstacles, 3.0 m wide trenches, 1.05 m fording depth, and climb 30° gradients. Two vehicles can be transported bt the military transport aircraft Antonov An-22.
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| Specifications |
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Armament
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One 152mm 2A33 howitzer and one 7.62mm PKT machine gun
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Country users
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Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Libya, Russia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.
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Designer Country
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Russia
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Accessories
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Infrared night vision, NBC protection system.
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Crew
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4
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Armor
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Protection against small arms and shell splinters
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Weight
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27,500 kg
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Speed
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63 km/h maximum road speed
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Range
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500 km
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Dimensions
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Length, 7.76 m; Width, 3.25 m; Height, 2.61 m
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