120 mm Phlox self-propelled artillery gun. Phlox self-propelled artillery mount
It started on September 6, but even a few days before it started, the Internet was full of messages about upcoming premieres. Perhaps the greatest excitement was caused by photos of the newest self-propelled artillery unit “Phlox” that appeared on the Internet. They were posted by State Secretary of Uralvagonzavod Alexey Zharich on his Twitter.
Well, let's try to figure out what the newest one is, even despite the lack of detailed information about it - after all, in fact, it was declassified only a few days ago.
As can be seen in the photographs, the base of the design is the Ural-4320VV all-terrain armored vehicle, which is currently in mass production. It has a 6x6 wheel arrangement, a mechanical transmission with a lockable center differential, and the middle and rear axles have the ability to lock it - all this is a very, so to speak, tenacious design.
The car is armored to the sixth class (the car is invulnerable to armor-piercing incendiary bullets and shots from Dragunov sniper rifles) in the front, including glass, fifth class on the sides, and the engine compartment has a separate armored casing of the third class of protection. The gearbox also has anti-splinter protection.
Video tests of the vehicle showed the degree of its reliability: an explosion of 2 kg of TNT tore off a wheel, but even the engine did not stop working, and an explosion of the equivalent of 5 kg of TNT under the middle wheel caused external damage, but the crew would have been left without serious injuries.
In addition to the driver and fire control operator, the cockpit should, in theory, accommodate the crew commander and a couple more people to service the gun.
On the roof of the cabin, as can also be seen in the photo, there is a thermal imaging module with a laser range finder and a 12.7 mm machine gun - a good means of self-defense. The module appears to be standard; here it is installed on an armored reconnaissance vehicle.
Now the most important thing is the weapon. "Phlox" uses a combined semi-automatic rifled 120 mm gun 2A80.
A special feature of this weapon is its versatility: it can be used not only as a long-range howitzer, but also successfully fire direct fire and even be used to launch mines.
General Director of Burevestnik Georgy Zakamennykh says:
“The concept of placing a 120-mm gun on a vehicle chassis is a completely new solution for our army. In fact, this is a new class of weapons that can significantly increase the mobility of artillery units of the Russian army. The main distinguishing feature of the new self-propelled gun is the gun, which is unified in ballistics and breech with the 2A80 gun, but thanks to new design solutions, it provides a reduced load on the chassis when fired and increased accuracy of fire.”
The maximum firing range of high-explosive fragmentation shells is up to 13 kilometers, guided projectiles are 10 kilometers, and high-explosive fragmentation mines are 7.5 kilometers. The gun is automated, and the process of preparing a shot occurs without human intervention. Rate of fire - from 8 to 10 rounds per minute.
Accuracy is ensured by a special drive that restores aiming after each shot. The self-propelled gun's ammunition capacity is 80 rounds, of which 28 are in operational stowage, that is, ready for immediate loading using automatic equipment.
Since Phlox uses a 2A80 gun, the installation must be unified with ammunition from the well-known Nona and Vena self-propelled guns. In fact, this means that there is a wide range of them, including guided high-explosive fragmentation rounds "Kitolov-2" and "Gran". The module with the gun is mounted on a rotating platform, which makes it possible to conduct all-round fire. The design does not require the use of additional supports when firing, that is, at a minimum, Phlox can fire without preparation and, quite possibly, even on the move.
There is no information about the capabilities of the Phlox weapons control system yet, but it can be assumed that during the development of the Burevestnik self-propelled guns, developments for the Coalition-SV will be used, that is, automation of gun guidance, including target selection, self-propelled gun positioning, and more. Perhaps there is an option to connect the information command system to a unified tactical level control system.
To protect against guided missiles and ATGMs, there is a system for detecting laser irradiation, creating optical jamming and shooting grenades. It was stated that there was an analogy to the Shtora protective complex, but since the Shtora is still a Soviet development, we probably have the right to expect certain improvements.
What niche will Phlox occupy?
It is immediately worth noting that tracked self-propelled guns with the same 2A80 gun - "Vena" and "Khosta" - were put into service recently, in 2010 and 2008, respectively. They successfully fulfill their tasks and are gradually replacing the Soviet-era Gvozdikas. “Nona” of the latest modification 2S9-1M has been produced since 2006 and also does not need to be replaced.
We see a niche for a new self-propelled gun in the Russian army in replacing ancient towed howitzers. Let's say, M-30 model 1938, according to information available in the open press, today there are 3,750 pieces in storage. Howitzers D-30 (2A18) model 1968 - 4400 in storage, while 30 pieces are still in service with the Airborne Forces and 20 pieces with the internal troops.
It is much more logical to use the remaining resource where it is now possible, without keeping it in storage. For example, in Syria, where government troops use the D-30.
Apparently, Phlox, like the new promising Atom infantry fighting vehicle developed by UVZ, was initially export-oriented.
“...a wheeled vehicle is very well suited for action against irregular formations in some semi-desert conditions, for example. The development is specific, but if there are investors and buyers, then why not produce such an anti-terrorist infantry fighting vehicle?”
It is very likely that the market for military equipment for territories where it is more convenient to move on wheels rather than on tracks will not be limited to one hunter of “jihad mobiles” - wheeled self-propelled guns will also be in demand, especially with good armor and the ability to shoot from the Kord. at close range.
These vehicles complement each other well for tactical clearing of local areas. This hypothesis is indirectly confirmed by the desert camouflage color of the car in the published photos.
State Secretary, Deputy General Director of JSC Research and Production Corporation Uralvagonzavod Alexey Zharich published photographs of the new 120-mm self-propelled artillery gun Phlox, developed by JSC Central Research Institute Burevestnik (Nizhny Novgorod).
“Spy photos. We sent Phlox to the Army 2016 exhibition. Come see,” he wrote in Facebook, noted that in total Uralvagonzavod will present more than 50 units of equipment in natural and model versions.
The product is equipped with a unique 120-mm cannon, combining the capabilities of a long-range gun, howitzer and even a mortar. "Phlox" can hit enemy targets located at a distance of 10 km to just hundreds of meters from its position, both with conventional artillery shells and mines.
“In fact, this is a new class of weapons that can significantly increase the mobility of artillery units of the Russian army.”
As the general director of Burevestnik, Georgy Zakamennykh, told Izvestia, this is the first domestic self-propelled artillery unit (SPG) of this caliber, placed on a high-capacity chassis of a vehicle of the Ural family. It is designed to completely replace outdated towed guns of a similar caliber in the Russian army.
“The concept of placing a 120-mm gun on a vehicle chassis is a completely new solution for our army,” Zakamennykh said. – In fact, this is a new class of weapons that can significantly increase the mobility of artillery units of the Russian army. The main distinguishing feature of the new self-propelled gun is the gun, which is unified in ballistics and breech with the 2A80 gun, but thanks to new design solutions, it provides a reduced load on the chassis when fired and increased accuracy of fire.”
A remote-controlled autonomous artillery module with a 12.7 mm Kord machine gun is installed on the roof of the armored cabin of the driver and artillery crew. The gun itself consists of a barrel, a combined semi-automatic bolt, a cradle secured with a fence, anti-rollback devices and a lifting sector mechanism.
Vertical angles are controlled by a special drive, which restores aiming after a shot has been fired. The transportable ammunition of the Phlox self-propelled gun, as told by the Central Design Bureau, is more than 80 rounds, including 28 ready to fire in operational stowage. Compared to existing towed and transportable 120-mm artillery weapons, all this ensures high mobility of self-propelled guns and automation of the processes of preparing and firing.
According to military historian Alexei Khlopotov, currently only the Russian army has unique artillery systems that combine the capabilities of guns, howitzers and mortars.
“The Airborne Forces and Ground Forces are armed with the Nona and Khosta self-propelled guns, and Phlox, although it uses their ideology, is superior to its predecessors in firing range and accuracy, as well as in the power of its ammunition,” said Khlopotov. – Mortar guns fire not only conventional artillery shells, but also mortar shells. They are also capable of raising the trunk in a vertical plane in the range from -2 degrees to +80. Thanks to such solutions, mortar guns can not only hit targets at a distance of up to 10 km along a mounted trajectory, like a howitzer, but also hit targets with direct fire, like conventional guns, and even throw mines, like mortars, almost vertically into enemy trenches.”
The day before it was reported that Uralvagonzavod at the Second International Military-Technical Forum "Army-2016", which will be held in the Patriot Park of the Ministry of Defense near Moscow from September 6 to 11, more than 50 units of military equipment, including T-90MS, T-72B3 tanks and the BMPT-72 tank support combat vehicle (Terminator 2).
As the Ministry of Defense previously stated, the latest military developments and equipment were at the international military-technical forum “Army-2016” in the Patriot Park of the Russian Armed Forces near Moscow.
There is another addition to the family of “flowery” names for self-propelled artillery units. The range of domestic self-propelled guns with the beautiful names “Gvozdika”, “Acacia”, “Khosta” is proposed to be supplemented with the “Phlox” firing installation - a combat vehicle of a completely new concept, which has the capabilities of several types of artillery weapons at once and is also mounted on the chassis of an armored all-terrain truck. The very idea of “wheeled tanks” is not new in the world. However, it is Russian engineers and designers who offer a unified model that combines powerful weapons, mobility, and reliable armor protection. The first sample of the new firing system has already been exhibited at the Army-2016 International Military-Technical Forum currently taking place in the Moscow region. “Phlox” should become one of the brightest “flowers” of this unique “exhibition of achievements” of the Russian armed forces and defense industry. Premiere at Patriot The head of the public relations department of JSC Uralvagonzavod Research and Production Corporation Yulia Kolmakova told Zvezda that the 120-mm self-propelled artillery gun Phlox (as this installation is officially called) is being exhibited in Patriot Park. According to her, the company is presenting a total of 56 units of military equipment at the forum’s static exposition, including 37 full-scale samples and full-size mock-ups. “In general, the products of eight enterprises are exhibited at our stands,” noted a representative of Uralvagonzavod. – These include JSC Uraltransmash, JSC Omsktransmash, JSC Central Research Institute Burevestnik, JSC NPO Elektromashina, JSC ChTZ-Uraltrak and others. The total exhibition area rented by the corporation in the open area is 1,360 square meters.” Nevertheless, among the new products that attracted the attention of military equipment experts, the first was the Phlox system. Although in fairness it is worth noting that the enterprises included in the structure of Uralvagonzavod presented a fairly wide range of original models this time. What is the cost, for example, of an 82-mm mortar installed on the chassis of an RM 500 all-terrain vehicle (quad bike) or a 120-mm mortar placed on the platform of a UAZ Cargo truck (Patriot SUV). And yet, the role of a kind of headliner of the exhibition rightfully went to Phlox " Moreover, even on the eve of the exhibition, State Secretary - Deputy General Director of UVZ Alexey Zharich posted a photo of this self-propelled gun on his page on one of the social networks. The picture clearly shows the location of the gun (in the rear of the chassis), and the type of base is easily recognizable - an all-wheel drive three-axle truck of the Ural-43206 type with a carrying capacity of more than ten tons. The author of the photo refrained from any more detailed characteristics. Weapons Innovation JSC Central Research Institute Burevestnik confirmed to a Zvezda correspondent the fact of production of the Phlox self-propelled gun on the basis of their enterprise, but were unable to add anything significant to the information previously voiced on this matter by General Director Georgy Zakamennykh. He, in particular, said that the main distinguishing feature of the new self-propelled gun is its gun, which, due to new design solutions, ensures a reduced load on the chassis when fired and increased accuracy of fire. Stepping back, it is worth saying that this particular problem is the unstable position of the gun on a wheeled platform - hinders the development of “wheeled tanks” in the West. The solution here is either to increase the mass of the main platform (by turning it into a full-fledged armored personnel carrier), or to use additional supports when firing from a stationary firing position. It must be said that on Phlox these issues are resolved more elegantly. It is possible to withstand increased loads when firing from a gun with such a powerful caliber due to the use of a modern recoil system with an auxiliary hydraulic effect. The mechanical energy of the shot is converted into thermal energy and serves to absorb shocks and impacts. As a result, the shock loads on the gun carriage - a rotating platform mounted on the Ural chassis - are significantly softened. The "main caliber" of the Phlox is the 2A80 gun - a unique combination of a howitzer gun and a mortar. The fire is carried out with 120-mm mines and ready-rifled shells. Interestingly, the gun is equipped with an innovative cooling system, and in addition, it uses an indicator indicating the maximum permissible level of barrel heating. The chassis of the artillery mount deserves special mention - the Ural vehicle, manufactured in a special armored version and equipped with a reinforced engine with a capacity of over 300 horsepower. The cabin here is welded, made of metal sheets of various thicknesses, and the engine compartment is equipped with its own armored casing. The manufacturer guarantees the safety of the crew even when an explosive device with a capacity of up to two kilograms of TNT is detonated. The Phlox crew will be able to repel attacks by sabotage and reconnaissance groups not only with standard weapons, but also with a 12.7-mm Kord machine gun mounted on the cabin. Self-propelled guns in service Placing a self-propelled artillery mount (and “Phlox” to some extent fits this definition) on the wheelbase of a truck is truly a new word in the domestic military-industrial complex. The only thing that comes to mind is the Nona-SVK battalion self-propelled artillery gun, mounted on the chassis of the BTR-80 amphibious wheeled armored personnel carrier. Adopted for service in 1990, this self-propelled gun is a 120-mm rifled semi-automatic gun-howitzer-mortar and the wheelbase of an armored personnel carrier . "Nona-SVK" is capable of overcoming trenches, trenches, and water obstacles on the move. In terms of the power of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile, its shot is comparable to the effect of 152-mm ammunition. The closest modern models to Phlox can be considered the 120-mm self-propelled artillery gun "Khosta" and the system of the same caliber "Vena". Both are tracked, both use a rifled semi-automatic gun, both were produced at the production base of PJSC Motovilikha Plants. At the same time, given that “Vena” is a self-propelled gun of a relatively new model, there is every reason to believe that “Phlox” will take the most advanced technologies from it. These include, for example, the use of a weapon-computing complex. It allows the exchange of information between the combat vehicle and the control vehicle, and the preparation of initial data for firing at independently scouted targets or based on information received from the battery control point. The system also adjusts settings for firing after notching the first shot, controls guidance elements in various modes, and stores in memory (independent of the presence or absence of energy) information about three dozen targets. All necessary information is displayed on the commander’s monitors, which are equipped in the self-propelled gun cockpit “ Phlox". Thanks to this system, it is possible to monitor the technical condition of the complex in real time and control the drives for horizontal and vertical guidance of the gun. A laser target designator-rangefinder is also interfaced with the computer of the gun-computing complex, and the topographical reference system ensures automatic determination of coordinates even when the vehicle is moving. The time of readiness to fire, thanks to the presence of the gun-computer complex, can be... no more than 20 seconds from the moment of receiving the information about the goal! A priority– in mobility Most experts related to missile and artillery topics agree that Phlox is a very timely and potentially in-demand combat weapon for modern Ground Forces. The former chief of artillery of the motorized rifle regiment of the 27th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, reserve lieutenant colonel Leonid Budzdorovenko, admits: if his subordinates had such weapons, it would be much easier to resolve issues of fire support during missions in the North Caucasus. The officer names the wheelbase as the main advantage: the same The Gvozdika, which was in service with artillery battalions of motorized rifle regiments in the mid-1990s, had a tracked drive and was difficult to maintain, limited in speed, and most importantly, had a lot of weight, which often did not allow crossing some bridges in Chechnya. In addition, as experts in the field of artillery believe, in modern combat such advantages of self-propelled guns as powerful armor are not so in demand. The use of self-propelled guns in an attack, direct fire is a rarity, therefore, the presence of protection against anti-tank weapons is no longer necessary. Fire is most often conducted from closed firing positions distant from the contact line, where there is no contact with the enemy’s armor-piercing weapons. As for protection from attacks, for example on a march, standard car armor will do just fine. It will protect against small arms fire and improvised explosive devices, and ATGMs, as a rule, are not ambushed. On the other hand, where Phlox is inferior to traditional self-propelled guns made on the chassis of the same armored personnel carriers or tracked vehicles is the ability to overcome water barriers. The Ural, whatever one may say, does not float, which means it is still limited in mobility... Nevertheless, Uralvagonzavod hopes that the new combat weapon will find its consumer. And it is far from accidental that the example of a self-propelled gun presented in “Patriot” is painted in a protective camouflage to match the color of the desert. This is one of those places on the planet where water barriers are not a problem...
“Significant advantages in range and rate of fire will allow Coalition-SV batteries to strike without entering the enemy kill zone,” writes Military Watch. The article, which pretends but is not objective, was clearly written at the request of the guys whipping up anti-Russian hysteria. To listen to the authors, in the Armed Forces our potential opponents have generally fallen behind forever and it’s time for the whole world to crawl to the cemetery. Judge for yourself:
The 152-mm self-propelled gun "Coalition-SV" is capable of sending shells at a distance of up to 70 kilometers, while the American self-propelled gun M109 Paladin will not reach a target located further than three tens of kilometers. The capabilities of the Coalition exceed even the potential of North and South Korean self-propelled guns, which are considered abroad to have the longest range.
At the same time, the Coalition's rate of fire reaches 20 rounds per minute. For comparison, the American Paladin will be able to fire a maximum of six shells per minute. But that's not all.
“The high level of automation allows the Coalition to be controlled by a crew of two to three people, while the American Paladin requires six people, and the South Korean K9 requires five,” the material says.
The publication notes that the Russian army may soon also receive revolutionary artillery installations created as part of the Sketch development work.
Let me clarify (this is not in the article):
The Phlox and Magnolia self-propelled artillery mounts, as well as the Gorse mortar, created during the Sketch development work, are currently undergoing preliminary tests. This was reported today by the press service of Uralvagonzavod.
As the company said, preliminary tests of the Phlox and Magnolia guns and the Gorse mortar are passing successfully. 
Phlox on a Ural wheeled chassis is a 120mm self-propelled artillery gun (photo above). The Magnolia self-propelled joint stock company on a tracked chassis has the same caliber. The caliber of the "Drok" mortar on the "Kamaz" chassis is 82 millimeters (model below).
The most important thing is the weapon. "Phlox" uses a combined semi-automatic rifled 120 mm gun 2A80.
General Director of Burevestnik Georgy Zakamennykh says:
“The concept of placing a 120-mm gun on a vehicle chassis is a completely new solution for our army. In fact, this is a new class of weapons that can significantly increase the mobility of artillery units of the Russian army. The main distinguishing feature of the new self-propelled gun is the gun, which is unified in ballistics and breech with the 2A80 gun, but thanks to new design solutions, it provides a reduced load on the chassis when fired and increased accuracy of fire.”
The maximum firing range of high-explosive fragmentation shells is up to 13 kilometers, guided projectiles are 10 kilometers, and high-explosive fragmentation mines are 7.5 kilometers. The gun is automated, and the process of preparing a shot occurs without human intervention. Rate of fire - from 8 to 10 rounds per minute.
Accuracy is ensured by a special drive that restores aiming after each shot. The self-propelled gun's ammunition capacity is 80 rounds, of which 28 are in operational stowage, that is, ready for immediate loading using automatic equipment.
Since Phlox uses a 2A80 gun, the installation must be unified with ammunition from the well-known Nona and Vena self-propelled guns. In fact, this means that there is a wide range of them, including guided high-explosive fragmentation rounds "Kitolov-2" and "Gran". The module with the gun is mounted on a rotating platform, which makes it possible to conduct all-round fire. The design does not require the use of additional supports when firing, that is, at a minimum, Phlox can fire without preparation and, quite possibly, even on the move.
There is no information about the capabilities of the Phlox weapons control system yet, but it can be assumed that during the development of the Burevestnik self-propelled guns, developments for the Coalition-SV will be used, that is, automation of gun guidance, including target selection, self-propelled gun positioning, and more. Perhaps there is an option to connect the information command system to a unified tactical level control system.
To protect against guided missiles and ATGMs, there is a system for detecting laser irradiation, creating optical jamming and shooting grenades. It was stated that there was an analogy to the Shtora protective complex, but since the Shtora is still a Soviet development, we probably have the right to expect certain improvements.
What niche will Phlox occupy?
It is immediately worth noting that tracked self-propelled guns with the same 2A80 gun - "Vena" and "Khosta" - were put into service recently, in 2010 and 2008, respectively. They successfully fulfill their tasks and are gradually replacing the Soviet-era Gvozdikas. “Nona” of the latest modification 2S9-1M has been produced since 2006 and also does not need to be replaced.
We see a niche for a new self-propelled gun in the Russian army in replacing ancient towed howitzers. Let's say, M-30 model 1938, according to information available in the open press, today there are 3,750 pieces in storage. Howitzers D-30 (2A18) model 1968 - 4400 in storage, while 30 pieces are still in service with the Airborne Forces and 20 pieces with the internal troops.
It is much more logical to use the remaining resource where it is now possible, without keeping it in storage. For example, in Syria, where government troops use the D-30.
The Burevestnik Central Research Institute (part of the Uralvagonzavod corporation, which produces artillery weapons) will present the latest mobile self-propelled artillery unit, Phlox, at the Army-2016 forum and exhibition. The product is equipped with a unique 120-mm cannon, combining the capabilities of a long-range gun, howitzer and even a mortar. Therefore, Phlox can hit enemy targets located at a distance of 10 km to just hundreds of meters from its position, both with conventional artillery shells and mines.
As the general director of Burevestnik, Georgy Zakamennykh, told Izvestia, this is the first domestic self-propelled artillery unit (SPG) of this caliber, placed on a high-capacity chassis of a vehicle of the Ural family. It is designed to completely replace outdated towed guns of a similar caliber in the Russian army.
The concept of placing a 120-mm gun on a vehicle chassis is a completely new solution for our army,” said Georgy Zakamennykh. - In fact, this is a new class of weapons that can significantly increase the mobility of artillery units of the Russian army. The main distinctive feature of the new self-propelled gun is the gun, which is unified in ballistics and breech with the 2A80 gun, but thanks to new design solutions, it provides a reduced load on the chassis when fired and increased accuracy of fire.
A remote-controlled autonomous artillery module with a 12.7 mm Kord machine gun is installed on the roof of the armored cabin of the driver and artillery crew. The gun itself consists of a barrel, a combined semi-automatic bolt, a cradle secured with a fence, anti-rollback devices and a lifting sector mechanism.
Vertical angles are controlled by a special drive, which restores aiming after a shot has been fired. The transportable ammunition of the Phlox self-propelled gun, as told by the Central Design Bureau, is more than 80 rounds, including 28 ready to fire in operational stowage. Compared to existing towed and transportable 120-mm artillery weapons, all this ensures high mobility of self-propelled guns and automation of the processes of preparing and firing.
According to military historian Alexei Khlopotov, currently only the Russian army has unique artillery systems that combine the capabilities of guns, howitzers and mortars.
The Airborne Forces and Ground Forces are armed with the Nona and Khosta self-propelled guns, and Phlox, although it uses their ideology, is superior to its predecessors in firing range and accuracy, as well as in the power of its ammunition, Alexey told Izvestia Khlopotov. - Mortar guns fire not only regular artillery shells, but also mortar shells. They are also capable of raising the trunk in a vertical plane in the range from -2 degrees to +80. Thanks to such solutions, mortar guns can not only hit targets at a distance of up to 10 km along a mounted trajectory, like a howitzer, but also hit targets with direct fire, like conventional cannons, and even throw mines, like mortars, almost vertically into enemy trenches.
