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2S31 120-mm SAO Magnolia

The 120-mm Magnolia SJSC, the creation of which was announced in 2017, was created specifically for the Arctic brigades on the basis of the DT-30 Vityaz two-link tracked chassis. Tests of the newest self-propelled 82-mm mortars "Drok", self-propelled artillery 120-mm guns "Phlox" and Arctic 120-mm SAO "Magnolia", created at the Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" (part of "Uralvagonzavod") within the framework of the ROC "Sketch", will be completed by the end of 2021.

Recently, the Russian Ministry of Defense has been paying great attention to the creation of new types of military equipment designed for operations in Arctic conditions. The Tor-M2DT and Pantsir-SA anti-aircraft missile systems have already been developed for the units deployed in the North, and MLRSs are being created on the basis of two-link transporters. Also, the modernization of the equipment and weapons already in service for use in the Arctic is underway.

Head of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Nikolai Parshin announced 26 Novemer 2017 at the meeting of the leadership of the logistics system of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: "In 2017 alone, 30 samples of rocket and artillery weapons were put into service. For the further development of rocket and artillery weapons, more than 50 research and development works were carried out, a fifth of them on an initiative basis. Currently, developments are underway to provide parts and units stationed in the Far North. These are the 120-mm Magnolia self-propelled artillery gun on the chassis of an armored two-link tracked carrier and the Tor-M2DT anti-aircraft missile system on the DT-30MP snow and swamp-going vehicle, "Parshin said.

According to him, state tests of a new generation electronic intelligence complex have been completed with a positive result. "The creation of these samples will allow reaching parity with the most representative foreign analogs," he said. "The measures carried out in 2017 made it possible to raise the level of equipment with modern models of missile systems, ground artillery, anti-aircraft missile systems and multiple launch rocket systems, to increase the supply of missiles and ammunition to troops according to individual nomenclatures and to ensure the maintenance of serviceable samples of missile and artillery weapons in the troops for the level of 95%, "Parshin added.

Despite the fact that the new self-propelled gun was known for a long time, until recently information about it was fragmentary. And now the specialists of Uralvagonzavod have told some details about Magnolia. As the press service of UVZ told TASS in February 2020, the complexes will enter serial production within the same time frame. Complexes "Drok", "Phlox" and "Magnolia" will go into production no earlier than 2021. In October 2019, it became known that the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation had already ordered the serial production of the Phlox and Drok installations.

t the creation of the 120 mm Magnolia self-propelled gun for the Arctic was first reported in 2017. The system was created by JSC CRI Burevestnik (Nizhny Novgorod, part of JSC NPK Uralvagonzavod. Presumably, Magnolia uses a modernized fighting compartment of a 120 mm 2S31 Vienna self-propelled gun mounted on the chassis of a DT- two-link armored tracked conveyor 10MP manufactured by Vityaz Machine-Building Company JSC (Ishimbay, is also a part of Uralvagonzavod NPK JSC.

Due to its phenomenal cross-country ability, the chassis of the DT-30 all-terrain vehicle was used in our army for the Arctic brigades. The "Arctic Shell" has already been shown on the basis of this chassis. And now, a new development - the 120 mm Magnolia self-propelled gun. Technically, the development is simple: the DT-30MP all-terrain vehicle was equipped with a turret from the promising 2S31 Vena ACS (2A80 gun). The combat compartment of the SAU "Vienna" is a development of the Soviet 120 mm SPG NONA.

The new fighting compartment has a ballistic computer and a satellite navigation system. The machine can independently detect targets and adjust its shooting to the explosion marks. Thanks to a modern computer complex, it was possible to significantly reduce the aiming time. The firing range of this gun is only 13 km. But thanks to the high accuracy of shooting and the great power of the ammunition, the machine shows high efficiency.

The gun fires high-explosive fragmentation projectiles at a distance of up to 8.5 km, guided projectiles - at 10 km, and high-explosive fragmentation shells - at 7 km. The rate of fire of the gun is 10 rounds per minute, the ammunition load consists of 80 rounds. There are four people in the Magnolia's crew. The two-link tracked carrier DT-10PM has a weight of 23.5 tons, but is capable of speeds up to 44 km / h, while afloat - up to 5 km / h.

The use of the high-passable chassis DT-30 gives the ACS new opportunities. The car floats, moves well on soft ground. its unique characteristics make it possible to use it not only in arctic conditions but also in marshy areas, for example, in the territories bordering with Finland.

Moreover, the vehicle has a very large internal volume, in which it is possible not only to transfer ammunition, but also to organize comfortable conditions for a long-term stay of the crew. At one time, military theorists came up with the concept of two-link combat vehicles and in our time it is beginning to be implemented. Of course, initially the concept had a slightly different meaning. It was based on higher survivability, and not throughput.

State tests of the newest Magnolia self-propelled artillery gun, which can be operated in extreme conditions, including in the Arctic, will be completed in 2022. This was reported to TASS by the press service of the Uralvagonzavod concern (UVZ, part of the Rostec state corporation). "The Magnolia self-propelled artillery gun (SAO) based on the DT-30PM has been developed, its state tests are planned to be completed in 2022," the concern informed 13 February 2021.

Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer (part of the state tech corporation Rostec) reported 01 September 2021 that the production of the latest Magnolia self-propelled artillery gun may begin in late 2022 and early 2023. At that time, the prototypes of the 120mm Magnolia self-propelled artillery gun based on the DT-30PM two-section tracked armored chassis were at the final stage of preliminary trials.