Crews of Russian self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) of high power 2S7M "Malka" attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry reports.

In particular, 203-mm Pion self-propelled guns and batteries of a 122-mm D-30 howitzer of the Ukrainian army were destroyed by competent actions of the military personnel of the RF Armed Forces.

“Adjustment of the combat work of artillery crews is carried out in the daytime and at night using unmanned aerial vehicles ... As the gunners themselves said, such targets (“Peony” and D-30. -

RT

) are worthy and very complex.

To defeat them, you have to use all the practical skills and abilities, ”the website of the military department says.

Earlier, the military department of the Russian Federation did not publish information about the use of "Malka" during the special operation.

However, in March, a story about the work of the crews of these self-propelled guns was released by the Zvezda TV channel of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

It noted that self-propelled guns were deployed on the territory bordering Ukraine and were firing at underground command posts, concrete pillboxes and heavy enemy equipment.

Combat work "Malka" takes place as part of a battery, which includes guns and a control platoon, which receives the coordinates of targets from reconnaissance and adjusts the fire, taking into account the distance of the enemy object and weather conditions.

If it is necessary to conduct rapid fire (increasing the intensity of shelling), the ACS crews are given 40 seconds to reload and aim.

“Reconnaissance works very accurately and efficiently.

Gives exact coordinates.

We strike in time, right on target.

One hundred percent.

Everything that they give us, we work out, ”the gun commander Artyom told reporters.

Also, Zvezda cites the story of Maxim's artillery battery calculator that the fire from the Malok helped cover Russian motorized rifle units and knock out nationalists from their settled fortified areas.

According to experts interviewed by RT, due to the high firing range and huge firepower, the Malka is an effective means of destroying well-fortified military infrastructure facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a counter-battery weapon.

“It is extremely important that the enemy who fires is eliminated immediately, before he changes his deployment.

I think that these are the tasks assigned to Malka during the special operation.

This self-propelled gun is capable of quickly receiving information about the enemy and delivering strikes for tens of kilometers.

If the intelligence data is correct, then the enemy is unlikely to be able to avoid defeat, ”retired colonel Viktor Baranets said in an interview with RT.

  • 203-mm self-propelled artillery mount (SAU) "Malka" during a dynamic display at "Army-2020"

  • RIA News

  • © Grigory Sysoev

Dmitry Litovkin, editor of the Independent Military Review newspaper, expressed a similar opinion in a RT commentary.

"Malka" does not have a high rate of fire, but it is one of the most powerful systems in the world in its class.

The mass of self-propelled shells exceeds 100 kg.

Such ammunition is capable of effectively destroying bunkers, other enemy fortifications, any artillery pieces - even one shell can disable an entire enemy battery, ”says Litovkin.

Capacity building

According to experts, after the collapse of the USSR, Malka and other high-capacity artillery systems were recognized as a vestige of the Cold War and began to be withdrawn from service.

However, a few years ago in Russia, based on the analysis of armed conflicts, there was a reassessment of the importance of large-caliber guns.

As a result, 2S7M and other heavy-duty artillery weapons began to be returned to the troops from their storage sites.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Malka is designed to strike at nuclear weapons, artillery, accumulations of military equipment, command posts, engineering fortifications, ammunition and fuel depots, and other enemy military infrastructure.

Also, the self-propelled gun can destroy underground structures located at a depth of 10 m, which is not available to other types of artillery systems of the RF Armed Forces.

The mass of the self-propelled guns is 46 tons, the crew is seven people, the speed of movement on the highway is 60 km / h.

In addition to the 203 mm artillery gun, the Malka is armed with a 7.62 mm Kalashnikov machine gun.

Battery control vehicles are equipped with a variety of electronic equipment, optical reconnaissance devices and a topographic reference system based on GLONASS.

Malka was created in the 1980s on the basis of the Soviet Pion self-propelled gun.

The new self-propelled guns were distinguished by a more powerful engine, which was also capable of running on diesel, kerosene and gasoline (the Pion was equipped with a B-46-1 diesel engine).

In addition, the Malka received a more advanced chassis, an improved loading mechanism (which made it possible to increase the rate of fire) and a transportable ammunition load doubled (from four to eight shells).

From the data of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on exercises involving 2S7M crews, it follows that in the theater of operations the Malka is capable of interacting with multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) Grad, Hurricane, Hyacinth guns, heavy-duty self-propelled mortars Tyulpan and howitzers "Msta-S".

The Malka battery receives information about the enemy and target designation from the Sagittarius reconnaissance, control and communications complex (KRUS) integrated into the Ratnik equipment and the Orlan-10 UAV.

  • Shooting from self-propelled guns "Malka" on exercises in the Amur region

  • © Russian Ministry of Defense

If the enemy has electronic warfare (EW) equipment, a radio signal repeater is installed on the drone.

This technical solution improves the reliability of the intelligence control network.

As reported in the materials of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the connection with the drone made it possible to increase the combat capabilities and accuracy of firing from the 2S7M.

“The use of the UAV complex with the Malka long-range system has significantly expanded its potential.

It became possible to use powerful projectiles at long distances with the effectiveness of high-precision weapons, ”the military department notes.

To take into account the influence of weather conditions on the firing of long-range artillery, a modern radio direction-finding meteorological complex "Ulybka" is used.

It collects data on temperature, humidity, wind speed in different layers of the atmosphere.

Speed ​​and accuracy

To increase combat capabilities in recent years, Russia has been modernizing the Malka.

The work is carried out by JSC Uraltransmash located in Yekaterinburg.

The enterprise is part of Uralvagonzavod of the state corporation Rostec.

The improvement of the self-propelled guns is carried out as part of the state defense order for 2020-2022.

The first improved Malka was delivered to the Russian troops in the spring of 2020.

New gearboxes, distribution mechanisms and power supply units, surveillance devices, intercom equipment and a radio station appeared on the car.

According to Rostec, before being transferred to the RF Armed Forces, the self-propelled gun successfully passed a full cycle of tests, which made it possible to check the quality of the chassis, power plant and transmission, as well as the reliability of the 2A44 gun and fire control system.

“After the modernization, all the main characteristics of the gun have significantly improved: movement, maneuverability, mobility and command controllability,” the state corporation’s website says.

The emphasis in the modernization of "Malka" is on the replacement of imported components.

As Dmitry Semizorov, General Director of Uraltransmash, clarified earlier in an interview with RIA Novosti, import substitution at 2S7M also applies to components that were manufactured at Ukrainian enterprises.

“We replaced the onboard gearbox, which was previously produced in Kharkov, with a domestic one, replaced the power plant, which was also Ukrainian.

We carried out import substitution in guidance systems, the complex for protecting the machine itself, ”Semizorov emphasized.

According to Barants, the modernized Malka is equipped with improved systems for targeting and determining its coordinates, means of communication with fire spotters and a loading mechanism.

  • The first modernized 203-mm self-propelled artillery mount (SAU) "Malka"

  • © Uralvagonzavod

“In the modernized Malka, a lot of new devices and systems appeared that significantly improved its controllability, speed and accuracy of hitting the enemy.

Now the battery of this self-propelled guns detects and destroys enemy objects much faster, ”said Baranets.

In turn, as Dmitry Litovkin said, the improved Malka differs primarily in that it is integrated into a single digital control system on the battlefield and can receive information from a wide range of external sources.

“The upgraded version of the 2S7M is characterized by integration into the digital command and control of troops in the theater of operations.

The self-propelled gun receives target coordinates faster and automatically calculates ballistics.

It is important that the new Malka can fire from closed positions and fire at a wide range of objects, including underground and area targets, ”summed up Litovkin.