Rosoboronexport (part of Rostec) will present at the ADEX-2022 international exhibition, which will be held in Baku on September 6-8, an export version of the Msta-S self-propelled artillery mount (SAU) for 155 mm caliber shells (also known as 2S19M1-155).

This was reported in the press service of the company.

In addition to the export "Msta-S", a number of items and samples of Russian military equipment and weapons will be exhibited at the exhibition.

“At the exhibition, Rosoboronexport will demonstrate modern military equipment: the Il-76MD-90A(E) military transport aircraft, the Su-35 multipurpose super-maneuverable fighter, the Ka-52(E) combat reconnaissance and attack helicopter, the Mi-35M transport and combat helicopter, the BMPT Terminator tank support combat vehicle, the Msta-S self-propelled howitzer for NATO caliber 155 mm, the Buk-M2E anti-aircraft missile system and the Khrizantema-S SPTRK.

In total, Rosoboronexport will present about 500 pieces of machinery and equipment for all types of armed forces, special and police units at ADEX-2022, the company added.

“The exposition and representative composition of the Russian delegation at ADEX-2022 will allow Rosoboronexport to discuss with partners any current and promising projects that are relevant for the region, as well as formats for interaction in the new conditions of the world market,” the company’s press service quotes its CEO Alexander Mikheev.

Export technologies

The main feature of the 2S19M1-155 self-propelled howitzer is the use of 155 mm caliber shells of the standard, common mainly in Western countries, instead of 152 mm caliber shells used in the RF Armed Forces.

The development of an export version of the Msta-S self-propelled guns for 155 mm caliber shells began in the 2000s.

The first prototype was made in 2002 and presented to the public at the international exhibition REA-2002 in Nizhny Tagil.

However, subsequently, work on 2S19M1-155 was discontinued due to lack of funding.

They resumed in 2011 after receiving a commercial order from the Indian Ministry of Defense.

From 2013 to 2015, the export version of the Msta-S howitzer was tested in the desert of Rajasthan and in the highlands of the Himalayas.

For the first time, Rostec demonstrated the combat capabilities of the 2S19M1-155 howitzer in 2020.

During the tests, Msta-S hit all targets and completed all planned maneuvers.

“This is a combat vehicle with powerful artillery weapons and driving characteristics that are not inferior to modern models of armored vehicles.

It is equipped with advanced communications, satellite navigation, and surveillance systems,” said Viktor Kladov, director for international cooperation and regional policy at Rostec.

In an interview with RT, military expert Vladislav Shurygin noted that adapting an existing weapon system for ammunition of a different caliber is not such an easy task as it might seem to non-professionals.

“Making such a system is a whole task that requires new technical solutions.

Shells of 152 mm and 155 mm caliber differ not only in measurements, but also in the size of the powder charge, which requires different resistance values ​​in the internal mechanisms of the gun,” the expert said.

The founder of the Military Russia portal, Dmitry Kornev, in an RT commentary, explained why Western artillery pieces use 155 mm caliber shells.

“This is a historically established and established production standard.

In Russia, the caliber 152 mm is traditionally used - we inherited this from Soviet times.

In turn, at the dawn of the formation of NATO, it was decided to use 155 mm caliber for artillery shells.

The characteristics of the ammunition do not change significantly, ”the interlocutor of RT explained.

Foreign perspectives

The Msta-S howitzer in the 2S19M1-155 modification is designed to destroy and suppress various types of enemy military equipment and manpower, destroy its defenses and prevent the maneuver of its infantry and tank reserves.

The mass of the howitzer is 43 tons. It can overcome water barriers up to 5 m deep and up to 1 km wide.

The maximum speed is up to 60 km/h.

  • Howitzer "Msta-S" caliber 155 mm

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  • © Pavel Lisitsyn

The howitzer's firing range is up to 41 km, while the range may vary depending on the type of projectiles used.

According to Rosoboronexport, the gun can use 155mm NATO, Bofors, ERFB projectiles, as well as Krasnopol-M2 guided projectiles.

The howitzer also has an automated guidance and fire control system (ASUNO).

“The use of ASUNO makes it possible to reduce the deployment time at a firing position by one and a half to two times, increase readiness to open fire by 25–30%, and double the survivability of a self-propelled howitzer,” Rosoboronexport notes.

In addition, the howitzer can be used in tandem with the UAV to identify targets and increase the effectiveness of firing.

So, in April 2021, Russian specialists demonstrated to foreign customers the capabilities of the Msta-S 155 m caliber in tandem with the Orlan-10E reconnaissance drone.

Rostec reported that the 2S19M1-155 self-propelled guns fired at a distance of 40 km with the restoration of aiming in automatic mode.

“In addition, Msta-S showed an excellent result of interaction with the control vehicle and the Orlan-10E drone,” the concern added.

It is noted that during the demonstration, the Orlan-10E drone transmitted the coordinates of the target to the control machine, which calculated the settings for firing and sent them to the crew of the howitzer.

Vladislav Shurygin believes that the Msta-S artillery mount, adapted for 155 mm caliber shells, will be a success with international customers, who will now be able to choose it as an alternative to more expensive Western models.

“Such an installation has prospects in the foreign market.

It will compete with systems that are manufactured by NATO countries.

In one or two years, when orders go in and supply contracts are concluded, it will become clear which systems in this category are more in demand, ”said the military expert.

The Msta-S platform already has a good reputation, Dmitry Kornev emphasized in an interview with RT.

Msta-S is a well-known self-propelled gun in the world, it has a lot of experience in use, and this is an important indicator for any type of military equipment.

The appearance of such self-propelled guns for 155 mm caliber shells allows expanding the range of countries that may want to purchase them.

When using such a caliber, the characteristics of the gun will definitely not change for the worse, ”he said.

Now customers who want to purchase such equipment from the Russian Federation, but for various reasons tied to the 155 mm standard, will have the opportunity to consider Mstu-S as an option to replenish their arsenals, Dmitry Kornev added.

“This opens up opportunities for the supply of Russian equipment to new markets,” the source said.