120mm SO-120 SPH/Mortar (2S9) (Russia) KEY RECOGNITION FEATURES
SPECIFICATIONS
• Hull similar to BMD-1
Armament:
4 1 x 120mm mortar
airborne combat vehicle but
Ammunition:
25 x 120mm
fitted with larger turret with
Length:
6.02m
sloped front, sides curve round to rear, 120mm weapon level
Width: Height:
2.63m 2.3m (with max ground clearance)
with front of hull
Ground clearance (variable): 0.1 to 0.45m 8,700kg Weight, combat: 27.58hp.tonne Power-to-weight ratio:
• Well sloped glacis plate, horizontal hull top with driver's hatch in centre, second hatch to his left, turret in centre of hull • Vertical hull sides and rear with six road wheels, idler front, drive sprocket rear, five track-return rollers
Crew:
It is essentially a modified BTR-D air assault transporter, which was itself developed from the BMD-1 airborne combat vehicle, with a modified hull and fitted with a new fully enclosed turret armed with a 120mm breech-loaded mortar. Turret traverse is 35 degrees left and right with weapon elevation from -4 degrees to +80 degrees, maximum range of the mortar is 8,855m. An automatic rammer is fitted which enables a rate of fire of six to eight rounds a minute to be fired and after the breech
0.8m
opens when a round is fired the rammer bleeds compressed air into the chamber to force firing fumes from the muzzle. The driver is seated at the front of the SO-120 in the centre with the commander being seated to the left, the turret is in the centre with the engine and transmission at the rear. The hydropneumatic suspension system can be adjusted to give a ground clearance from 100 to 450mm. It is also fully amphibious being propelled in the water by two waterjets mounted at the rear of the hull. Before entering the water, bilge pumps are switched on and two splash vanes are erected
1.8m
to the immediate front of the driver's position.
2
Ground pressure: Engine: Maximum road speed: Maximum water speed: Maximum road range: Fuel capacity: Fording: Vertical obstacle: Trench:
0.5kg/cm Model 5D20 diesel developing 240hp 60km/hr
Gradient: Side slope:
60o/o
33%
VARIANTS
Armour: Armour type: NBC system:
15mm (max) (hull) Aluminium
There are no known variants of the 2S9 although its turret, in a
9km/hr 500km 400 lit Amphibious
Yes
Night vision equipment: Yes (infra-red for driver)
DEVELOPMENT The 120mm SO-120 (industrial number 2S9) Anona (Anemone) self-propelled howitzer/mortar was developed in the early 1980s and first seen in public in 1985. It was originally developed for use by the then Soviet air assault divisions, but has since been deployed with other units.
slightly modified version, is installed on the 2S23 (8x8) selfpropelled howitzer/mortar (qv). The 1V118 artillery observation post vehicle and the 1V119 artillery fire detection vehicle used with the 2S9 are based on chassis of BMD-1 vehicle. STATUS Production complete. In service with Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgystan, Moldova, Russia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzberistan and Vietnam (unconfirmed user).
