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2S9 12Omm mortar
120mm SO-120 SPH/Mortar (2S9) (Russia)
KEY RECOGNITION FEATURES
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• Hull similar to BMD-1 airborne combat vehicle but fitted with larger turret with sloped front, sides curve round to rear, 120mm weapon level with front of hull
• 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
SPECIFICATIONS
Crew: Armament: Ammunition: Length: Width: Height:
4 1 x 120mm mortar 25 x 120mm 6.02m 2.63m 2.3m (with max ground clearance) Ground clearance (variable): 0.1 to 0.45m Weight, combat: Power-to-weight ratio: Ground pressure: Engine: Maximum road speed: Maximum water speed: Maximum road range: Fuel capacity: Fording: Vertical obstacle: Trench: Gradient: Side slope: Armour: Armour type: NBC system: Night vision equipment: 8,700kg 27.58hp.tonne 0.5kg/cm2 Model 5D20 diesel developing 240hp 60km/hr 9km/hr 500km 400 lit Amphibious 0.8m 1.8m 60o/o 33% 15mm (max) (hull) Aluminium Yes 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.
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 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 to the immediate front of the driver's position.
VARIANTS
There are no known variants of the 2S9 although its turret, in a 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).
MANUFACTURER
Russian state factories.
Above right: ight: 120mm SO-120
