Russia To Begin Testing 2S43 Malva 152mm Self-Propelled Howitzer

The 2S43 Malva self-propelled howitzer system on the wheeled chassis will begin testing this year. Malva developed by the Burevestnik Central Research Institute, a division of Uralvagonzavod who is now part of ROSTEC, State Corporation for Assistance to Development, Production and Export of Advanced Technology Industrial Product. Currently, the schedule of work on the newest self-propelled artillery system 2S43 Malva has been approved. In the Russian army, the 2S43 could replace the 2A65 MSTA-B and the 2S1 Gvozdika 122 mm self-propelled howitzer based on tracked chassis. The self-propelled howitzer is designed to defeat armoured vehicles, tanks, air defense missile systems, as well as command and control centers.

The new self-propelled howitzer is based on 8×8 military truck chassis BAZ-6010-027 manufactured by the Bryansk Automobile Plant. The vehicle has a crew cab at the front while the artillery weapon system is located at the rear. Its weight is 21 tons, payload is 19.41 tons. Motor with a power of 470 hp provides a maximum speed of up to 80 km per hour. At the rear of the 2C43 there is a heavy stop that drops down during firing. The vehicle is equipped with a 9-speed two-position transmission and independent two-torsion suspension on all axles and a central tire inflation system. The maximum range is 1000 km. 2S43 is able to fording 1.4 m deep.

The Malva should be lighter than similar howitzers on tracked chassis (2S3, 2S19 and 2S35), as well as more mobile than tracked or towed guns such as Msta-B. The armament of this SPH is an improved version of the 2A88 cannon, which is also used on the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV SPH. The 2S43 Malva has a rate of fire of 8 rounds per minute thanks to the use of a new gun-loading mechanism. The rear part of the truck chassis is fitted with a large hydraulically operated spade that can be lowered on the ground to provide a more stable firing platform during firing operations. There is no public information about the tactical and technical characteristics of Malva due to the secret development of the project.