Russian 2S43 Malva Howitzer makes its debut on the front line
For the first time, the latest Russian 152 mm 2S43 Malva howitzer gun has been observed on the front, as reported by the Military Service, citing the findings of so-called white intelligence experts. The 2S43 Malva, belonging to the 9th Artillery Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, is said to have been detected by a long-range Ukrainian reconnaissance drone in the Belgorod Oblast. Here, we explain what the 2S43 Malva is.
The Russian self-propelled howitzer-gun 2S43 Malva is one of the newest additions to Putin's army arsenal. Designed by the Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" from Nizhny Novgorod and produced by the Uralvagonzavod plant, the weapon first saw the light of day in 2020. Its state tests also began then. The first models of the 2S43 Malva howitzers were inducted into service only in October 2023.
2S43 Malva - new weapon spotted on the front
The 2S43 Malva was developed as part of the "Nabrosok" research and development initiative. It is based on the BAZ-6010-027 Voshchina 8x8 wheeled chassis and armed with a rifled 152 mm barrel, known as the 2A64, the same one used by the Russians in another self-propelled howitzer, the 2S19 Msta-S. In practice, its firing range (depending on the ammunition used) can be up to around 30 kilometres (19 miles).
According to Rostec, the Malva can move at a maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph), and its operational range is about 1,100 kilometres (680 miles). The howitzer gun has a combat weight of 32 tonnes (70,547 pounds), a length of 13 meters (43 feet), a width of 3 meters (9 feet), and a height of 3 meters (10 feet). Its rate of fire is up to 7 rounds per minute.
The 7-member crew of the 2S43 Malva manually loads the shells. This howitzer gun has an armoured cabin that protects small arms fire and artillery shell fragments.
The main tasks of the 2S43 Malva include destroying command posts, defensive structures, artillery and mortar batteries, air defence systems, formations of armoured vehicles, and infantry. The Army Recognition Service notes that the 2S43 Malva can be transported by Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft, facilitating its rapid deployment to strategic locations.
