Ukrainian forces destroy advanced Russian 2S40 Floks mortar in Donetsk

According to the Ukrainian service Militarny, the 2S40 Floks was likely detected by air reconnaissance, which then relayed its location to the SIGNUM unit of the 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade Cholodny Yar. They chose to strike it using an FPV (First Person View) drone. Ukrainians convert these innocuous-looking devices into quite effective loitering munitions by adding suitable explosive charges to them. It's important to note that this isn't the first loss of the Russian mortar 2S40 Floks.

The 2S40 Floks is a Russian self-propelled mortar with a 120 mm calibre, mounted on an armoured Ural-4320 truck with 6x6 drive. It was developed by the Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" in Nizhny Novgorod, and its production is carried out by the Uraltransmash plants in Omsk. This equipment is among the latest additions to the Russian army's arsenal. The 2S40 Floks was first officially shown in 2016, and its production began in 2022. The first units of the mortar started appearing in Ukraine in October 2023.

This self-propelled mortar combines the functions of a mortar and a howitzer. It is designed for attacking personnel, weapons, and enemy equipment. It is equipped with a 2A80 120 mm calibre mortar-howitzer and a fire control system. The gun can fire all types of 120 mm mortar rounds and artillery shells, including the precision ammunition Kitołow-2M. For mortar rounds, the maximum range is estimated at 7.5 km, and for artillery shells at 13 km.

The 2S40 Floks can reach a top speed of approximately 85 km/h, and its range is estimated at 1,000 km. The vehicle itself measures 8 m in length, 2.5 m in width, and 3 m in height, with a weight of approximately 14.3 tonnes. The 2S40 Floks is also armed with a Kord machine gun and PU-07 grenade launchers. Four crew members are required to operate it - two weapons operators, a commander, and a driver.