2S3 Akatsiya
Encyclopedia
SO-152 is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled artillery
developed in 1968. It was a response to the American 155 mm M109
. The development started in 1967 according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of USSR from July 4, 1967. In 1968 the SO-152 was completed and in 1971 entered service. Its GRAU
designation is 2S3 (2С3). The fighting vehicle also received the additional designation Akatsiya (Акация).
Designated M1973 by the US Army, the Akatsiya is armed with a 152.4 mm howitzer based on the Soviet 152.4 mm D-20
howitzer
and is sometimes confused with the M109
self-propelled artillery
. The artillery system was developed at the design bureau No. 9 of Kalinin Machine-Building Plant
in Sverdlovsk
. The factory designation of the howitzer is D-22 and the GRAU
designation, 2A33. The chassis was developed by Uraltransmash.
Driver's and engine-transmission compartments are located in a front part of a hull, fighting compartment with rotatory turret – in middle and rear parts of the hull. The armour is welded rolled steel. Howitzer is equipped with R-123 radio set, R-124 intercom, automatic NBC system with filtration unit and fire-fighting equipment. The V-59 12-cylinder four-stroke water-cooled diesel engine connects with a mechanical twin gear transmission, a gear box is in one block with a planetary steering gear. The 2S3 has self-entrenching equipment which allows to prepare a trench within 20–40 min.
The crew consists of 4–6 men: a driver, a gunner, a loader, a commander, and two ammunition bearers, which are positioned to the rear of the vehicle feeding rounds through two hatches in the hull rear when in masked firing position.
to a maximum of 24 km. Other projectiles available to the Akatsiya include BP-540 HEAT-FS (sight distance is 3 km, 250 mm armor penetration), Br-540B and Br-540 AP-T
(115–120 mm armor penetration at a 1000 m), OF-38 Krasnopol laser-guided rocket-assisted projectiles, S1 illuminating, ZH3 smoke, nuclear projectiles (with explosive capacity of 2 kt). Secondary armament represents remotely controlled 7.62 mm PKT tank machine gun on commander's cupola for anti-aircraft defence and self-defence in close combat.
By the end of 1980s however self-propelled artillery regiments of Soviet first echelon tank and motor rifle divisions (e.g. those belonging to the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
) each had 36 or 54 self-propelled howitzers of this type (2 or 3 gun battalions). So for example the following artillery regiments all had 54 Akatsiya on their strength:
While the regiments below only had 36 Akatsiya:
And the 286th Guards Red Banner Prague howitzer artillery brigade stationed in Potsdam
was equipped with no less than 72 Akatsiya.
had 400 2S3 in active service and more than 600 in storage. As of now the Akatsiya are used by the following units of the Russian Army or are stationed in following bases (incomplete list):
As of now the Akatsiya are used by the following units of the Russian Navy or are stationed in following bases (incomplete list):
All the equipment of 817th self-propelled artillery regiment of 62nd Russian military base of the North Caucasus Military District was withdrawn from Akhalkalaki
, Georgia in 2006 according to the Russian-Georgian Sochi agreement
, the regiment had 30 Akatsiya and it had planned to relocate some of its self-propelled artillery to 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri
, Armenia.
At the moment the 2S3 is considered as outdated because of insufficient range of fire in comparison with modern self-propelled artillery. The modernized variant 2S3 armed with a new 155 mm M-385 howitzer was developed in 2000 and 2 gun battalions of the Russian Army (including one of the 2nd Taman motor rifle division) have been reequipped with the 2S3M2 in 2006.
after combat operations in Afghanistan where it proved to be an effective and reliable artillery system. 2S3s were used quite successfully during two Chechen wars and military conflicts on the territory of former USSR.
– 6 number bought from Ukraine, first shown in 2008 military parade. – 30 in 1995, originally 40 were purchased – 48 – 28 – 168 – 10 were bought in Russia in 1999 – 13 in 2006 (12 were purchased in Ukraine in 2004–2005), 1 in 2003. – 5 in 1995, originally 18 were bought – 150 – 55 in 1995, according to another sources – 36 – 1,402 in active service, more than 1,600 in storage in 2007 – 50 in 1995 and in 2006 – 16 – 501
Self-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery vehicles are combat vehicles armed with artillery. Within the term are covered self-propelled guns and rocket artillery...
developed in 1968. It was a response to the American 155 mm M109
M109 howitzer
The M109 is an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today's M109A6 Paladin...
. The development started in 1967 according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of USSR from July 4, 1967. In 1968 the SO-152 was completed and in 1971 entered service. Its GRAU
Grau
Grau is a German word meaning "gray" and a Catalan word meaning "grade". It may refer to:* BAP Almirante Grau , a De Zeven Provinciën class cruiser in service with the Peruvian Navy* Grau Käse, Tyrolean grey cheese...
designation is 2S3 (2С3). The fighting vehicle also received the additional designation Akatsiya (Акация).
Description
152 mm towed gun-howitzer M1955 (D-20)
The 152 mm gun-howitzer M1955, also known as the D-20, is a manually loaded, towed 152 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union during the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1955, where it was designated the M1955. Its GRAU index is 52-P-546...
howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
and is sometimes confused with the M109
M109 howitzer
The M109 is an American-made self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It was upgraded a number of times to today's M109A6 Paladin...
self-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery vehicles are combat vehicles armed with artillery. Within the term are covered self-propelled guns and rocket artillery...
. The artillery system was developed at the design bureau No. 9 of Kalinin Machine-Building Plant
Kalinin Machine-Building Plant
JSC Kalinin Machine-Building Plant, ZiK or MZiK for short is a large Soviet/Russian industrial factory, now part of Almaz-Antey holding.Founded in 1866 in St...
in Sverdlovsk
Yekaterinburg
Yekaterinburg is a major city in the central part of Russia, the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Situated on the eastern side of the Ural mountain range, it is the main industrial and cultural center of the Urals Federal District with a population of 1,350,136 , making it Russia's...
. The factory designation of the howitzer is D-22 and the GRAU
Grau
Grau is a German word meaning "gray" and a Catalan word meaning "grade". It may refer to:* BAP Almirante Grau , a De Zeven Provinciën class cruiser in service with the Peruvian Navy* Grau Käse, Tyrolean grey cheese...
designation, 2A33. The chassis was developed by Uraltransmash.
Driver's and engine-transmission compartments are located in a front part of a hull, fighting compartment with rotatory turret – in middle and rear parts of the hull. The armour is welded rolled steel. Howitzer is equipped with R-123 radio set, R-124 intercom, automatic NBC system with filtration unit and fire-fighting equipment. The V-59 12-cylinder four-stroke water-cooled diesel engine connects with a mechanical twin gear transmission, a gear box is in one block with a planetary steering gear. The 2S3 has self-entrenching equipment which allows to prepare a trench within 20–40 min.
The crew consists of 4–6 men: a driver, a gunner, a loader, a commander, and two ammunition bearers, which are positioned to the rear of the vehicle feeding rounds through two hatches in the hull rear when in masked firing position.
Armament
The 152.4 mm L/27 howitzer D-22 (2A33) can be elevated from −4° to +60° with a turret traverse of a full 360°. Rate of fire is 2.6 – 3.5 rounds/min depending on fire conditions. Howitzer is equipped with a double-baffle muzzle brake, a semi-automatic vertical wedge breechblock and an ejector. The 2S3 has a periscopic sight and telescopic sight of direct pointing. The howitzer has separate type of loading with ammunition (35 rounds, later increased to up to 46) arranged in two mechanized stowages (in the turret and in the rear of the hull). The Akatsiya can fire OF-540 and OF-25 HE-Frag 43.56 kg projectiles (also all types of rounds developed for 152.4 mm towed howitzer-guns ML-20 and D-20, and for towed howitzer D-1) at a maximum range of 18.5 km depending of used charge or rocket assisted projectilesRocket Assisted Projectile
A Rocket Assisted Projectile is an artillery or cannon round incorporating a rocket motor for independent propulsion. This grants the projectile both greater speed and range than an ordinary shell, which is propelled only by the ballistic force of the gun's exploding charge...
to a maximum of 24 km. Other projectiles available to the Akatsiya include BP-540 HEAT-FS (sight distance is 3 km, 250 mm armor penetration), Br-540B and Br-540 AP-T
Armor-piercing shot and shell
An armor-piercing shell is a type of ammunition designed to penetrate armor. From the 1860s to 1950s, a major application of armor-piercing projectiles was to defeat the thick armor carried on many warships. From the 1920s onwards, armor-piercing weapons were required for anti-tank missions...
(115–120 mm armor penetration at a 1000 m), OF-38 Krasnopol laser-guided rocket-assisted projectiles, S1 illuminating, ZH3 smoke, nuclear projectiles (with explosive capacity of 2 kt). Secondary armament represents remotely controlled 7.62 mm PKT tank machine gun on commander's cupola for anti-aircraft defence and self-defence in close combat.
Maneuverability
The Akatsiya chassis is based on that of the Object 123 tracked chassis of the 2K11 Krug surface-to-air missile system; it includes six (rather than seven as in the 2K11 Krug) twin rubber-tired road wheels, four rubber-tired return rollers (two single and two twin), front drive sprocket with detachable sprocket rings (lantern-wheel gear) and idler wheel per side. The track is 14.375 m long, 482 mm wide and has 115 links. The Akatsiya can cross 0.7 m high vertical obstacles, 3.0 m wide trenches, 1.05 m fording depth and climb 30° gradients. It can be transported by transport plane An-22 (carries two self-propelled howitzers of this type).Series production
Two Object 303 prototypes were built in the end of 1968. Factory tests finished in October 1969, and discovered strong gas contamination of the fighting compartment during intensive gunnery, especially during the use of small charges. As a result, army inspectors did not accept four SO-152s built in summer 1969 for ground tests. The problem of gas contamination was solved, allowing the SO-152 to enter service of the Soviet Army in 1971. The first three serial 2S3s were built by Uraltransmash in the end of 1970, and in 1971 nine were produced. The works received an order for 70 2S3 in 1973. The mass production finished in 1993.Variants
- 2S3 (SO-152) – Basic variant, developed in 1968. Produced in 1970–1975. Two modifications used D-11 and D-11M howitzers.
- 2S3M (SO-152M) – Equipped with a mechanized drum-type stowage for 12 rounds, the amount of hatches in rear armored plates of the hull and the turret was reduced, the configuration of those hatches was changed, antenna of R-123 radio set was transferred on a turret top. Ammunition was increased from 40 to 46 rounds (usually consists of 42 OF-540 and OF-25 HE-Frag projectiles, and of 4 BP-540 HEAT-FS projectiles). Much more powerful OF-29 HE-Frag projectiles and OF-38 Krasnopol laser-guided rocket-assisted projectiles were developed for SO-152M. The modernized howitzer has a designator 2A33M. Produced in 1975–1987.
- 2S3M1 (SO-152M1) – Equipped with a command data acquisition and display equipment, and with a new SP-538 sight. OF-38 Krasnopol laser-guided rocket-assisted projectiles were added to standard ammunition. Produced in 1987–1993. All 2S3s and 2S3Ms were modernized to 2S3M1 level.
- 2S3M2 (SO-152M2) – Modernized variant equipped with an automatic fire control system and a satellite navigational system and armed with a new 155 mm M-385 howitzer. Developed in 2000.
Former USSR
The 2S3 was intended for inventory of artillery regiments of Soviet tank and motor rifle divisions. At first only one gun battalion of each artillery regiment was equipped with the Akatsiya (18 self-propelled howitzers).By the end of 1980s however self-propelled artillery regiments of Soviet first echelon tank and motor rifle divisions (e.g. those belonging to the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
The Group of Soviet Forces in Germany , also known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany and the Western Group of Forces were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany....
) each had 36 or 54 self-propelled howitzers of this type (2 or 3 gun battalions). So for example the following artillery regiments all had 54 Akatsiya on their strength:
- 96th self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in BornaBornaBorna is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, capital of the Leipzig district. It is situated approx. 30 km southeast of Leipzig. It has approx. 21,000 inhabitants.-History:Borna as a town is more than 750 years old....
) of 9th tank division - 724th Guards Warsaw self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in NeustrelitzNeustrelitzNeustrelitz is a town in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the shore of the Zierker See in the Mecklenburg Lake District. From 1738 until 1918 it was the capital of the duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz...
) of 16th Guards tank division - 400th Red Banner Transylvania self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in Bernau bei BerlinBernau bei BerlinBernau bei Berlin is a German town in the Barnim district. The town is located about northeast of Berlin.-History:...
) of 90th Guards tank division - 1054th Red Banner self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in RathenowRathenowRathenow is a town in the district of Havelland in Brandenburg, Germany, with a population of 26,433 .-Overview:The Protestant church of St. Marien Andreas, originally a basilica, and transformed to the Gothic style in 1517-1589, and the Roman Catholic Church of St...
) of 21st motor rifle division (actual strength: 53) - 54th Guards Red Banner Poznan self-propelled regiment (stationed in HalleHalle, Saxony-AnhaltHalle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
) of 27th Guards motor rifle division - 944th Guards Red Banner Chernovtsy-Gniezno self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in LeisnigLeisnigLeisnig is a small town in the district of Mittelsachsen, federal Free State of Saxony in Germany.-History:A settlement in this location was first mentioned in 1046. The town features Mildenstein Castle which is over 1000 years old. The house Markt 13 shows the coat of arms of the family...
) of 20th Guards motor rifle division - 283rd Red Banner Warsaw self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in Olympisches Dorf) of 35th motor rifle division
- 87th Guards Red Banner Poznan self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in GothaGotha (town)Gotha is a town in Thuringia, within the central core of Germany. It is the capital of the district of Gotha.- History :The town has existed at least since the 8th century, when it was mentioned in a document signed by Charlemagne as Villa Gotaha . Its importance derives from having been chosen in...
) of 39th Guards motor rifle division (actual strength: 52) - 199th Guards Red Banner Brandenburg self-propelled regiment (stationed in WismarWismarWismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
) of 94th Guards motor rifle division - 693rd Red Banner self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in StendalStendalStendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark. Its population in 2001 was 38,900. It is located some west of Berlin and around east of Hanover...
) of 207th motor rifle division
While the regiments below only had 36 Akatsiya:
- 744th Guards Ternopol self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in Altengrabow) of 10th Guards tank division
- 841st Guards Red Banner Chernovtsy self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in ChemnitzChemnitzChemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
) of 11th tank division - 117th self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in MahlwinkelMahlwinkelMahlwinkel is a village and a former municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the municipality Angern.-Paintball:...
) of 12th Guards tank division had (actually 34) - 99th Guards Red Banner Pomerania self-propelled regiment (stationed in MagdeburgMagdeburgMagdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
) of 47th Guards tank division - 172nd Guards Red Banner Berlin self-propelled artillery regiment (stationed in RudolstadtRudolstadtRudolstadt is a town in the German Bundesland of Thuringia, close to the Thuringian Forest to the southwest, and to Jena and Weimar to the north....
) of 79th Guards tank division
And the 286th Guards Red Banner Prague howitzer artillery brigade stationed in Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
was equipped with no less than 72 Akatsiya.
Russia
In 2007 the Russian Army had 1,002 2S3 in active service and more than 1,000 in storage and the Russian Navy (marines)Russian Marines
The Russian Naval Infantry, are the amphibious force of the Russian Navy. The first Russian naval infantry force was formed in 1705, and since that time they have fought in the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War, and the First and Second World Wars...
had 400 2S3 in active service and more than 600 in storage. As of now the Akatsiya are used by the following units of the Russian Army or are stationed in following bases (incomplete list):
- 200th separate motor rifle brigade from PechengaPechengsky DistrictPechengsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located to the northwest of the Kola Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea and borders with Finland in the south and southwest and with Norway in the west, northwest, and north...
which is a part of the Leningrad Military DistrictLeningrad Military DistrictThe Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:...
(36 Akatsiya) - 138th separate motor rifle brigade from Kamenka (near VyborgVyborgVyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
) which is a part of the Leningrad Military District (36 Akatsiya) - 2nd Guards Taman motor rifle division from Alabino (near Moscow) which is a part of the Moscow Military DistrictMoscow Military DistrictThe Moscow Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Leningrad Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:In the beginning of...
(96 Akatsiya in 3 motor rifle regiments and 1 tank regiment) - 3rd SormovoSormovoSormovo may refer to:*Sormovo , an airfield near Nizhny Novgorod, Russia*Sormovsky City District , a city district of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia...
motor rifle division from MulinoMulino (settlement), Nizhny Novgorod OblastMulino is a settlement in Volodarsky District of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Population: Dialing code: +7 83136. Postal code: 606083....
(near Nizhny NovgorodNizhny NovgorodNizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
) which is a part of the Moscow Military District (96 Akatsiya in 2 motor rifle regiments and 2 tank regiments) - 4th Guards Kantemirovka tank division from Naro-FominskNaro-FominskNaro-Fominsk is a town and the administrative center of Naro-Fominsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated southwest from Moscow, on the Nara River. The Moscow – Kiev railway passes through the town. Population: -History:...
which is a part of the Moscow Military District (95 Akatsiya in 3 tank regiments and 1 motor rifle regiment) *10th Guards Ural-Lvov tank division from BogucharBogucharBoguchar is a town in Voronezh Oblast, Russia, located on the Boguchar River south of Voronezh. Population: Town status was granted to it in 1779....
(Voronezh Oblast) which is a part of the Moscow Military District (75 Akatsiya in 2 tank regiments and 1 motor rifle regiment) - 81st separate motor rifle regiment from SamaraSamara, RussiaSamara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...
which is a part of the Volga-Ural Military District (25 Akatsiya) - 27th Guards motor rifle division from TotskoyeTotskoyeTotskoye is a village in Orenburg Oblast, Russia. It is the administrative center of Totsky District. Population: 7,201 ....
which is a part of the Volga-Ural Military District (73 Akatsiya in 2 motor rifle regiments and 1 tank regiment) - 19th Red Banner Voronezh-Shumlin motor rifle division from VladikavkazVladikavkaz-Notable structures:In Vladikavkaz, there is a guyed TV mast, tall, built in 1961, which has six crossbars with gangways in two levels running from the mast structure to the guys.-Twin towns/sister cities:...
which is a part of the North Caucasus Military DistrictNorth Caucasus Military DistrictThe North Caucasus Military District was a military district of the Russian Ground Forces, which became in 2010 the Southern Military District and lately also includes the Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla....
(16 Akatsiya in 3 motor rifle regiments) - 205th separate motor rifle cossack brigade from BudyonnovskBudyonnovskBudyonnovsk , also spelled Budennovsk, is a town in Stavropol Krai, Russia. Previously, it was named Svyatoy Krest and Prikumsk...
which is a part of the North Caucasus Military District (12 Akatsiya) - 136th Guards Uman-Berlin separate motor rifle brigade from BuynakskBuynakskBuynaksk is a town in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, located at the foothills of the Greater Caucasus on the Shura-Ozen River, southwest of the republic's capital Makhachkala. Population: 40,000 ....
(Dagestan) which is a part of the North Caucasus Military District - 131st separate motor rifle brigade from MaykopMaykopMaykop is the capital city of the Republic of Adygea, Russia, located on the right bank of the Belaya River . Population: -History:...
(Adygea) which is a part of the North Caucasus Military District (24 Akatsiya) - 33rd separate motor rifle regiment from Prudboy which is a part of the North Caucasus Military District (12 Akatsiya)
- two arsenals of Central Command in PermPermPerm is a city and the administrative center of Perm Krai, Russia, located on the banks of the Kama River, in the European part of Russia near the Ural Mountains. From 1940 to 1957 it was named Molotov ....
(91 Akatsiya) - The 8th motor rifle brigade from TiraspolTiraspolTiraspol is the second largest city in Moldova and is the capital and administrative centre of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic . The city is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River...
(Russian operative group in TransnistriaTransnistriaTransnistria is a breakaway territory located mostly on a strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border to Ukraine...
) has 36 Akatsiya.
As of now the Akatsiya are used by the following units of the Russian Navy or are stationed in following bases (incomplete list):
- 385th storage in Lugovoe (near KaliningradKaliningradKaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
) which belonged to the Baltic FleetBaltic FleetThe Twice Red Banner Baltic Fleet - is the Russian Navy's presence in the Baltic Sea. In previous historical periods, it has been part of the navy of Imperial Russia and later the Soviet Union. The Fleet gained the 'Twice Red Banner' appellation during the Soviet period, indicating two awards of...
(24 Akatsiya) - storage in GusevGusevGusev is a town and the administrative center of Gusevsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Pissa and Krasnaya Rivers, near the border with Poland and Lithuania, east of Chernyakhovsk. Population: -History:...
which belonged to the Baltic Fleet (31 Akatsiya) - 55th marine division from VladivostokVladivostokThe city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
which belonged to the Pacific Fleet.
All the equipment of 817th self-propelled artillery regiment of 62nd Russian military base of the North Caucasus Military District was withdrawn from Akhalkalaki
Akhalkalaki
Akhalkalaki is a small city in Georgia's southern region of Samtskhe-Javakheti with a population of 60,975. Akhalkalaki lies on the edge of the Javakheti Volcanic Plateau. The city is located about 30 km from the border with Turkey. 90 percent of the city's population are ethnic Armenians...
, Georgia in 2006 according to the Russian-Georgian Sochi agreement
Sochi agreement
The Sochi agreement was a ceasefire agreement ostensibly marking the end of the both the Georgian–Ossetian and Georgian–Abkhazian conflicts, signed in Sochi on June 24, 1992 between Georgia and South Ossetia, the ceasefire with Abkhazia on...
, the regiment had 30 Akatsiya and it had planned to relocate some of its self-propelled artillery to 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri
Gyumri
Gyumri is the capital and largest city of the Shirak Province in northwest Armenia. It is located about 120 km from the capital Yerevan, and, with a population of 168,918 , is the second-largest city in Armenia.The name of the city has been changed many times in history...
, Armenia.
At the moment the 2S3 is considered as outdated because of insufficient range of fire in comparison with modern self-propelled artillery. The modernized variant 2S3 armed with a new 155 mm M-385 howitzer was developed in 2000 and 2 gun battalions of the Russian Army (including one of the 2nd Taman motor rifle division) have been reequipped with the 2S3M2 in 2006.
Combat history
The 2S3 became a well-known self-propelled artillerySelf-propelled artillery
Self-propelled artillery vehicles are combat vehicles armed with artillery. Within the term are covered self-propelled guns and rocket artillery...
after combat operations in Afghanistan where it proved to be an effective and reliable artillery system. 2S3s were used quite successfully during two Chechen wars and military conflicts on the territory of former USSR.
- Soviet War in AfghanistanSoviet war in AfghanistanThe Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
(1979–1989) - Civil War in Tajikistan (1992–1997)
- First Chechen WarFirst Chechen WarThe First Chechen War, also known as the War in Chechnya, was a conflict between the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, fought from December 1994 to August 1996...
(1994–1996) - Second Chechen WarSecond Chechen WarThe Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
(1999) - South Ossetia War2008 South Ossetia warThe 2008 South Ossetia War or Russo-Georgian War was an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and Russia and separatist governments of South Ossetia and Abkhazia on the other....
(2008) - 2011 Libyan civil war2011 Libyan civil warThe 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
(2011)
Operators and former operators
2S3 Akatsiya SPGs were exported to foreign countries but in a relatively small amount.– 6 number bought from Ukraine, first shown in 2008 military parade. – 30 in 1995, originally 40 were purchased – 48 – 28 – 168 – 10 were bought in Russia in 1999 – 13 in 2006 (12 were purchased in Ukraine in 2004–2005), 1 in 2003. – 5 in 1995, originally 18 were bought – 150 – 55 in 1995, according to another sources – 36 – 1,402 in active service, more than 1,600 in storage in 2007 – 50 in 1995 and in 2006 – 16 – 501
- USA – 7 (4 were transferred from Germany in 1993, 3 were transferred from Ukraine in 2000) – 17 – 30
Former operators
– 20 – 95 – 35 (status unknown, probably scrapped) – units were passed to the member statesExternal links
- 2S3 "Akatsiya" description at the website of its manufacturer
- 2S3 from Army Recognition.com
- Federation of American Scientists page
- Russian Arms Catalogue
- Photos
- List of Russian units which use 2S3 "Akatsiya" at the moment
- In Russian. Information and drawings
- http://topgun.rin.ru/cgi-bin/units.pl?unit=2066
- Walkaround of 2S3 in Il'inskoye, on DishModels.ru