In the past month, Kurganmashzavod has already announced the release of a large series of updated light armored vehicles, including the upgraded BMP-3M with dynamic protection elements, the BMP-2M, the BT-3F armored personnel carrier and the updated BMD-4M with an improved engine and thermal camera.
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In addition, the other day it was reported that the upgraded 2S25M Sprut-SDM1 self-propelled guns with additional armor protection, developed based on the BMD-4M, are being prepared for mass production. However, as it turns out, that’s not all.
It became known that the Kurganmashzavod is working on the finalization and modernization of the project of the self-propelled floating howitzer 2C18 Pat-S with a caliber of 152 mm based on the chassis of the infantry fighting vehicle BMP-3.
It is worth noting that the world’s first large-caliber self-propelled howitzer 2S18 “Pat-S” was developed back in the 80s of the last century by a special design bureau of the Kurgan Machine-Building Plant. However, the machine was not mass-produced. Only one prototype was ever built.
The 2A63 gun was installed as the main armament in the design of the Pat-S self-propelled gun, capable of using all types of Soviet 152 mm caliber ammunition.
There is an opinion that this self-propelled gun was not accepted by the Soviet army due to the lack of ballistics of the gun, even though it was able to provide a maximum firing range of up to 15 km.
According to some experts, such a maximum range of hitting the target for a modern artillery self-propelled installation, even in such a caliber, is no longer relevant. It is not yet known whether the Kurgans will change the cannon for a more powerful product or not.
However, if the Pat-S-based self-propelled gun is put into series with the 2A63 gun, then in addition to the standard high-explosive ammunition, today it will also be able to use a modern corrected artillery round of separate charges of the type 3OF39M Krasnopol- M with a range of up to 25 km.
As for the security of the Pat-S self-propelled guns, the BMP-3 will likely be equipped with additional spaced armor in the form of hinged side screens with anti-cumulative grids.
That is, this backup option is already a proven solution, and currently the BMP-3M, delivered by Kurganmashzavod for the Ministry of Defense, is also available in this design.
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