| 2B9 Vasilek | |
|---|---|
82 mm 2B9 Vasilek Gun-mortar |
|
| Type | Gun-mortar |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| Wars | Soviet war in Afghanistan |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Bolshevik Plant |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | combat: 632 kg (1,390 lb) |
|
|
|
| Shell | 3.23 kg (7 lb 2 oz) bomb |
| Caliber | 82 mm (3.2 in) |
| Breech | muzzle or breech loaded |
| Elevation | −1° to 85° |
| Traverse | 60° |
| Rate of fire | 20-30 rpm effective[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 270 m/s (890 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 4,720 m (5,160 yd) |
| Sights | PAM-1 2.5X or 3X |
The 2B9 Vasilek (Cornflower) is an automatic 82 mm gun-mortar developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and subsequently fielded in the Soviet Army. Unlike conventional mortars, the 2B9 can fire in automatic mode using four-round clips, and rounds can be loaded from either the muzzle or the breech. Because of its wheeled carriage, the 2B9 resembles a light artillery piece more than a conventional mortar.
The 2B9 was used in Afghanistan by Soviet units and is still found in Russian airmobile infantry units. In the fighting in Afghanistan, Soviet units found the 2B9 a versatile and useful weapon.[2] The 2B9 can fire an antitank projectile weighing 3.1 kg with a 75 g warhead that can penetrate 100mm of armor.[3]
By 1988, the 2B9 was also deployed as a self-propelled weapon by mounting the gun-mortar in the rear of an MT-LB armored personnel carrier.[4]