2B9 Vasilek
| 2B9 Vasilek | |
|---|---|
|
82 mm 2B9 Vasilek Gun-mortar | |
| Type | Gun-mortar |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1970–present[1] |
| Wars |
Soviet war in Afghanistan Syrian Civil War War in Donbass[2] |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Bolshevik Plant |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | combat: 632 kg (1,393 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 | 100-120 rpm[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 270 m/s (890 ft/s) |
| Maximum firing range | 4,270 meters[1] |
| Sights | PAM-1 2.5X or 3X |
The 2B9 Vasilek (Cornflower) is an automatic 82 mm gun-mortar developed in the Soviet Union in 1967.[1] It was based on the F-82 automatic mortar and subsequently fielded in 1970 to the Soviet Army.[1] Unlike conventional mortars, the 2B9 can fire in single and automatic mode using four-round clips. 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.[3] The 2B9 can fire high-explosive, armor -piercing, smoke, and flares. The armor-piercing projectile, which weighs 3.1 kg and has a 75 g warhead that can penetrate 100mm of armor.[4] Upon blast, the shell produces 400 to 600 fragments.[1]
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.[5]
During the Syrian Civil War, the 2B9M Vasilek is used by the Syrian Armed Forces and the Islamist group Ansar al-Sham. The militants used a 2B9M automatic mortar near Mount Chalma, Kesab district.[6]
In 2014, the 2B9 Vasilek was used by Novorossiyan rebels in the War in Donbass.[1]
Variants
- 2B9 Vasilek - Basic model
- 2B9M Vasilek - Modernised version introduced in 1982, and adopted in 1983.[6]
Operators
Armenia
Russia
Syria - Used by both government and rebel forces in the Syrian Civil War.[6]
Ukraine - Used by both government and rebel forces in the War in Donbass[1]
Former Operators
Soviet Union - Passed down to successor states.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 How the "Cornflower" fires 13/11/14. Novorossia TV. 13 November 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
- ↑ vídeo of DPR militia using 2B9 Vasilek
- ↑ fmso.leavenworth.army.mil
- ↑ Leland Ness (ed.), Jane's Infantry Weapons 2007-2008, pp. 556-557, Surrey: Jane's Information Group, 2007
- ↑ sill-www.army.mil
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 http://www.armamentresearch.com/2b9m-vasilek-automatic-mortar-in-service-with-ansar-al-sham-in-syria/