Russian aerospace group Rostec has announced on Wednesday that the Central Research Institute for Precision Machine-Building (TsNIITochMash) has successfully completed factory acceptance testing of the new Lotos air-droppable self-propelled artillery gun.
“The Central Research Institute for Precision Machine-Building (TsNIITochMash) of Rostec Corporation has completed the acceptance trials of the advanced 120mm Lotos self-propelled artillery gun (item 2S42). The fighting vehicle for the Airborne Force has confirmed its compliance with the stated operational characteristics,” Rostec said.
As noted by the Rostec, the trials have helped assess the operability of all of the gun’s assemblies, mechanisms and devices, with their program consisting of over 50 points. In particular, the Lotos system has covered a distance of 400 km and made 14 shots.
“The combat vehicle fully complies with the requirement for weight and dimension characteristics and simultaneously features an impressive speed, rate of fire and firing range. We expect preliminary trials to begin already this year as the next stage,” Rostec Industrial Director Bekkhan Ozdoyev was quoted as saying.
The 2S42 Lotos is a new artillery system based on the upgraded chassis of the BMD-4 airborne assault vehicle. The new vehicle allegedly has a total weight of 18,000 kg. The maximum speed of more than 70 km/h and a cruising range of up to 500 km. The maximum range of fire is 13 km. The minimal firing range is 1 km firing rounds and 400 m, firing mines.
The Lotos has been developed on the basis of the chassis standardized with the BMD-4M fighting vehicle by assemblies and mechanisms. The self-propelled artillery vehicle is outfitted with a combat module with a 120mm gun that features highly automated operations of preparing for and delivering fire.