The war in Ukraine has exposed the shortcomings of Russia’s advanced 2S43 Malva self-propelled artillery system.
Recently surfaced images from the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy reveal updates to the Malva platform, which has been adapted to include the 152mm/50 gun from the 2A36 Giatsint-B to address performance gaps identified during combat operations.
The Malva, a wheeled artillery system mounted on the BAZ-6910-027 chassis, was initially equipped with the 152mm/47 2A64 gun, identical to the armament of the 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled howitzer. However, the 2A64 struggled to compete with modern Western 155mm/52-caliber artillery systems, prompting Russia to retrofit the Malva with the Giatsint-B gun, offering an increased range of approximately 35 kilometers.
Despite these upgrades, the system still lags behind advanced Western systems and even Ukraine’s domestically produced Bogdana self-propelled howitzer, which boasts a range of 40 kilometers and superior accuracy.
The Malva is designed to target command posts, defensive positions, artillery and missile units, air defense systems, armored vehicles, and infantry formations. The updated system extends its range and offers mobility due to its wheeled platform, but its effectiveness in contested environments, such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, remains questionable.
Combat performance has highlighted the system’s limitations against modern Western artillery, particularly in terms of range, precision, and rate of fire. Ukrainian forces, equipped with NATO-standard 155mm artillery, have effectively outmatched the Malva in several engagements, underscoring the challenges facing Russian artillery modernization.
The Malva’s performance in Ukraine reflects broader issues within Russia’s military-industrial complex. While efforts to upgrade the system demonstrate adaptability, the reliance on older Soviet-era designs has hindered its ability to compete with cutting-edge Western technology.
For Ukraine, the experience gained from countering systems like the Malva has accelerated the development and deployment of its own advanced artillery, such as the Bogdana, further widening the technological gap.