US expert “examines” Russia’s new “Lotus” self-propelled gun
Despite its name reminiscent of the "gentle beauty of flowers", the new self-propelled gun 2С42 "Lotos" (Lotus) will be a formidable weapon and an important milestone in the modernization of Russian artillery, - writes the American magazine The National Interest.
The author of the article notes that the "Lotos" gun is compatible with a wide range of 120 mm ammunition, and fire is fired from an automatic turret mounted on a BMD-4 amphibious chassis.
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In addition, in response to the requirements of the Russian military, "Lotos" with a crew of four people can land in full combat readiness from an IL-76 transport aircraft, which is capable of carrying two such artillery systems, — the American magazine notes.
At the same time, the rate of fire of "Lotos" ranges from 6 to 8 rounds per minute with an effective range of up to 13 km, surpassing its "predecessor" - the Soviet self-propelled gun 2S9 "Nona" with a maximum range of 8.8 km, — the author notes.
The mobility of the complex has also been improved: thanks to the chassis from the BMD-4, the self-propelled gun can reach a maximum speed of 70 km/h, and has a more powerful 2B-06-2 engine, increased to 450 horsepower, so the new Russian combat vehicle is clearly superior to the Soviet version, — The National Interest assessed.
