The 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled artillery system has successfully passed state tests, Russian military industry conglomerate Rostec announced and added that now the path to its serial production is open.
Let's recall: the development of the first version of Koalitsiya-SV began in the early 2000s, if not in the 1990s. Back in the day, this artillery system was envisioned as a twin-gun artillery with automatic loaders, a truly unique solution which could raise the rate of fire, in theory, to 16 shots per minute.
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In 2003, there even was a test bench prepared for the first tests. However, the project took a sudden turn in 2006: the drafts were redrawn, and developers returned to the traditional single-barrel design. It was accompanied by a dubious statement that, as noted, new technologies enabled the achievement of the same rate of fire with a single gun.
The first prototype was produced in 2013, and the first public appearance took place in 2014 during a parade on the Red Square.
It didn't take long before Russian state media announced that this self-propelled howitzer would soon enter service with the Russian armed forces, furthermore, the report from March 2016 stated the weapon would be delivered by the end of the year.
It didn't happen, instead in 2018 state tests were postponed for 2020. This time, 2023 is the date, that is, 10 years after the prototype was made.
Another interesting detail is that Rostec announced it won't be waiting for the end of tests and start serial production right away. Considering yesterday's statement, apparently, mass production hasn't begun yet.
There were specifications of the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV system mentioned by Rostec: rate of fire facilitated by automated loader up to "over 10 shots per minute." Interesting detail, the same result of "10 rounds per minute" is declared for the new modernized 2S19M Msta-S howitzer with a partially mechanized loading system.
In summary, the Russian defense industry failed to bring the main feature of the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV to reality. It quite well explains why it has not been accepted into service for so long. The developer couldn't achieve the specifications demanded in the product requirements document. Instead, they lowered the expectations in order to finish the tests.
One more parameter that had to be reduced is the range of fire. Initially, the barrel with length increased from 47 to 52 calibers should be able to fire at 40 km. When a "unique and unparalleled" (and ever shown to the public) rocket-assisted projectile is used, the range grows up to 80 km. Now the bar is lowered to 70 km.
For comparison, not just shooting but a confirmed hit at a range of 70 km was achieved with an M982 Excalibur, and for that, an M109A7 with new 58-caliber long barrel was used. That gives a reason to presume that meeting even these lowered expectations might be impossible for the 52-caliber, 152mm-wide gun of 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV.
Some other features that make Koalitsiya-SV different from Msta-S howitzer is the introduction of an armored capsule for the crew. This raises a question whether it is generally possible to manually reload the gun if the automatic reloader fails or gets damaged. Also, Koalitsiya-SV automates fire control with digital displays – a basic requirement for a modern artillery system.
Still, the Russian media continue to insist that 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV is far more advanced than analogs and peers of domestic manufacture and around the world in terms of precision and time required to complete a mission.
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