| 2S4 Tyulpan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Self-propelled mortar |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1972 – present |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1969 – 1988 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 30 tons |
| Length | 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in) |
| Width | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Height | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Crew | 9 |
|
| |
| Armor | 20mm max. |
Main armament | 240 mm (9.4 in) mortar |
Secondary armament | 7.62 mm PKT machine gun |
| Engine |
V-59 diesel 520 hp (387.76 kW) |
| Power/weight | 17 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | Torsion bar |
Operational range | 420 km (260 mi) on road |
| Maximum speed | 62 km/h (39 mph) |
The 2S4 Tyulpan (often spelled Tulpan, Russian: 2С4 «Тюльпан»; English: tulip) is a Soviet self-propelled mortar. "2S4" is its GRAU designation. It was identified for the first time in 1975 in the Soviet army and so was called M-1975 by NATO (the 2S7 Pion also received the M-1975 designation), whereas its official designation is SM-240(2S4). Its design is based on the GMZ tracked minelaying vehicle carrying an externally mounted M-240 240 mm breech-loading mortar on the rear of the hull.
Deployed position.
The crew consists of four men, but an extra five are required to operate the mortar. This has a range of 9,650 m but an extended range munition exists with a possible range of 20,000 m. Due to the large size of the weapon and the weight of the ammunition (130 kg for a standard projectile) it has a slow rate of fire: one round per minute. In addition to the high explosive bombs, it can fire armour-piercing, chemical and nuclear rounds. It can also fire the "Smel'chak" (daredevil), a laser-guided round.
The Tyulpan is currently the heaviest mortar in deployment among any country.
It saw action during the conflicts in Afghanistan[1] and Chechnya.[2] In both conflicts, the Smel'chak projectile consistently destroyed targets quickly, precisely, and with only a few rounds. The extreme firepower per round compensates for the Tyulpan's slow rate of fire.
There were reports of the Tyulpan being used by the Syrian Army during the bombardment of Homs.[3]
Operators[]
Russia - 25 in active service. 120 in storage [4]
Syria - 24 vehicles in active service with the 3rd, 4th (passed on from the Defense Companies ) and 10th Armoured Divisions, and the 14th Special Forces Airborne Division.
Former Operators[]
- Czechoslovakia - only 4 vehicles used between 1985 to 1991 [5]
- Soviet Union - Passed on to Russia.
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References[]
- ↑ 2S4 M-1975 Tyulpan 240-mm self-propelled mortar
- ↑ War in Chechnya
- ↑ Murphy, Dan (21 February 2012). "Syria's Assad is hitting Homs with the heaviest mortars in the world". The Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Backchannels/2012/0221/Syria-s-Assad-is-hitting-Homs-with-the-heaviest-mortars-in-the-world-video. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ↑ 2S4 Tyulpan self-propelled mortar
- ↑ Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98 ISBN 0-7106-1542-6
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2S4 Tyulpan. |
- Video of a Tyulpan mortar being fired
- 2S4 Tyulpan description at the manufacturer's website
- 2S4 240 mm Tulpan at armscontrol.ru
- www.globalsecurity.org
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The original article can be found at 2S4 Tyulpan and the edit history here.