Russia Produces First of Koalitsiya-SV Self-Propelled Howitzers

Russia's Uraltransmash Plant has produced the first batch of S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled howitzers.

"We have completed production of first batch of S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled howitzers," Dmitry Semizorov, director general of Uraltransmash, was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti news agency on Tuesday.

"Koalitsiya-SV will become the first step towards the robotic automation of the military," Mikhail Matveevsky, head of Missile Troops and Artillery (MT & A, an Arm of the Russian Ground Forces) was quoted as saying by local media in 2018.

State trials of the new howitzers is scheduled for 2020.

Developed by Russia's CRI Burevestnik company, the Koalitsiya-SV was unveiled in 2015 during the annual Victory Day parade.

According to the Russian MoD, its 2A88 152 mm gun has rate of fire of more than 10 shoots in a minute, thus surpassing many other analogue systems. It can use both HE ammunition and guided projectiles, the flight path of which is corrected by GLONASS space satellite system.

Koalitsiya-SV is slated to become the successor to MSTA SPG. It is intended for destruction of command posts, anti-aircraft systems, artillery and mortar batteries, armour (including MBTs), anti-tank systems and personnel of the enemy.

The guided munition for the new self-propelled howitzer is said to be developed on the basis of the Krasnopol system, which is being offered at the global arms markets.