in firing position during field exercises, 2018 The 2S9 Nona-S is an amphibious vehicle that can be propelled through the water by two rear water-jets. It is operated by a four-man crew comprising a commander, a driver/mechanic, a gunner, and a loader. The hull interior is separated into a command compartment, a fighting compartment and an engine compartment. A welded steel turret is located at the middle of the hull. The two-man turret has hatches for the gunner and loader respectively. The 2S9 utilizes a 120 mm 2A51 mortar with a barrel. The weapon is actually a hybrid of a mortar and howitzer, being an unconventional design that lacks a direct
NATO counterpart. It is a rifled, breech-loaded weapon capable of firing HE (high explosive),
white phosphorus and smoke rounds, as well as laser-guided munitions like
KM-8 Gran. It can engage in indirect and direct fire, as well as targeting armoured vehicles; its armour-piercing rounds can penetrate the equivalent of of steel plate at up to .
Operational history They have been deployed by Russia during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. In July 2022, video on social media purportedly shows Ukrainian forces using
M777 to destroy a towed 2B16 Nona-K in
Hoptivka on the border with Russia. In August 2022, Ukraine's armed forces claimed to use four captured Russian 2S9 against Russian forces. In November 2022, a 2S23-SVK Nona was photographed in Ukrainian service. It was reportedly captured from Russian forces and took months to refit. On 26 March 2024, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russia 2S9 Nona 120 mm mortar with a GLSDB and left another “burning” in Zaporizhzhia. In June 2024 Ukraine used a drone to destroy a 2S9 Nona that had been equipped with
turtle tank style add on armour. ==Variants==