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Rostec recently delivered a new batch of 152 mm self-propelled wheeled howitzers Malva to the Russian Army. This is still an extremely rare artillery system, because Malva entered service only last year. However, the defenders of Ukraine have already seen and engaged them in a combat situation.
The 2S43 Malva is an extremely rare self-propelled howitzer. It entered service only in 2023. Image credit: Mil.ru via Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)
The 2S43 Malva is a new Russian artillery system. The tests of this howitzer were completed only last year. The Malva is a 152 mm howitzer, mounted on a 8×8 BAZ-6010-027 chassis. It is different from previous Soviet/Russian self-propelled artillery weapons, because it is wheeled – Russians usually go for more stable tracked chassis for their artillery systems. The 2S43 Malva should be more mobile, faster.
The 2S43 Malva is a 152 mm howitzer that can carry up to 30 shells inside. Publicly available information indicates that it reaches up to 7-8 shots per minute, which is really fast for a weapon like that. A standard projectile from the Malva can travel up to 25 km, but Russians have extended-range ammunition that can engage targets at a distance of up to 36 km.
The 2S43 Malva can perform all the regular artillery missions, but Russians are mostly excited about finally having a fast howitzer. The Malva weighs 32 tonnes, but thanks to its 470 hp engine, can reach 80 km/h. Russians have not had a wheeled howitzer of this calibre until now, and tracked howitzers are much slower. In addition, Malva still performs well off-road – it can overcome ditches up to 2 m wide.
Wheel howitzers cannot replace tracked ones. Ukrainians know this very well – although they have CAESAR, Archer and Indigenous Bohdana howitzers, they certainly wouldn’t refuse to get more PzH2000s. Tracked howitzers are much heavier and have thicker armour. When Malva is firing, its crew has to work outside. However, wheeled howitzers are faster.
Ukrainians have already seen Malva howitzers attacking the Kharkiv region in early June. In fact, recently the defenders of Ukraine attacked one such howitzers in the Kharkiv region with a drone. The video footage does not reveal the consequences of the hit, but it is quite obvious that the drone did hit Malva directly so it is likely to be at least damaged. And Russians have a very limited number of them, they have not been spotted anywhere else in Ukraine yet.
Russia is likely trying to test the Malva in real battle conditions. And the defenders of Ukraine will do their part to make the combat as realistic as it gets.
Written by Povilas M.
Sources: Tech.wp.pl, Wikipedia
