2B9 Vasilek

The 82 mm 2B9 Vasilek or 'Cornflower' automatic gun-mortar is a very complex breech loading or muzzle loading mortar that can function both as a high-angle mortar as well as a flat-trajectory gun.

Description

The 2B9 Vasilek is a Russian-made automatic gun mortar that is unusual in its ability to load from either a four-round clip in a feed unit behind the breech or in the normal mortar fashion via muzzle loading. It uses a complicated carriage to allow stable high angle fire without the breech striking the ground. It has been seen mounted on some lighter armoured vehicles.

History

The Vasilek first appeared in the early 1970s and was used extensively in the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. However, it has since been replaced with a conventional 120 mm mortar. Only the air assault troops of the Russian Army have retained the weapon, although it appears on mountings on light armoured vehicles.

Variants

Vasilek on MT-LB - During the fighting in Afghanistan a number of MT-LB multipurpose tracked armoured vehicles wereobserved fitted with the 82 mm Vasilyek mortar with the wheels removed on their rear decking. Thiswas probably a battlefield expedient and reappeared during the fighting in Chechnya.

Vasilek on ACRV - For trials purposes, Hungary has mounted the 82 mm Vasilyek automatic mortar system on a modifiedACRV chassis.

Vasilek on BMP-1 - Hungary has built the prototype of a self-propelled version of the Vasilyek mounted on a modifiedBMP-1 infantry combat vehicle chassis.

Chinese Vasilek - NORINCO (China North Industries Corporation) have developed a similar system called the Type 99 (W99) 82mm automatic mortar.

ee also

*General Articles
**Artillery
**Military technology and equipment
**Mortar (weapon)
*Similar weapons:
**Brandt 60 mm LR Gun-mortar
*Listings:
** List of artillery
** List of modern weapons

References

* Hogg, Ian (2000). "Twentieth-Century Artillery". Friedman/Fairfax Publishers. ISBN 1-58663-299-X