January 11, 2024: Russia is sending several of its latest self-propelled (SP) artillery systems, the 53-ton 2S35 Coalition-SV howitzer, to Ukraine. This new model is a major improvement over the 42-10n 2S19 Msta model currently in use. The 2S35 is the result of an R&D effort that lasted more than 20 years. It is not replacing the 2S19, which entered service in 1989 with over 1,100 produced by the time production ended in 2019. There are plenty of relatively new 2S19s for army artillery units. The 2S35 was originally supposed to be the final upgrade of the 2S19 but the improvements were so numerous and successful that an entirely new design, the 2S35, was the result. Both these SP systems use 152mm howitzers, which fire shells out to 40 kilometers in the 2S35. Using an extended range shell, the range is 80 kilometers using guided rounds. The 2S35 has an automated loading system that allows firing up to 16 rounds a minute. All systems are integrated and only three crew are needed to operate the system. As few as two men can operate the system but do it slower.

The 2S19 requires a crew of five, can only fire up to 8 rounds a minute and normal range is 24 kilometers with modified long range shells reaching out to 36 kilometers. The last few hundred 2S19s built had a number of improvements that improved rate of fire, range, and accuracy. The capabilities of the 2S19 are well known because this model has seen a lot of combat. The 2S35s sent to Ukraine will be the first of this model to operate in a combat zone. The Russians want to verify its theoretical performance as much as they can and gather data on what needs to be adjusted. Russia will eventually export the 2S35, including a version with a 155mm gun.

In Ukraine, both sides are using 2S19 systems. When the war began Ukraine had 40 2S19 systems and subsequently captured 41 from the Russian forces. In addition to some donated M109s, Ukraine also has received other SP models from NATO nations. All the NATO supplied SP systems use 155mm ammo. Ukrainians are using 22 American M-109A7 systems they received from Norway. The M-109 is a 1960s vintage 28-ton SP system armed with a 155mm gun that can fire shells out to 30 kilometers or 40 kilometers when using the Excalibur GPS guided shell. The M109A7 carries 36 rounds while the 2S19 carries 50 152mm rounds.

Twenty years ago, Russia, seeking export customers, began modifying Russian weapons to appeal to customers desiring Western grade systems. This included adapting Russian weapons to use Western ammunition and building their systems to NATO standards. For example, the Russian 2S19 self-propelled artillery system normally carries a 152mm howitzer, but Russia modified the 2S19 to a version that fires 155mm shells. The 2S19 was introduced in 1989, as a more robust version of the standard 2S3 self-propelled artillery.

The 2S3 itself was introduced in the early 1970s, a decade after the American M-109 self-propelled 155mm howitzer was put into service. The 2S3 was a direct response to the M-109. The two vehicles are very similar. The latest version of the 2S3, the 2S3M1 weighs 27.5 tons, compared to 24.5 tons for the M-109A1. The 2S3 has a crew of four, compared to six for the M109. Max road speed for the 2S3 is 60 kilometers an hour, compared to 50 for the M-109. The 2S3 also has lower ground pressure than the M-109, making it more mobile in mud, snow, and swampy terrain. The 2S3 also carries 46 rounds of ammunition with it, compared to 28 for the M-109. The 2S19 has all the basic characteristics of the 2S3 but has thicker armor and a crew of five. This is because it uses the same chassis as the T-72 tank. The engine is multi-fuel, and the fire control and loading system is superior to the 2S3. The 2S19M1 uses a 155mm NATO standard gun and is being offered to nations that want Western quality self-propelled artillery, but at about half the price.