2S3 Akatsiya

The 2S3 Akatsiya is a Soviet-designed 152mm self-propelled howitzer developed in the late 1960s. It provides indirect fire support and is capable of firing various types of ammunition, including high-explosive, armor-piercing, and nuclear rounds.

Developed by OKB-9 in Sverdlovsk, the 2S3 was created as a direct response to the American M109 self-propelled howitzer to provide the Soviet Army with highly mobile, armored artillery. It officially entered service in 1971 and quickly became the standard divisional self-propelled artillery piece of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Akatsiya saw extensive combat during the Soviet-Afghan War, the Gulf War, the Chechen Wars, and more recently, in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. Decades after its introduction, the 2S3 remains in active service with dozens of nations worldwide, valued for its rugged reliability and ease of maintenance.