2s9 nona-s

The 2S9 Nona-S is a Soviet-designed 120mm self-propelled gun-mortar, combining the capabilities of a howitzer and a mortar. It is based on the chassis of the BTR-D airborne armoured personnel carrier and is primarily designed for airborne troops.

Developed in the 1970s by TsNIITochMash, the vehicle was designed to provide Soviet airborne assault divisions with a highly mobile, air-droppable indirect fire support system capable of engaging armored targets and fortifications. The system officially entered service with the Soviet Army in 1981. It first saw extensive combat during the Soviet-Afghan War, where its high-elevation firing capability proved invaluable in mountainous terrain, and it was later deployed in the Chechen Wars and the Russo-Ukrainian War. Today, the 2S9 remains in active service with Russian airborne units and several post-Soviet states, cementing its legacy as a pioneering design in lightweight, air-transportable artillery.