Moscow. June 2. INTERFAX - Uraltransmash (part of Uralvagonzavod of Rostec State Corporation) has handed over 2S3M Acacia self-propelled howitzers to the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, the UVZ press service reported.
"As part of the implementation of two contracts in 2022, Uraltransmash sent self-propelled howitzers 2S3M Acacia after major repairs to the Republic of Belarus," the press service said.
"Communication facilities have been improved in the car, the rate of fire has been increased and ammunition has been increased, as well as work on full import substitution has been carried out," said Dmitry Semizorov, CEO of Uraltransmash, quoted by the press service.
On December 30, 2021, Uraltransmash announced the completion of deliveries of upgraded Acacia self-propelled guns to Belarus after repair and modernization under the contract for 2020-2021.
2C3 "Acacia" was adopted in the USSR in 1972. In 1975, the self-propelled howitzer was upgraded to the 2C3M level. Today, Uraltransmash is carrying out major repairs of 2C3M products, as well as the modernization of Acacia 2C3 to the 2C3M level, the press service added.
"Acacia" is a 152-mm self-propelled howitzer designed to destroy and suppress mortar and artillery batteries, enemy manpower, firepower, tanks, rocket launchers, tactical nuclear weapons, control points.
On the upgraded howitzer, the ammunition carried has been increased from 40 to 46 rounds. In addition, the configuration and location of the hatches in the aft part of the hull and tower were changed, mechanized firing from the ground was introduced, a radio antenna was moved to the roof of the tower, the R-123 radio station was replaced by the R-123M radio station.
On May 19, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko announced the purchase of Iskander missile systems and S-400 Triumph air defense systems from Russia (Almaz-Antey concern of East Kazakhstan Region).
"We have agreed with Putin. We bought from you the right number of these Iskanders, S-400, and armed our army. Now it is a completely different army with such weapons. At least, these weapons can cause enormous unacceptable damage," Lukashenko said at a meeting with the governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region Gleb Nikitin. The president's statement is quoted by the state agency BelTA.
Last December, the Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported that the country's army received from Russia a batch of modern armored personnel carriers BTR-82A ("Military-industrial company").
