As part of the analysis of specialized Chinese military-technical publications, it was found that one of the samples of ammunition used by artillery units of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as part of a Special military operation in Ukraine and of interest to Chinese gunsmiths is the 3OF39M Krasnopol-M2 adjustable artillery shell (Complex-KM2), developed by designers of the Tula KBP as an analogue of the American M712 "Copperhead".
Chinese analysts note that the first modification of the Krasnopol, developed back in the USSR, had 20% greater reliability compared to American ammunition.
According to Chinese sources, within the framework of three stages of modernization (Krasnopol, Krasnopol-M and Krasnopol-M2), Russian designers managed to increase the accuracy of hitting targets – the circular probable deviation from the aiming point is increased by 5 times and is less than 1 m. A significant increase in the accuracy of the damage was made possible by increasing the number of steering surfaces located in the tail of the projectile.
3OF39M "Krasnopol-M2" adjustable artillery shell
In addition, Russian specialists have managed to increase the sensitivity of the semi-active laser homing head (GOS), which is able to recognize an illuminated tank-type target at a range of 5 to 7 km, and a stationary angar-type target at a range of 10 to 15 km. Chinese experts are paying attention to a modified version of the semi-active laser GPS 9E421, which allows you to hit highly mobile ground targets with high accuracy.
In addition, based on the results of operation in the framework of hostilities in Syria and Libya, work was carried out to improve the reliability of fuses, the operation of which had previously been claimed by the Russian military and specialists from the PMCs.
Chinese experts consider the acceptable cost, which is about 40 thousand US dollars per unit, to be the positive properties of Krasnopol-M2, whereas the price for the American XM982 Excalibur is 150 thousand dollars per unit. With this in mind, a significant number of armies of foreign countries can afford to purchase Russian-made ammunition. Their use is possible both from towed guns of type 2A65 "Msta-B", and from self-propelled artillery installations of types 2C3 "Acacia", 2C19 "Msta-S", 2C19M "Msta-SM1", 2C19M2 "Msta-SM2" and 2C35 "Coalition-SV".
Assembling the Krasnopol projectile in the field
It should be borne in mind that enterprises of the military-industrial complex (MIC) of the Russian Federation have the ability to produce ammunition "Krasnpol-M2" in 155 m caliber, which have been repeatedly tested as part of the tests of the ACS 2S19M1-155 "Msta-S-155", designed for external buyers.
The second positive aspect of the Russian munition is the reliability of the semi-active laser GPS, which is practically not affected by artificial interference, unlike the American HM982. The accuracy of the latter can be seriously reduced due to interference at the frequencies of the GPS global positioning system signal receiver.
In this aspect, we note that Russian designers are working on a new modification of the ammunition under the designation "Krasnopol-D", which, thanks to the new bottom gas generator, will have a firing range of 30 km. In addition, in addition to the semi-active laser GPS, a GLONASS positioning system signal receiver can be installed. Probably, such ammunition will be included in the ammunition of the coastal self-propelled artillery complexes A-222 "Coast".
As a result of collecting and processing information about the actions of the artillery units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in different directions of their military operations in Ukraine, Chinese experts have found that Russian gunners have changed their tactics and are trying to adhere to the principle of "one shot – one target", especially in the presence of Krasnpol-M2 shells.
Loading of Krasnopol-M into the Msta-S self-propelled gun
Such a "sniper" nature of artillery actions is based on the prompt receipt of intelligence information, both from groups / detachments of the MTR of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation operating in close proximity to the enemy, and from UAV types "Orlan-10", "Outpost" and "Orion-E" – the latter two are equipped with laser rangefinders. The Russian gunners demonstrated the greatest effectiveness of the Krasnpol-M2 in March 2022 when fighting targets in the Sumy and Kiev regions (units of nationalist battalions, air defense units equipped with S-300 and Buk-M1 air defense systems were destroyed), as well as in April, early May and June 2022.
According to Chinese sources, American military analysts note the high efficiency of Russian gunners, who fully use their weapons and ammunition, although according to formal parameters, the products of the Russian defense industry are inferior to the samples supplied by the United States and NATO countries for the needs of the Armed Forces. American experts are aware of the modest production capabilities of the enterprises of the defense industry of the Russian Federation involved in the serial manufacture of Krasnol-M2 ammunition and pinned some hope precisely on the insufficient supply of these shells to the artillery units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation operating within the framework of the SVO.
Based on the materials of Chinese specialized military-technical publications.