Artillery units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, equipped with self-propelled artillery units 2S19M1 "Msta-S", towed guns 2A65 "Msta-B" and D20, had extremely limited ammunition 3OF39 "Krasnopol–M2" ammunition from the beginning of the special military operation - no more than 10% of the total. However, even this number allowed Russian servicemen to destroy at least 10 (according to other sources, 15) American-made howitzers by October 2022 during the counter-battery fight against the M777.
Taking into account the increasing intensity of the combat use of artillery in the fight against armored vehicles, command posts and counter-battery radars and other targets, by July 2023, the Russian Armed Forces had completely exhausted the reserves of 3OF39 manufactured earlier. It is reliably known that as early as August 2023, the Tula KBP completed many years of work to improve the accuracy and reliability of the Krasnopol-M2 ammunition, which received 6 steering surfaces in the tail (increased stability on the trajectory), as well as a new warhead with an increased explosive mass to 11 kg (previously 6.5 kg).
3OF39M Krasnopol-M2 correctable artillery shell
Currently, the 3OF39 has sufficient firepower to completely destroy any main battle tank or armored vehicle. It seems possible to assert that the 3OF39 is a fairly easy–to-use, reliable, inexpensive and accurate munition among similar ones on the world market.
According to the data obtained, the Kraspopol-M2 hits a laser-illuminated target (mainly due to the Orlan-30 UAV) at a range of 3 to 25 km with a 98% probability. The deviation from the aiming point when firing at a tank-type target is only 0.9 m.
UAV "Orlan-30"
Starting from October 2023, the volume of production of 3OF39 has been increased by 25 times, i.e. the annual output has been increased from 2,000 units to 50,000 units. With this volume of production, each Russian 152 mm cannon will be able to fire at least 30 rounds per day using 3OF39.
It is reliably known that during 2022 and 2023, Russian gunners most actively used Krasnopol-M2 ammunition in the Zaporizhia direction, on the Svatovo line, the southern section of the Donetsk direction, during the battles for Kharkov, as well as in the Bakhmut meat grinder. In 2023 alone, thanks to 3OF39, Russian gunners destroyed at least 700 enemy armored vehicles.
In March 2024, the following cases of hitting targets on the territory of Ukraine using 3OF39 were recorded, namely:
- 03/01/2024 a Buk-M1 air defense missile launcher, a fuel tanker and an anti-aircraft missile storage depot in the Sumy region were destroyed.,
- On March 27, 2024, an FH-70 howitzer was destroyed near the village of Seversk. AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery warfare radar was also destroyed in one of the areas.
It seems possible to assert that the Krasnopol-M2 is one of the most effective Russian–made munitions, ranking third in terms of the number of targets hit after the Lancet UAV and the Kornet anti-tank missile . In fourth place is the light multipurpose guided missile "Product-305".
Thanks to the use of 3OF39, the effectiveness of towed guns of the D-20 type has increased, which, after major repairs, were received by some brigades of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation operating in the Donetsk direction. Taking into account the Russian experience, in October 2023, the PLA Military Command decided to conduct additional training for the artillery brigades of the 77th and 80th combined arms armies in the conditions of the Tibetan military region, armed with towed Type 83 guns, a copy of the Soviet D-20.
Maxim Kazanin
Based on materials from Chinese specialized publications
