Ukrainian forces strike newest Russian howitzer with FPV drone

The 2S43 Malva is the latest Russian artillery system deployed in Ukraine. As anticipated, it quickly became a target for Ukrainian forces, who had already successfully neutralised this equipment.

The 2S43 Malva is a self-propelled howitzer, with prototypes unveiled in 2020. Two years later, the Russians commenced production, and in June this year, they decided to send the first units to the front. Ukrainian forces took only a few weeks to conduct successful operations against the 2S43 Malva.

Yuriy Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles battalion from the 92nd Independent Air Assault Brigade, announced on social media that his unit had successfully hit a 2S43 Malva using an FPV drone (first-person view). The operation occurred in the Kharkiv region.

It's worth noting that this was not the first strike on such a Russian artillery system but the first to use an FPV drone. In June, another Ukrainian unit effectively struck a 2S43 Malva howitzer with an M30A1 projectile featuring a tungsten head.

According to the Defence Express portal, which specialises in military topics, the 2S43 Malva is positioned (regarding mobility and capability) as a close relative of the French CAESAR artillery system. The Russian equipment has a declared strike range of approximately 15 miles and an ammunition magazine for 30 shells. However, in 2023, the Russians began developing an improved version of this system, which aims to feature a more excellent strike range comparable to that of the best NATO artillery.

While NATO relies on 155 mm calibre shells, the Russians use 152 mm ammunition. For the 2S43 Malva, they chose the 2A64 rifled barrel with a length of 47 calibres. The rate of fire for this artillery system is approximately 7-8 rounds per minute.

A significant change from older Russian artillery is the use of wheeled instead of tracked traction. The 2S43 Malva is based on the BAZ-6010-027 truck chassis with 8x8 drive and an engine producing 470 hp. Consequently, this artillery system, measuring approximately 43 feet in length and weighing around 32 tonnes, can achieve up to 50 mph speeds.