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TL;DR: A 2S9 Nona-S that China purchased from Ukraine for research and reverse engineering purposes.
Note: None of the pictures in the “Pictures” section will be of the Chinese purchased vehicles as I can’t find any other than the one above.
History:
The 2S9 Nona-S, accepted into Soviet service in 1981, is a lightweight, air-droppable, mobile 120mm gun/mortar system developed for use by Soviet air assault divisions. First publicly revealed in 1985, it is estimated that around 1,000 examples of this artillery system have been built. The Nona-S is a battle-proven machine, having participated in the Soviet-Afghan War, the Syrian Civil War, the War in Donbas, and the Russo-Georgian War. By definition, this vehicle is a self-propelled mortar carrier, however, unlike most contemporary mortar carriers, the Nona-S was developed with direct-fire capabilities in mind. The main weapon of the vehicle is a 2A51 120mm gun/mortar, a breach-loaded mortar capable of firing both mortar bombs and anti-tank ammunition. The chassis of the vehicle is a modified version of the BTR-D air assault transporter and, as such, is fully amphibious. A wheeled variant of the Nona-S, known as the 2S23 Nona-SVK, entered service with the Soviet Union in 1990. This variant further piqued Chinese interest, which had already been piqued by the Nona-S’s performance in the Soviet-Afghan War. Their interest was so piqued that, in 1997, China had planned to acquire around 100 Nona-SVK units. This, however, went nowhere and no deliveries were ever made. Still, China wasn’t simply about to let such a unique weapon system go just like that. In 2000, China purchased three Nona-S systems from Ukraine for research and reverse engineering purposes. This purchase paid off as it produced the PLL-05, CS/SM2, and PLZ-10, all of which are currently in service, the first and third being in Chinese service and the second being in Tanzanian service.
Place In War Thunder:
China’s rank V premium area is currently only occupied by early MBTs and the Nona-S was a very crucial step to the development of China’s own gun/mortar systems. I believe that the Nona-S is a perfect fit for this area’s first non-MBT vehicle as only three were purchased for research purposes. Playstyle of the vehicle would be decently unique as the vehicle’s main anti-tank round is HEAT though HE-donking may also be viable due to overpressure. Also, it must be remembered that the Nona-S is a mortar system and, while unlikely to be equipped with them in-game, is capable of firing mortar bombs. I feel that getting a tank or even aircraft kill with a mortar bomb would be a nice challenge to take one’s mind off the grind.
Specifications:
Armament: 2A51 120mm gun/mortar (-4°, +80°) (10rpm max fire-rate)
Dimensions: 6.02m, 2.63m, 2.30m (L,W,H)
Weight: 8700kg
Armor: 15mm maximum
Crew: 4 (Commander, Driver, Gunner, Loader)
Ammunition: HEAT (600-650mm of pen), HE-FRAG, Smoke, Mortar Bombs (25 rounds of ammunition)
Speed: 60kph (land) 9kph (water)
Horsepower: 240hp
Pictures:
Full Elevation:
Multiple Firing:
Rear View:
Drawing:
Sources:
http://www.military-today.com/artillery/2s9_nona_s.htm
http://www.military-today.com/artillery/plz_05a.htm
Proof Of Purchase:
