Profile
- Type
- 203 mm tracked self-propelled gun
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Service note
- Cold War design, retained and reactivated for contemporary long-range artillery roles
Artillery
2S7 Pion
The 2S7 Pion is a Soviet 203 mm tracked self-propelled gun built for long-range, high-power fires against important rear-area targets. Its large 2A44 gun, tracked chassis, and rocket-assisted projectile range keep the system relevant in the Russia-Ukraine War, where both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used or reactivated Pion and Malka-family guns despite their ammunition and support burden.
- Built in
- Soviet Union
Service History
- In service
- Entered service in 1976; 2S7M Malka variant entered service in the mid-1980s
- Used by
- Russian Armed Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- Kirov Factory and Barrikady Arsenal
- Designed
- 1967-1974
- Built in
- Soviet Union
- Produced
- 1976-1990
- Number built
- At least 500, with some estimates higher
- Variants
- 2S7 Pion, 2S7M Malka
Specifications
- Caliber
- 203 mm 2A44 gun, L/56
- Maximum range
- About 37.4-37.5 km with standard ammunition; about 47.5 km with rocket-assisted projectiles
- Rate of fire
- About 1.5 rounds per minute for 2S7 Pion; up to 2.5 rounds per minute for 2S7M Malka
- Crew
- Seven carried on the vehicle, with a larger gun detachment and support vehicle for remaining crew and ammunition
- Combat weight
- About 45-46.5 tonnes
- Mobility
- Tracked chassis; about 50 km/h road speed and up to 650 km road range
- Protection
- Steel armor up to about 10 mm; gun crew is exposed when operating the rear-mounted weapon
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: RussiaUkraine
Operated by both Russian and Ukrainian forces: Russia has reactivated and fielded 2S7/2S7M guns for long-range fire support and counterbattery work, while Ukrainian 43rd Artillery Brigade reporting documents 2S7 Pion guns in Ukrainian service using scarce 203 mm ammunition.
2S7 Pion Images
Related Weapon Systems
2S22 Bohdana155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzerThe 2S22 Bohdana is Ukraine's domestic NATO-standard 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer, developed around truck-mounted mobility and rapid deployment. It became one of the most visible Ukrainian-produced artillery systems of the Russia-Ukraine War after early combat use around Snake Island and later serial production supported by Ukrainian industry and foreign financing.
2S5 Giatsint-S152 mm tracked self-propelled gunThe 2S5 Giatsint-S is a Soviet 152 mm tracked self-propelled gun built for long-range corps- and army-level fire support. Its open rear-mounted 2A37 gun gives it greater reach than many older Soviet 152 mm systems, while its tracked chassis keeps it mobile enough for displacement after firing. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears in Russian artillery units and, in at least one documented case, as a captured system restored for Ukrainian use.
M109A6 Paladin155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe M109A6 Paladin is a U.S. 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer that added onboard navigation, automatic fire-control, digital communications, and improved crew protection to the M109 family. In Ukraine, the Paladin represents a U.S.-supplied NATO-standard artillery system for mobile indirect fire, paired in the 2023 aid package with ammunition support vehicles for sustained gun-line operations.
2A65 Msta-B152 mm towed howitzerThe 2A65 Msta-B is a Soviet 152 mm towed howitzer built around the same artillery family as the 2S19 Msta-S. Its split-trail carriage, gun shield, and 24.7 km standard-shell range made it a long-serving post-Soviet heavy artillery piece, and Ukrainian units have continued to fire Msta-B guns during the Russia-Ukraine War despite the broader shift toward NATO-standard artillery.
2S1 Gvozdika122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S1 Gvozdika is a Soviet 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built around the 2A31 gun on an amphibious armored chassis derived from the MT-LB family. In the Russia-Ukraine War it remains a common short-to-medium-range artillery system for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, combining mobility, indirect fire, and widespread 122 mm ammunition compatibility.
2S19 Msta-S152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S19 Msta-S is a Soviet-designed, Russian-produced 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built to replace earlier 2S3 and 2S5 artillery systems with longer-range fire, automated laying variants, and armored cross-country mobility. In the Russia-Ukraine War it appears as a Russian tube-artillery system and as captured equipment operated by Ukrainian units, making it part of the conflict's counter-battery and trophy-equipment record.Sources
2S7 PionPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports origin, developer/producer background, variants, armament, range, rate-of-fire, mobility, protection, and production context. | Accessed: 2026-06-202S7 Pion, Self-propelled gunPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports technical details for the 2A44 gun, ammunition handling, range, crew, weight, speed, and vehicle layout. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Russia Fielding 2S7 Pion Heavy Artillery in Ukraine ConflictPublisher: T2COM G2 Operational Environment Enterprise | Note: Supports Russian 2S7/2S7M fielding and operational context in the Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-06-20American 203mm Married to Soviet Powders, or How 2S7 Pion Gun Still Keeps Firing in UkrainePublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports direct Russia-Ukraine War conflict use by documenting Ukrainian 2S7 Pion operation by the 43rd Artillery Brigade and wartime 203 mm ammunition context. | Accessed: 2026-06-2043rd Artillery Brigade Hints at Receiving Additional Shells for 2S7 Pion Cannon and MorePublisher: Defense Express | Note: Additional support for direct Russia-Ukraine War conflict use by documenting Ukrainian 43rd Artillery Brigade 2S7 Pion service and 203 mm ammunition context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:2S7 Pion.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Primary image source; page identifies the system and lists CC BY-SA 3.0/GFDL licensing options. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:Armata samobiezna 2S7 Pion.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image source for a 2S7 Pion at the Torun Artillery Museum with reusable licensing listed on the file page. | Accessed: 2026-06-20File:2S7 Pion at ARMY-2018.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image source for a Pion/Malka-family vehicle at Army-2018 under CC BY-SA 4.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20