Profile
- Type
- Air-droppable 120 mm self-propelled mortar
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Service note
- Cold War design, in service since 1981
Artillery
2S9 Nona
The 2S9 Nona is a Soviet airborne self-propelled mortar built around a 120 mm gun-mortar on a tracked amphibious BTR-D-derived chassis. Designed to give airborne and other high-mobility units organic indirect fire, it combines mortar-style high-angle fire with limited direct-fire capability and remains documented in Russia-Ukraine War service with both Russian and Ukrainian forces.
- Built by
- Motovilikha Plants Corporation
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
Service History
- In service
- Entered Soviet service in 1981; still used by multiple post-Soviet armed forces
- Used by
- Russian Armed Forces, Ukrainian Armed Forces
- Wars
- Russia-Ukraine War
Production History
- Designer
- TsNIITochMash
- Designed
- 1970s
- Built by
- Motovilikha Plants Corporation
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussia
- Unit cost
- Not publicly confirmed
- Produced
- Late Cold War production
- Number built
- Not publicly confirmed
- Variants
- 2S9 Nona-S, 2S9-1 Sviristelka, 2S23 Nona-SVK, 2B16 Nona-K
Specifications
- Crew
- 4
- Armament
- 120 mm 2A60 gun-mortar
- Weight
- 8,700 kg
- Mobility
- Tracked amphibious chassis; 60 km/h maximum road speed and 500 km range
- Dimensions
- 6.02 m long, 2.63 m wide, 2.3 m high
- Protection
- Welded aluminum hull and turret with protection against small arms fire and shell splinters
- Deployment
- Designed for airborne units and parachute delivery with BMD-family formations
Conflict Usage
- Russia-Ukraine War
- Side: RussiaUkraine
Russian forces have fielded 120 mm 2S9 Nona systems during the full-scale invasion, with Oryx documenting visually confirmed Russian losses; Ukrainian forces have also used captured 2S9 Nona self-propelled guns, including trophy vehicles reported with the 79th Air Assault Brigade in 2022.
Related Weapon Systems
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.
2S4 Tyulpan240 mm self-propelled heavy mortarThe 2S4 Tyulpan is a Soviet 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar built around a large breech-loaded 2B8 mortar on a tracked chassis. Its unusually heavy bombs and low rate of fire make it a siege and bunker-attack weapon rather than a conventional rapid-fire howitzer, and Russian forces have used or lost examples in Ukraine where its size and firing signature make it a high-value counter-battery target.
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.
2S23 Nona-SVK120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-mortarThe 2S23 Nona-SVK is a Russian 120 mm self-propelled gun-mortar that adapts the Nona artillery system to a BTR-80 8x8 armored chassis. Its rifled 2A60 weapon can provide direct or indirect fire with mortar bombs and artillery projectiles, giving motorized units a compact battalion-level fire-support vehicle. In the Russia-Ukraine War, Russian 2S23s have appeared in battlefield reporting and visually confirmed loss records, including destroyed and captured vehicles.
2S3 Akatsiya152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S3 Akatsiya is a Soviet 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer built around the 2A33 gun and a turreted armored chassis. Designed for divisional fire support and accepted into service in 1971, it remains relevant in the Russia-Ukraine War because Russian forces still use legacy Akatsiya batteries for indirect fires despite newer self-propelled artillery types.
2S35 Koalitsiya-SV152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzerThe 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV is a Russian 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer developed as a highly automated successor to the 2S19 Msta-S, pairing a 2A88 gun, uncrewed turret, automated loading, digital fire-control features, and a T-90-derived chassis for long-range tube-artillery missions. Its appearance in the Russia-Ukraine War has been reported in limited numbers, with open-source conflict reporting emphasizing counter-battery use and uncertainty around official confirmation.Sources
2S9 Nona-SPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports manufacturer, airborne design background, BTR-D chassis context, and Nona family ammunition/commonality details. | Accessed: 2026-06-202S9 Nona-S SO-120Publisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports technical specifications including crew, armament, dimensions, weight, mobility, amphibious equipment, and protection. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports Russia-Ukraine War use by Russian forces through visually confirmed Russian 120 mm 2S9 Nona losses. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Attack On Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports Russia-Ukraine War use by Ukrainian forces through visually confirmed Ukrainian 120 mm 2S9 Nona-SV losses. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Ukraine's Fighters Apply Trophy 2S9 Nona Self-Propelled Artillery Gun to Destroy Russia's ArmorPublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports Ukrainian use of captured 2S9 Nona self-propelled guns during the Russia-Ukraine War. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Transporting 2S9 Nona 15.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary 2S9 Nona image, listed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licensing. | Accessed: 2026-06-20