Russia’s Central Research Institute of Precision Machine-Building (TsNIITochMash) unveiled a prototype of the CAO 2С42 Lotus 120mm self-propelled artillery system for the Russian Airborne Troops. The General public self-propelled gunwill be shown at the International military-technical forum “Army-2019”, the press service of Russia’s state-owned Rostec corporation. Lotos is fully equipped and is ready to operate in manual mode. All components passed entrance checks by the technical control department and the military. The next stage would be to develop the software that will allow the gun to operate with a high degree of autonomy, said the industrial Director of Rostec Sergey Abramov.
The CAO 2С42 Lotos (Lotus) is a 120mm self-propelled gun based on the BDM-4M designed by the Research Institute of Precision Machine Building (TsNIITochMash) and intended as the replacement for airborne 120-mm self-propelled artillery-setting mortar 2S9 “Nona” and its modifications. Compared with its predecessor the new gun will feature extended range and increased accuracy through the use of high precision ammunition. the Lotus has a maximum firing range of 13 km, a rate of fire of 6-8 shots per minute, can be converted to and from firing position in 30 seconds, and features new high-precision ammunition. The nimble system is believed to weigh of 18 tonnes, have a maximum speed of 70 km per hour, and to have a crew of four. The first Lotos prototype is expected to be built in 2017.
