The 2S9 ''NONA'' () is a self-propelled and air-droppable 120 mm mortar designed in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, which entered service in 1981. The 2S9 chassis is designated the S-120 and based on the aluminium hull of the BTR-D airborne multi-purpose tracked armoured personnel carrier. More generally, the 120 mm mortar is referred to as the Nona, with the 2S9 also known as the Nona-S. Although no figures have been released, it is estimated that over 1,000 2S9 were built.Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98

Description

The 2S9 Nona-S is an amphibious vehicle that can be propelled through the water by two rear water-jets. It is operated by a four-man crew comprising a commander, a driver/mechanic, a gunner, and a loader. The hull interior is separated into a command compartment, a fighting compartment and an engine compartment. A welded steel turret is located at the middle of the hull. The two-man turret has hatches for the gunner and loader respectively. The 2S9 utilizes a 120 mm 2A51 mortar with a barrel. The weapon is actually a hybrid of a mortar and howitzer, being an unconventional design that lacks a direct

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

counterpart. It is a rifled, breech-loaded weapon capable of firing HE (high explosive),

white phosphorus White phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, or simply tetraphosphorus (P4) is an allotrope of phosphorus. It is a translucent waxy solid that quickly yellows in light (due to its photochemical conversion into red phosphorus), and impure white phospho ...

and smoke rounds, as well as laser-guided munitions like

KM-8 Gran KM-8 Gran, (КМ-8 "Грань" - ''"Borderline"''), is a Russian 120mm guided mortar weapon system. It uses the Malakhit semi-active laser guidance fire control system to perform top attacks, and is able to attack moving and stationary targ ...

. It can engage in indirect and direct fire, as well as targeting armoured vehicles; its armour-piercing rounds can penetrate the equivalent of of steel plate at up to .2B16 NONA-K, Army Guide, retrieved 16/02/2021

Operational history

They have been deployed by Russia during the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...

. In July 2022, video on social media purportedly shows Ukrainian forces using

M777 The M777 howitzer is a British towed artillery, towed 155 mm artillery piece in the howitzer class. It is used by the Australian Army, ground forces of Australia, Canadian Army, Canada, Colombia, Indian Army, India, Saudi Arabian Army, Saudi Ar ...

to destroy a towed 2B16 Nona-K in Hoptivka on the border with Russia. In August 2022, Ukraine's armed forces claimed to use four captured Russian 2S9 against Russian forces. In November 2022, a 2S23-SVK Nona was photographed in Ukrainian service. It was reportedly captured from Russian forces and took months to refit. On 26 March 2024, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russia 2S9 Nona 120 mm mortar with a GLSDB and left another “burning” in Zaporizhzhia. In June 2024 Ukraine used a drone to destroy a 2S9 Nona that had been equipped with turtle tank style add on armour.

Variants

Variants of the 120 mm Nona mortar: * 2S23 Nona-SVK –

BTR-80 The BTR-80 () is an 8×8 wheeled Amphibious vehicle, amphibious armoured personnel carrier (APC) designed in the Soviet Union. It was adopted in 1985 and replaced the previous vehicles, the BTR-60 and BTR-70, in the Soviet Army. It was first de ...

-based chassis mounting a 2A60 mortar, a variant of the 2A50. * 2B16 Nona-K – A towed version. Fitted with a muzzle brake. * 2S31 Vena – Is a similar concept based on the BMP-3 chassis. Longer barrel for increased range. *2S17-2 Nona-SV – A BRM-1K with a 2S9 Nona turret, in use by the Ukrainian Ground Forces.

Operators

Current operators

* : 18 2S9 * : 18 2B23 Nona-M1 * : 12 2S9 * : 9 2S9 *: 446 (excluding 500 2S9 in store in an unknown condition): 280 2S9 Nona-S, 42 2S23 Nona-SVK and 124 2B16 Nona-K * - Quantity unknown * : 17 2S9 *: 2 2B16 and 40 2S9. 2S9 and 2B16 versions have been used by both sides during

Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...

* : 54 2S9 * - 18 Nona SVK, ordered 2009, delivered 2011–2012. 13 in service .

Former operators

* * *

External links

*
Walkaround 2S9 Nona from Kremenchuk

References

* {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Self-propelled artillery of the Soviet Union 120 mm artillery Gun-mortars Motovilikha Plants products TsNIITochMash products 120 mm mortars Field artillery of the Cold War Mortars of the Soviet Union Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s