Artillery

2S1 Gvozdika

Also known as
  • Gvozdika
  • SO.122
  • M1974
  • 122 PSH 74
  • 2S1U
  • 2S1 Gozdzik

The 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 2014 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.

2S1 Gvozdika, 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer, Artillery
Image source: Ukrainian 2S1 Gvozdika SPG.jpg

Role in Conflicts

1979 Soviet-Afghan War
Fire Support
Side
Soviet Union and Afghan government forces

Used by Soviet forces in Afghanistan; National Defence University of Ukraine describes 2S1 batteries supporting a Soviet mechanized battalion near Kandahar in January 1986.

2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Fire Support

Fielded by both Russian and Ukrainian forces as a 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer; Oryx visually documents 2S1 Gvozdika losses on both sides, Reuters documented Ukrainian firing in Donetsk region in August 2025, and SIPRI records second-hand 2S1 transfers to Ukraine during the wider war.

Role details
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer
Service note
Cold War design in modern service
Designer
Kharkiv Tractor Plant / OKB-9
Designed
1960s development; accepted for Soviet service in 1970
Produced
1971 to early 1990s
Number built
More than 10,000 reported by Army Recognition

Specifications

Crew
4
Caliber
122 mm
Main armament
2A31 122 mm rifled howitzer
Combat weight
15.7 t
Maximum firing range
15,200 m with standard ammunition
Mobility
60 km/h road speed, 4.5 km/h afloat, 500 km road range
Engine
299 hp diesel engine
Design And Service Cues

The 2S1 is useful to identify as both a vehicle and an ammunition system: the chassis gives it tracked, amphibious mobility, while the 2A31 gun keeps it tied to the Soviet 122 mm howitzer ammunition ecosystem.

Gun family

The 2A31 122 mm howitzer uses D-30-family ammunition references, linking the Gvozdika to the catalog's D-30 122 mm howitzer and 122 mm cartridge records.

Mobility cue

Tracked armored mobility and published swimming-speed figures separate the Gvozdika from towed 122 mm guns in conflict-use notes and battlefield imagery.

Designation spread

Finnish 122 PSH 74, Ukrainian-linked 2S1U, and Russian 2S34 Hosta references are treated as service designations or deeper conversions rather than automatic separate weapon pages.

Sources: 122 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer Gvozdika; D-30 / 2S1 lineage; Finnish Army 122 PSH 74; Army Recognition 2S34 Hosta.

Variants

The baseline 2S1 designation covers the Soviet 122 mm self-propelled howitzer family, while export and upgrade names often reflect national service designations, fire-control packages, or deeper chassis conversions.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
2S34 Chosta, 120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortar, Artillery2S34 Hosta120 mm Russian conversion

The 2S34 Hosta/Chosta is documented as a Russian modernization of the 2S1 Gvozdika chassis, replacing the original 122 mm 2A31 howitzer with a 120 mm 2A80-1 gun-mortar.

Sources: Army Recognition 2S34 Hosta

122 PSH 74Finnish service designation

The Finnish Defence Forces identify the 122 PSH 74 as a tracked armored howitzer used to support mechanized and motorized battle groups.

Sources: Finnish Army 122 PSH 74

2S1UUkrainian-linked designation

OHCHR reporting on arms and military equipment suppliers to Myanmar lists the 2S1U self-propelled howitzer designation in Ukrainian-linked production-support context.

Sources: OHCHR Myanmar arms suppliers 2S1U

Ammunition Fired

The 2S1 uses 122 mm D-30-family separate-loading ammunition through its 2A31 gun, including standard high-explosive cartridges and referenced guided-projectile options.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
122 mm artillery round, 122 mm artillery ammunition, Munitions122 mm artillery round122 mm artillery ammunition family

FAS describes the 2S1 as using the D-30 ammunition family, while the linked projectile and cartridge rows show specific 122 mm rounds documented for the 2A31 gun.

Sources: D-30 / 2S1 lineage, Worldwide Equipment Guide

3OF56 122 mm HE-Frag Projectile, 122 mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile, Munitions3OF56 122 mm HE-Frag Projectile122 mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile

The Worldwide Equipment Guide lists 3OF56 as the complete projectile weight for the 2A31 cannon and includes it in the 2S1's 122 mm Frag-HE Rocket Assisted ammunition list.

Sources: Worldwide Equipment Guide, 2S1 Gvozdika Ammunition - Mortar Investments

Cartridge 122 mm HE with full charge, 122 mm separate-loaded high-explosive cartridge, MunitionsCartridge 122 mm HE with full charge122 mm high-explosive cartridge

STV Group says the full-charge Nb 122 HE cartridge is intended to be fired from 122 mm 2S1 and D30 howitzers.

Sources: Cartridge 122 mm HE with full charge - STV Group

Cartridge 122 mm HE with reduced charge, 122 mm separate-loaded HE artillery cartridge, MunitionsCartridge 122 mm HE with reduced charge122 mm high-explosive cartridge

STV Group says the reduced-charge Nb 122 HE cartridge is intended to be fired from 122 mm 2S1 and D30 howitzers.

Sources: Cartridge 122 mm HE with reduced charge - STV Group

Kitolov-2M, 122 mm semi-active laser-guided artillery projectile, MunitionsKitolov-2MSemi-active laser-guided 122 mm shell

FAS lists Kitolov-2M in the D-30/2S1 ammunition family, making it a relevant guided projectile reference for the 2S1's 122 mm gun lineage.

Sources: D-30 / 2S1 lineage

Open-source ammunition references tie 3OF56 to the 2S1 Gvozdika's 2A31 cannon and place the wider 122 mm ammunition family alongside D-30-family guns.

Sources: Worldwide Equipment Guide, 2S1 Gvozdika Ammunition - Mortar Investments, D-30 / 2S1 lineage

Timeline

2S1 Gvozdika Key Events

  1. Development work begins

    National Defence University of Ukraine places initial 2S1 Gvozdika development work in the late 1960s before Soviet acceptance.

    Sources: 122 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer Gvozdika

  2. Accepted for Soviet service

    The same Ukrainian university reference says the system was adopted for Soviet service in 1970.

    Sources: 122 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer Gvozdika

  3. Documented in Afghanistan

    The Ukrainian university account describes 2S1 batteries supporting a Soviet mechanized battalion in the Kandahar area during the Soviet-Afghan War.

    Sources: 122 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer Gvozdika

  4. Iraqi examples photographed after Desert Storm

    U.S. Army imagery identifies an abandoned Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 on the Kuwait-Basra highway during the Gulf War.

    Sources: Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 Gvozdika Desert Storm image

  5. Second-hand 2S1 transfers to Ukraine expand

    SIPRI transfer-register data records second-hand 2S1 122 mm self-propelled guns delivered to Ukraine from Poland in 2022-2023, with later reported deliveries from Finland and Bulgaria marked uncertain.

    Sources: SIPRI Arms Transfers Database transfer register: 2S1 122mm to Ukraine

  6. Danish-supported transfers to Ukraine reported

    Army Recognition reported Denmark-backed 2S1 Gvozdika transfers to Ukraine, and the Danish Ministry of Defence's Ukraine-support overview lists 2S1 artillery systems under artillery donations.

    Sources: Danish Military Support for Ukraine, Denmark Strengthens Ukraine's Artillery with a Discreet Delivery of 2S1 Gvozdika Self-Propelled Howitzers

Media

2S1 Gvozdika Videos

2S1 Gvozdika Images

2S1 Gvozdika, 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer, Artillery - view 1
Source: Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 Gvozdika Desert Storm image
2S1 Gvozdika, 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer, Artillery - view 2
Source: Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 Gvozdika Desert Storm image
2S1 Gvozdika, 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer, Artillery - view 3
Source: Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 Gvozdika Desert Storm image
Related Weapon Systems
122 mm artillery round, 122 mm artillery ammunition, MunitionsMunitions122 mm artillery round122 mm artillery ammunitionThe 122 mm artillery round is a family-level label for Soviet-origin medium-caliber artillery ammunition used by D-30-type towed howitzers and 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers. Manufacturer and military references describe separate-loading HE projectiles with full or reduced propelling charges, while U.S. security-assistance reporting documents 122 mm artillery rounds among ammunition committed to Ukraine and TWZ reporting describes a pair of 122 mm rounds as a standard AQ-400 Scythe payload.
3OF56 122 mm HE-Frag Projectile, 122 mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile, MunitionsMunitions3OF56 122 mm HE-Frag Projectile122 mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile3OF56 is a Soviet-era 122 mm high-explosive fragmentation artillery projectile for D-30/2A18-family guns and the 2A31 gun of the 2S1 Gvozdika. Public references do not describe the designation consistently: Fenix Insight identifies it as a nose-fuzed, boat-tailed, spin-stabilised HE-frag projectile, while U.S. WEG/FAS tables place a 3OF-56 complete projectile weight in a rocket-assisted ammunition row for the D-30A and 2S1.
2S35 Koalitsiya-SV, 152 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer, ArtilleryArtillery2S35 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, automated loading, digital fire-control features, and a T-90-derived chassis for long-range tube-artillery missions. Russian and specialist reporting placed small numbers near the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War front from late 2023, but the direct conflict record remains source-limited and centered on counter-battery claims rather than verified large-scale fielding.
2S43 Malva, 152 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer, ArtilleryArtillery2S43 Malva152 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzerThe 2S43 Malva is a Russian 152 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer that places a 2A64 gun on a BAZ 8x8 chassis for faster road moves and lower operating demands than tracked turreted artillery. Developed through the Nabrosok wheeled-artillery program, it entered Russian deliveries in 2023 and has since been documented with Russian forces in Ukraine, including reconnaissance sightings, Ukrainian strike reports, and visually confirmed losses.
UR-77 Meteorit, Tracked mine-clearing line-charge vehicle, Support EquipmentSupport EquipmentUR-77 MeteoritTracked mine-clearing line-charge vehicleThe UR-77 Meteorit is a Soviet tracked combat-engineering vehicle that fires rocket-propelled explosive line charges from a protected 2S1-derived chassis. Built to open lanes through minefields for mechanized forces, it has also appeared in urban fighting where the same line charge can be used as a short-range demolition weapon. Public conflict evidence places UR-77s with Russian and Ukrainian forces in the Russia-Ukraine War and with Syrian government-aligned forces in the Syrian Civil War.
MT-LB with 25 mm 2M-3 naval gun, Improvised tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, Air DefenseAir DefenseMT-LB with 25 mm 2M-3 naval gunImprovised tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft gunThe MT-LB with 25 mm 2M-3 naval gun is a Russian improvised weapons carrier that combines the Soviet MT-LB tracked armored tractor with a twin 25 mm 2M-3 or 2M-3M naval anti-aircraft mount. Open-source reporting and Russian loss documentation tie the conversion to the full-scale 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, where it appears as a short-range air-defense and direct-fire adaptation rather than a standardized factory combat vehicle.
2S34 Chosta, 120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortar, ArtilleryArtillery2S34 Chosta120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortarThe 2S34 Chosta is a Russian 120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortar that rebuilds the 2S1 Gvozdika chassis around the 2A80-1 weapon, an automatic loading system, and updated fire-control equipment. It gives Russian artillery units a compact turreted vehicle able to fire mortar-style high-angle missions, direct fire, and some guided 120 mm ammunition, but public reporting suggests only a small fleet reached service before examples appeared in Ukraine.

Sources

122 mm Self-Propelled Howitzer GvozdikaPublisher: National Defence University of Ukraine | Note: Supports manufacturer, service-entry, production, armament, crew, weight, range, mobility, 1979 Soviet-Afghan War use, and background context. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Finnish Army 122 PSH 74Publisher: Finnish Defence Forces | Note: Supports the Finnish 122 PSH 74 service designation and describes the type as tracked armoured howitzer support for mechanised and motorised battle groups. | Accessed: 2026-06-30OHCHR Myanmar arms suppliers 2S1UPublisher: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights | Note: Supports the 2S1U self-propelled howitzer designation in reporting on Ukrainian-linked production support to Myanmar's military. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Army Recognition 2S34 HostaPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports the 2S34 Hosta as an evolution of the 2S1 Gvozdika chassis with the original 122 mm gun replaced by a 120 mm 2A80-1 mortar gun. | Accessed: 2026-06-30D-30 / 2S1 lineagePublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Describes the D-30 family relation to the 2S1 Gvozdika and its ammunition family, including Kitolov-2M. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Gvozdika: The Soviet-Era Howitzer Used by Russia and Ukraine Against Each OtherPublisher: Forces News | Note: Supports direct 2014 Russia-Ukraine War use by both Russian and Ukrainian forces and basic system context. | Accessed: 2026-06-19Denmark Strengthens Ukraine's Artillery with a Discreet Delivery of 2S1 Gvozdika Self-Propelled HowitzersPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War transfer context for 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers supplied to Ukraine and production-count background. | Accessed: 2026-06-19Danish Military Support for UkrainePublisher: Danish Ministry of Defence | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: official Danish overview lists 2S1 artillery systems among artillery donations supplied to Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-08SIPRI Arms Transfers Database transfer register: 2S1 122mm to UkrainePublisher: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: transfer-register data generated on 2026-07-07 records second-hand 2S1 122mm self-propelled guns transferred to Ukraine, including Polish deliveries in 2022-2023 and later uncertain Finnish and Bulgarian deliveries after Russia's 2022 invasion. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: visually documents Russian 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika losses during the full-scale invasion, supporting Russian fielding in the conflict. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Attack On Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: visually documents Ukrainian 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika losses during the full-scale invasion, supporting Ukrainian fielding in the conflict. | Accessed: 2026-07-08Ukrainian servicemen camouflage a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer after firing towards Russian troopsPublisher: Reuters | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: Reuters caption documents Ukrainian 30th Mechanized Brigade servicemen camouflaging a 2S1 Gvozdika after firing toward Russian positions in Donetsk region on 2025-08-13. | Accessed: 2026-07-08The Fight For Nagorno-Karabakh: Documenting Losses On The Sides Of Armenia And AzerbaijanPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict use: 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers were fielded by Armenian/Artsakh forces and documented among destroyed or captured equipment. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 Gvozdika Desert Storm imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: 1990 Gulf War: image provenance for a U.S. Army photograph identifying an abandoned Iraqi Republican Guard 2S1 Gvozdika on the Kuwait-Basra highway during Operation Desert Storm. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Restoration Of Equipment Losses During The First Chechen WarPublisher: Oryx | Note: 1994 First Chechen War: documents 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers among Russian equipment losses. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Vehicles And Equipment Captured By Islamic State Inside Syria Until November 2014Publisher: Oryx | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War: documents 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers among captured equipment inside Syria. | Accessed: 2026-06-30A 3-Day SMO Done Right: The 2024 Syrian Opposition OffensivesPublisher: Oryx | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War: documents 2S1 Gvozdika losses and captures during the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Disaster at Tarhuna: When Haftar Lost Another Stronghold In Crushing Defeat To The GNAPublisher: Oryx | Note: 2014 Second Libyan Civil War: captured from the LNA at Tarhuna; Oryx listed one 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika SPG among the LNA's abandoned equipment after the GNA takeover. | Accessed: 2026-06-21During the night, the enemy was inflicted fire strikesPublisher: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan | Note: Supports 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict use: Azerbaijan reported 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers used by Armenian forces were destroyed or disabled during the 2020 fighting. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Yemen On Precipice of Its First Armed Conflict Since 2018: Assessment of ForcesPublisher: Defense Express | Note: 2014 Yemen Civil War: fielded by Yemeni government forces; the article lists 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzers among heavy weapons operated by government forces. | Accessed: 2026-06-20From Conflict To Conflict: Sudan's Fighting VehiclesPublisher: Oryx | Note: 2023 Sudan War: fielded by Sudanese forces; the inventory lists 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery among Sudan's current fighting vehicles during the 2023 conflict context. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Worldwide Equipment GuidePublisher: TRADOC DCSINT Threat Support Directorate | Note: Supports the 2S1 Gvozdika's 2A31 ammunition list, including 122 mm Frag-HE Rocket Assisted ammunition and the 3OF-56 complete projectile weight of 21.76 kg. | Accessed: 2026-06-23The Forgotten War - Listing Equipment Losses In The 2023 2023 Sudan WarPublisher: Armada Rotta | Note: 2023 Sudan War: used by Sudanese government forces and captured by RSF-linked opposition forces; the loss list records 122 mm 2S1 Gvozdikas destroyed, abandoned, and captured during the 2023 2023 Sudan War. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Ukrainian 2S1 Gvozdika SPG.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance for a Ukrainian 2S1 Gvozdika photographed during a 2008 parade in Kyiv. | Accessed: 2026-06-19Soldiers prepare for Strike Back 19 finalePublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army photo of a Bulgarian Land Forces 2S1 Gvozdika firing during Strike Back 19. | Accessed: 2026-07-02NATO Allies synchronize capabilities during CALFEXPublisher: DVIDS | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army photo of Polish 2S1 122 mm self-propelled howitzers maneuvering during a combined-arms live-fire exercise. | Accessed: 2026-07-022S1 Gvozdika Ammunition - Mortar InvestmentsPublisher: Mortar Investments | Note: Supports the 2S1 Gvozdika's 2A31 gun ammunition list, including 3OF56 and 3OF56-1 high-explosive fragmentation shells and their 690 m/s muzzle velocity. | Accessed: 2026-06-23Cartridge 122 mm HE with full charge - STV GroupPublisher: STV Group | Note: Supports the full-charge Nb 122 HE cartridge designation, its 2S1 and D30 compatibility, the Czech manufacturer context, and the published technical data. | Accessed: 2026-06-23Cartridge 122 mm HE with reduced charge - STV GroupPublisher: STV Group | Note: Supports the reduced-charge Nb 122 HE cartridge designation, its 2S1 and D30 compatibility, the Czech manufacturer context, and the published technical data. | Accessed: 2026-06-23