Artillery

2S23 Nona-SVK

Also known as
  • 2S23
  • Nona-SVK
  • SM-120 Nona-SVK
  • 2S23 Nona
  • 2С23 Нона-СВК

The 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, artillery projectiles, and selected guided ammunition, giving motorized units a compact battalion-level fire-support vehicle. The type was reported in Chechnya during Russian service testing and later appeared in 2014 Russia-Ukraine War battlefield reporting, including visually confirmed Russian losses and captured vehicles.

2S23 Nona-SVK, 120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-mortar, Artillery
Image source: File:2S23 Nona-SVK.jpg

Role in Conflicts

1994 First Chechen War
Fire Support
Side
Russia

Russian forces used 2S23 Nona-SVK vehicles in Chechnya, where specialist references describe operational testing and visually confirmed loss tracking records a destroyed Russian 2S23.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union / Russia
Built in
Russia
Type
120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-mortar
Service note
Adopted in 1990; documented in the First Chechen War and 2014 Russia-Ukraine War
Designer
Motovilikha Plants Corporation
Designed
1980s
Unit cost
Reported around $989,720 in 2006 dollars
Produced
Low-rate production through the early 2000s
Number built
Forecast International reported 285 produced through 2005
Developed from
BTR-80 8x8 armored personnel carrier chassis

Specifications

Crew
4 to 6
Main armament
120 mm 2A60 rifled gun-mortar plus 7.62 mm pintle-mounted machine gun
Maximum firing range
8.8 km with HE projectile; 12.8 km with rocket-assisted projectile
Rate of fire
Up to 10 rounds per minute; 4 rounds per minute sustained
Ammunition carried
30 rounds
Combat weight
14.5 metric tons
Mobility
BTR-80-derived 8x8 amphibious chassis; 70 km/h road speed and 600 km road range
Variants

The 2S23 is the wheeled BTR-80-based member of the Nona 120 mm gun-mortar family; open references treat it alongside tracked and towed Nona-family systems that share the same dual-purpose fire-support concept.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
2S9 Nona, Air-droppable 120 mm self-propelled mortar, Artillery2S9 NonaTracked airborne self-propelled gun-mortar

Army Guide describes the Nona family as unified systems using similar 120 mm ammunition, linking the tracked 2S9 and wheeled 2S23 branches.

Sources: 2S9 Nona

2B16 Nona-KTowed 120 mm gun-mortar

WarWheels identifies the towed 2B16 Nona-K as part of the same dual-purpose Nona family context used to explain the 2S23.

Sources: WarWheels 2S23 Nona-SVK Index

2S31 VenaLater 120 mm self-propelled gun-mortar

Forecast International treats the 2S31 Vena as a follow-on self-propelled 120 mm mortar/gun branch in the same Russian family lineage.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

Ammunition Fired

The 2A60 Nona gun-mortar gives the 2S23 a broad 120 mm ammunition set, covering direct-fire, smoke, illumination, high-explosive, rocket-assisted, mortar-bomb, and guided-projectile roles.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition, 120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition for rifled gun-mortars, Munitions120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition120 mm HEAT round

The 2A60 Nona rifled ordnance on the 2S23 is documented as firing HEAT ammunition for direct fire.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

120 mm illumination ammunition, 120 mm illuminating ammunition, Munitions120 mm illumination ammunition120 mm illumination round

Forecast International explicitly lists illumination among the ammunition types fired by the 2A60 Nona rifled ordnance on the 2S23 Nona-SVK.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

120 mm White Phosphorus Ammunition, 120 mm white phosphorus smoke ammunition, Munitions120 mm White Phosphorus Ammunition120 mm white phosphorus ammunition

The 2A60 Nona rifled ordnance mounted on the 2S23 Nona-SVK is listed as firing white phosphorus among its rifled 120 mm ammunition types.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

120 mm smoke ammunition, 120 mm smoke ammunition for rifled gun-mortars, Munitions120 mm smoke ammunition120 mm smoke ammunition

The 2S23 Nona-SVK's 2A60 gun-mortar fires smoke ammunition according to Forecast International.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

3OF49 High-Explosive Fragmentation Projectile, 120 mm HE-fragmentation projectile, Munitions3OF49 High-Explosive Fragmentation Projectile120 mm HE-fragmentation projectile

Forecast International says the 2A60 Nona rifled ordnance fires the unassisted 3VOF49 high-explosive projectile in mortar mode.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

3OF50 High-Explosive Fragmentation rocket-assisted projectile, 120 mm rocket-assisted HE-fragmentation projectile, Munitions3OF50 High-Explosive Fragmentation rocket-assisted projectile120 mm rocket-assisted HE-fragmentation projectile

Forecast International and Weaponsystems.net both document the 2S23 Nona-SVK / 2A60 Nona firing rocket-assisted 120 mm rounds to 12.8 km, which is the role filled by the 3OF50 projectile.

Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar, 2S23 Nona-SVK

Mortar bombs, 120mm, Heavy mortar ammunition, MunitionsMortar bombs, 120mm120 mm mortar bomb

Army Guide says the 2S23 Nona-SVK gun/mortar system can fire all sorts of 120 mm mines, including Russian and foreign types, and that it can fire 120 mm projectiles and mortar bombs.

Sources: Rosoboronexport at Eurosatory 2010

Kitolov-2 guided projectile, 120 mm laser-guided artillery projectile, MunitionsKitolov-2 guided projectile120 mm laser-guided projectile

Army Guide explicitly says the 2S23 Nona-SVK can fire correcting projectiles ZVOF 112 Kitolov-2.

Sources: Army Guide 2S23 Kitolov-2

Shared Ammunition

Army Guide describes the 2S23 Nona-SVK and the 2S9 Nona as Nona-family systems that use similar ammunition.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
2S9 Nona, Air-droppable 120 mm self-propelled mortar, Artillery2S9 Nona120 mm gun-mortar system

Army Guide describes the Nona family as unified systems that use similar ammunition, which includes the 2S9 Nona and the 2S23 Nona-SVK.

Sources: 2S9 Nona

Timeline

2S23 Nona-SVK Key Events

  1. Wheeled Nona development begins

    Specialist references describe 1986 development work that adapted the Nona gun-mortar concept to the BTR-80 wheeled armored chassis.

    Sources: 2S23 Nona-SVK Tank Encyclopedia, WarWheels 2S23 Nona-SVK Index

  2. 2S23 enters service

    Forecast International and later technical references identify 1990 as the entry point for the 2S23 Nona-SVK in Russian service.

    Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar, 2S23 Nona-SVK

  3. Operational use reported in Chechnya

    FAS and Tank Encyclopedia describe the 2S23 being tested or used by Russian forces during the First Chechen War.

    Sources: FAS 2S23 Nona-SVK, 2S23 Nona-SVK Tank Encyclopedia

  4. Chinese export order reported

    Forecast International reported a 1997 Chinese order for 100 2S23 vehicles and cited it as the only known export order in that archived production summary.

    Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

  5. Low-rate production total reported

    Forecast International reported that 285 2S23 vehicles had been produced through 2005 after a low-rate production run.

    Sources: SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar

  6. Captured 2S23 documented in Ukraine

    ArmyInform reported that Ukrainian forces captured a Russian 2S23 Nona-SVK in the Husarivka area during the full-scale invasion.

    Sources: Defense forces have seized the Russian Nona

Design And Service Notes

The 2S23 is best read as a compact battalion fire-support vehicle: it combines BTR-80 mobility with a Nona-family 120 mm weapon that can shift between mortar-style and gun-style fire missions.

AreaDocumented detailWhy it matters
Vehicle baseArmy Guide and the Canadian Army identify the system as a 2A60-armed vehicle on a BTR-80-derived 8x8 chassis.The wheeled chassis distinguishes the 2S23 from the tracked 2S9 while keeping amphibious armored mobility for motorized units.
Ammunition flexibilityForecast International, Army Guide, and Weaponsystems.net describe standard projectiles, mortar bombs, rocket-assisted rounds, and guided Kitolov-2 compatibility.This explains why the page links both generic 120 mm ammunition classes and specific Nona-family projectiles.
Combat recordFAS, Tank Encyclopedia, and Oryx support Chechnya use/loss context; Oryx, Army Recognition, and ArmyInform support 2014 Russia-Ukraine War appearances and captures.Conflict rows are limited to wars where direct sources connect the 2S23 itself to use, deployment, losses, or capture.
Production profileForecast International described a small production run and a reported 1997 Chinese order rather than a high-volume artillery fleet.The low production profile helps explain why 2S23 appearances in later conflicts are notable and often individually tracked.

Sources: 2S23 NONA; 2S23 Nona; SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/Mortar; 2S23 Nona-SVK; Army Guide 2S23 Kitolov-2; FAS 2S23 Nona-SVK; 2S23 Nona-SVK Tank Encyclopedia; First Chechen War Russian equipment losses; Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine; Russia Strengthens Artillery Arsenal: Deploys 2S23 Nona-SVK Mortar Carrier on Ukrainian Battlefield; Defense forces have seized the Russian Nona.

Media

2S23 Nona-SVK Videos

2S23 Nona-SVK Images

2S23 Nona-SVK, 120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-mortar, Artillery - view 1
Source: File:Tank-T80BV 2S23 Nona-SVK BTR4 BTR3 Airmobile Forces Ukraine Poroshenko.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
2S9 Nona, Air-droppable 120 mm self-propelled mortar, ArtilleryArtillery2S9 NonaAir-droppable 120 mm self-propelled mortarThe 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, direct-fire HEAT use, and compatibility with several Nona-family rounds. Its conflict record spans Soviet use in Afghanistan, Russian delivery to Syrian government forces, and 2014 Russia-Ukraine War service with both Russian and Ukrainian forces.
2B16 Nona-K, 120 mm towed gun-mortar, ArtilleryArtillery2B16 Nona-K120 mm towed gun-mortarThe 2B16 Nona-K is the towed member of the Soviet/Russian Nona 120 mm gun-mortar family, combining a rifled breech-loading weapon with a split-trail carriage light enough for air-assault fire support. It shares the Nona ammunition concept with the 2S9 and 2S23, allowing mortar bombs, special 120 mm projectiles, and selected guided rounds from one compact artillery piece. In the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War it has appeared in Russian loss tracking and in Ukrainian service, including captured guns used for infantry and position-defense fire missions.
2S31 Vena, 120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortar, ArtilleryArtillery2S31 Vena120 mm tracked self-propelled gun-mortarThe 2S31 Vena is a Russian 120 mm self-propelled gun-mortar that mounts the semi-automatic 2A80 weapon system on a BMP-3 amphibious tracked chassis. Rosoboronexport markets it as a highly automated direct- and indirect-fire system with a 70-round ammunition load, 360-degree turret traverse, and 600 km cruising range. Its public combat record is limited but source-backed: Azerbaijani examples appeared in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, while Russian examples were reported near Bakhmut during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
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.
120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition, 120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition for rifled gun-mortars, MunitionsMunitions120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition for rifled gun-mortars120 mm high-explosive anti-tank ammunition is the direct-fire anti-armor round class used by Soviet and Russian rifled gun-mortars in the Nona family. Forecast International identifies the 2S23 Nona-SVK's 2A60 weapon as firing HEAT ammunition for direct-fire applications, while specialist munition references identify the 3VBK14/3BK19 round as a documented 120 mm HEAT-FS-T load for armored-target engagements.
2S40 Floks, 120 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer/mortar, ArtilleryArtillery2S40 Floks120 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer/mortarThe 2S40 Floks is a Russian 120 mm wheeled self-propelled gun-mortar developed by Burevestnik under the Nabrosok artillery program and mounted on an armored Ural-4320 6x6 chassis. Open reporting ties it to Russian battlefield use in Ukraine from October 2023, where Ukrainian drone units documented strikes against newly fielded systems while Rostec and defense references describe the platform's combined mortar, howitzer-style indirect-fire, and direct-fire roles.

Sources

2S23 NONAPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports manufacturer attribution, BTR-80 chassis background, 2A60 armament, and general system description. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Rosoboronexport at Eurosatory 2010Publisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports the relationship claim that the 2S23 Nona-SVK can fire 120 mm projectiles and mortar bombs, including Russian and foreign makes. | Accessed: 2026-06-302S9 NonaPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports the Nona-family ammunition commonality between the 2S23 Nona-SVK and the 2S9 Nona. | Accessed: 2026-06-302S23 Nona-SVK Self-Propelled Gun-Mortar SpecificationsPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports firing range, ammunition, traverse, rate of fire, weight, crew, and BTR chassis specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-30SM-120 (2S23) Nona-SVK 120mm Self-Propelled Howitzer/MortarPublisher: Forecast International | Note: Supports production, unit-cost, contractor, technical, and service-background details from an archived 2006 report. | Accessed: 2026-06-302S23 Nona-SVKPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports the extended-range rocket-assisted round relationship by documenting that the 2S23 fires rocket assisted rounds to 12.8 km. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Army Guide 2S23 Kitolov-2Publisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports the 2S23 Nona-SVK firing correcting projectiles ZVOF 112 Kitolov-2 and provides the platform context for the reciprocal relationship. | Accessed: 2026-06-302S23 NonaPublisher: Canadian Army | Note: Supports official recognition of the 2S23 Nona-SVK as a 120 mm battalion-level self-propelled gun based on BTR-80 mobility and protection. | Accessed: 2026-06-30FAS 2S23 Nona-SVKPublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports 1994 First Chechen War conflict-use context by describing the 2S23 as tested in Chechnya, and provides background on the Nona-SVK system. | Accessed: 2026-06-302S23 Nona-SVK Tank EncyclopediaPublisher: Tank Encyclopedia | Note: Supports Nona-family background and direct conflict-use context for 1994 First Chechen War and 2014 Russia-Ukraine War captured-service reporting. | Accessed: 2026-06-30WarWheels 2S23 Nona-SVK IndexPublisher: WarWheels.net | Note: Supports Nona-family designation context, the BTR-80-based wheeled configuration, and references to related Nona-family systems. | Accessed: 2026-06-30First Chechen War Russian equipment lossesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 1994 First Chechen War conflict-use context by listing a visually documented Russian 2S23 Nona-SVK loss. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Attack On Europe: Documenting Russian Equipment Losses During The Russian Invasion Of UkrainePublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context by documenting visually confirmed destroyed and captured Russian 120 mm 2S23 Nona-SVK systems. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Russia Strengthens Artillery Arsenal: Deploys 2S23 Nona-SVK Mortar Carrier on Ukrainian BattlefieldPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context by reporting Russian deployment of the 2S23 Nona-SVK on the Ukrainian battlefield, and summarizes key system specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Defense forces have seized the Russian NonaPublisher: ArmyInform | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use context by reporting Ukrainian capture of a Russian 2S23 Nona-SVK near Husarivka in March 2022. | Accessed: 2026-06-30File:2S23 Nona-SVK.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Primary image provenance; Commons lists the photo as own work licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-30File:Tank-T80BV 2S23 Nona-SVK BTR4 BTR3 Airmobile Forces Ukraine Poroshenko.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Gallery image provenance; Commons states the source is the website of the President of Ukraine and lists a CC BY 4.0 license for pre-October 4, 2022 uploads. | Accessed: 2026-06-30