Artillery

Tundzha

Also known as
  • SMM B1.10 Tundzha
  • SMM 74 B1.10 Tundzha-Sani
  • Tundzha-Sani
  • B1.10 Tundzha
  • Tunja
  • Тунджа

Tundzha is a Bulgarian 120 mm self-propelled mortar carrier that mounts a PM-43/M-120 or 2B11-family mortar in an MT-LB tracked chassis. The vehicle gives a heavy mortar crew armored mobility, onboard ammunition, and the ability to fire through roof hatches before relocating, with Ukrainian combat use documented during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.

Tundzha, 120 mm self-propelled mortar carrier, Artillery
Image source: Wikimedia Commons B1-10 Tundzha image

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Bulgaria
Type
120 mm self-propelled mortar carrier
Service note
Late Cold War Bulgarian service, documented in Ukraine in 2025
Designer
NITI Kazanlak / Bulgarian development based on the MT-LB mortar-carrier concept
Designed
1976-1981
Produced
1980s to mid-1990s
Number built
At least several dozen; secondary sources publish higher totals

Specifications

Crew
5
Main armament
120 mm PM-43/M-120 mortar on B1.10 or 120 mm 2B11 Sani mortar on Tundzha-Sani
Secondary armament
7.62 mm PKT machine gun on the MT-LB chassis
Ammunition carried
About 58-60 mortar rounds in common reference reporting, with some secondary reports giving higher loads
Maximum mortar range
About 5.7 km for PM-43/M-120-equipped Tundzha; about 7.1 km for 2B11-equipped Tundzha-Sani
Combat weight
About 12.1 t
Dimensions
6.45 m long, 2.82 m wide, 1.89 m high
Engine and speed
YaMZ-238V/238N diesel around 240 hp; about 60-62 km/h on road
Road range
About 500 km
Protection
Welded steel armor, about 14 mm front and 7 mm on top, sides, and rear
Mortar Installation

The Tundzha layout places the 120 mm mortar inside the MT-LB hull and fires it through large roof hatches. Specialist descriptions emphasize the recoil-buffered cradle, the option to stow the mortar inside the vehicle, and the exposed crew position while firing.

Fire mission role

Mobile indirect-fire support from a tracked armored carrier rather than a towed mortar position.

Variant split

B1.10 is associated with PM-43/M-120-family mortars; Tundzha-Sani is associated with the 2B11 Sani mortar.

Sourcing limit

Open reporting documents Ukrainian use in 2025 but does not publicly establish the exact donor route or number delivered.

Variants

Open sources distinguish the original B1.10 Tundzha with an older 120 mm mortar from the Tundzha-Sani variant fitted with the newer 2B11 Sani mortar.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
SMM B1.10 TundzhaOriginal 120 mm mortar-carrier version

Described as the baseline Tundzha variant with a 120 mm PM-43 or M-120 mortar and shorter maximum range than the later Sani-equipped version.

Sources: WeaponSystems Tundzha profile, GlobalSecurity MT-LB Ukrainian Service

SMM 74 B1.10 Tundzha-Sani2B11 Sani mortar variant

Identified as the improved Bulgarian MT-LB mortar carrier using the 120 mm 2B11 Sani mortar, with cited maximum range around 7.1 km.

Sources: WeaponSystems Tundzha profile, GlobalSecurity MT-LB Ukrainian Service

Tracked Chassis

Tundzha is cataloged separately from the baseline MT-LB because the mortar installation changes the vehicle's battlefield role.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
MT-LB, Amphibious tracked armored personnel carrier and artillery tractor, Armored VehiclesMT-LBTracked armored chassis

The Tundzha combines the MT-LB tracked vehicle with a roof-fired 120 mm mortar installation, retaining the MT-LB's low-profile tracked mobility while converting it into a mortar carrier.

Sources: WeaponSystems Tundzha profile, GlobalSecurity MT-LB Ukrainian Service

Timeline

Tundzha Key Events

  1. Bulgarian development period begins

    WeaponSystems places Tundzha development in 1976-1981 and identifies NITI Kazanlak as the Bulgarian developer.

    Sources: WeaponSystems Tundzha profile

  2. Bulgarian service and production

    The Tundzha entered service in the 1980s, with Bulgarian production continuing into the mid-1990s according to specialist reference data.

    Sources: WeaponSystems Tundzha profile

  3. Ukrainian purchase plan did not proceed

    Reporting on Ukrainian procurement discussions said funds had been allocated for a planned purchase of Tundzha self-propelled mortars before the full-scale invasion, but the acquisition was not completed.

    Sources: Defense Express Tundzha in Ukraine, Army Recognition Tundzha Ukraine report

  4. First public Ukrainian-service footage reported

    Defense Express reported footage of Ukrainian crews operating Tundzha in Ukraine and noted that no earlier public transfer report had identified the system.

    Sources: Defense Express Tundzha in Ukraine

Media

Tundzha Images

Tundzha, 120 mm self-propelled mortar carrier, Artillery - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons B1-10 Tundzha rear image
Tundzha, 120 mm self-propelled mortar carrier, Artillery - view 2
Source: WeaponSystems Tundzha profile
Related Weapon Systems
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9P157-2 Khrizantema-S, Self-propelled anti-tank guided missile carrier, Armored VehiclesArmored Vehicles9P157-2 Khrizantema-SSelf-propelled anti-tank guided missile carrierThe 9P157-2 Khrizantema-S is a Russian BMP-3-based self-propelled anti-tank guided missile carrier for the 9M123 Khrizantema family. It carries a retractable twin launcher, an automatic loader, and both radar and laser-beam guidance channels, allowing the vehicle to engage two targets at once with different guidance modes. Russian systems have been reported deployed in the full-scale phase of the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War, where open-source documentation also tracks the type among Russian equipment in the theater.
MT-LB with 82-mm automatic mortar 2B9 Vasilek, Tracked self-propelled automatic mortar conversion, ArtilleryArtilleryMT-LB with 82-mm automatic mortar 2B9 VasilekTracked self-propelled automatic mortar conversionThe MT-LB with 82-mm automatic mortar 2B9 Vasilek is a field fire-support conversion that places the Soviet clip-fed 2B9 or 2B9M automatic mortar on the rear deck of the MT-LB tracked armored carrier. General technical sources document the 2B9's rapid four-round clip feed and the MT-LB's recurring use as a carrier for heavy infantry weapons, while Russian equipment-loss documentation from Ukraine records destroyed and damaged examples of this specific MT-LB/Vasilek configuration.

Sources

WeaponSystems Tundzha profilePublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports Tundzha identity, Bulgarian origin, development period, NITI Kazanlak attribution, MT-LB layout, variants, specifications, and public-domain/licensed image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Defense Express Tundzha in UkrainePublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use context by reporting footage of Ukrainian crews operating Bulgarian Tundzha self-propelled mortars in Ukraine and noting the unknown delivery route and quantity. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Army Recognition Tundzha Ukraine reportPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports 2014 Russia-Ukraine War direct conflict-use context by reporting Ukrainian receipt and frontline use of an unknown number of Tundzha 120 mm self-propelled mortars; also supports secondary technical and production-background details. | Accessed: 2026-07-06GlobalSecurity MT-LB Ukrainian ServicePublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the MT-LB chassis relationship, Ukrainian prewar purchase-plan context, and the distinction between B1.10 Tundzha and SMM 74 B1.10 Tundzha-Sani. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Wikimedia Commons B1-10 Tundzha imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary gallery image as a 2025 photograph of a B1-10 Tundzha self-propelled mortar at Bulgaria's National Museum of Military History with visible open-license metadata. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Wikimedia Commons B1-10 Tundzha rear imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the rear-view gallery image as a 2025 photograph of a B1-10 Tundzha self-propelled mortar at Bulgaria's National Museum of Military History with visible open-license metadata. | Accessed: 2026-07-06