152 mm howitzer 2A65 Msta-B

152 mm Howitzer 2A65
2A65 "Msta-B" artillery pieces of Russia's 90th Guards Tank Division.
Type	Howitzer
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1987–present
Used by	see Operators
Wars	War in Donbas[1] Syrian civil war 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[2]
Production history
Designer	Central Design Bureau Titan
Designed	1976–1986
Manufacturer	Motovilikha Plants
Produced	1987–present
Variants	see Variants
Specifications
Mass	Combat: 6,800 kg (15,000 lb)
Length	12.7 m (41 ft 8 in)
Barrel length	7.2 m (23 ft 7 in) L/47 8.13 m (26 ft 8 in) L/53.3 (with muzzle brake)
Crew	6–11
Shell	OF45 (High explosive)
Caliber	152.4 mm (6.00 in)
Carriage	Split trail
Elevation	-3.5° to +70°
Traverse	28°
Rate of fire	5-6 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	828 m/s (2,720 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	28.9 km (18.0 mi)

The 2A65 "Msta-B" (named from the Msta River) is a Soviet towed 152.4 mm howitzer. The "B" in the designation is an abbreviation for Buksiruyemaya, which means towed. This weapon has been fielded in Soviet and Russian forces since at least 1987 and as of 2022 is currently in service with Russian front and army level artillery units, as well as the militaries of six other countries, most of them former Soviet republics.

The 2A65 howitzer is capable of firing nuclear artillery shells.^[3]