Missed deadlines and slow progress: The state of Russia's artillery production under scrutiny

This is not Shoigu's first visit to the factory responsible for producing ammunition and weapons for the Russian Federation. Recently, he has also inspected the Raduga design office that manufactures various types of missiles, including the Ch-58UShK. The Minister ordered an extension of the missile's range during his visit.

In his latest visit to the Uraltransmash plant, Shoigu expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of artillery system production, stating that deadlines for the production are not being met in Russia. He criticized the company's general director for the delays in meeting the state defense order deadlines.

"Listen, stop fooling around, guys. By 2023, we should have machines operating at full capacity but it seems you are taking it too easy", Shoigu addressed the plant's management. His remarks were in line with Russia's president's recommendation for an increased production of self-propelled artillery.

Shoigu's demand pertains primarily to the production of self-propelled artillery, and specifically the new Msta guns. "While we are doing well with the repairs of new Msta guns, we need to augment them with new systems," explained Shoigu. He also disclosed that the Russian Ministry of National Defense is set to sign a long-term contract for the latest Coalition-SW artillery.

During his visit, Shoigu discussed, among other things, the Msta artillery family, which needs continuous service. The main focus is currently on the 2S19 Msta-S Howitzer that is in production. This 152 mm caliber weapon, powered by a V-84A diesel engine fitted with 769.7 horsepower, is capable of launching cluster grenades, 30F39 Krasnopol shells, and nuclear warheads.

Shoigu also spoke about the Coalition-SW artillery, which is set to be the focus of an upcoming long-term contract. However, the production of this equipment was expected to commence in August 2023. Information regarding the start of its serial production remains uncertain.

As per Moscow's claims, the Coalition-SW is supposed to be a groundbreaking machine in combat. The howitzer was designed to succeed the 2S19 Msta-S system, and is mounted on a T-90 tank chassis. There were initial plans to use the T-14 Armata for this purpose. The 2S35 Coalition-SW is equipped with an automatic loading feature and can fire up to 16 rounds per minute. The range of the projectiles is believed to be up to 70 km or 43.5 miles.