Ukrainian forces destroy advanced Russian 2S40 Floks mortar in Donetsk

Ukrainians have reported the destruction of a Russian self-propelled mortar, the 2S40 Floks, in the Donetsk region, losing the battle to an FPV drone controlled by a pilot from the SIGNUM unit of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Cholodny Yar. This mortar is amongst the latest additions to Putin's army's equipment, with the first batch delivered to the military in October 2023.

According to the Ukrainian service Militarny, the 2S40 Floks was likely detected by air reconnaissance before its location was transmitted to the SIGNUM unit. They chose to attack it using an FPV (First Person View) drone. Ukrainians have modified these seemingly inconspicuous devices into effective flying munitions by attaching explosive charges, marking yet another loss of the Russian mortar 2S40 Floks.

The 2S40 Floks, a 120 mm caliber Russian self-propelled mortar, is mounted on an armored Ural-4320 truck with a 6x6 drive. It was developed by the Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" in Nizhny Novgorod, with production carried out by Uraltransmash plants in Omsk. Officially first unveiled in 2016, its production began in 2022, and units started appearing in Ukraine by October 2023.

This self-propelled mortar marries the features of a mortar and a howitzer, targeting enemy personnel, weaponry, and equipment. It's equipped with a 2A80 120 mm caliber mortar-howitzer and a fire control system, capable of firing all sorts of 120 mm mortar rounds and artillery shells, including precision munitions like the Kitołow-2M. The maximum firing ranges are around 4.7 miles for mortar rounds and 8.1 miles for artillery shells.

The 2S40 Floks boasts a top speed of approximately 53 mph and a range of 621 miles. The vehicle measures 26 feet in length, 8.2 feet in width, and 9.8 feet in height, weighing around 14.3 tons. It's also equipped with a Kord machine gun and PU-07 grenade launchers, requiring a crew of four for operation: two weapons operators, a commander, and a driver.