Ukrainian FPV drones wreak havoc on Russian Msta-S howitzers

Ukrainian FPV drones are flying further beyond the front line and can even hunt down Russian tube artillery. One of their priority targets is the Msta-S howitzer. Here, we present its performance and how it was destroyed.

Artillery is Ukraine's second key means of combat after aircraft dropping guided bombs, without which effective offense or defense is impossible.

The most valuable assets are self-propelled artillery systems, which can deliver a multi-shell salvo very quickly and then evacuate from the firing position promptly before receiving counter-battery fire. It's worth noting that both sides possess several artillery radars capable of calculating the opponent's artillery firing point within a few feet and relaying those coordinates to their artillery.

In these conditions, it becomes very difficult to use classic towed artillery that can't change positions quickly. Essentially, the only safe option remains self-propelled systems. For this reason, they are high on the target list, and the Ukrainians have started using extended-range variants of FPV drones to hunt them. This approach mirrors how the Russians use Lancet-3 drones to target Polish Krabs.

Below, you can see footage from an observation drone camera, followed by footage from an FPV drone sent to destroy the detected Msta-S howitzer. It's worth noting that drones, to which bomblets from cluster ammunition or PG-7VL grenades are often attached with zip ties, cost less than $1,000 individually.

Introduced to the Russian Federation's armaments in 1989, the 2S19 Msta-S howitzer utilizes a 152 mm caliber gun with a length of 47 calibers mounted on a T-80 tank chassis with a diesel engine borrowed from the T-72 tank.

The gun, a little over 23 feet long, is a rarity among Russian artillery systems. It can fire standard 152 mm caliber ammunition at a distance of up to 16 miles, compared to ordinary systems like the 2S3 Akatsiya, which reach at most 11 miles.

Using shells with a gas generator, the Msta-S's striking range increases to 18 miles, with rare rocket-assisted shells, to about 22 miles. This, combined with a rate of fire of up to 8 rounds per minute, makes the Msta-S a formidable opponent.