2A65 Msta-B

The 2A65 Msta-B is a Soviet towed 152.4 mm howitzer named after the Msta River, with the "B" designation denoting Buksiruyemaya (towed). Fielded by Soviet forces starting in 1987, when Western intelligence designated it the M1987, the weapon was initially deployed in Eastern Europe. The gun also serves as the primary armament for the 2S19 Msta-S self-propelled artillery system. Development of export variants in 155 mm caliber includes the M-390 by Factory No 9 in Yekaterinburg and the MZ-146-1, which features a fume extractor.

The howitzer is built on a conventional split trail carriage with box section trails fitted with caster wheels that swing 180° upward onto the trails when brought into action. In the firing position, the system rests on three points: a forward hydraulic circular firing jack and two rear spades. Mechanical features include a muzzle brake, a semi-automatic breech mechanism, a spring-operated ramming system, a hydraulic counter-recoil device, a liquid-cooled recoil brake, and pneumatic brakes. Sighting devices for direct and indirect fire are mounted on the left side, operated via manual two-speed elevation and traverse controls. Crew protection is provided by a rearward-sloping armored shield extending over the wheels. Mobility is provided by towing via KrAZ-260 6x6 or Ural 4320 6x6 trucks.

The 2A65 utilizes separate-loading ammunition and can fire standard projectiles used by the 2S19, D-20, and 2S3 artillery systems. Ordnance options include nuclear shells, standard high-explosive rounds, base bleed projectiles, cargo shells containing High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) bomblets, jamming rounds, and Krasnopol laser-guided projectiles. Propellant charges are issued in long-range, full, and reduced configurations.

The howitzer operates in several countries, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Syria, and Turkmenistan. In Russian service, the 2A65 is assigned to the 9th, 288th, and 291st Artillery Brigades, the 381st Guards "Warsaw" Artillery Regiment of the 150th Motor Rifle Division, and storage facilities in Perm and near Novgorod. Ukrainian forces deploy the system within the 11th and 55th Artillery Brigades, while Georgia operates it in the 5th Artillery Brigade of the Eastern Army Command. The system saw combat during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, resulting in documented instances of damage, destruction, and capture.