This is one of the more interesting and less known Soviet contraptions – the 2S15 “Norov” tank destroyer.
Basically it’s a product of the same school of thought as the 2S14 Zhalo-S – the idea was to put a powerful gun on a mass-produced light chassis to create a cheap and powerful tank destroyer. In this case the chassis is that of the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun (although as you can see, it has been modified) and the gun is a 100mm… something. Type unknown. The gun would be installed in a brand new turret equipped with an automatic radar-controlled fire control system. The main developer was the Yurga Machine Plant, the developer of the FCS was the “Strela” design bureau in Tula. A prototype was supposed to be built by the “Arsenal” plant (not sure which one, there were apparently more facilities of the same name).
The decision to design the vehicle was taken on 17.5.1976. The vehicle was supposed to be produced from 1980 onwards but the plant didn’t meet the deadline. The deadline for prototype construction shifted first to 1981 and then to 1983, when the actual testing started. At that point, however, news reached the Soviets about modern western MBT variants, against which 100mm guns were too weak. The project was declared obsolete and cancelled in 1985.
Not much else is known save for the fact that the armor was likely very light (Gvozdika level – some 15mm to 20mm of steel) and the vehicle was generally quite fast (maximum speed of 60 km/h, 300hp YAMZ-238 engine, weight probably around 15 tons).
Will you please please do an article… Or I mean, not article… Let’s call it a list that you post, that inculdes all of the 2X (X standing for any letter) series? Just the name and the link to a picture would do! Maybe a short history, and divided into more posts by the vehicle type… I mean, we have the arties like the 2S3 Akatsiya, then we have super big arties like the 2B1 Oka… than we have the 2A series: I only know the Kondensator, but that’s the 2A3, so there are at least 2 more before it (2A1 and 2A2)… Then the S series, containing this and then the K series, containing things like the 2K12 Kub and 2K12E Kvardat. There are so many that you can’t keep track of them, and there is no list of them on the web as far as I know! Also, I have 2 (two) (xD – don;t (<= notice intentional mistake that I won't correct…) ask me, I'm drunk) more questions: If the 2X series of vehicles exists, is there a 1X series of vehicles or not? What does the 2 stand for?
Don't bother the (two) part, as it's written with my left hand that likes to go crazy lots of times because the lack of attention I dedicate to it… Wow I'm such a sad kid…
Sounds like a pretty good topic for a video :)
does this mean you already started making videos? (you mentioned before to be your plan) did you already release any? where can we/will we find them? will you post it here beforehand to let us know?
thanks
I’ll post it on FTR and, Rita willing, on RSR.