27th Artillery Regiment
Designation and Attribution Status
Open-source references up to October 2024 do not conclusively identify a Russian Ground Forces unit formally titled “27th Artillery Regiment.” Russian formations with the ordinal “27th” exist (for example, separate rocket artillery brigades and motor rifle brigades), but an artillery regiment by this exact designation is not clearly documented in publicly verifiable sources. Without an associated higher formation, garrison, or military unit number (в/ч), precise site attribution is undetermined. The analysis therefore focuses on the listed artillery systems—2A65 Msta-B and 2A36 Giatsint-B—and on typical Russian employment patterns for towed 152 mm artillery at regimental level.
Equipment Summary
The 2A65 Msta-B and 2A36 Giatsint-B are Soviet/Russian 152 mm towed artillery systems. Msta-B is a towed howitzer accepted into service in the late 1980s, optimized for high-angle fire and compatibility with modern 152 mm guided projectiles. Giatsint-B, accepted into service in the mid-1970s, is a long-range field gun emphasizing high muzzle velocity and extended-range conventional fire. Both systems remain in Russian service and have been documented in contemporary conflicts.
2A65 Msta-B (152 mm Towed Howitzer) – Technical Profile
GRAU index: 2A65; service entry: late 1980s (commonly cited 1987–1989). Caliber: 152 mm; barrel length: approximately L/47. Combat weight: about 7.1 t. Crew: typically 7–8. Elevation range: approximately −3° to +70°. Traverse (without shifting trails): limited; full-circle fire requires repositioning. Maximum rate of fire: up to about 6–7 rounds/min; sustained typically lower. Maximum range: about 24.7 km with standard HE; up to roughly 28.5–29 km with rocket-assisted/base-bleed projectiles. Compatible with 152 mm laser-guided projectiles such as Krasnopol (original 3OF39 around 20 km; improved variants with greater range). Prime movers: 6×6 trucks (e.g., Ural/KAMAZ) or tracked tractors. The system uses separate-loading ammunition with variable propelling charges.
2A36 Giatsint-B (152 mm Towed Gun) – Technical Profile
GRAU index: 2A36; service entry: mid-1970s (commonly cited 1976–1977). Caliber: 152 mm; barrel length: approximately L/47. Combat weight: about 9.7–9.8 t. Crew: typically 8–10. Elevation range: approximately −2.5° to +57°. Traverse (without repositioning): limited. Maximum rate of fire: about 5–6 rounds/min. Maximum range: about 28.4–28.5 km with standard HE; up to roughly 33–33.5 km with rocket-assisted projectiles. Muzzle velocity with standard HE is commonly cited near 900–950 m/s. Prime movers: heavy 6×6 trucks (e.g., KrAZ/KAMAZ) or tracked tractors. Ammunition is separate-loading with variable charges; Giatsint-B is primarily employed with conventional HE/HE-frag and extended-range projectiles.
Comparative Capabilities and Roles
Msta-B emphasizes high-angle howitzer fire and compatibility with precision 152 mm munitions, supporting direct support and general support missions. Giatsint-B emphasizes long-range, flat-trajectory fire and counter-battery engagements, exploiting higher muzzle velocity. In a mixed towed regiment, Msta-B batteries typically provide flexible, high-angle indirect fires including precision-strike options, while Giatsint-B batteries extend the lethal envelope for interdiction and counter-battery tasks.
Firepower, Range, and Munitions
Both weapons fire standard 152 mm separate-loading ammunition. Typical 152 mm HE projectiles weigh roughly 43–46 kg; fuzes include point-detonating, delay, and proximity options. Extended-range effects are achieved with base-bleed and rocket-assisted projectiles. Msta-B is widely reported as compatible with Krasnopol laser-guided rounds (original and improved variants), enabling precision effects at tens of kilometers when paired with appropriate laser designation. Open sources more commonly document Giatsint-B with conventional and RAP ammunition; guided projectile integration is less consistently reported in public sources for Giatsint-B.
Unit Structure and Employment Patterns (Typical)
Russian artillery batteries commonly field six guns; a battalion/divizion typically comprises three batteries (approximately 18 guns). A regimental-level towed artillery formation using Msta-B and Giatsint-B would usually be organized into multiple batteries with fire direction and reconnaissance elements, survey/met teams, and logistic support. Employment includes preparatory fires, counter-battery, interdiction, and responsive support to maneuver units. Fire control is increasingly digitized where available (e.g., ASUNO/Kapustnik-B), though legacy voice/procedural control remains in use.
Command, Control, and Target Acquisition Enablers
Russian artillery formations employ a mix of legacy and modern systems for targeting and fire control. Commonly documented assets include PRP-4A Argus artillery reconnaissance vehicles for observation/adjustment; 1L261 Zoopark-1M counter-battery radars for projectile trajectory tracking; and tactical UAVs (e.g., Orlan-10) for ISR, target acquisition, and battle damage assessment. Integration of UAV-derived coordinates with digital fire control has been repeatedly observed in recent conflicts, improving responsiveness and accuracy for both Msta-B and Giatsint-B units.
Mobility, Emplacement, and Survivability
As towed systems, both Msta-B and Giatsint-B require prime movers and crew labor to emplace/displace. Emplacement and displacement times are on the order of minutes, with Msta-B generally faster to bring into action than the heavier Giatsint-B. Compared with self-propelled artillery, towed systems have lower tactical mobility and greater exposure to counter-battery fire and UAV-directed strikes, making camouflage, dispersion, deception, and rapid displacement critical. Movement typically uses road marches and rail for long-distance redeployment; cross-country mobility depends on the towing vehicle and terrain.
Logistics and Sustainment
Sustainment demands are significant due to projectile mass (roughly 43–46 kg per HE round) and propelling charges. Each gun requires dedicated transport for ammunition, spares, and crew equipment; a battery typically fields multiple cargo trucks and maintenance assets. Firing at maximum rates rapidly consumes ammunition and can drive resupply cycles. Barrel wear management, recoil system maintenance, and towing vehicle readiness are routine requirements. Field fortifications (gun pits, berms) and ammunition field storage areas are established near firing positions, subject to safety distances and explosive ordnance regulations.
Infrastructure and Basing Considerations
Garrison sites for towed artillery units include motor pools for prime movers and support vehicles, secured ammunition depots, technical maintenance facilities, and training ranges suitable for 152 mm live fire out to 30+ km. Railheads are typically used for strategic mobility. Field sites consist of dispersed firing positions, command posts, observation posts, and camouflage/deception measures. Specific basing locations for any “27th Artillery Regiment” cannot be verified from public sources as of October 2024 without an attributable higher headquarters or military unit number.
Documented Operational Use (Open Sources)
Both 2A65 Msta-B and 2A36 Giatsint-B are well documented in the post-1991 period and have been extensively observed in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict since 2014, including widespread imagery of their employment and losses. Open-source intelligence has shown these systems used for counter-battery fire, area suppression, and interdiction. Imagery and reporting consistently show integration with UAV spotting and modernized fire direction in some units, while others rely on traditional forward observers and optical instruments.
Legal and Treaty Context
Russia is not a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Russian 152 mm artillery inventories include cargo/cluster types documented in service historically, and their use has been reported in open sources in recent conflicts. Specific munition selections are operational decisions and not detailed in public Russian doctrinal publications. Nuclear artillery shells historically existed in Soviet inventories for 152 mm caliber; any current status is not publicly disclosed.
Limitations and Vulnerabilities
Key limitations include slower displacement compared with self-propelled systems, higher exposure during set-up, and reliance on prime movers. In a dense counter-battery and UAV-threat environment, towed guns must depend on deception, mobility, and rapid fire missions with minimal time-on-target. Giatsint-B offers greater range but is heavier and more demanding to move; Msta-B offers precision options with guided munitions but shorter maximum range with conventional HE compared to Giatsint-B.
OSINT Confidence and Information Gaps
System-level data for 2A65 and 2A36 are well established in public defense references. However, attribution of a specific Russian unit titled “27th Artillery Regiment” (location, higher command, military unit number, and fixed sites) is not supported by authoritative open-source documentation as of October 2024. Any precise site analysis would require additional identifying data or official disclosures. Where details are not publicly available or would be classified, they are not included.