MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Military personnel in Russia’s Eastern Military District (EMD) have received some of the world’s heaviest and most powerful self-propelled mortars, the district’s spokesman said Monday.
"The mortars entered into service with the EMD artillery units stationed in Primorsky Territory. The self-propelled 2S4 Tyulpan mortar is the world’s heaviest and most powerful," Col. Alexander Gordeev said.
Gordeev told reporters the 240 mm mortar "has no equals," noting its original design employing an artillery element placed on top of the hull, with crew, equipment and armament inside the chassis.
The mortar is designed to destroy solid field fortifications, buildings adapted into shelters, command posts, artillery and missile batteries, as well as other targets inaccessible to conventional artillery.