Russia to unveil new self-propelled gun at IDEX-2025 in Abu Dhabi

Russia's Lotus (Lotos) self-propelled artillery gun (SPG) will make its international debut at the IDEX-2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the Kalashnikov Concern said. 

"The 120 mm advanced self-propelled artillery gun 'Lotos', developed by the Central Research Institute for Precision Machine Building (JSC TsNIITochMash, part of the Kalashnikov Concern), will be showcased to foreign specialists for the first time at IDEX 2025," the Kalashnikov Concern said in a statement.

Key Features of Lotos Artillery System

Airdrop Capability — The Lotos SPG can be parachuted from aircraft in a fully combat-ready state, with its crew inside.
Replacement for the Nona-S — Designed to replace the Nona-S system, which has been in service since 1980.

Performance Improvements

The Lotos surpasses its predecessor in:

• firing range,
• onboard ammunition capacity,
• power of its primary high-explosive fragmentation shell.

The Lotos is based on the amphibious BMD-4M airborne combat vehicle and is equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore gun. In November 2024, Kalashnikov Concern President Alan Lushnikov announced that the Lotos SPG, developed for Russia's Airborne Forces (VDV), had been sent for state trials.

Details

The 2S9 NONA ( 'Newest Ordnance of Ground Artillery') is a self-propelled and air-droppable 120 mm mortar designed in the Soviet Union, which entered service in 1981. The 2S9 chassis is designated the S-120 and based on the aluminium hull of the BTR-D airborne multi-purpose tracked armoured personnel carrier. More generally, the 120 mm mortar is referred to as the Nona, with the 2S9 also known as the Nona-S. Although no figures have been released, it is estimated that over 1,000 2S9 were built. The 2S9 Nona-S is an amphibious vehicle that can be propelled through the water by two rear water-jets. It is operated by a four-man crew comprising a commander, a driver/mechanic, a gunner, and a loader. The hull interior is separated into a command compartment, a fighting compartment and an engine compartment. A welded steel turret is located at the middle of the hull. The two-man turret has hatches for the gunner and loader respectively.