MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. The Russian Defense Ministry will sign a long-term contract for the latest Koalitsia-SV self-propelled artillery guns, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said during an inspection of Uraltransmash enterprise in Yekaterinburg.

He called to accelerate the trials and launch batch production. "We highly need the weapons. I believe we shall discuss it and decide on a long-term contract. It will make the prospects clear," he said.

The minister noted that Uraltransmash had acquired new tools and considerably increased the output.

The Defense Ministry said the production of the first batch of Koalitsia-SV guns was at the final stage.

"Uraltransmash CEO Oleg Yemelyanov reported that the output of self-propelled artillery guns increased six times against 2022. The first batch of Koalitsia-SV 2S35 self-propelled artillery complex is at the final production stage," it said adding the average wage at the enterprise comprises close to 130 thousand rubles.

Shoigu inspected the production and overhaul of Msta-S 2S19, Acacia 2S3, Tyulpan 2S4, Giatsint 2S5 and Koalitsia-SV 2S35 guns at the enterprise and specified the plans for the upcoming months. Yemelyanov said the enterprise had the required capacities to increase the production. "If you have the capacity, we should use it," Shoigu responded.

He criticized Uraltransmash for the delay in the production of Koalitsia-SV guns. "We began to deal with it in 2022. The vehicles had to operate in full in 2023, but it is quiet here," he said.

Shoigu admitted that the production and overhaul of Msta-S self-propelled guns had acquired a higher pace and the same should happen with other guns. "I would like to receive a report in a week on how we shall reach the indicators," he said.

Koalitsia-SV 2S35 is armed with 152 mm 2A88 gun with a rate of fire of ten shots per minute. It has automatic guidance, target selection and navigation. The gun is mounted on T-90 tank undercarriage and destroys command posts, communication hubs, artillery and mortar batteries, armor, air and missile defense and troops at a distance of 70 km. The workplaces of the commander and gunner have digital displays and are integrated into a single automatic tactical command system, which provides guidance by a digital channel, monitors the terrain round-the-clock, and adjusts fire in any weather.