The 2S1 Gvozdika (Carnation) was the standard Red Army self-propelled howitzer platform. The type was recognized by the West in 1974 and given the designation “M1974”. Production was undertaken at factories within the Soviet Union, Bulgaria and Poland with thousands of the vehicles being delivered.
The 2S1 borrows much of its design from the MT-LB multi-role tracked vehicle. The hull is rather long and featureless, making room for the flat, all welded turret emplacement to which a 122 mm main gun is fitted. Due to it’s Cold War origins, the 2S1’s fighting compartment is fully protected from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Infra-red night vision is standard for the driver and commander potions.