Roleheavy siege and special-purpose mortar artillery
Main weapon / system240 mm 2B8 mortar
Platform / layouttracked chassis with externally mounted rear mortar
MediaPrimary image integrated
Development and design
Rather than a conventional turret, the vehicle carries the mortar on the rear of a tracked chassis and lowers it into firing position. The large weapon trades rate of fire and ammunition capacity for destructive effect and specialized ammunition options. 1, 2
Operational use
Tyulpan systems served in Soviet and Russian forces and have been used in several conflicts where heavy high-angle fire against prepared positions was required. 1, 2
Role and significance
The 2S4 is a reminder that self-propelled artillery includes more than howitzers: Soviet doctrine retained a specialized super-heavy mortar capability alongside guns, rockets, and standard SPHs. 1, 2
Sources and further reading
Representative source set used for this profile. Primary image source and reuse terms are listed with the image.