Ruben Johnson, a columnist for the American outlet 19FortyFive, has drawn attention to Russia’s Bagulnik-82, a new ground-based robotic system capable of firing new mortar rounds automatically at a rate of one shot every five seconds.

According to Johnson, the Bagulnik-82 was built on the Courier unmanned ground platform. The system features a rotating turret with a mortar module and an autoloading mechanism, allowing it to operate without direct human involvement.

He believes the new platform could reach the special military operation zone as early as this spring or in early summer. In his assessment, the Bagulnik-82 may be based on the lightweight 2B24 mortar, which he described as the latest version in its family. Johnson also noted that earlier models had been designed as light weapons optimized for mobility and for use in demanding environments such as mountainous terrain.

He also singled out the robot’s automatic loading system, describing it as one of Russia’s technological innovations that had already proven effective in the development of manned tanks.