[IDEX 2025] The Russian 2B25 Silent Mortar
Time is everything in an attack, and having a weapon that gives you the advantage of time is invaluable. This system lets your mortar team drop rounds on a target while concealing their firing location. This is the Russian silent short-range 82mm mortar system known as 2B25. Based on released videos, it sounds like a suppressed AK firing subsonic 7.62x39 ammunition. The system has a maximum range of 1,200 meters.
This silent mortar system supports an offensive operation conducted by a small team. While assisting an attacking element, it will take time for the enemy to locate, respond, and send rounds their way.
The 2B25 is a rarely seen weapon typically issued to special units that require extra firepower for offensive operations. Weighing 28.6 lbs (13 kg), it is relatively easy to carry and move around. This mortar has been observed a few times during the Russo-Ukraine war.
The system employs a captive piston mechanism and an internal spigot firing mechanism that activates when the firing handle is pulled. The firing mechanism within the spigot sets off the percussion cap and ignites the expelling charge, and the rapidly expanding gases propel the 82mm mortar round down the barrel. As the round moves, the piston remains stationary against the spigot until it engages with the taper at the rear of the mortar round. This design retains the expanding gases, reducing the weapon's sound signature.
The 2B25 is designed similarly to a German World War II mortar known as the 8.9/20 cm rod mortar.
In conclusion, this silent mortar system provides an attacking force with a significant advantage when targeting an objective. Even after silence is no longer required, it offers a lightweight option for launching high-explosive fragmentation rounds. This is definitely a system I would like to test out.
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Lynndon Schooler is an open-source weapons intelligence professional with a background as an infantryman in the US Army. His experience includes working as a gunsmith and production manager in firearm manufacturing, as well as serving as an armorer, consultant, and instructor in nonstandard weapons. His articles have been published in Small Arms Review and the Small Arms Defence Journal. https://www.instagram.com/lynndons
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