Uraltransmash
Uraltransmash is a Yekaterinburg-based Russian engineering company and a major producer of self-propelled artillery, with additional activities in oil-production equipment, lifting equipment, and trams.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Uraltransmash, formally associated with the Ural Plant of Transport Engineering, is an engineering and defense manufacturer based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The enterprise is currently a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod and is best known for developing and producing tracked self-propelled artillery systems for the Russian armed forces. It also manufactures selected civil and industrial equipment, including oil-production pumping units, elevator winches, and low-floor trams. The company traces its institutional history to a gold-mining factory established in Yekaterinburg in 1817. About three decades later, a machine-building plant replaced the original facility and produced steam engines, boilers, locomotives, and equipment for mining operations. Following the Russian Revolution, the plant was nationalized and renamed Metallist. During the industrialization period it was reconstructed and redirected toward oil-production and oil-refining equipment, while also undertaking orders connected with new industrial construction. Uraltransmash's modern defense role emerged during the Second World War. In the second half of 1941, production collectives and equipment evacuated from enterprises in Moscow, Podolsk, and Stalingrad were installed at the Yekaterinburg plant. The factory soon began producing T-60 light tanks for the Eastern Front; during its first six months of tank production, it reportedly completed 1,238 vehicles. After the war, the enterprise developed or modernized approximately forty types of military equipment and maintained a design bureau responsible for new military systems. The company's most prominent artillery program is the 2S19 Msta family. Uraltransmash produced its first self-propelled howitzer of this type in 1989, and later variants continued to be supplied to the Russian military. A documented example occurred in November 2011, when 26 2S19M1 Msta-S systems were delivered to units of Russia's Southern Military District in the Chechen Republic, replacing older 2S3 Akatsiya systems. The company's military portfolio has also included the 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, the 2S12 Sani mortar system, the 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV artillery system, and the GMZ-3 mine-laying vehicle. Beyond defense manufacturing, Uraltransmash has pursued civil production intended to diversify its industrial base. Its products have included pumping units used in oil extraction, winches for passenger and freight elevators, and low-floor tram vehicles. The company also planned serial production of battery-equipped trams, reflecting an effort to extend its engineering capabilities into urban transport. Uraltransmash has attracted criticism in assessments of Russian defense-industry management. A 2019 RAND Corporation research paper characterized it as one of the poorly managed enterprises in the Russian defense sector. The company was also involved in the PESA v. UralTransMash litigation, on which the Russian Supreme Court issued a judgment in December 2021. Publicly available reference material does not establish a complete current executive roster, detailed ownership percentages, financial results, or a current official website, so those fields remain unspecified.
History
Uraltransmash belongs to the long industrial tradition of Yekaterinburg and the Urals. Its history is traced to a gold-mining factory founded in 1817. Around thirty years later, a machine-building plant was established on the site. The replacement facility produced steam engines, boilers, locomotives, and machinery for mining, reflecting the Urals' role as a major center of extractive and metallurgical production. After the 1917 Revolution, the enterprise was nationalized and renamed Metallist. Following reconstruction, its activities shifted toward equipment for oil production and oil refining. It also supported the Soviet industrialization drive by fulfilling orders related to the construction of new industrial facilities. This period established the plant as a diversified heavy-engineering operation rather than a narrowly specialized manufacturer. The decisive transformation came during the Second World War. In the second half of 1941, evacuated personnel and equipment from industrial enterprises in Moscow, Podolsk, and Stalingrad were relocated to the plant. The reorganized factory entered wartime armored-vehicle production and supplied T-60 light tanks to the Eastern Front. During its first six months in this role, it reportedly produced 1,238 light tanks. Wartime production created the technical and organizational foundation for the enterprise's later defense specialization. In the postwar decades, Uraltransmash developed and modernized a broad range of military equipment. Reference material credits the company and its design bureau with work on approximately forty types of military systems. Its later identity became especially associated with self-propelled artillery. In 1989, the plant produced its first 2S19 Msta self-propelled howitzer. The Msta-S family and subsequent modifications remained part of Russian military procurement, including the delivery of 26 upgraded 2S19M1 systems to Southern Military District units in 2011. The company's military portfolio has included the 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer, 2S12 Sani mortar system, 2S19 Msta family, 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV artillery system, and GMZ-3 mine-laying vehicle. The enterprise has also retained civil manufacturing capabilities. These have included oil-production pumping units, elevator winches, and low-floor trams. Plans to begin serial production of battery-powered trams illustrated an attempt to apply its engineering base to urban mobility and reduce reliance on purely defense-related output. In the contemporary corporate structure, Uraltransmash operates as a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod, one of Russia's major heavy-industry and defense groups. Its public profile is consequently shaped by its role in Russia's state-linked defense-industrial system. A 2019 RAND Corporation study described the company as among the worst-managed enterprises in that sector, providing an external criticism of its operational and managerial performance. The company was also a party to the PESA v. UralTransMash case, which reached the Russian Supreme Court and received a judgment in December 2021. Detailed current information about leadership, financial performance, ownership structure, and official corporate communications is not established in the supplied reference material.
- 2021
Russian Supreme Court judgment in PESA litigation
[1]The Russian Supreme Court issued a judgment in the PESA v. UralTransMash case.
- 2019
RAND publishes critical defense-industry assessment
[1]A RAND Corporation study placed Uraltransmash among the poorly managed enterprises in Russia's defense industry.
- 2011
Msta-S systems delivered to Southern Military District
[1]Twenty-six 2S19M1 Msta-S systems were reported delivered to Russian Southern Military District units.
- 1989
First 2S19 Msta self-propelled howitzer produced
[1]Uraltransmash produced its first 2S19 Msta self-propelled howitzer, initiating its best-known artillery product family.
- 1941
Wartime production of T-60 light tanks begins
[1]Evacuated workers and equipment were installed at the plant, which began producing T-60 light tanks for the Eastern Front.
- 1917
Nationalization and renaming as Metallist
[1]After the Russian Revolution, the plant was nationalized and given the name Metallist.
- 1847
Machine-building plant replaces the earlier factory
[1]A machine-building facility was built on the site and began producing engines, boilers, locomotives, and mining equipment.
- 1817
Gold-mining factory established in Yekaterinburg
[1]The industrial predecessor of Uraltransmash was founded as a gold-mining factory in Yekaterinburg.
Products and positioning
A Russian defense and heavy-engineering manufacturer centered on self-propelled artillery, with supplementary civil-industrial and urban-transport production.
Self-propelled artillery · 1989
2S19 Msta / Msta-S
The 2S19 Msta is a tracked self-propelled howitzer family developed for Russian military service. Uraltransmash produced the first system in 1989 and continued manufacturing or modernizing variants, including the 2S19M1 Msta-S. The platform became the company's signature artillery product and was used to replace older 2S3 Akatsiya systems in Russian formations.
Self-propelled artillery
2S3 Akatsiya
The 2S3 Akatsiya is a Soviet-designed self-propelled howitzer associated with Uraltransmash's military production portfolio. The system represents an earlier generation of artillery equipment that was later replaced in some Russian units by newer Msta-S vehicles.
Mortar system
2S12 Sani
The 2S12 Sani is a mortar system listed among Uraltransmash's military products. The supplied reference material identifies the product but does not provide detailed specifications, production dates, or current production status.
Self-propelled artillery
2S35 Koalitsiya-SV
The 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV is a modern self-propelled artillery system included in Uraltransmash's defense portfolio. The available reference material does not specify the company's precise production role, delivery volumes, or current commercial status.
Mine-laying vehicle
GMZ-3
The GMZ-3 is a tracked military mine-laying vehicle associated with Uraltransmash. It forms part of the company's broader portfolio of specialized armored and engineering vehicles.
Low-floor tram
71-415
The 71-415 is a low-floor tram associated with Uraltransmash's civil urban-transport activities. It reflects the company's effort to diversify beyond defense manufacturing into passenger-vehicle production for municipal transport systems.
Oilfield equipment
Oil-production pumping units
Uraltransmash manufactures pumping units used in oil production. These products continue the enterprise's historical involvement in oil-production and oil-refining equipment and provide a civil-industrial complement to its defense business.
Lifting equipment
Elevator winches
The company has produced winches for passenger and freight elevators. The line demonstrates Uraltransmash's capabilities in heavy mechanical equipment outside military manufacturing.
Brand decisions
2012
Planned serial production of battery-powered tramsStrategyBackground
Uraltransmash was seeking to expand its civil product range alongside defense and oilfield equipment.
Action taken
The company planned to begin serial production of trams equipped with batteries.
Aftermath
The supplied reference material does not confirm the scale or final outcome of the planned program.
2011
Delivery of upgraded 2S19M1 Msta-S systemsOtherBackground
Russian military units were replacing older 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers with newer Msta-S systems.
Action taken
Uraltransmash supplied 26 2S19M1 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers to units of the Southern Military District in the Chechen Republic.
Aftermath
The delivery illustrated the continuing role of the Msta family in Russian artillery modernization.
Recent events
- 2021
Russian Supreme Court issues judgment in PESA v. UralTransMash[1]
Lawsuit
The Russian Supreme Court issued a judgment in the PESA v. UralTransMash legal dispute in December 2021.
- 2019
RAND assessment criticizes Uraltransmash management[1]
Other
A RAND Corporation research paper assessed Uraltransmash as being among the poorly managed enterprises in Russia's defense industry.
- 2011
Southern Military District receives 26 upgraded Msta-S howitzers[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Twenty-six 2S19M1 Msta-S self-propelled howitzers were reported as delivered to Russian Southern Military District units in the Chechen Republic, replacing older 2S3 Akatsiya systems.
Sources1 sources
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