Of particular value of these weapon systems is their capability of curved firing at different ranges which is an inestimable advantage during military actions in cross-country terrain.

In 1940 the development of mortar rounds comprising projectiles of various purposes was started under the leadership of Alexandr I. Zverev, a prominent designer and a winner of three State Prizes. The mortar bombs were designed to be fired from smoothbore mortars of all callibers adopted for service with the Army.

Wide use of mortar weapon systems is attributed to the combination of design simplicity, ease of mortar handling and mortar bombs high efficiency. For 50mm, 82mm, 107mm, 120mm and 160mm smoothbore mortars FSUE "SRPE "Bazalt" has developed HE, HE/frag, illuminating, incendiary, smoke and practice (training) mortar rounds.

The main goal of mortar systems development in the post-war period was to enhance ammo operation reliability and crew safety alongwith improving of technical characteristics. New types of mortar bombs were developed to be used with mortars of all calibers, these bombs were fitted with strengthened stabilizers, their bodies were manufactured of steel and steel cast iron. The precision of manufacturing bomb basic components was improved. These measures eliminated the possibility of short falling and mortar bombs destructing and provided for twofold fire accuracy improvement.

240mm M-240 superpowerful mortar firing a HE steel mortar bomb weighing approx 140kg and capable of destructing heavy log-and-earth, brick and concrete structures and buildings was fielded in 1950. So far, in terms of fire power this system has no equivalents in the world.

The smoothbore mortars featuring improved ballistics characteristics (120mm 2B11 towed mortar, 82mm 2B14 mortar and 82mm 2B9 automatic mortar) were adopted for service in the late 70s-early 80s and so far have no foreign counterparts. For the above mentioned mortars FSUE "SRPE "Bazalt" developed in a very short period of time two crucially new series of mortar bombs featuring improved efficiency and encreased firing range, among them there were bombs fitted with proximity fuzes. The family of bombs developed for the 2B14 and 2B9 mortars comprises fragmentary, illuminating and smoke rounds. The family of bombs developed for the 120mm mortars comprises HE/frag, illuminating, incendiary and burning bombs.

The developed mortar rounds feature the following peculiarities:

- increased firing range owing to the use of long-range propelling charges;
- improved HE/fragmentation effect due to design parameters optimization, use of projectile steel, high-strength cast iron and powerful high explosives;
- application of red phosphorus based compositions;
- equipping rounds with proximity fuzes;
- introduction of new illuminating and incendiary compositions.

The use of Bazalt-developed PG-15V, PG-15VS antitank rounds, as well as the OG-15VM round with a fragmentation grenade intended for the BMP-1 gun 2A28 provided the fighting vehicle with the capability of engaging tanks, artillery guns, hostile manpower.

The 2S9 self-propelled mortar-artillery system whose barrel and rounds have pre-cut rifling grooves was developed in 80s . FSUE "SRPE "Bazalt" developed for this system and put into service new 120mm split/complete rounds comprising a HE/frag steel projectile filled with powerful high-explosive, with a HE/frag rocket-assisted projectile or with a HEAT projectile. In terms of efficiency the 120mm HE/frag projectiles developed for this system are significantly superior to their foreign counterparts and are virtually on a par with 152mm conventional artillery projectiles.

The 2S9 gun is also capable of firing all types of 120mm fin-stabilized mortar bombs both of domestic or foreign origin.

HE/frag rounds equipping with radio fuzes allowed for their efficiency against area targets and sheltered manpower to be increased by 2 to 3 times.

Today the 2S31 self-propelled gun is under development based on 2S9 SP gun design. The 2S31 SP gun is equipped with the most up-to-date topographical coordinating, aiming and fire control systems, as well as detection countermeasure systems. Due to their improved ballistics, the 2S31 SP gun is capable of firing all types of 120mm rounds comprising fin-stabilized projectiles and rifled projectiles (both of Russian and foreign origin), as well as Bazalt's specially-designed rounds featuring increased efficiency and comprising a HE/frag projectile or a cargo projectile loaded with HEAT submunitions.

The 2S31 new SP mortar-artillery system fire range (with HE/frag projectiles) will be doubled as compared to that of the 2S9 SP gun or a 120mm smooth-bore mortar. Its cargo round will be capable of engaging top armor of combat vehicles at a range of up to 10Km.