Recently, a video surfaced showcasing a new hybrid cannon combining a BMP's cannon with a carriage from the D-44/48 artillery. This time, the "upgrade" involved the 30-mm automatic cannon from the BMP-2, specifically the 2A42 model. It has also been mounted on the D-44/48 carriage, but this modification raises questions regarding its aiming capabilities.
Russians are already utilizing the 73-mm "Grom" cannons from the BMP-1 on the D-44/48 carriage. Initially, it seemed that the Russian army had taken 45-mm M-42 cannons from World War II museums, but it turned out to be much more mundane.
Recently, there have been increasing instances of makeshift modifications to D-44/48 cannons by the Russians. This leads to the assumption that either the barrels or their ammunition are gradually running out, prompting some units to equip cannons from presumably damaged or destroyed BMP-1/2 vehicles, which are becoming more prevalent after the recent active assaults by the Russians.
Since mounting the 1PZ-3 sight from the BMP-2 is unlikely, and the standard sight from the D-44/48 is not designed for the 2A42, it makes accurate fire virtually impossible.
Therefore, the available options for aiming are either to aim "by eye" with corresponding accuracy or to keep the standard sight from the D-44/48 for at least a rough understanding of where the cannon is aimed.
However, in a video review from a Russian soldier, it can be observed that the sight is missing, and one might assume it will be installed later. Yet, in a video of combat operations using FPV drones from the BBS "VIDARR" 60th OMBr (at the 1:02 mark), a similar "hybrid" can be seen already on position, also without a sight.
Thus, the only remaining option for aiming is "by eye," which, combined with the installation of an automatic cannon on the carriage, results in a correspondingly low accuracy. Consequently, the practicality of such a "hybrid" remains highly questionable.
The D-44 or D-48 is a Soviet cannon with an 85-mm caliber. Although it was developed back in 1944, it is still widely used due to a lack of sufficient modern artillery samples. The D-44 has a firing range of up to 15.8 kilometers and can achieve 20-25 rounds per minute, while the D-48 has a range of up to 18.9 kilometers and can fire up to 15 rounds per minute.