"To the State Committee of Defense, comrade V.M. Molotov
January 3rd, 1943
GOKO decree #2429ss issued on October 19th, 1942, which began domestic SPG development, also approved production of 120 SG-122 122 mm self propelled howitzers on the chassis of the captured German Artshturm at factory #592.
Factory #592, due to a lack of necessary organization, failed to complete this task, and produced only 6 SPGs, fulfilling a separate GAU order.
As of January 1st, 1943, the factory was supposed to have produced 60 units of SG-122, in reality the current state of production is as follows:
- Produced and trialled, but not accepted: 8
- Produced and preparing for trials: 10
- Preparing for howitzer installation: 11
At the time, the idea of building 120 self propelled howitzers with minimal effort, especially without a comparable vehicle in production, was worthy of attention.
The inability to provide spare parts, special training required for drivers, low lifespan of parts (as the were already worn and went through repairs), all of this was a suitable price to pay for offensive self propelled artillery.
Currently, since factory #592 did not provide this artillery in time, and since domestic production of self propelled artillery is picking up, subsequent production of the SG-122, which also requires a new factory (due to the transfer of the factory to the NKTP), is unreasonable.
In reporting this, I ask to present to the Government a proposal to cease the production of the SG-122, limiting it to the completion of the 29 vehicles that were already started by the former factory #592.
GAU Chief, Colonel-General of Artillery, Yakovlev"
"Decree of the State Committee of Defense
Contents: on cessation of production of the 122 mm SG-122 SPG on the chassis of captured Artshturm SPGs and T-3 tanks
Due to the creation of domestic self propelled artillery and considering that captured Artshturm SPGs and T-3 tanks come in heavily worn condition and without spare parts, and can therefore not serve as a suitable foundation for production of 122 mm SPGs, the State Committee of Defense decrees that:
- Production of 122 mm SPGs on the chassis of captured tanks and SPGs at factory #592 will cease.
- The People's Commissariat of Tank Production (comrade Zaltsmann) may complete the 29 SG-122 SPGs already in progress at factory #592 by February 15th, 1943.
Chair of the State Commitee of Defense, I. Stalin"