The T-122 "Sakarya" multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is designed to destroy manpower, military equipment, fortifications, command posts, administrative and inhabited localities of the enemy when firing from closed firing positions at any time of the day in any weather conditions.
Developed by the Turkish company "Roketsan Missiles Industries Inc."
Currently, the T-122 "Sakarya" MLRS is in serial production and is entering service with the Turkish ground forces. The system is constantly being improved: new types of ammunition have been created, a fire control system, and the combat vehicle has been modernized. A promising solution is to replace the guide tube package with two monoblocks of 20 disposable transport and launch containers, which significantly increases the reliability and reduces the reloading time of the combat vehicle. The upgraded version was first demonstrated at the IDEF-2005 exhibition.
MLRS T-122 is offered to the foreign market and has a certain export potential, because It is quite widely standardized in terms of the used ammunition with the Russian MLRS BM-21 "Grad" and its numerous clones collected in various countries of the world.
The composition of the MLRS T-122:
combat vehicle (BM) T-122;
122 mm unguided rockets (NURS);
transport and loading machine;
battery command post.
BM T-122 is made on the chassis of a German off-road truck MAN (wheel arrangement 6x6) of various modifications. The artillery unit of the early versions of the BM (see photo) includes two half-packs of 20 tubular guides in each, a rotary base with guidance mechanisms and sights, as well as electrical and hydraulic equipment. Tubular guides are installed and aligned using a lightweight structural frame. Recharging is done manually.
The latest versions of the T-122 combat vehicle are equipped with two monoblocks of 20 disposable transport and launch containers (TPK) made of polymer composite materials. They are installed on a combat vehicle using a BM onboard crane. The recharging time in this case is about 5 minutes. Monoblocks are loaded with rockets at the factory and sealed. NURS do not require maintenance during the entire period of operation, the input of data into the fuse of a rocket during preparation for firing is carried out remotely using a fire control system. The technology used provides increased mobility of the BM, the ability to install a monoblock on various types of media, ease of storage and loading.
Power-driven guidance mechanisms allow you to direct the package of guides in the vertical plane from 0 ° to a maximum elevation angle of + 55 °. Horizontal guidance angle ± 110 ° from the longitudinal axis of the machine. The electrical and mechanical actuators are designed for placement on various launchers. The M-12 panoramic sight is installed on the left side of the combat vehicle. When transferring the BM to the firing position, four hydraulic jacks mounted on both sides of the machine rest on the ground. Behind the main cabin is a fully enclosed crew cabin. The BM staffing crew consists of five numbers (in combat conditions, the calculation can be reduced to 3 numbers). Vehicle modifications can be equipped with armored cabins and equipped with systems of protection against damaging factors of weapons of mass destruction, as well as an air conditioning system. A 7.62 mm machine gun is installed on the roof of the cabin.
The area of destruction with a full salvo of BM (40 NURS with high-explosive warheads) is 250,000 square meters at a distance of 3 to 40 km. The deployment time of the BM at the firing position is less than 15 minutes. and about 5min. when using a satellite navigation system. The combat mission is carried out both independently and as part of a battery. The battery command post provides control of six T-122 BM and support facilities.
The T-122 combat vehicle is equipped with a modern fire control system "BORA-2100", which provides:
system testing before and during firing;
automatic calculation of initial data for firing NURS with different types of warheads;
automatic guidance guidance of a package of guides without leaving the calculation from the cockpit;
firing single NURS or a salvo with a rate of fire of 2 s;
storing data on the location of 20 targets in memory;
input of meteorological information in METSM or similar formats.
The main types of ammunition MLRS T-122 are:
SR-122 and SRB-122 with a range of 20 km;
TR-122 and TRB-122 with an increased flight range of up to 40 km and solid propellant engines with a composite fuel charge;
TRK-122 with a range of 30 km and a cassette warhead.
NURS SR-122 and TR-122 are equipped with a high-explosive warhead and are designed to operate against lightly armored targets and enemy manpower. Warheads of this type have an explosive charge (explosive) weighing 6.5 kg based on TNT and RDX and a contact fuse. Upon explosion, the warhead gives about 2400 fragments and provides a radius of destruction of more than 20m.
NURS SRB-122 and TRB-122 have high-explosive fragmentation warheads with ready-made striking elements (GGE) in the form of steel balls. The number of GGE is more than 5500. The weight of the explosive charge is 4 kg. The warhead is equipped with a non-contact type fuse and has a radius of damage of more than 40m.
Cassette warhead NURS TRK-122 is designed to destroy armored vehicles, manpower, warehouses and fortifications. The warhead is equipped with 50 cumulative fragmentation warheads (KOBE) and 6 incendiary BEs. The charge of combat elements is made on the basis of RDX and WAX. KOBE weighing 0.28kg provides a hitting radius of 7.5m.
The monoblock of the modernized MLRS T-122 has a width of 800mm, a height of 750mm, a length of 3000mm (for TRB-122) and 3250mm (for TRK-122). The weight of the monoblock equipped with twenty TRB-122 NURS is 1780kg, with twenty TRK-122 - 1890kg.
The 122-mm Roketsan NURS are unified with the Russian MLRS BM-21 Grad NURS and can be used as part of this system or its many variants assembled in various parts of the world. In turn, the BM T-122 can use all types of ammunition developed for the BM-21.
