On the website vlg-media.ru of the information company "Volga-Media" of the Volgograd region administration, a report appeared on the new 122-mm multiple launch rocket systems 9K51M "Tornado-G", which entered service with the 20th separate guards motorized rifle brigade stationed in Volgograd Russian army. It was reported that 18 combat vehicles of this system produced by Motovilikhinskiye Zavody OJSC entered the brigade's rocket artillery battalion in April 2012, and that these are the first Tornado-Gs in service with the Southern Military District.
"The Tornado multiple launch rocket system is a modification of the Grad MLRS, but unlike its predecessor, the Tornado-G has an increased firing range due to the use of new projectiles and an increased speed of bringing the system into combat readiness thanks to the installed automation," said the commander of the third rocket artillery battery, Captain Anatoly Grinev - New shells allow firing at a distance of up to 40 km from the target, while the old ones had a firing range of about 27 km. new shells, it is also capable of firing with shells intended for the "Grad" system."
Due to the automated systems installed in the Tornado-G, the speed of deployment and aiming of the entire system is reduced several times, while the work of the combat crew is reduced only to monitoring the operation of the systems, and only as a last resort, if the automation is destroyed or broken, then the combat crew must manually aim at the target."
“The new system“Tornado-G”automatically makes targeting according to the received data from the satellite. If an abnormal situation arises, then the guidance has to be done manually. It is made directly from the cab of the car in a matter of minutes, which was not the case with the famous "Grad", - said the commander of the 3rd crew of the first fire platoon, junior sergeant Igor Goryushkin. - It makes the task much easier. All management of the multiple launch rocket system is simplified, which allows you to do everything much faster."
Combat vehicles MLRS 9K51M "Tornado-G" from the 20th separate guards motorized rifle brigade. Volgograd, July 2012 (c) Volga-Media / vlg-media.ru
