MLRS Grad (9K51) is a 122 mm multiple launch rocket system created in the USSR. "Grad" is designed to suppress manpower, unarmored and lightly armored vehicles of the enemy, as well as other tasks, depending on the prevailing situation. The MLRS was adopted by the army in 1963. The caliber of the shells used is 122 mm., The number of guides is 40 pcs., The maximum firing range is 20, 4 km. The artillery part of the installation is installed on the chassis of the Ural-375D or Ural-4320 trucks, depending on the modification. The Grad-1 MLRS modification is mounted on the ZIL-131 chassis. The speed of the combat vehicle is 75-90 km / h.
Purpose and features
The mission of the field 122-mm divisional MLRS BM-21 "Grad" is to destroy open and sheltered enemy manpower, unarmored and lightly armored vehicles, mortar and artillery batteries, command posts, as well as other targets in areas of enemy concentration and during combat operations.
The Grad system has high dynamic qualities and good maneuverability, which makes it possible to use it more efficiently in conjunction with armored vehicles during the march and at the front line during the conduct of hostilities. BM-21 reloading is carried out manually using a transport-loading vehicle (three-axle ZIL-131 vehicle with 2 racks - each for 20 shells).
Composition
The Grad MLRS includes a BM-21 combat vehicle based on the Ural-375D chassis, unguided rockets of 122 mm caliber, a fire control system and a transport-loading vehicle - TZM 9T254. To prepare the initial data for firing, the BM-21 battery has a 1V110 "Bereza" control vehicle, made on the chassis of a GAZ-66 truck.
BM-21 is a cross-country vehicle chassis with an artillery unit in the rear of the vehicle. The artillery unit includes a package of 40 tubular guides mounted on a swivel base, swivel and lifting mechanisms, sights, and other equipment. Guidance can be carried out both in the horizontal and vertical planes. In the guides (with an inner diameter of 122, 4 mm and a length of 3 m), a U-shaped screw groove is made to give the projectile a rotational motion. The package of guides includes 4 rows of 10 tubes each, together with sights, it is mounted on a rigid welded cradle. Guidance mechanisms provide guidance in the vertical plane (from 0 to +55 degrees) and in the horizontal plane - 172 degrees (70 degrees to the right and 102 degrees to the left of the vehicle). The guides are guided by an electric drive.
The fire control system (FCS) provides salvo or single fire from the installation's cockpit or from a remote control panel from a distance of up to 50 m. The duration of a full salvo of "Grad" is 20 seconds. Shooting can be carried out in a wide temperature range (from -40 to +50 degrees) with minimal (due to the use of a computer and the sequential descent of shells from the guides) rocking of the machine. The time for bringing the MLRS "Grad" from the traveling position to the combat position does not exceed 3.5 minutes. BM-21 has a high cross-country ability, and on the highway it can reach speeds of up to 90 km / h, the installation is able to overcome a ford one and a half meters deep. The vehicle is equipped with a radio station R-108M and fire extinguishing equipment.
The upgraded version of BM-21-1 uses diesel Ural-4320 as a chassis and has ASUNO - an automated guidance and fire control system, AMS - preparation and launch equipment, and NAP SNS - a satellite navigation system. These systems provide: initial orientation of the package of guides, determination of the initial and current coordinates while driving, showing the location and route of movement on an electronic map of the terrain on the computer screen, guidance of the package of guides from the cockpit without the exit of calculation and the use of sighting devices, automated remote data entry into fuses rockets, launching rockets from the cockpit without leaving the calculation.
The main types of rockets used
9M22 - used at a distance of 5 to 20.4 km. At the maximum firing range, lateral dispersion is 1/200 in range - 1/130. For firing at a shorter range (12-15, 9 km.), A small brake ring is used, and when firing at a distance of less than 12 km, a large brake ring. The length of the projectile is 2.87 m, the mass is 66 kg. (warhead - 18.4 kg. contains 6.4 kg. explosive). The projectile is equipped with an MRV long-range cocked head fuse, as well as an MRV-U with 3 settings: for instant action, small and large deceleration. The fuse is cocked after the projectile has come off the guide and moved away from the installation by 150-450 meters.
9M22U is a widely used type of NURS with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. It differs from the 9M22 projectile in a large number of fragments. A powder charge weighing 20, 45 kg provides a maximum firing range of up to 20, 4 km with a projectile speed of up to 690 m / s.
9M22S - a rocket with an incendiary warhead.
9M23 "Leica" - a specialized fragmentation projectile with a chemical warhead (1.8 kg of conventional explosive and 3, 11 kg of R-35 chemical, or 1.39 kg of conventional explosive and 2, 83 kg of R-33 chemical) … The projectile is equipped with mechanical and radar fuses, the latter is fired at a height of 1.6-30 meters. When detonated, it gives 760 fragments with a mass of 14, 7 g. The firing range when using a radar fuse is 18, 8 km.
9M43 - a rocket for setting blinding and camouflaging curtains in front of the combat formations of their troops and enemy troops weighing 56, 5 kg. It is used at a distance of 5-20.1 km. Consists of 5 smoke elements of red phosphorus weighing 0.8 kg. A salvo of 10 shells creates a continuous curtain 1 km wide along the front and 0.8-1 km deep for 5, 3 minutes.
9M28K - a rocket for remote setting minefields. Weight - 57, 7 kg, warhead weight - 22, 8 kg (contains 3 mines, 5 kg each), firing range 13, 4 km. To mine 1 km. front, requires the use of 90 shells. Time of self-destruction of mines after installation from 16 to 24 hours.
9M16 - a rocket for the installation of anti-personnel minefields. Weight - 56.4 kg, warhead weight - 21.6 kg (contains 5 anti-personnel fragmentation mines POM-2 weighing 1.7 kg each), maximum firing range - 3.4 km. A salvo of 20 shells is capable of mines 1 km of the front. Mines can self-destruct 4-100 hours after installation.
9M28F - a rocket with a powerful high-explosive part. The mass of the projectile is 56.5 kg, the mass of the warhead is 21 kg, the mass of the explosive is 14 kg, the firing range is 1.5-15 km.
9M28D - a rocket for setting radio interference in the HF and VHF ranges to hinder the enemy's radio communications at the tactical level. A set of 8 projectiles with the same dynamic and weight and size characteristics is capable of suppressing radio equipment in the range from 1.5 to 120 MHz. Ammunition firing range - 18, 5 km, projectile weight - 66 kg, warhead weight - 18, 4 kg. The time of continuous operation of the jammer is 1 hour, the range of jamming is 700 meters.
9M42 - illumination rocket for the Illumination system provides illumination of an area with a diameter of 1 km from a height of 450-500 meters for 90 seconds, providing an illumination level of 2 lux.
Condition for today
Nowadays MLRS "Grad" is in service with more than 30 different countries. As of 2007, the Russian ground forces had 2,500 BM-21 installations (367 in service, the rest in reserve). The coastal defense forces have 36 more installations. The armies of other countries are armed with about 3,000 Grad installations. MLRS "Grad" for decades was produced in large batches and is the most massive multiple launch rocket system of this class. For example, only at the Motovilikha factories 3000 BM-21s were produced and 3 million shells were manufactured for them.
MLRS "Grad-V" airborne installation
MLRS "Grad" became the basis for the creation of such systems as:
9K59 "Prima" - multipurpose multiple launch rocket system of increased power - 50 guides.
"Grad-V" is an airborne launcher with 12 guides for firing all types of projectiles based on the GAZ-66.
Grad-M is a shipborne analogue of the MLRS designed for installation on the landing ships of the Navy. Development began in 1966. The complex consists of a launcher with 40 guides, fire control devices, a rangefinder sighting device with a laser rangefinder. After revision and testing, it was put into service in 1978.
BM-21PD "Damba" is a multiple launch rocket system designed to combat naval saboteurs and submarines, used to protect maritime borders and naval bases. Developed in the 1980s.
MLRS "Grad" was so popular that copies of it were produced in many countries: in Egypt, Iraq, India, China, Pakistan, Romania and North Korea. Many of these countries also produced rockets for them. The Italian FIROS 25/30 MLRS is compatible with the Grad MLRS. In 1975, in Czechoslovakia, the RM-70 installation was designed, which was created by placing the Grad artillery unit on the Tatra-813 truck chassis.
