Rocket and multiple launch rocket systems. Rszo - multiple launch rocket systems. Military equipment Tornado in service with different countries

Russia” proposed for consideration new ratings of military weapons and equipment, in which foreign and domestic weapons are involved.

At this time, the MLRS has been assessed different countries- manufacturers. The comparison took place according to the following parameters:
- the power of the object: caliber, range, area of ​​effect of one volley, time spent on the production of a volley;
- object mobility: movement speed, travel range, full recharge time;
- operation of the object: weight in combat readiness, number of combat and technical personnel, ammunition and ammunition.

The scores for each characteristic were given in total, the total score of the RZO systems. In addition to the above, the temporal characteristics of production, operation and application were taken into account.

The following systems participated in the rating:
- Spanish "Teruel-3";
- Israeli "LAROM";
- Indian "Pinaka";
- Israeli "LAR-160";
- Belarusian "BM-21A BelGrad";
- Chinese "Type 90";
- German "LARS-2";
- Chinese "WM-80";
- Polish "WR-40 Langusta";
- Patriotic "9R51 Grad";
- Czech "RM-70";
- Turkish "T-122 Roketsan";
- Patriotic "Tornado";
- Chinese "Type 82";
- American "MLRS";
- Patriotic "BM 9A52-4 Smerch";
- Chinese "Type 89";
- Patriotic "Smerch";
- American «HIMARS»;
- Chinese "WS-1B";
- Ukrainian "BM-21U Grad-M";
- Patriotic "9K57 Hurricane";
- South African "Bataleur";
- Domestic "9A52-2T Smerch";
- Chinese "A-100".
After evaluating the rating participants, five MLRS were identified that scored the largest number points:

Top Ranking Leader - domestic system"Tornado"

— ammunition caliber 122 mm;


- affected salvo area - 840 thousand square meters;

- travel speed - 60 km / h;
- range - up to 650 kilometers;
- the time required for the next salvo - 180 seconds;

- ammunition - three volleys.

The main developer is the Splav enterprise. Modifications - "Tornado-S" and "Tornado-G". The systems were created to replace the Uragan, Smerch and Grad systems in service. Advantages - equipped with universal containers with the ability to replace guides for the required caliber of ammunition. Ammunition options - caliber 330 mm "Smerch", caliber 220 mm "Hurricane", caliber 122 mm "Grad".
Wheel chassis - "KamAZ" or "Ural".
It is expected that Tornado-S will soon have a stronger chassis.
MLRS "Tornado" - a new generation of MLRS. The system can start moving immediately after firing a volley, without waiting for the results of hitting the target, the automation of firing is performed at the highest level.

The second place in the top rating goes to the domestic MLRS 9K51 "Grad"
The main characteristics of the system:
— ammunition caliber 122 mm;
- total number of guides - 40 units;
- range - up to 21 kilometers;
- affected salvo area - 40 thousand square meters;
- the time required for a salvo - 20 seconds;
- travel speed - 85 km / h;
- range - up to 1.4 thousand kilometers;


- ammunition - three volleys.

"9K51 Grad" is designed to destroy enemy personnel, enemy military equipment up to lightly armored, perform tasks of clearing the territory and fire support for offensive operations, deterring enemy offensive operations.
Made on the chassis "Ural-4320" and "Ural-375".
Participated in military conflicts since 1964.
It was put into service in many friendly countries of the Soviet Union.

The third place in the top rating is occupied by the American system "HIMARS"
The main characteristics of the HIMARS system:
— ammunition caliber 227 mm;
- total number of guides - 6 units;
- range - up to 80 kilometers;
- affected salvo area - 67 thousand square meters;
- the time required for a salvo - 38 seconds;
- travel speed - 85 km / h;
- range - up to 600 kilometers;
- the time required for the next salvo - 420 seconds;
- standard calculation - three people;
- ammunition - three volleys.
- weight in combat readiness - almost 5.5 tons.

High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is a development of the American company Lockheed Martin. The system is designed as a PAC for operational and tactical purposes. The beginning of the development of "HIMARS" - 1996. On the FMTV chassis there are 6 missiles for the MLRS and 1 ATACMS missile. Can use any ammunition from all United States MLRS.
Used in military conflicts (operations Moshtarak and ISAF) in Afghanistan.

The penultimate place in this rating is occupied by the Chinese system WS-1B
The main characteristics of the system:
- ammunition caliber 320 mm;
- total number of guides - 4 units;
- range - up to 100 kilometers;
- affected salvo area - 45 thousand square meters;
- the time required for a salvo - 15 seconds;
- travel speed - 60 km / h;
- range - up to 900 kilometers;
- the time required for the next salvo - 1200 seconds;
- standard calculation - six people;
- ammunition - three volleys.
- weight in combat readiness - a little more than 5 tons.

The WS-1B system is designed to disable the most important objects, these can be military bases, concentration areas, missile launchers, airfields, important logistics hubs, industrial and administrative centers.
MLRS WeiShi-1B - modernization of the main system WS-1. The army units of China still do not use this MLRS. WeiShi-1B is offered for sale on the arms market, the Chinese corporation CPMIEC is engaged in sales.
In 1997, Turkey purchased one battery of the WS-1 system from China, which contained 5 vehicles with MLRS. Turkey, with the support of China, organized its own production and delivered five more batteries of modernized MLRS to the army units. The Turkish system gets its own name - "Kasirga". Today, Türkiye produces the WS-1B system under license. This system received its own name "Jaguar".

The Indian Pinaka system completes the top rating of RZO systems
The main characteristics of the system:
— ammunition caliber 214 mm;
- total number of guides - 12 units;
- range - up to 40 kilometers;
- affected salvo area - 130 thousand square meters;
- the time required for a salvo - 44 seconds;
- travel speed - 80 km / h;
- range - up to 850 kilometers;
- the time required for the next salvo - 900 seconds;
- standard calculation - four people;
- ammunition - three volleys.
- weight in combat readiness - almost 6 tons.

The Indian "Pinaka" is made as an all-weather RZO system. Designed to destroy enemy personnel and enemy military equipment, up to lightly armored. It is possible to carry out the tasks of cleaning up the territory and providing fire support for offensive operations and deterring enemy offensive operations. Can install remotely minefields for enemy infantry and tank units.
It was used in the military conflict between India and Pakistan in 1999.

In everyday consciousness, defense technologies are usually associated with the cutting edge of science and technology. In fact, one of the main properties of military equipment is its conservatism and continuity. This is due to the enormous cost of weapons. Among critical tasks when developing a new weapon system - using the backlog on which money was spent in the past.

Accuracy vs Mass

And the guided missile of the Tornado-S complex was created exactly according to this logic. Its ancestor is the Smerch MLRS projectile, developed in the 1980s at the Splav NPO under the leadership of Gennady Denezhkin (1932-2016) and since 1987 has been in service with the Russian army. It was a projectile of 300 mm caliber, 8 m long and weighing 800 kg. He could deliver warhead weighing 280 kg for a distance of 70 km. The most interesting property of the "Smerch" was the stabilization system introduced into it.

Russian upgraded multiple launch rocket system, successor to the 9K51 Grad MLRS.

Before this system missile weapons divided into two classes - managed and unmanaged. Guided missiles had high accuracy, achieved through the use of an expensive control system - usually inertial, to improve accuracy, supplemented by correction on digital maps (as in American missiles MGM-31C Pershing II). Unguided missiles were cheaper, their low accuracy was compensated either by the use of a thirty-kiloton nuclear warhead(as in the MGR-1 Honest John rocket), or a volley of cheap, mass-produced ammunition, as in the Soviet Katyushas and Grads.

"Smerch" was supposed to hit targets at a distance of 70 km with non-nuclear munitions. And in order to hit an area target at such a distance with an acceptable probability, a very large number of unguided missiles in a salvo was required - after all, their deviations accumulate with distance. This is neither economically nor tactically profitable: there are very few targets that are too large, and it is too expensive to scatter a lot of metal in order to guarantee coverage of a relatively small target!

Soviet and Russian multiple launch rocket systems of 300 mm caliber. Currently, the MLRS "Smerch" is being replaced by the MLRS "Tornado-S".

"Tornado": new quality

Therefore, a relatively cheap stabilization system was introduced into the Smerch, inertial, working on gas-dynamic (deflecting gases flowing from the nozzle) rudders. Its accuracy was sufficient for a salvo - and each launcher carried a dozen launch tubes - to cover the target with an acceptable probability. After being put into service, the Smerch was improved along two lines. The range of combat units grew - cluster anti-personnel fragmentation units appeared; cumulative fragmentation, optimized to destroy lightly armored vehicles; anti-tank self-aiming combat elements. In 2004, the 9M216 Excitement thermobaric warhead entered service.

And at the same time, fuel mixtures in solid-fuel engines were improved, due to which the firing range increased. Now it is in the range from 20 to 120 km. At some point, the accumulation of changes in quantitative characteristics led to a transition to a new quality - to the emergence of two new MLRS systems under the common name "Tornado" continuing the "meteorological" tradition. "Tornado-G" is the most massive machine, it will have to replace the "Grads" that have honestly served their time. Well, the Tornado-S is a heavy machine, the successor to the Tornadoes.

As you can understand, the Tornado will retain the most important characteristic - the caliber of the launch tubes, which will make it possible to use expensive older generation ammunition. The length of the projectile varies within a few tens of millimeters, but this is not critical. Depending on the type of ammunition, the weight may “walk” slightly, but this is again automatically taken into account by the ballistic computer.

Minutes and again "Fire!"

Most noticeably in the launcher, the method of loading has changed. If earlier the transport-loading vehicle (TZM) 9T234-2, using its crane, loaded 9M55 missiles into the launch tubes of the combat vehicle one at a time, which took a quarter of an hour for the prepared calculation, now the launch tubes with Tornado-S missiles are placed in special containers , and the crane will install them in minutes.

Needless to say, how important the reload speed is for the MLRS, rocket artillery, which must bring down volley fire on especially important targets. The shorter the intervals between volleys, the more missiles can be fired at the enemy and the less time the vehicle will remain in a vulnerable position.

Well, and most importantly, the introduction of long-range guided missiles into the Tornado-S complex. Their appearance was made possible thanks to the fact that Russia has its own global navigation satellite system GLONASS, which has been deployed since 1982 - another confirmation of the colossal role of technological heritage in the creation of modern weapons systems. 24 GLONASS satellites deployed in an orbit with an altitude of 19,400 km, with joint work with a pair of Luch repeater satellites provide meter accuracy in determining coordinates. By adding a cheap GLONASS receiver to an already existing missile control loop, the designers received a weapon system with a QUO in units of meters (exact data, for obvious reasons, are not published).

Rockets to battle!

How is it carried out combat work complex "Tornado-S"? First of all, he needs to get the exact coordinates of the target! Not only to detect and recognize the target, but also to “tie” it to the coordinate system. This task must be performed by space or aerial reconnaissance using optical, infrared and radio engineering means. However, it is possible that artillerymen will be able to solve some of these tasks on their own, without the VKS. The 9M534 experimental projectile can deliver the Tipchak UAV to the previously reconnoitered target area, which will transmit information about the coordinates of the targets to the control complex.

Further from the control complex, the coordinates of the targets go to combat vehicles. They have already taken up firing positions, tied up topographically (this is done using GLONASS) and determined in what azimuth and at what elevation angle the launch tubes should be deployed. These operations are controlled by combat control and communications (ABUS), which replaced the standard radio station, and an automated guidance and fire control system (ASUNO). Both of these systems operate on a single computer, which achieves the integration of functions digital communications and operation of the ballistic computer. These same systems, presumably, will enter the exact coordinates of the target into the missile control system, doing this at the last moment before launch.

Imagine that the target range is 200 km. The launch tubes will be deployed to the maximum angle for the Smerch of 55 degrees - this way it will be possible to save on drag, because most of the projectile's flight will take place in upper layers atmosphere, where there is much less air. When the rocket exits the launch tubes, its control system will begin autonomous operation. The stabilization system will, based on data from inertial sensors, correct the movement of the projectile with gas-dynamic rudders - taking into account the asymmetry of thrust, gusts of wind, etc.

Well, the GLONASS receiver will begin to receive signals from satellites and determine the coordinates of the rocket from them. As everyone knows, the satellite navigation receiver needs some time to determine its position - navigators in phones strive to become attached to cell towers to speed up the process. There are no telephone towers on the flight path - but there is data from the inertial part of the control system. With their help, the GLONASS subsystem will determine the exact coordinates, and on their basis corrections for the inertial system will be calculated.

Not by chance

What algorithm is the basis for the operation of the guidance system is unknown. (The author would apply the Pontryagin optimization, created by a Russian scientist and successfully used in many systems.) One thing is important - constantly updating its coordinates and adjusting the flight, the rocket will go to a target located at a distance of 200 km. We do not know what part of the gain in range is due to new fuels, and what part is achieved due to the fact that more fuel can be put into a guided missile by reducing the weight of the warhead.

The diagram shows the operation of the Tornado-S MLRS - high-precision missiles are aimed at the target using space-based means.

Why add fuel? Due to the greater accuracy! If we lay the projectile with an accuracy of a few meters, then we can destroy a small target with a smaller charge, while the energy of the explosion decreases quadratically, we shoot twice as accurately - we get a fourfold gain in destructive power. Well, if the goal is not a point? Let's say the division is on the march? Will the new guided missiles, if equipped with cluster warheads, become less effective than the old ones?

But no! Stabilized missiles of the early versions of the Smerch delivered heavier warheads to a closer target. But with big mistakes. The volley covered a significant area, but the discarded cassettes with fragmentation or cumulative fragmentation elements were distributed randomly - where two or three cassettes opened side by side, the damage density was excessive, and somewhere insufficient.

Now it is possible to open the cassette or throw out a cloud of thermobaric mixture for a volumetric explosion with an accuracy of meters, exactly where it is necessary for optimal destruction of an area target. This is especially important when firing at armored vehicles with expensive self-aiming submunitions, each of which is capable of hitting a tank - but only with an accurate hit ...

The high accuracy of the Tornado-S rocket also opens up new possibilities. For example, for the MLRS "Kama" 9A52-4 with six launch tubes based on KamAZ - such a machine will be lighter and cheaper, but will retain the ability to strike long range. Well, with mass production, which reduces the cost of on-board electronics and precision mechanics, guided missiles can have a price comparable to the cost of conventional, unguided projectiles. This can bring out firepower domestic rocket artillery to a qualitatively new level.

On November 19, 1942, a strategic offensive operation of the Soviet troops under the code name "Uranus" began near Stalingrad. Cannon and rocket artillery played one of the key roles in the battle for Stalingrad. In memory of the merits of this type of troops in one of the decisive battles of the Great Patriotic War November 19 began to be celebrated as the Day missile troops and artillery (RV&A).

The offensive of the Red Army began with a massive artillery shelling. Of the entire range of artillery weapons used in the Battle of Stalingrad, it is worth mentioning separately the BM-13 field multiple launch rocket system, nicknamed "Katyusha".

"Katyusha" marked the beginning of the development of multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) of the country.

• Soviet multiple launch rocket systems "Katyusha", 1942
• RIA News
• George Zelma

Today, the MLRS is part of the MFA along with self-propelled and towed cannon artillery, mortars and tactical missile systems. The MLRS consists of a combat vehicle with a launcher based on the chassis of a tractor or tank, a transport-loading vehicle, a control vehicle and rockets.

Child of the Cold War

During cold war options for a full-scale clash between the USSR and the NATO bloc were seriously considered. It was assumed that a colossal amount of manpower and equipment would be used in the conflict, as well as weapons would be used mass destruction.

To repel the threat in the form of large concentrations of enemy forces, a weapon with an area defeat was required, capable of stopping an offensive at distant approaches. For such purposes, the most suitable MLRS.

During the years of the Cold War, the USSR accumulated a powerful combat potential in the field of missile weapons. Systems are constantly being developed and upgraded.

In particular, the MLRS ammunition load was improved - by improving the characteristics of the range and accuracy of the flight of rockets, increasing the caliber of missiles, expanding the range of types of ammunition used, as well as gradually moving towards corrected rockets.

The chassis of the tractors was also modified, which were supposed to provide the vehicle with sufficient cross-country ability and speed. The fire control and navigation systems were improved, here progress was towards increasing the automation of the operation of the MLRS.

According to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), by 1991 the USSR had 8,000 rocket artillery units (including the reserve) against 426 units from the United States. At the same time, Soviet MLRS were superior to foreign counterparts in many respects.

Made in USSR

The development of a new MLRS began in 1959 at Research Institute No. 147 (now - JSC NPO Splav, part of the Rostec Corporation). In 1963, the 9k51 Grad was put into service, in the same year mass production of MLRS began at the Perm plant named after. Lenin.

"Grad" uses 122 mm unguided rockets launched from 40 rails. The Ural tractors, as well as the ZIL-131, were used as chassis.

On the basis of the Grad MLRS, a number of modifications were created, in particular, the Grad-V and Grad-VD airborne mounts, 9k59 Prima with 50 guides. For the Navy, the BM-21PD "Damba" was developed to combat naval saboteurs and submarines, as well as "Grad-M" for installation on ships.

"Grad" uses the widest range of unguided projectiles: high-explosive fragmentation, incendiary, smoke, lighting, training, cluster, cumulative, mine-laying. The minimum firing range of the Grad MLRS is 5 km, the maximum is 20 km.

High fire intensity coupled with large area defeat allows you to effectively use the "Grad" against manpower and armored vehicles of the enemy. After launching a rocket salvo, the installation can quickly leave the firing point, avoiding return fire.

Following the "Grad", NPO "Splav" created a MLRS with improved characteristics - "Hurricane". In 1975, 9k57 "Hurricane" (caliber - 220 mm) with 16 guides adopted weapons. For the first time in the world, a projectile with a cluster warhead with fragmentation submunitions was developed for the Hurricane.

The composition of the MLRS "Uragan" additionally includes a vehicle for topographic surveys and a direction-finding meteorological complex.

A volley of one combat vehicle covers an area of ​​more than 42 hectares. Fire can be fired at a distance of 8 to 35 km both singly and in volleys. "Hurricane" uses a wide range of unguided projectiles: high-explosive fragmentation, mine-laying, cluster, thermobaric, incendiary.

The creation of the 9k58 MLRS "Smerch" (caliber - 300 mm) with 12 rails became the crowning achievement of the heavy rocket artillery of the USSR.

The development of "Smerch" was carried out by NPO "Splav", in 1987 the system was adopted.

The composition of the MLRS "Smerch" additionally includes a vehicle for topographic surveys and a direction-finding meteorological complex.

For the Smerch, corrected rockets with an inertial control system were developed, which made it possible to reduce the dispersion of shells by a factor of three compared to an unguided rocket, while doubling the accuracy of fire. The range of fire of the Smerch is from 20 to 90 km, the area of ​​​​the affected territory can reach 70 hectares.

In 2017, the bicaliber version of the Uragan, Uragan-1M, was adopted (calibers 220 and 300 mm). Unlike previous generation systems, Uragan-1M is charged by completely replacing the package with guides.

According to the IISS, at the beginning of 2017, the Russian army was armed with 550 Grads, 200 Hurricanes and 100 Tornadoes.

This Russian trio of MLRS is in great demand abroad and is exported to dozens of countries.

The tornado is coming

Today in Russia there is an active renewal of the missile forces due to the commissioning of a new family of MLRS "Tornado" based on the BAZ-6950 chassis.

"Tornado" has two modifications: "Tornado-G" - modernization of "Grad" - and "Tornado-S" - modernization of "Smerch".

• 122-mm multiple launch rocket system 9K51M "Tornado-G" ("G" - "Grad") - an upgraded version of the MLRS 9K51 "Grad"
• RIA News

In new missile systems all the shortcomings characteristic of similar equipment of the previous generation are taken into account. The features of the new family of MLRS are the presence of an automated guidance and fire control system, the integration of weapons into the GLONASS satellite system, improved electronics and on-board equipment, as well as the ability to fire special long-range projectiles.

"Tornado" has increased accuracy, and can also operate as part of a link under the guidance of a single control center.

On this moment for both modifications of the MLRS, new types of projectiles are being developed. Of the unusual, one can note a 300 mm caliber projectile with an unmanned aircraft in a warhead capable of carrying out reconnaissance after launching from a rocket.

MLRS "Tornado-G" was put into service in 2012, and "Tornado-S" - in 2016. Now the systems are being delivered to the Russian army.

Generational change

Russian MLRS are superior to foreign counterparts in many ways, experts are sure. Their updating will allow Russia to maintain its leadership in this type of weapons in the future. Military expert Viktor Murakhovsky told RT about the role of the MLRS in the system of the Russian Armed Forces and the prospects for the development of missile forces.

According to him, the MLRS in the Russian army is one of the advanced means of fire destruction. Lately The previous generation MLRS is being intensively replaced by the Tornado family. Purchases of "Tornado-S" and "Tornado-G" are included in the new state arms program.

“Now there is an active development and adoption of a new ammunition load for these systems. Especially worth noting is the creation of guided missile munitions, which will have to be removed main disadvantage MLRS - low accuracy. A new generation of guided projectiles with an individual guidance system will make it possible to classify the MLRS as a high-precision weapon," Murakhovsky said.

The expert emphasized that the MLRS are included in the general reconnaissance and combat contour of the Russian army.

“According to the organizational and staffing structure, the Grads operate as part of the rocket artillery divisions of tank and motorized rifle brigades and regiments, the Hurricanes correspond to the army kit, and the Tornadoes belong to the district subordination. MLRS are an extremely effective defensive and offensive weaponry, significantly increasing the combat potential of the formations to which they belong, ”summed up Murakhovsky.

On Damansky Island, during the conflict with the Chinese invaders, it was tested for the first time new system volley fire "Grad", the use of which served as the beginning of peace negotiations. A volley of this weapon completely destroyed the enemy troops in a square of 7 x 10 kilometers.

This formidable weapon, which is the prototype of the legendary Katyushas, ​​is called a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS). It also incorporates several types, the most powerful of which is the Smerch rocket launcher, the characteristics of which make NATO hawks think about an attack on Russia.

It has no analogues in the world, and has become the crowning achievement of the evolution of this formidable weapon.

The history of the creation of the volley fire system Smerch

The use of gunpowder for flight has a long history. In the Middle Ages, the Chinese used rocket arrows. At first they were launched from a bow. Later they used the device - the prototype of the launcher.

The creation of jet technology in Russia arose at the beginning of the 19th century. A rocket technology laboratory was created in Moscow, one of the first developments of which was an illuminating rocket, which was put into service in 1717. A lighting element was placed in the upper part. In flight, he scattered luminous stars to the sides.

The first combat missiles appeared in the 20s of the 19th century. In the head part were either an incendiary mixture or an explosive grenade. Wooden "tails" were used to stabilize the flight. They were intended for shelling siege fortresses.

The firing range of such a rocket was up to 2700 m. This option was used during the war with Turkey in 1828, during the siege of the fortress.

Russian scientist Konstantinov created rockets with a flight distance of over 4000 m, the use of which was planned for submarines that time. Launchers were attached to the sides of the boat.

In the 2nd half of the 19th century, the development of rocket artillery was suspended due to the spread of rifled weapons and cannon systems, which were superior in accuracy and range.

With the appearance of pyroxylin gunpowder, which in its properties was superior to smoke, rocket artillery received a new round of development.

• In 1919 year, the scientist N. I. Tikhomirov proposed a project for a torpedo rocket;
• In 1928 the year the first Soviet rocket on pyroxylin powder was tested;
• In 1933 In 1993, the Research Institute of Jet Technology was formed, which began the era of rocket science.

The first rockets that were introduced into production and adopted by aviation were the RS-82 and RS-132. The numbers indicate the diameter of the projectile in mm.

Shell testing continued until 1933. In 1938 they were put into service. Since 1938, one of the main directions was the creation of field multiple launch rocket artillery.

Initially, the designers proposed an individual anti-aircraft launcher.

However, the launch systems were finally decided to be installed in rows on the machine.

As a result, an analog of this option, the well-known Katyusha rocket mortar, was finally given a start in life.

The design of the launcher was placed on a ZIS-6 truck. In 1941, it was put into service, and immediately used on the fronts of the war. The index system received BM-13.

During World War 2, the new kind artillery loudly declared itself. It has become an integral part of the troops. During the battle for Berlin, 219 Katyusha divisions, or over 2,500 multiple launch rocket systems, were involved.

However, a number of additionally developed post-war modifications had a significant drawback - a small firing range. The challenge was to create more powerful systems with a large range. The task was completed. The firing range of the Tornado is over 120 km.

At the beginning of the 50s, the Grad system was developed. To date, this is the most massive installation in the world, which is in service in many countries. In terms of efficiency, ease of manufacture, parameters and low price, it still has no equal. The cost of the Smerch MLRS is more expensive than the BM-21, but the damage to the enemy inflicted by a new generation rocket launcher is much higher than previous complexes.

In the 70s of the last century, the third generation system 9K57 "Hurricane" (Grad-3), caliber 220 mm, was created. Production of the modification began in 1975.

Combat systems "Smerch" replaced the existing "Grad" and "Hurricane". They were developed in the early 80s at the Tula enterprise "Splav". For comparison, 2 Smerch installations hit such an area, which required a whole regiment of the legendary Katyushas.

Initially, the Smerch system was created as a weapon that was in the reserve of the Supreme Commander. His task is to engage in battle only at the most decisive moments of the battle.

Having received the coordinates of the target from the satellite to the on-board computer, the system delivers a high-precision strike, covering an area of ​​70 hectares with one salvo. Before the enemy discovers where the salvo was fired from, the calculation changes the location.

Tactical and technical characteristics (TTX MLRS Smerch)

Thanks to the designers, the Smerch complex has the characteristics of defeating manpower of equipment superior to all known species similar foreign and domestic weapons.

Jet plant design

Main elements of the system

Ammunition device

The most important element of the complex is the projectile.

Structurally, it can be divided into 2 parts:

• combat;
• motor part, with stabilization device.

The engine housing contains a powder charge to create jet thrust. A projectile with a contact fuse, detonator and explosive is placed in the head part.

A feature of modern combat rockets is the detonation system. Each Smerch missile is equipped with an emitter, which, when approaching the target, determines the distance - and at a certain distance (5-20 m), the electronic fuse detonates the warhead.

The force of the explosion and the fragments are directed downwards, which allows you to "cover" most of the area, and guaranteed to destroy the enemy's manpower in the trenches.

The projectile at the start is twisted along the guides in the launcher barrel. After that, the stabilizers are opened, having a curved appearance to maintain rotation in flight, which increases the stability and accuracy of the hit.

Types and description of missiles

A general drawing of ammunition is shown in the figure.

The complex includes the following types of ammunition.

Development of new rockets

Today, at the ALLOY enterprise in Tula, work continues on the modernization of combat systems in the areas of accuracy and firing range. The accuracy of missile guidance is solved by installing a control unit using the system satellite guidance.

Also, in parallel, work is underway to increase the maneuverability of the projectile with the help of aerodynamic rudders, which make it possible to adjust the flight and direction to the target under the control of the ProNav computer. The implementation of this project will increase the accuracy up to 10 m.

In order to increase the flight radius, work is underway to reduce weight and use a fundamentally new type of engine with a different aerodynamic design. It consists of a solid-propellant launch booster, which is separated during the flight, and a ramjet engine (ramjet).

Missile system modifications

The Smerch family of combat systems includes three main types of modification:

• 9K58 based on MAZ-543M. This is a classic 12-barrel version of the system;
• MLRS "Kama" 9K58 based on the KAMAZ vehicle. This is a 6-barrel version. Designed to be lighter, smaller and more mobile;
• 9K515 "Tornado-S". The complex is a deep modernization of the Smerch system. It embodies all the ideas for increasing the range and upgrading the engine described above. The range has been increased to 120 km, with the prospect of increasing to 200 km. The flight of the projectile is equipped with a satellite guidance system with flight correction. Clotting time - 1 minute, crew - 3 people.

Combat chassis options

Transport-charging machines

Storage, equipment launchers and transportation of ammunition of the Smerch system, special auxiliary equipment is used.

List of charging equipment:

Military equipment Tornado in service with different countries

Photos of live firing

Documentary video about MLRS

Conclusion

The MLRS "Smerch" system is the most powerful weapon after nuclear. The area of ​​his defeat is approximately equal to 10 football fields.

After the shelling in this territory, it is not possible for the personnel and any equipment of the enemy to survive.

The Smerch weapon can hardly be called a volley fire system. rocket launcher is a completely new type of jet systems. The shells are almost equal to combat tactical missiles.

For many states with a small territory, this weapon is the most effective among all available army funds on the possibilities of defense and defense of the state. Having a great modernization prospect for improving the characteristics of the Smerch weapon, with the support and financing of the state, this power of a rocket launcher will restrain enemy aggressive impulses for many decades to come.

Much has changed since the time of the famous Katyushas. Battle tactics, weapons, state borders... But Russian multiple launch rocket systems are still extremely important on the battlefield to this day. With their help, you can throw shells of enormous destructive power over tens of kilometers, destroying and incapacitating fortified areas, enemy armored vehicles and manpower.

Our country occupies a leading position in the development of MLRS: old developments are constantly being improved and new models of these weapons are emerging. Today we will consider what Russian multiple launch rocket systems are currently in service with the army.

"Grad"

MLRS caliber 122 mm. It is intended for the destruction of enemy manpower, remote setting of minefields, destruction of enemy fortified positions. Can fight light and medium armored vehicles. When creating the machine, the Ural-4320 chassis was used, on which guides for 122 mm caliber shells are placed. You can transport ammunition to the Grad by any vehicle that has suitable dimensions.

The number of guides for shells is 40 pieces, arranged in four rows of ten pieces each. The fire can be carried out both by single shots and by a single salvo, which takes less than a minute (no more than 20 seconds). The maximum firing range is up to 20.5 kilometers. The affected area is four hectares. "Grad" can be successfully operated in the widest temperature range: from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius.

Fire control is possible both from the cockpit and outside it, and in the latter case, the calculation uses a remote wired remote control (range - up to 50 meters). Since the designers provided for the successive exit of the shells from the guides, the combat vehicle sways relatively weakly during firing. It takes no more than three to four minutes to bring the installation into a combat position. The chassis can overcome fords up to one and a half meters deep.

Combat use

Where were these Russian multiple launch rocket systems used? Firstly, their baptism of fire took place back in Afghanistan. As the Mujahideen who survived under the shelling (and there were very few of them) recall: “A real hell reigned around, clods of earth soared up to heaven. We thought it was the end of the world." The installation was widely used during both Chechen campaigns, during the "war of three eights", when Georgia was forced to peace.

However, the first experience of using these, then still secret installations, was obtained long before the events described. This happened during the incident on the Damansky Peninsula, subsequently given to China. When the second wave of Chinese troops was able to break through to its territory and gain a foothold there, the order was given to use Grads. First Soviet Union generally wanted to use atomic weapons, but there were fears about the reaction from international community. Be that as it may, but this was enough for the PLA: a directed volley of dozens of Grads simply plowed up this piece of disputed territory.

How many Chinese died there, for sure, it will not be possible to find out. Soviet military leaders believed that at least three thousand people crossed the territory of the peninsula. In any case, there were no survivors for sure.

The current state of affairs

Today it is believed that Grads are morally and technically obsolete. Many of these machines, which are currently in service with our army, have almost completely exhausted their resource. In addition, the rearmament of the troops and the saturation of their Tornado MLRS are underway. But for the "oldies" is still far away. The fact is that the Ministry of Defense still wants to leave in the ranks of the army a well-proven, cheap and efficient machine.

In this regard, a special project was created to modernize them and bring them to modern look and efficiency. In particular, a normal satellite navigation system was finally installed on the old model, as well as the Baget computer, which controls the process of launching shells. According to the assurances of the military, the relatively simple renewal procedure benefited the Grads, since their combat potential increased several times at once.

This technique is used by all parties to the conflict on Ukrainian territory. Militant Africans who received MLRS from the USSR also love this weapon. In a word, the installation has a huge geography of distribution. This is what characterizes the Grad multiple launch rocket system. The "tornado", which we will describe below, is many times more powerful and has terrible destructive power.

"Tornado"

A truly intimidating weapon. In comparison with it, the Grad is really similar in effectiveness to the one of the same name. Judge for yourself: the Americans believe that the Smerch is a multiple rocket launcher, the characteristics of which would be more suitable for a compact complex with a nuclear weapon.

And they are absolutely right. This installation, in just one salvo, “covers” an unrealistic 629 hectares of area with a firing range of up to 70 kilometers. And that's not it. Today, new types of projectiles are being developed that will already fly a hundred kilometers. In the area covered by these Russian multiple launch rocket systems, everything is burning down, including heavy armored vehicles. Like the previous MLRS, Smerch can be operated in the widest temperature range.

It is intended for large-scale processing of enemy positions before an offensive, the destruction of especially strong bunkers and pillboxes, the destruction of large concentrations of enemy manpower and enemy equipment.

Chassis, guides for launching projectiles

The chassis is based on the MAZ-543 off-road vehicle. Unlike Grad, this installation is much more dangerous for the enemy because the battery includes the Vivarium fire control system, which makes it possible to achieve the highest efficiency, which is more typical for barreled artillery systems.

These multiple rocket launchers have 12 tubular projectile guides. Each of them weighs 80 kilograms, and 280 of them are accounted for by a charge of a powerful armaments experts believe that this ratio is ideal option for unguided projectiles, as it allows you to combine powerful sustainer engines and a huge destructive potential in the ammunition.

And one more feature of the Smerch shells. The designers worked on this for a long time, but made sure that the angle of their incidence on the ground was 90 degrees. Such a "meteorite" will easily pierce through any MBT of a probable enemy, and concrete structures are unlikely to resist such power. At present, the production of new Tornadoes is not planned (most likely), since they will be replaced by new Tornadoes at the combat post.

However, there is some likelihood that the old complexes will still be subjected to modernization. It is absolutely certain that new types of active-guided rockets can be included in their ammunition load, so combat capabilities complex and today is far from being exhausted.

What other salvo fire do we have?

"Hurricane"

Adopted in the 70s of the last century. In terms of combat effectiveness, it occupies an intermediate position between the Grad and Smerch. So, the maximum firing range is 35 kilometers. In general, the "Hurricane" is a multiple rocket launcher, during the design of which many principles were laid down that still guide the developers of such weapons in our country. It was created by the famous designer Yury Nikolaevich Kalachnikov.

By the way, the "Hurricane" is a multiple rocket launcher, which at one time the Soviet Union supplied in considerable quantities to Yemen, where they are now beginning to intensively conduct fighting. Surely soon we will find out how effective the old Soviet equipment proved to be in battles. Domestic armed forces simultaneously with the "Grad" also used the "Hurricane" during the war in Afghanistan.

Also, the installation was widely used in Chechnya, and then in Georgia. There is evidence that with the help of Hurricanes, a column of advancing Georgian tanks was once completely destroyed (according to other sources, these were Grads).

The composition of the complex

On the chassis of the ZIL-135LM off-road vehicle, 16 tubular guides were mounted (it was originally planned that there would be 20 of them). The Ukrainians at one time modernized the cars they got, putting them on the chassis of their own. fighting compartment These installations include the following components:

Directly machine 9P140.

Transport for transportation and loading of 9T452 shells.

Ammunition kit.

Fire control vehicle based on the 1V126 "Kapustnik-B" installation.

Tools for teaching and training calculation.

Topographic reconnaissance station 1T12-2M.

Complex of direction finding and meteorology 1B44.

A complete set of equipment and tools 9F381, designed for the repair and maintenance of machines from the complex.

What else characterizes the Uragan multiple launch rocket systems of Russia? Artillery part is made on the rotary base of the balancing mechanism, and is also equipped with hydraulic and electromechanical drives. A massive package of guides can be induced in the range from 5 to 55 degrees.

Horizontal guidance can be carried out at an angle of 30 degrees to the right and left of the central axis of the combat vehicle. So that during a massive volley there is no risk of a heavy chassis falling over, two powerful lugs are provided in its rear part. The complex is also equipped with night vision devices, and therefore can be operated in the dark.

Currently, about one and a half hundred of these machines are still in operation in the Russian Armed Forces. Most likely, they will not be subjected to modernization, but will be written off immediately after the full development of the combat resource. This is due to the fact that a new MLRS was adopted, which includes all the advantages of old models.

"Tornado"

This is Russia's new multiple launch rocket system. Its development began due to the fact that the old Grads, which had been in service for more than forty years, urgently needed replacement. As a result of intense design work, this machine appeared.

Unlike its predecessors, Russia's Tornado multiple launch rocket systems are much more advanced in targeting and firing accuracy, as they can use topographic data transmitted from satellites. But not only this is unique to the newly created MLRS.

The fact is that earlier, for each task, the Soviet industry created a separate installation: in fact, this is how the meteorological “zoo” appeared in the form of “Grad”, “Tornado” and “Hurricane”. But modern systems volley fire of Russia ("Tornado") will be produced in three versions at once, using the shells of all three vehicles described above. It is assumed that the designers will provide for the ability to quickly replace the artillery unit, so that one chassis can be used in different capacities.

New projectiles

In addition, all previous systems had one big drawback associated with the uncontrollability of ammunition. Simply put, it was impossible to correct the course of already fired shells. All this was quite suitable for the wars of the past decades, but in the current conditions it is already unacceptable. To solve this problem, new types of projectiles with active optical and laser guidance were created for the Tornado. From now on, MLRS have become a fundamentally new, extremely dangerous type of weapon.

Thus, modern Russian multiple launch rocket systems can currently be compared in efficiency with the most advanced examples of cannon artillery, hitting a target tens of kilometers away. Unlike the most advanced in this regard, "Smerch", the firing range of the "Tornado" is already up to 100 kilometers (when using the appropriate projectiles).

Meeting of new and old

As we already wrote at the very beginning of the article, at the present time, work is also underway to improve the old Grads, of which there are still many in service. And then the designers came up with the thought: “What if we use a simple, technological chassis from the Grad, installing a new combat module from the Tornado of the appropriate caliber there?” The idea was quickly put into practice.

So it was born completely new car"Tornado-G". Officially, it was put into service in 2013, at the same time deliveries to the troops began. At the "Tank Biathlon - 2014" the new MLRS was shown to everyone.

Unlike both predecessors of this technique, the Kapustnik-BM control system is included in the design, which increases the combat capabilities of the complex several times. In addition, the process of aiming and live firing has been significantly simplified: now the crew does not need to go outside at all, since all the necessary topographic data is displayed in real time on monitors installed inside the cockpit. From there, you can set the target and launch projectiles.

Such upgrades not only modernized old complex, but also significantly secured the crew. Now the machine can quickly fire a volley from a closed position and leave it, spending no more than a minute and a half on everything. This drastically reduces the risk of detection and destruction of the complex by an enemy retaliatory strike. In addition, through the use of new projectiles with a detachable warhead, it is now possible to significantly expand the range of possible combat modules.

Here are the Russian salvo fire systems available today. Photos of them are given in the article, so you can get a rough idea of ​​​​their power.