Rszo "tornado": history of creation and characteristics. Russian MLRS "tornado" - a real natural disaster on the battlefield
The artillery of Russia and the world, along with other states, has introduced the most significant innovations - the transformation of a smooth-bore gun loaded from the muzzle into a rifled one loaded from the breech (lock). The use of streamlined projectiles and various types fuses with adjustable time setting; more powerful gunpowders, such as cordite, which appeared in Britain before the First World War; the development of rolling systems, which made it possible to increase the rate of fire and relieved the gun crew from the hard work of rolling into the firing position after each shot; connection in one assembly of the projectile, propellant charge and fuse; the use of shrapnel shells, after the explosion, scattering small steel particles in all directions.
Russian artillery, capable of firing large projectiles, sharply highlighted the problem of weapon durability. In 1854, during the Crimean War, Sir William Armstrong, a British hydraulic engineer, proposed the wrought iron gun barrel method of first twisting iron bars and then welding them together by forging. The gun barrel was additionally strengthened with wrought iron rings. Armstrong set up a business that made guns of several sizes. One of the most famous was his 12-pounder rifled gun with a 7.6 cm (3 in) bore and a screw lock mechanism.
Artillery of the Second World War (WWII), in particular Soviet Union, probably had the largest potential among European armies. At the same time, the Red Army experienced the purges of Commander-in-Chief Joseph Stalin and endured the difficult Winter War with Finland at the end of the decade. During this period, Soviet design bureaus took a conservative approach to technology.
The first modernization effort came with the improvement of the 76.2 mm M00/02 field gun in 1930, which included improved ammunition and the replacement of barrels for parts of the gun fleet, new version the guns were named M02/30. Six years later, a 76.2 mm field gun M1936, with gun carriage from 107mm.
Heavy artilleryof all armies, and rather rare materials from the time of Hitler's blitzkrieg, whose army smoothly and without delay crossed the Polish border. The German army was the most modern and best equipped army in the world. Wehrmacht artillery operated in close cooperation with infantry and aviation, trying to quickly occupy the territory and deprive the Polish army of communication lines. The world shuddered upon learning of a new armed conflict in Europe.
Artillery of the USSR in positional warfare on Western front in the last war and the horror in the trenches, the military leaders of some countries created new priorities in the tactics of using artillery. They believed that in the second global conflict of the 20th century, mobile firepower and accuracy of fire.
Ammunition
9M55K - 300-mm rocket with a cluster warhead (MC) 9N139 with fragmentation warheads (OBE) 9N235. Contains 72 combat elements (BE), carrying 6912 ready-made heavy fragments designed to destroy light and unarmored vehicles, and 25920 ready-made light fragments intended to destroy enemy manpower in their concentration areas; in total - up to 32832 fragments. 16 shells contain 525312 ready fragments. Most effective in open areas, in the steppe and desert. Serial production of 9M55K (and 9M55K-IN - with BE inert equipment) began in 1987. Delivered to Algeria and India.
9M55K1 - 9N142 cluster warhead (KCh) missile with self-aiming combat elements (SPBE). The cassette warhead carries 5 Motiv-3M SPBEs (9N235), equipped with dual-band infrared coordinators, looking for a target at an angle of 30 °. Each of them is capable of penetrating 70 mm armor at an angle of 30 °. Suitable for use in open areas, in the steppe and desert, it is almost impossible to use in the forest, it is difficult to use in the city. Designed to engage from above groupings of armored vehicles and tanks. Tests completed in 1994. Shipped to Algeria.
9M55K4 - 9N539 rocket launcher for anti-tank mining of the terrain. Each projectile contains 25 anti-tank mines "PTM-3" with an electronic proximity fuse, in just one salvo of the installation - 300 anti-tank mines. Designed for operational remote setting of anti-tank minefields in front of enemy military equipment units located at the line of attack, or in the area of their concentration.
9M55K5 - 9N176 KGCH missile with 9N235 or 3B30 cumulative fragmentation warheads (KOBE). The cassette warhead contains 646 (588) combat elements weighing 240 g each, having a cylindrical shape. Normally they are capable of penetrating up to 120 (160) mm of homogeneous armor. It is most effective against motorized infantry on the march, located in armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. In total, 16 shells contain 10336 combat elements. Designed to defeat open and covered manpower and lightly armored military equipment.
9M55F - a rocket projectile with a detachable high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Designed to destroy manpower, unarmored and lightly armored military equipment in their concentration areas, to destroy command posts, communication nodes and infrastructure facilities. For service Russian army adopted in 1992, and since 1999 is in serial production. Shipped to India.
9M55S - a rocket with a thermobaric warhead 9M216 "Excitement". The explosion of one projectile creates a thermal field with a diameter of at least 25 m (depending on the terrain). The temperature of the field is over 1000 °C, the lifetime is at least 1.4 s. Designed to defeat manpower, open and sheltered in fortifications open type and objects of unarmored and lightly armored military equipment. It is most effective in the steppe and desert, a city located on a non-hilly area. Ammunition tests were completed in 2004. By order of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1288 of October 7, 2004, 9M55S was adopted by the Russian army.
9M528 - rocket projectile with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Fuse contact, instantaneous and delayed action. Designed to destroy manpower, unarmored and lightly armored military equipment in their concentration areas, destroy command posts, communication centers and infrastructure facilities.
9M534 - an experienced rocket projectile with a small-sized reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle aircraft(UAV) type "Tipchak". Designed to conduct operational reconnaissance of targets within twenty minutes. In the target area, the UAV descends by parachute, while scanning the situation and transmitting information on the coordinates of reconnoitered targets to the control complex at a distance of up to 70 km, for prompt decision-making on the destruction of the reconnoitered object.
On the main street of Tula, I spotted on one of the houses a commemorative plaque installed in honor of "a prominent Soviet designer, Hero of Socialist Labor Alexander Nikitovich Ganichev." Could not resist, asked a passerby - what made Ganichev famous? He shrugged in bewilderment. Another suggested that he most likely worked at the famous Arms Factory. But the third smiled enigmatically...
After the Great Patriotic War designers have been developing MLRS for some time, developing the installation scheme salvo fire with open guides. If from the famous "Katyusha" BM-13 ("TM" No. 5 for 1985) unguided 132-mm shells were fired, then from the BM-14 and BM-24 that appeared in the early 50s - turbojet ones. After such a projectile left the guide, part of the powder gases rushed not only back, but also to the side, causing it to rotate like a bullet, which gave it stability in flight. But the range was limited - to increase it, it was necessary to increase the mass of solid fuel of the engine, that is, to lengthen the projectile, but then it became unstable.
By the mid-50s, MLRS with a greater range were needed to replace the aging Katyushas. Since the specialists of the Reactive Research Institute who dealt with them had already switched to the creation of space technology, in 1957 they announced a competition for the design of a system that could fire at a distance of 20 km. The victory in it was won by the Tula enterprise headed by A.N. Ganichev.
By that time, Ganichev had created a fundamentally different technology for manufacturing shells for artillery shells by deep drawing, - recalls designer N.S. Chukov - They came out especially strong, with walls of the same thickness. Here Ganichev - after the war he worked in the People's Commissariat of Ammunition - and proposed to apply this method for the production of rocket shells and tubular guides.
After 1958, the new combat vehicle was successfully tested and in 1963 was put into service under the designation BM-21 Grad. Its artillery part - a package with 40 tubular guides, is mounted on the chassis of a three-axle off-road vehicle "Ural-375" on a rotary and lifting device. The latter serves to give the guides an inclination corresponding to a given firing range.
The main feature of the Grad, in addition to the tubular launcher, was the 122 mm projectile. Unlike turbojet engines, it did not rotate in flight - its stability was ensured by the tail empennage that opened when leaving the guide. Therefore, the projectile could be made elongated, increasing the firing range and strengthening the high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a contact fuse. In 1971, the ammunition was replenished incendiary projectile. .
Baptism of fire"Grad" passed during the well-known events near Damansky Island. Then the command turned to the Tula Airborne Troops, ordering a similar MLRS, only lighter and more compact, suitable for transportation on transport aircraft or dropping under a parachute on a platform equipped with a soft landing system. "Grad-V" was made 12-barreled on the chassis of the GAZ-66 truck, and then on the basis of a tracked vehicle. High-explosive fragmentation projectile was the same.
"Grad" refers to divisional artillery systems. However, the military needed a regimental installation, more maneuverable, with a slightly shorter (up to 15 km) firing range. And in 1976, the Grad-1 combat vehicle came out of the walls of the State Research and Production Enterprise "Splav" (as the shell "firm" began to be called). It was completed with 36 guides on the basis of the ZIL-131 serial truck, and later again on a tracked chassis. Similar 122-mm shells were somewhat modernized. In the high-explosive fragmentation, the so-called ready-made fragments were provided - during assembly at the factory, the shell of its bursting part was cut into slices in advance. And 180 elements (naturally, incendiary) were introduced into the incendiary, which, during the explosion, dispersed on the ground.
After 11 years, on the basis of the well-established and proven Grad, they released the 50-barreled Prima, mounted on a three-axle Ural-4320. A calculation of three people can fire 122-mm shells one by one, in a burst or in a salvo (not immediately, otherwise the car will tip over, but in half a minute), covering any targets at a distance of 5 to 20 km on an area of 190 thousand square meters. There is also a novelty - when high-explosive fragmentation is used for the first purpose indicated in its name, its separating warhead scatters 36 combat elements. They parachute down and explode on impact with the ground. So it was at first, but now - at a certain height, which is why the action of all 2450 fragments has become much more effective. And yet - if on the Grads the type of operation (fragmentation or high-explosive) of each projectile had to be set manually, then on the Prima this operation (as well as adjusting the separation time of the warhead) is performed by the operator from the console located in the cab of the machine.
However, we are getting ahead of ourselves a little. In addition to the regimental, the military also needed a more powerful, army MLRS. At Splav, work on it was completed in 1975. It's about about the hurricane. On the chassis of the four-axle ZIL-135LM, a package with 16 guides for 220-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells (with a 100-kilogram warhead), high-explosive fragmentation cluster (with 30 submunitions) and incendiary ones was placed. A volley fired in just 20 seconds at a distance of 10 to 20 km strikes everything that is located on an area of 426 thousand square meters.
And in 1980, Splav specialists found a new application for Hurricane - they first proposed to mine enemy territory from rocket launchers (which they later picked up abroad). Shells were created, stuffed with 24 anti-tank or 312 anti-personnel mines, which are dispersed on the ground like fragmentation or incendiary submunitions. The operation is carried out from afar, without endangering the sappers, and, perhaps, also suddenly, in order, say, to forestall the enemy units that were preparing to attack.
The Uragan MLRS includes the ZIL-135LM transport and loading vehicle, which carries one ammunition load; they overload the weighty 5-meter "cigars" into the guides not manually, as on the "Grad", but with the help of an onboard 300-kilogram crane.
Thus, by the beginning of the 1980s, the Splav State Research and Production Enterprise equipped the Armed Forces with the MLRS complex - the regimental Grad-1, the divisional Grad and the army Uragan. The time has come to take on the most powerful installations - the Reserve of the High Command.
Their design was completed at the beginning of perestroika - under the leadership of General Designer G.A.Denezhkin (A.N.Ganichev died two years earlier). The 12-barrel Smerch is mounted on an eight-wheeled MAZ-543A, firing 300-mm projectiles with a cluster or fragmentation warhead at a distance of 20-70 km, hitting an area of 672 thousand square meters. Unlike the previous ones, an additional engine is placed behind the warhead of the projectile, with the help of which its short flight to the target has time to be corrected in height and course.
The transport-loading vehicle is the same MAZ, equipped with a crane for reloading 7.6-meter projectiles from containers into guides. I asked designer V.I. Medvedev to compare the Smerch with the latest foreign MLRS. He replied that, in fact, he had no analogues yet. The advantage of the American MLRS can be considered the use of ready-made packages, which speeds up reloading several times, however, during the recent war in the zone Persian Gulf the MLRS batteries operated on the same "roll, fire and run" principle until the Iraqis spotted them and struck back. It is also convenient that the equipment for topographic binding of the launcher to the terrain and fire control is in each cockpit (we have only in the headquarters vehicle). However, now the “best system in the world” is being hastily improved, in particular, they want to make it longer-range. As for the reloading method, our specialists have worked it out and in this respect are not far behind.
By 1985, Splav had established excellently established cooperation with other enterprises and factories. Explaining his activities, designer S.V. Kolesnikov said that shells and general concept salvo fire installations. The rest is the concern of allies. So, when working on the "Grad", the specialists of the Miass Automobile Plant, headed by A.I. Yaskin and I.I. Voronin, assembled on the "Ural-375" a package of guides, supports and jacks that ensure the stability of the machine during firing. The fuel for the engine of the 122-mm projectile was handled by chemists from the Research Institute under the leadership of B.P. Fomin and N.A. Pihunova, the fuse device was designed by employees of another Research Institute, headed by I.F. And it wasn't easy. Sergei Vladimirovich recalled that a conventional artillery fuse is cocked at the moment of firing under the influence of a 5-fold overload. starting speed the MLRS projectile is much smaller, and therefore its fuse is much more sensitive and can react to a slight push or blow (say, accidentally dropped). In short, it was necessary to obtain a mechanism that meets the intended purpose and at the same time is safe to handle. The developers did an excellent job. The assignment for fuses for "Hurricane" and "Tornado" was assigned to another organization, where a team of engineers was led by L.S. Simonyan.
So, the main role in the creation of new MLRS belongs to Splav. Tulyaks worked excellently - according to V.I. Medvedev, "almost every year they made a new type of projectile!"
At the same time, new technologies were created. For example, the bodies of 220- and 300-mm shells and the guides for them were made in a different way - by rolling the pipes from the inside to the desired caliber. And from the very beginning, they tried to unify the products as much as possible. We already know that the 122-mm projectile fits 4 different mounts, and this makes it much easier to release ammunition and supply troops with it. Combat and transport-loading vehicles are made on the same chassis, already mastered by the industry, which made it possible to do without the establishment of special production. By the way, if after tough tests, with off-road driving and shooting, improvements were made to the chassis, then auto builders willingly introduced them into products for the national economy.
It was well-established cooperation that helped "Splav" long before the proclamation in 1988 of "restructuring the defense industry" to engage in products for peaceful purposes. When the State Committee for Hydrometeorology asked to find a weapon against the hail clouds that regularly knocked out the Caucasian vineyards, a 12-barrel "Cloud" installation was created in Tula. After the charge was detonated, initiating a harmless rain, the body of the 125-mm projectile was carefully lowered by parachute. Then a similar 82-mm "Sky" installation appeared, and as soon as it came to mass production, the factories broke an exorbitant price for it (at that time!). The Hydrometeorologists turned to another "company" and received the Alazan rocket system, the projectile of which shattered into smithereens when it exploded in a cloud. It was he who was adopted by the city-fighters, and behind them, already in our troubled period, and different kind"military formations", thereby producing a conversion in reverse.
Today, Splav specialists have prepared a program for the modernization of domestic PC3O, which will certainly be of interest to foreign customers.
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After the war, several new multiple launch rocket systems appeared in foreign armies ... However, in the 50s they came to the conclusion that barreled guns should still be improved. After all, they can hit point targets, they have less shell consumption, and 150- and 203-mm nuclear filling allowed to "cover" large areas.
The MLRS was remembered only after information appeared about Soviet systems salvo fire of a new generation. But only by 1969, in Germany, they developed a 36-barreled Lars, which fired 110-mm shells at 18 km. Later, the Bundeswehr acquired an improved Lars-2 with a new wheeled chassis and ammunition with cluster, high-explosive fragmentation and smoke warheads, the firing range of which is up to 25 km. Now the Germans, having united, are preparing high-precision ammunition for the Lars, whose divided warhead will be equipped with homing equipment.
In the 70s in the West appeared artillery shells with cluster high-explosive fragmentation submunitions. They proved to be most effective in salvo fire - then their action is similar to what happens when using tactical nuclear weapons. Taking this circumstance into account, specialists from Germany, England and France set about developing the RS-80 multi-barreled launcher, which they intended to make common for their armies, and also to sell. However, in 1978 they were connected to the creation of the MLRS, on which the Americans were already hard at work. In 1983, the first production models entered service with the United States.
The MLRS is mounted on the chassis of the American M2 Bradley armored personnel carrier. Ahead, in a pressurized armored cabin, there is a crew of three and electronic, automated fire control equipment. Behind the cabin is an artillery unit - 12 guides in two packages, and the shells are packed (still at the factory) in fiberglass, sealed containers with a guaranteed shelf life of 10 years. After the salvo, the crew, using the calculation of the transport-loading vehicle, replaces the empty containers with new ones. So far, the MLRS ammunition load includes: 227-mm, 3.9-meter projectiles containing 664 cumulative fragmentation elements and designed for a range of 32 km, and cluster-type, with three homing precision warheads, which, after separation from the missile, plan to targets, hitting them at a distance of 45 km from the firing position. The Germans are preparing a projectile for the MLRS, stuffed with 28 mines - it will be launched at 40 km.
 This diagram shows which parts of rockets for MLRS were developed by specialists from the USA, England, Germany and France.
MLRS "Lars" (Germany). Caliber - 110 mm, projectile weight - 36.7 kg, number of guides - 36, firing range - 15 km. | MLRS MLRS (USA. countries Western Europe). Caliber - 227 and 236.6 mm, weight of shells - 307 and 259 kg, projectile length - 3937 mm, number of guides - 12, firing range - from 10 to 40 km. Chassis - armored personnel carrier M2 "Bradley", calculation - 3 people.
|  MLRS MAR-290 (Israel). Caliber - 290 mm. projectile weight - 600 kg, projectile length - 5450 mm, number of guides - 4, firing range - 25 km, calculation - 4 people. Chassis - tank "Centurion" of English production. MLRS "Astros-2" (Brazil). Caliber - 127, ISO and 300 mm. shell weight - 68, 152 and 595 kg, shell length - 3900, 4200 and 5600 mm. the number of guides - 32, 16 and 4. firing range - 9-30. 15-35 and 20-60 km. The chassis is a 10-ton Tektran vehicle.
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In the 80s, MLRS began to be created in other countries. So, the Belgians developed a 40-barrel LAU-97 on a self-propelled or towed chassis. Standard 70-mm air-to-ground missiles are launched from it at a distance of up to 9 km.
By 1983, the Brazilians had manufactured the Astros-2, which is equipped with 127.180 and 300 mm caliber projectiles with cluster high-explosive fragmentation warheads. Accordingly, they are loaded into 32-, 16- and 4-barrel guide packages, and the firing range is 9 - 30, 15 - 35 and 20 - 60 km.
Israel has three MLRS. First of all, this is the MAR-350 (the number indicates the caliber), the shells of which have five types of warheads and fly at a distance of up to 75 km. Four MAR-290 tubular guides are mounted on the chassis of the Centurion tank, the firing range of rockets with high-explosive fragmentation warheads does not exceed 25 km. The export LAR-160, at the request of customers, is manufactured on the basis of a tank, armored personnel carrier, car or trailer, and the package includes 13, 18 or 25 rails.
140-mm shells of the 40-barreled Spanish "Teruel" are produced with cluster, high-explosive fragmentation or smoke charges, and two types of missiles are provided - a regular one, designed for firing at 18 km, and an elongated one, with a flight range of 10 km more.
The Italians designed two MLRS. The light Firos-6 with 48 51 mm caliber guides in one package is placed on a jeep-class army vehicle and is capable of hitting targets at a distance of 6.5 km. The ammunition load includes shells with fragmentation, fragmentation-incendiary, armor-piercing incendiary, cumulative and lighting warheads. "Firos-25/30" is designed for firing at 8-34 km with 122 mm rockets. The reloading of the 40-barrel guide package is carried out in the same way as on the MLRS. We add that if the Firos-30 in 1987 began to be produced for the Italian army, then the Firos-25 modification is only for export.
In 1982, the 127-mm, 24-barrel "Valkyrie-22" appeared in South Africa. A package of its guides is placed on a swivel frame in the back of a truck, from which they fire at a distance of 8 to 22 km. After 6 years, its lightweight, 12-barreled version of the Valkyrie-5 was manufactured with a firing range of no more than 5.5 km.
The military also got their own MLRS South Korea. We are talking about an automobile 36-barrel MRR installation, from which 130-mm fragmentation rockets are launched at targets located 10-32 km from the firing position.
Let's also mention the Japanese MLRS "75". Its package with 30 guides for 131.5-mm rockets is mounted on an armored personnel carrier, the firing range does not exceed 15 km.
Well, in conclusion, we note that in the countries that were part of the Warsaw Pact organization and the states allied to them, Soviet-made MLRS "Grad" were in service and were produced there under license.
MLRS "Smerch" designed to destroy any accumulation of troops, including infantry, armored vehicles, fortifications and any stationary objects. The installation was adopted in 1987 and to this day it is considered the most crushing in its class.
"Smerch" was designed in the first half of the 1980s by the Splav State Research and Production Enterprise in Tula, which interacted with 20 enterprises throughout the country. The development of the system started under the supervision of general engineer SNPP Ganichev A.N., and ended under the control of designer Denezhkin G.A.
Thanks to the use of completely unique technologies in the scheme of shells and the system itself, Smerch is considered one of the promising developments Soviet military-industrial complex. For example, the American MLRS is characterized by a firing range of up to 40 km (the Americans considered more significant distances inappropriate), while the domestic multiple launch rocket system has a firing distance of more than 80 km with proper accuracy.
Based on the impressive range of fire, 9K58 "Smerch" was included in the ranks of military unit 42202. By the year 89, an improved version of 9A52-2 had entered service.
To date, the following countries have adopted a unique system: United United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, India. China copied and produces its A100 MLRS on the basis of the domestic one.
The combat complex of the multiple launch rocket system "Smerch" includes:
2. Rockets;
3. Fighting machine(BM) 9K58;
4. A set of special arsenal equipment and tools 9F819;
5. Machine for topographic survey 1T12-2M;
6. Radio direction finding meteorological system 1B44;
7. The complex of automated fire control (KSAUO) 9S729M1 "Slepok-1";
8. Training equipment 9Ф827;
The launcher includes MAZ-543 with a 4-axle chassis, as well as artillery elements. The installation of artillery is carried out behind the platform, and in front is the control cabin, control system and communications.
The artillery unit includes 12 guide pipes, sighting devices, rotary, balancing and lifting systems, additional devices and electric drive. Rocket projectiles are placed in U-shaped twisted guide tubes. Rotary mechanisms allow the artillery unit to move horizontally by 30 degrees to the left and right of the vehicle axis, and vertical angle elevation is 55 degrees.
Stabilization of the system during firing is carried out using hydraulic supports, which are located on both sides of the machine between 3 and 4 wheels.
MLRS "Smerch"
Both the 9T234-2 machine and MLRS "Smerch" made on a similar chassis, chassis which is made according to the wheel formula 8×8. The machines have a V-shaped 12-cylinder diesel engine D12A-525A with a capacity of 525 liters. with. (2000 rpm), hydromechanical transmission. Characterized by an independent torsion bar suspension with 2 pairs of front drive wheels and central system tire pressure regulation. The maximum developed speed on the highway is 60 km / h, the car feels great on rough terrain, passing 30-degree climbs and descents of 1 meter. The total range without refueling is 850 km.
rocket projectiles Smerch systems have a caliber of 300 mm, they move due to the combustion of the solid fuel mixture of the engine. characteristic feature ammunition given is the ability to control them in flight. At the same time, the accuracy more than doubled (0.21% of the firing distance), and the accuracy tripled. Maneuvering takes place with the help of gas-dynamic rudders, activated by gases high pressure flowing from the gas generator. A large contribution to the stability of the projectile is made by its rotation.
Guides Smerch systems
The ammunition system includes a variety of projectile options:
1. 9M55K1 with a cluster warhead containing five self-aiming ammunition; The 9N142 cassette warhead includes 5 Motiv-3M self-aiming combat modules equipped with 2-band IR coordinators that fix the enemy at an angle of 30 degrees. The self-aiming element is capable of piercing 70 mm armor at an angle of 30 degrees, that is, destroying any armored vehicles. It is very useful when used in open terrain, but the effectiveness is reduced if the enemy is located in the forest. Designed to destroy clusters of armored vehicles and tanks. Weight - 800 kg; length - 7600 mm; warhead weight - 243 kg; head length - 2049 mm; the number of combat elements - 5 pcs; the mass of the combat element (BE) - 15 kg; weight explosive BE - 4.5 kg; firing range 70 km (minimum 20 km); weight of the container with two shells -
1934 kg.
2. 9M528 with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead; Designed to destroy manpower, unarmored and lightly armored military equipment in areas of their accumulation, the destruction of command posts, communication centers and objects of the military-industrial structure. Weight - 815kg; length - 7600 mm; warhead weight - 243 kg; mass of explosive mixture - 95 kg; the mass of the finished striking element is 50 g; firing range - 90 km (minimum 25 km). Designed to destroy manpower, unarmored and lightly armored in places of their accumulation, the destruction of command posts, communication centers and objects of the military-industrial structure.
3. 9M55F with a detachable monoblock high-explosive fragmentation warhead; Designed to destroy manpower, unarmored and lightly armored military equipment in areas of their accumulation, the destruction of command posts, communication centers and objects of the military-industrial structure. Weight - 810 kg; length - 7600 mm; warhead weight - 258 kg; explosive mass - 95 kg; the mass of the striking element - 50 g; firing range - 70 km (minimum 25 km); the mass of the container with two shells is 1954 kg.
Each ammunition holds 25 anti-tank mines, for a total of 300 mines in one salvo of the system. It was created for rapid remote mining both in the area of the enemy's concentration, and in front of armored units located at the line of attack. Weight - 800 kg; length - 7600 mm; warhead weight - 243 kg; head length - 2049 mm; the number of combat elements - 5 pcs; the number of anti-tank mines - 25 pieces; mine weight - 4.85 kg; overall dimensions of the mine - 330x84x84 mm; explosive mass - 1.85 kg; mine self-destruction time - 16-24 hours; firing range 70 km (minimum 20 km); the mass of the container with two shells is 1934 kg.
5. 9M55K5 with a cassette warhead with cumulative fragmentation warheads; It was created to destroy open and covered infantry and lightly armored military equipment. Weight - 800 kg; length - 7600 mm; warhead weight - 243 kg; the number of combat elements - 646 pieces; the mass of the combat element (BE) - 0.24 kg; firing range 70 km (minimum 25 km); BE self-destruction time - 130..260 sec; the thickness of the penetrated homogeneous armor is 120 mm.
Includes 72 combat modules containing 25920 ready-made light fragments needed to destroy infantry and 6912 ready-made heavy fragments needed to destroy armored vehicles; a total of 32832 fragments. There are 525,312 fragments in 16 missiles, an average of one fragment per 1.28 m² of the affected area, which is 672,000 m²). Weight - 800 kg; length - 7600 mm; warhead weight - 243 kg; head length - 2049 mm; the number of combat elements - 72 pieces; the mass of the combat element (BE) - 1.75 kg; the number of finished striking fragments of the combat element, pieces: with a mass of 4.5 g - 96 and a mass of 0.75 g - 360; BE self-liquidation time — 110 s; firing range 70 km (minimum 20 km); the mass of the container with two shells is 1934 kg.
7. 9M55S with thermobaric warhead; The length of this jet guided projectile is 760 cm, weight 800 kg (warhead 243 kg); mass of explosive mixture - 100 kg; self-destruction time of the warhead - 110..160 s.
The figure shows the 9M55S warhead in section (explosive in the center).
The maximum flight range of a thermobaric projectile does not exceed 70 km. The type of warhead used is monoblock thermobaric. When firing, dispersion does not exceed 0.21%. Fire with 9M55S projectiles is carried out either by single shots or after certain periods of time, ensuring the detonation of the previous ammunition before another projectile arrives at the explosion zone. When approaching 9M55S to the place on the descending part of the trajectory, the combat, head and propulsion elements are separated. At an altitude of 60-70 meters, a braking parachute opens and a radio altimeter is activated.
Fire, as mentioned above, can be fired in one gulp or in single launches. The launch of all projectiles, which begins after receiving a command from the remote control or from the control cabin, takes 38 seconds.
One volley of 12 9M55K missiles Smerch systems capable of covering an area of 400,000 sq. m.
The improvement of the 9A52-2 machine, primarily related to the introduction of new communication equipment and ASUNO (automated guidance and fire control system), made it possible:
1. Additionally increase the protection of flight information, its fixation and storage;
2. Designation of the localization of the system on the map;
3. Calculation of the rate of fire and information about the flight path in automatic mode;
4. Aiming guides, excluding the exit of the crew from the cab.
The introduction of the automated control system "Vivarium" developed by the Tomsk production association "Kontur" made it possible to fully reveal the possibilities
long-range multiple launch rocket system "Smerch". With the help of this SLA, data is exchanged between machines and the command, coordination of the fire of all systems is ensured.
Volley MLRS "Smerch"
Smerch systems unite in combat complexes, under the control of the chief of staff of the brigade and the commander, commanders of divisions (up to 3) and batteries (up to 18) subordinate to them.
One combat unit equipped with communication equipment, coding devices, digital display E-715-1.1 computer. In addition, there is an autonomous power supply unit on the move and on the spot.
| The performance characteristics of the 300-mm MLRS 9M55 "Smerch" | |
| Caliber, mm | 300 |
| Projectile length, mm | 7600 |
| Projectile weight, kg | 800-815 |
| Warhead weight, kg | 280 |
| Firing range-minimum, km | 20 |
| Firing range - maximum, km | 90 |
| Area affected by one volley, ha | 67,2 |
| Full salvo time, sec | 38 |
| Year of adoption | 1987 |
| Climatic operating conditions | |
| Temperature Range combat use RS, °С | -50..+50 |
| Surface wind, m/s | up to 20 |
| Relative air humidity at 35°С, % | up to 98 |
| Rain with intensity, mm/min | up to 2.7 |
| dustiness surface air, g/m3 | up to 2 |
| Height above sea level, m | up to 3000 |
| Combat vehicle 9K58 | |
| Base | MAZ-543M (8x8) |
| Mass of BM, t | 43,7 |
| Max speed, km/h | 69 |
| Power reserve, km | 850 |
| Number of launch tubes | 12 |
| BM preparation time for firing from the moment of receiving installations for firing before opening fire, min | 1,5-3 |
| Time to urgently leave the firing position after a salvo, min | 1 |
| Reload time, min | 16-20 |
| Calculation of a combat vehicle, pers. | 4 |
| Calculation of TZM, pers. | 2 |
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http://army.armor.kiev.ua/hist/obomvzryv.shtml
http://worldweaponry.by.ru/rszo/smerch.html
MLRS 9K58 "Smerch" - Soviet multiple launch rocket system of 300 mm caliber.
History of creation
Jet system salvo fire "Smerch" was developed in the USSR by specialists of TULGOSNIITOCHMASH (then NPO Splav, and now FSUE GNPP Splav, Tula), as well as related enterprises. It is the most powerful system salvo fire, and before the development in 2009 by China of its modification of the "Tornado", called AR1A, it was also the most long-range system. However, we note that the projectile for the Chinese system was developed using Russian specialists.
The artillery unit is mounted on a modified chassis of a MAZ-543M off-road truck. Also for the Indian side, a variant of a combat vehicle was created based on an all-terrain truck of the Tatra family.
Preparing for the Smerch battle after receiving target designation takes only three minutes. Full salvo - thirty-eight seconds. A minute later, the car is removed from its place, so the system is practically invulnerable to enemy return fire.
Ammunition
Modernization
MLRS "Smerch" - 9A52-2: firing range increased from 70 to 90 km, combat crew decreased from four to three people, the automation of the system has increased, in particular, topographic location has been carried out automatically through satellite systems.
Currently, a new generation of MLRS - Tornado - is being created at the Splav enterprise. It will become a two-caliber, combining on the same platform "Hurricane" and "Smerch". Automation of firing will reach such a level that the installation will be able to leave the position even before the projectile reaches the target. "Tornado" will be able to hit targets both in salvo and single high-precision missiles, and in fact, will become a universal tactical missile system.
Tactical and technical characteristics
Armament
Mobility
Reliability and manufacturability
Advantages
Multifunctionality, maneuverability, high reliability and power. A volley of batteries from six Tornadoes is capable of stopping the advance of an entire division or destroying a small city.
disadvantages
High cost. The price of one ammunition is about 2,000,000 rubles (2005 prices). The price of the complex is $22 million