BM-21 Grad
9K51 | NATO: M1964
Overview
2B17 launch vehicle
Russian army 2B17 launch vehicle during an exercise with 9K51 Grad systems in 2011.
Source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin -
© GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
Soviet Union - SKB-203 / NPP Start (launch vehicle)
M1964 (NATO reporting name)
Russia
Description
Introduction
The BM-21 Grad is an early Cold War era multiple rocket launcher of Soviet origin. It is an iconic Soviet weapon system that remains in widespread use today.
Design
The BM-21 Grad uses a 40 tube launcher mounted on a turntable at the rear of an Ural-375D tactical truck. At later stages newer vehicles were used as chassis and many nations have developed domestic variants. The launcher is trained onto by hand using an indirect fire sight attached to the left side of the launcher. The 122mm artillery rockets are spin stabilized and feature wrap around tailfins. Various types of warhead exist. The rockets are reloaded by hand, sometimes with the aid of a special transloader vehicle.
Firepower
The BM-21 fires spin stabilized 122mm rockets. A variety of warheads is available, with HE-Fragmentation being most common. The standard range of rockets has a range of 20 km. In Russia and abroad several families of rockets with 30 km and 40 km range have been developed. Often these newer rockets are in use as a supplement to the original ones. All 40 rockets can be ripple fired in 20 seconds.
Mobility
The BM-21 Grad is based on a Ural 6x6 tactical truck chassis. This provides good mobility both on and off road. The V8 petrol engine provides a maximum road speed of 75 km/h.
Protection
The BM-21 Grad system is based around softskin tactical trucks. These vehicles do not provide protection against direct fire, indirect fire or NBC threats. The long range and the mobility of the systems are its only protection. After firing a salvo the BM-21 launch vehicles should relocate in order to avoid counter battery fire.
Users
The BM-21 Grad is the most widely used multiple rocket launcher ever developed. It was used in very large quantities by Soviet and some Warsaw Pact forces. Many systems were exported to Soviet allies in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. Furthermore, many nations have developed their own improved variants. Most of these remain compatible with original Grad rockets, but also use newer and longer range variants.
Variants
2B5 launch vehicle
Initial launch vehicle design as introduced in 1963. Based on Ural 375D 6x6 truck chassis with petrol engine.
2B17 launch vehicle
Improved launch vehicle based on Ural 4320 6x6 truck chassis with diesel engine. Also known as BM-21-1.
2B26 launch vehicle
Service life extension of older 2B5 launch vehicles by mounting the launcher on a KamAZ-5350 6x6 truck chassis. Refit carried out by Motovilikha plant since 2010's.
Details
Systems derived from BM-21 Grad
9K54 Grad-V
The 9K54 Grad-V is a lightweight variant of the BM-21 Grad developed for airborne forces. It can be airdropped by parachute platform from a transport aircraft. It uses the shorter range 9M28 series of artillery rockets.
9K55 Grad-1
The Soviet 9K55 Grad-1 is a lighter weight BM-21 system based on the ZiL-131 series of tactical trucks. It was developed for use by the naval infantry and uses the shorter range 9M28 series of 122mm artillery rockets.
RM-70
Czechoslovakian variant of the BM-21 Grad. Based on a larger Tatra 8x8 truck chassis featuring an armored cab for increased battlefield survivability. First design to feature an additional 40 rockets in a frame that allows for a quick reload of the launcher. This feature was added to many foreign improvements of the BM-21 Grad system.
T-122
Turkish modern iteration of the Grad. The T-122 has a more modern launch vehicle and the TR-122 rockets can reach twice as far.
PHL81
Chinese copy of Soviet BM-21 Grad. Based on SX2150 6x6 truck chassis. Known as Type 81 before being renamed PHL81 under the new Chinese naming system.
PHZ89
Chinese tracked multiple rocket launcher. Similar to PHL81, but mounted on a tracked chassis with light armor. Forty additional rockets are carried in an armored bin in front of the launcher.
Media
2B7 launch vehicle
A number of Russian army BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers on the move during an exercise in 2017.
Source: www.mil.ru
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
2B7 launch vehicle
BM-21 Grad system launching its 122mm rockets during an exercise in 2017.
Source: www.mil.ru
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
2B17 launch vehicle
Russian army 2B17 launch vehicle during a parade in 2015.
Source: Andrew Butko
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
2B26 launch vehicle
Russian army 2B26 launch vehicle on KamAZ truck chassis during an exercise in 2015.
Source: www.mil.ru
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
2B7 launch vehicle
2B7 launch vehicle on Ural-375D chassis on display in a museum.
Source: Dmitry A. Mottl
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
2B17 launch vehicle
Ukranian 2B17 launch vehicle in the field.
Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Copyright: GNU Attribution - Share Alike license
Related articles
BM-14
The BM-21 Grad was developed as a more capable successor to the Soviet BM-14. The BM-21 Grad has twice the effective range, is more accurate and retains the low cost and mobility associated with the BM-14.