One of the symbols of local conflicts that flared up after the collapse of the Soviet Union in many territories that were previously part of it was the "Grad" installation. Photos of this missile and artillery system, published in newspapers and on the pages of Internet publications, are sometimes presented as evidence of the Russian military presence or are presented as illustrations of pictures of fierce battles. In any case, if BM-21 is used, there is little good. The effectiveness of this weapon is very high.
Katyusha and the development of the SZO
In our country, salvo launchers appeared earlier than in the rest of the world. The Jet Research Institute patented a multi-barrel launcher system that fired rockets back in 1938. Since then, work to improve the MLRS has been carried out in the USSR almost continuously, having received special development during the Great Patriotic War. "Katyushas" - the legendary guards mortars - made up the combat formations of the regimental echelon, but in terms of strike power they could be compared with divisions. salvo principle,unlike firing single rockets, it took root in the troops for a very simple reason. From the late thirties to the mid-fifties, rockets were mostly unguided, moved along a conventional ballistic trajectory and were inferior to artillery weapons in terms of hit accuracy. The fuel did not burn uniformly enough, pulse fluctuations occurred, which led to large dissipation values. Only a massive application could level this drawback, as a result of which the squares were affected with everything that was on them at that moment. The Second World War was in the nature of clashes of large numbers of manpower and equipment. Based on the experience gained from 1939 to 1945, the concept of multiple launch rocket systems, created in the subsequent period in the USSR, was formulated. Its vivid expression was BM (combat vehicle), which has an inexpressive index "21", it is also the "Grad" installation. The radius of destruction has become much larger compared to the Katyusha, the firepower has increased many times over.
Previous systems
At the end of the thirties, the Soviet military leadership treated the idea of volley strikes with rockets, as well as rocket technology in general, with some distrust. The usual army conservatism, combined with confidence in time-tested types of weapons, had an effect. Nevertheless, many enthusiasts of the new type of ammunition managed to break the resistance, and soon after the German attack, the Katyusha divisions entered the firing positions, introducing confusion and panic into the ranks of the aggressors. Successful application of SZO duringmilitary operations in Europe, and then in Asia (against the Kwantung grouping of Japanese troops) finally strengthened the Stalinist leadership in the idea of the expediency of further development of this area of military equipment. In the first half of the 50s, new samples were developed and adopted. BM-14 had a 140 mm RS caliber and could hit area targets at ten-kilometer distances. The BM-24 fired even farther, at 16,800 m. It seemed that it was difficult to create anything more perfect, especially considering that artillery in general is a rather conservative branch of the armed forces, with a technical base that is not as dependent on scientific progress as aviation or navy. Guns and howitzers serve for decades without undergoing structural changes, and this does not surprise anyone. Nevertheless, according to the great designer A. N. Gonichev, much more could be done. In May 1960, it was he who received an important government assignment. The performance characteristics of the Grad installation, the creation of which he was instructed to, should have significantly exceeded the parameters of the BM-14 and BM-24, which were already in service.
Tasks and allied
At first they did not plan to use anything revolutionary in the new design. The general principles have already been generally formed. It was assumed that the projectile would be solid fuel, this was dictated by the mass nature of the use in the troops and the peculiarities of storage conditions in warehouses and in the front line in the event of a military conflict. The firing accuracy of the Grad installation could be improved by using tubular guides, which more rigidly set the motion vector duringlaunch and early flight. The rotational moment imparted to the projectile for the same purpose of reducing dispersion arose not only thanks to the stabilizers located at an angle to the flight line, but also due to special guide grooves cut inside the barrel, similar to how it is implemented in artillery pieces. Other factors that worsened the shooting parameters also had to be fought, not only by the forces of the head design organization, but also by subcontractors. PU created SKB-203, NII No. 6 was responsible for fuel cells, and GSKB-47 developed warheads. The name "mailboxes" even today speaks to few people about something, and then, in 1960, and even more so. In an atmosphere of secrecy, all types of weapons were created, including the Grad installation. Photos of prototypes were stored in special folders with strict vultures. All personnel involved in the creation of the new SZO gave appropriate non-disclosure agreements. For many years, none of the employees of defense enterprises could travel abroad, even to socialist countries.
Tests
At the very end of 1961, the first pre-production Grad multiple rocket launcher was ready for testing, then another one. The Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of the Soviet Army prepared the test site area (Leningrad Region) for the planned launches of 650 missiles and further sea tests along a route of 10,000 kilometers by spring. It is not known whether the haste was to blame, but the running gear could not withstand the full run, it was able to drive only 3300 km, after which the frame broke. Chassishad to be replaced, but, as it turned out, the problems were not accidental, but were of a systemic nature. Under the influence of dynamic loads, two bridges sagged and the cardan shaft failed. However, these troubles did not prevent the state acceptance. Under test conditions, an excess running range was laid. Installations "Grad" since 1964 began to arrive in military units.
Aiming mechanism
Of course, the main thing in this volley fire system was the indicators confirmed by test firing, and not driving performance. No one was going to drive these SZOs from Moscow to Vladivostok on their own, there are other means for delivery, and the accident-free run of more than three thousand kilometers spoke eloquently that the chassis, in general, were not made so badly, although they need in some amplification. The main unit of the machine is the warhead, consisting of forty (10 in a row) guide pipes, 3 meters long and with an internal diameter of 122.4 mm. The firing range of the Grad installation depends on the inclination of the barrel block relative to the horizontal plane, the angle of which is set by the lifting device. This assembly is located in the center of the base and, according to its principle, is a mechanical gearbox that includes two kinematic pairs: a toothed shaft and a gear to set the direction and a worm gear, with which the desired elevation is created. The guidance mechanism is driven electrically or manually.
Production innovations
TTX installationGrad is directly related to the characteristics of the missiles it fires.
The 9M22 high-explosive fragmentation projectile was planned as the main ammunition for the BM-21. Its production was entrusted to plant number 176, which in 1964 was supposed to produce 10 thousand pieces. However, the enterprise did not cope with the task, unexpected difficulties and unforeseen difficulties arose. During the first quarter, the plant managed to produce 650 missiles and 350 warheads for them. The excuse for breaking the schedule could be an innovation that takes time to implement, but improves the technology in the future. At the insistence of General Designer Alexander Ganichev, a method was introduced for manufacturing hulls using the template drawing method from sheet steel, similar to that used in the production of artillery shells. Previously, rockets were cut on radial machines from solid billets, which led to high metal consumption and unnecessary labor costs. Another innovative approach was applied in the method of fastening the folding stabilizers of the projectile fired by the Grad launcher. The radius of destruction of 9M22 slightly exceeds 20 km. Limit distances are not optimal in terms of accuracy. The spread at the extreme points is maximum. Actually, the minimum firing range of the Grad installation, set at 5 km, is conditional, it is possible to fire within a radius of one and a half kilometers, but with a great risk of hitting the wrong place, which, with the huge destructive power of ammunition, can cause very unpleasant consequences.
"Exhaust" technology has justified itself. The body of the rocket really became lighter. Production became cheaper, but this was not the main achievement. The firing range of the Grad installation has significantly increased. With the same mass of the projectile, it could hit over-the-horizon targets.
Rocket launch
In the history of local conflicts, there were episodes when shells intended for the BM-21 were launched from slate sheets placed on bricks to give the desired angle. In these cases, of course, the accuracy of the hit was low. The "Grad" installation cannot be replaced by auxiliary means. Photos of Middle Eastern terrorists trying to harm the other side with improvised devices are mainly intended to apply psychological pressure.
The 9M22 missile weighs 66 kg and is 2870 mm long. The fighting compartment has a mass of 18.4 kg and contains 6.4 kg of TNT. The launch occurs with electric impulse ignition of the fuse. Solid fuel consists of two pieces with a total mass of 20.4 kg. The warhead is detonated by the MRV (MRV-U) fuse, which automatically cocks after the missile has taken off at 200-400 meters. The projectile leaves the barrel at a speed of 50 m/s, then accelerates to 700 m/s. The firing range of the Grad installation can be artificially limited with the help of brake rings (large or small). In 1963, NII-147 specialists created a fragmentation-chemical version of the projectile, which received the designation "Leika" (9M23), which has the same flight characteristics as 9M22.
Regular 9M22 and Leica
Tests have shown how powerful the Grad launcher is. The area of destruction with a full salvo is 1050 square meters. m when hitting manpower, and 840 sq. m for armored vehicles.
Further development of the hardware of the projectile touched fuses. "Leika" can be equipped with them in two versions (mechanical and radar). Any blasting ammunition becomes much more effective if it is detonated at the optimal height, including the projectile fired by the Grad launcher. The area affected by fragments and poisonous substances increases dramatically when initiated 30 meters from the surface, however, the use of a radar fuse reduces the range by 1600 meters.
Different types of ammunition for Grad
During the period of production of the BM-21, work was constantly carried out to improve existing ammunition and create new (special) ones. They can be loaded with any Grad installation. 3M16 shells have a cluster warhead, 9M42 shells illuminate the area within a 500 m radius with daytime brightness for one and a half minutes, 9M28K scatters anti-personnel mines (3 each), self-destructing within 16-24 hours. RS 9M519 create stable local radio interference.
BM-21 mainly uses simple unguided munitions, but there are also special types of projectiles, such as 9M217, equipped with a self-aiming device and a shaped charge to fight tanks.
Created and smoke barriers, and increased power ammunition, and many other unpleasantsurprises for the enemy with which the Grad installation can be charged. The radius of destruction is getting larger, the destructive power is growing, the accuracy is increasing.
Upgraded BM-21
Such a perfect and reliable system, used by the armies of dozens of countries and universally recognized due to its ease of maintenance and reliability, despite its impressive age, can be used for a long time. From time to time, its characteristics are improved due to the latest technological advances, mainly of an informational nature.
In 1998, near Orenburg, the Grad installation, which had undergone a deep modernization, was demonstrated. Photos and videos of this car this time were not hidden from the public and were published by all leading news and information channels. Differences from the base model consisted in the presence of a fire control post, called "Kapustnik-B2", created on the basis of the high-speed computer "Baget-41". The fire control complex also includes a meteorological system, a navigational determinant, and the latest coded communication equipment operating in automatic data exchange mode. The effective firing range of the Grad installation has doubled (up to 40 km). The ballistic performance of the shells, which received new stabilizers and better centering, has also improved. New fuel blends are under development.
In the course of operation, new ways of modernization have emerged that can significantly reduceloading time and other performance characteristics of the Grad installation. In recent decades, composite materials have appeared, the use of which can increase the degree of ste alth of radar equipment and facilitate the design. Most likely, in the near future, the Grad multiple rocket launcher will receive a single-use polymer monoblock instead of tubular barrels, which will reduce the reload time to 5 minutes.
Upgraded SZU, along with the latest Prima systems, will soon be received by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Mounting options are provided not only on car platforms, but also on some ships. The Grad salvo launcher can also be used as a defense element for coastal bases.
