Artillery / Multiple rocket launchers / BM-21 Grad
BM-21 Grad
General Facts
- TYPE
Multiple rocket launcher - ORIGIN
USSR - NICKNAMES
BM-21a (US designation for BM-21)
BM-21b (US designation for BM-21M)
M1964 (NATO designation for BM-21)
M1975 (NATO designation for BM-21V)
M1976 (NATO designation for BM-21M)
122 RAKH 76 (Finnish service) - DESIGNED
Mid 1950's - DESIGNER
Splav - PRODUCTION
1963 - present - PRODUCERS
Russia
USSR - QUANTITY
Over 2.000 - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Good firepower
Limited costs
Easy to use
Average accuracy
Limited range
Introduction
The BM-21 is a multiple rocket launcher of Russian origin. It was developed in the 1950's to replace older World War 2 era multiple rocket launchers. The BM-21 is the world's most widely used multiple rocket launcher. Its 122mm rocket and launcher design are employed on many foreign weapon systems. The nickname Grad is Russian for hailstorm.
Layout
The BM-21 essentially is a Ural 375D 6x6 truck fitted with a 40 round launcher for 122mm artillery rockets. Laying the launcher is an activity similar to laying a mortar and is done by using sights on the left side of the launcher. Additional rockets are carried on transloader vehicles.
Firepower
The BM-21 fires spin stabilized 122mm rockets. A variety of warheads is available. 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, but are in limited use. The 40 rockets can be ripple fired in 20 seconds.
Protection
The BM-21 is based on an unarmored vehicle and during travel, firing and reloading the crew is unprotected. There is no NBC system.
Mobility
The 6x6 Ural truck provides a good cross country mobility and fast travel on roads.
Users
The BM-21 was the standard Soviet multiple rocket launcher during the Cold War and remains in active use all over the world today, except for Western nations. Many nations have developed their own model based on the 122mm rocket and launcher design.
BM-21 Grad
The BM-21 is the original and most common version of the Grad family. It is based on a Ural 375D 6x6 5 t truck. The BM-21 has a 40-round launcher. There also is a version of the BM-21 that uses the newer Ural 4320 truck, this version is called the BM-21-1.
- Specifications:
- BM-21
| Type | Multiple rocket launcher |
|---|---|
| Crew | ? |
| Length | 7.35 m |
| Width | 2.69 m |
| Height | 2.85 m |
| Ground clearance | ? |
| Weight | 13.7 t combat load |
| Ground pressure | ? |
| Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 6x6 |
| Turn radius | 10.5 m |
| Engine | ZIL-375 7L V8 petrol, 180 hp at 3.200 rpm |
| Power ratio | 13.1 hp/t |
|---|---|
| Transmission | Manual, 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Speed | 80 km/h |
| Fuel | 360 L |
| Range | 1.000 km |
| Wall | 0.65 m |
| Trench | 0.9 m |
| Gradient | 60% gradient |
| Fording | 1.5 m |
| Armor | No |
| NBC equipment | No |
| Night vision | No |
|---|---|
| Smoke | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Armament | 122mm Grad missile launcher (40x) |
| Weapon1 | 122mm Grad 40-round missile launcher 40 rounds, all ready to fire 0 to +55° elevation 120° left and 60° right traverse non-stabilized |
| Weapon2 | - |
| Weapon3 | - |
| Weapon4 | - |
| Weapon5 | - |
| Weapon6 | - |
BM-21M Grad-1
The BM-21M is a lightweight version of the BM-21. It is based on the ZIL-131 6x6 3.5 t truck. Due to the different lifting mechanism the middle two launchers of the lower two rows are removed, resulting in a 36 round launcher. The BM-21M launch vehicle is known as the 9P138.
- Specifications:
- BM-21M
| Type | Multiple rocket launcher |
|---|---|
| Crew | 5 |
| Length | 6.9 m |
| Width | 2.5 m |
| Height | 2.48 m |
| Ground clearance | ? |
| Weight | 10.5 t combat load |
| Ground pressure | ? |
| Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 6x6 |
| Turn radius | ? |
| Engine | ZIL-131 6L V8 petrol, 150 hp at 3.200 rpm |
| Power ratio | 14.3 hp/t |
|---|---|
| Transmission | ? |
| Speed | 80 km/h |
| Fuel | 340 L |
| Range | 525 km |
| Wall | ? |
| Trench | ? |
| Gradient | ? |
| Fording | ? |
| Armor | No |
| NBC equipment | No |
| Night vision | No |
|---|---|
| Smoke | No |
| Remarks | 2.5 minute emplacement time, 0.5 minute displacement time |
| Armament | 122mm Grad missile launcher (36x) |
| Weapon1 | 122mm Grad 36-round missile launcher 36 rounds, all ready to fire |
| Weapon2 | - |
| Weapon3 | - |
| Weapon4 | - |
| Weapon5 | - |
| Weapon6 | - |
BM-21V Grad-V
The BM-21V was developed for air assault devisions. It is a smaller and lighter system as it is developed to be dropped by parachute. The GAZ-66B 4x4 truck chassis is used and fitted with a 12 round launcher.
- Specifications:
- BM-21V
| Type | Multiple rocket launcher |
|---|---|
| Crew | 2 (commander, driver) |
| Length | 5.65 m |
| Width | 2.32 m |
| Height | 2.44 m |
| Ground clearance | ? |
| Weight | 6.0 t |
| Ground pressure | ? |
| Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 4x4 |
| Turn radius | ? |
| Engine | ZMZ-66 4.3L V8 petrol, 115 hp at 3.200 rpm |
| Power ratio | 19.2 hp/t |
|---|---|
| Transmission | ? |
| Speed | 85 km/h |
| Fuel | 210 L |
| Range | 875 km |
| Wall | ? |
| Trench | ? |
| Gradient | ? |
| Fording | ? |
| Armor | No |
| NBC equipment | No |
| Night vision | No |
|---|---|
| Smoke | No |
| Remarks | 3.5 minute emplacement time, 0.5 minute displacement time |
| Armament | 122mm Grad missile launcher (12x) |
| Weapon1 | 122mm Grad 12-round missile launcher 12 rounds, all ready to fire |
| Weapon2 | - |
| Weapon3 | - |
| Weapon4 | - |
| Weapon5 | - |
| Weapon6 | - |
RM-70
The Czechoslovak RM-70 uses the same 40 round 122mm rocket launcher and associated ammunition.
Type 81
The Chinese Type 81 multiple rocket launcher has been derived from the BM-21 Grad.
T-122
The Turkish T-122 uses rockets that are based on the design of those used in the BM-21 Grad system.