Artillery / Multiple rocket launchers / M-63 Plamen
M-63 Plamen
General Facts
- TYPE
Multiple rocket launcher - ORIGIN
Yugoslavia - NICKNAMES
Plamen
M-91
M-93
RAK-12 - DESIGNED
1963 - DESIGNER
Yugoslav Military Technical Institute - PRODUCTION
Mid 1960's - ? - PRODUCERS
Croatia (RAK-12)
Serbia (M-94)
Yugoslavia (M-63) - QUANTITY
About 500 produced - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
More firepower than Type 63
Good firepower
Limited range
No armor protection
Introduction
The M-63 Plamen is a towed multiple rocket launcher of Yugoslav origin. It was developed in the early 1960's as a light and simple alternative to towed guns and larger rocket launchers. It has the ability to quickly barrage a relatively nearby area.
Layout
The M-63 consists of a block of 32 launch tubes for 128mm unguided spin stabilized artillery rockets. The launcher is mounted on a two wheel trailer and is usually towed by a light truck that carries additional ammunition. Reloading is done manually.
Firepower
A total of 32 unguided rockets is ready to fire out to ranges of 8.6 km. All 32 rockets can be launched in 6 seconds. Later models feature longer range rockets with a range of 12 to 13 km.
Protection
The M-63 is usually towed by an unarmored vehicle and features no protection. The M-63 is operated, fired and reloaded in the field with the crew exposed to direct and indirect fire.
Mobility
A light truck is the most common means of towing the M-63. It can be manhandled over short distances. The M-94 Plamen-S merges the launcher with a FAP 2026 truck which also carries additional ammunition, improving the mobility significantly.
Users
The M-63 Plamen was produced in large quantities and has been used by a factions in the Yugoslav conflicts. It has been exported only to a small number of other nations. It remains in limited use today.
M-63 Plamen
The M-63 Plamen is a towed rocket launcher with 32 launch tubes for 128mm artillery rockets. It has been produced in only one version. It fires the Plamen-A and Plamen-B rockets.
- Specifications:
- M-63 Plamen
| Type | Multiple rocket launcher |
|---|---|
| Crew | 7 |
| Ordnance | 128mm Plamen rocket (32x) |
| Elevation | -0 to +48° |
| Traverse | 15° left and right |
| Rate of fire | ? |
|---|---|
| Range | 9 to 13 km, depends on ammunition |
| Carriage | 2 wheel split trail carriage, 0.27 m ground clearance, 1.89 m track, 8.25 x20 tires |
| Weight | 1.395 kg (empty), 2.134 kg (loaded) |
| Length | 3.68 m |
| Width | 2.21 m |
|---|---|
| Height | 1.28 m |
| Towing vehicle | 4x4 light truck |
| Speed | - |
| Remarks | - |
M-71 Partizan
The M-71 Partizan is a single round launcher for infantry use. Since the firepower is limited it is mostly used in the same role as a commando mortar or for harassing fire.
M-94 Plamen-S
The M-94 Plamen-S is a Serbian upgrade which combines a M-63 launcher with a FAP 2026 truck that also carries additional ammunition. Besides the original Plamen-A and B rockets it also fires the longer range Plamen-S rocket.
- Specifications:
- M-94 Plamen-S
| Type | Multiple rocket launcher |
|---|---|
| Crew | 3 (commander, driver, gunner) |
| Length | 6.7 m |
| Width | 2.28 m |
| Height | 2.82 m |
| Ground clearance | 0.31 m |
| Weight | 9.6 t combat load |
| Ground pressure | ? |
| Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 6x6, 3.1 + 1.2 m wheelbase, 1.86 m track |
| Turn radius | 7.9 m |
| Engine | TAM F6L413 V6 diesel, 154 hp at 2.650 rpm |
| Power ratio | 16.0 hp/t |
|---|---|
| Transmission | Manual, 5 forward, 1 reverse |
| Speed | 95 km/h on road, 55 km/h off road |
| Fuel | 150 L |
| Range | ? |
| Wall | ? |
| Trench | ? |
| Gradient | 71% gradient |
| Fording | 1 m |
| Armor | No |
| NBC equipment | No |
| Night vision | No |
|---|---|
| Smoke | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Armament | 128mm Plamen rocket launcher (32x) |
| Weapon1 | 128mm Plamen rocket launcher 96 rounds, 32 ready to fire 0 to +48° elevation 360° traverse non-stabilized |
| Weapon2 | - |
| Weapon3 | - |
| Weapon4 | - |
| Weapon5 | - |
| Weapon6 | - |
RAK-12
The RAK-12 is a Croatian version of the M-63 which uses only 12 tubes. This allows it to be towed by lighter vehicles such as jeeps. It fires the standard range M-91 and long range M-93 rockets. The RAK-24 model fits two RAK-12 launchers onto the LOV-1 4x4 chassis. It is unknown if the RAK-24 has been produced in quantity.
- Specifications:
- RAK-12
| Type | Multiple rocket launcher |
|---|---|
| Crew | ? |
| Ordnance | 128mm Plamen rocket (12x) |
| Elevation | -1 to +46° |
| Traverse | 15° left and right |
| Rate of fire | 12 rounds in 9 seconds |
|---|---|
| Range | depends on ammunition |
| Carriage | 2 wheel split trail carriage |
| Weight | 580 kg (empty), 850 kg (loaded) |
| Length | ? |
| Width | ? |
|---|---|
| Height | ? |
| Towing vehicle | 4x4 light truck |
| Speed | - |
| Remarks | - |
Plamen artillery rockets
Plamen-A: Yugoslav/Serbian production standard range rocket.
Plamen-B: Yugoslav/Serbian production standard range rocket.
Plamen-D: Serbian production extended range rocket for use with Plamen-S system.
M-91: Croatian production standard range rocket used with RAK-12.
M-93: Croatian production extended range rocket used with RAK-12.
- Specifications:
- M-63 Plamen-A
- M-87 Plamen-D
- M-91
- M-93
| Type | Artillery rocket |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 128 mm body |
| Length | 0.837 m |
| Weight | 23.1 kg |
| Guidance | Unguided, ballistic flight |
|---|---|
| Warhead | 2.6 kg explosive |
| Propulsion | Solid propellant rocket motor |
| Speed | ? |
| Range | 8.6 km maximum |
|---|---|
| Altitude | - |
| Engagement envelope | - |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Artillery rocket |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 128 mm body |
| Length | 0.971 m |
| Weight | 25.5 kg |
| Guidance | Unguided, ballistic flight |
|---|---|
| Warhead | 3.3 kg explosive |
| Propulsion | Solid propellant rocket motor |
| Speed | ? |
| Range | 12.6 km maximum |
|---|---|
| Altitude | - |
| Engagement envelope | - |
| Remarks | - |
| Type | Artillery rocket |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 128 mm body |
| Length | ? |
| Weight | 23.5 kg |
| Guidance | Unguided, ballistic flight |
|---|---|
| Warhead | 8.5 kg, impact fuze |
| Propulsion | Solid propellant rocket motor |
| Speed | ? |
| Range | 8.5 km maximum |
|---|---|
| Altitude | - |
| Engagement envelope | - |
| Remarks | 16.000 rpm spin |
| Type | Artillery rocket |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 128 mm body |
| Length | ? |
| Weight | 26 kg |
| Guidance | Unguided, ballistic flight |
|---|---|
| Warhead | 9 kg, impact fuze |
| Propulsion | Solid propellant rocket motor |
| Speed | ? |
| Range | 13.0 km maximum |
|---|---|
| Altitude | - |
| Engagement envelope | - |
| Remarks | 26.000 rpm spin |
Media
Type 63
The M-63 Plamen is a towed multiple rocket launcher with better performance than the ubiquitous Chinese Type 63.
RPU-14
The M-63 Plamen series was developed as a more potent alternative than the Soviet BM-14 and RPU-14.