Ever since the famous Katyusha changed a lot.Battle tactics, weapons, national boundaries ... But multiple rocket launchers and Russia today are very important on the battlefield.With their help, you can throw the shells of great destructive power for tens of kilometers, destroying and disabling fortified areas, the enemy armored vehicles and manpower.
Our country is a leader in the development of MRLS: constantly improving the development of the old and new samples of weapons.Today we look at systems which salvo Russia today are in service with the army.
«Grad»
122mm MLRS.Designed to destroy enemy personnel, remote setting minefields, destroying fortified positions of the enemy.It can deal with light and medium armored vehicles.When you create a machine to use the chassis "Ural-4320", which are available to guide projectiles caliber 122 mm.Transporting ammunition to the "Castle" can be on any machine that has a suitable size.
number of guides shells - 40 pieces, arranged in four rows of ten pieces each.Fire can be conducted as a single shot, and a one-time volley, which takes less than a minute (20 seconds).Maximum range of fire - up to 20.5 kilometers.Affected area of four hectares."Grad" can successfully be used in a wide temperature range: -50 to +50 degrees Celsius.
fire management as a possible from the cockpit, and outside it, in the latter case, the calculation uses remote wired remote (range - up to 50 meters).Since the designers have provided a consistent gathering of shells from the guides, combat vehicle relatively little shaken during shooting.To bring the installation into the firing position takes no more than three or four minutes.The chassis can fording depth of up to six meters.
Combat application
where to use these multiple rocket launchers Russia?Firstly, their baptism of fire took place even in Afghanistan.How to remember the survivors under fire Mujahideen (and those were very few): "Around reigned hell, clods soared to the skies.We thought that was the end of the world. "Installation was widely used during both Chechen campaigns, during the "war three eights" at forcing Georgia to peace.
However, the first experience of using these, then still secret plants was received well before the events described.It happened during an incident on the peninsula Damanskii subsequently consigned to China.When the second wave of Chinese troops could still break into its territory and to gain a foothold there, the order was given to use the "Grad".At first the Soviet Union in general I wanted to use nuclear weapons, but there were concerns about the reaction of the international community.Whatever it was, but it was enough that the PLA: salvo aimed dozen "Grad" is simply plowed this piece of disputed territory.
How many were killed Chinese probably already know it will not turn.Soviet commanders thought that crossed the peninsula for at least three thousand people.Anyway, no survivors were accurately.
Current status
Today it is considered that the "Grad" morally and technically outdated.Many of these machines, which are now in service with our army almost completely worn out.In addition, now there is a re-saturation of the troops and their MLRS "Tornado".But for the "oldies" it is still far from complete.The fact that the Ministry of Defense still wants to leave the army is well proven, cheap and efficient car.
In this regard, a special project of modernization and reduction to the modern mind and efficiency.In particular, the old model was finally established normal satellite navigation system and computers "Baguette", which controls the process of launching missiles.The assurances of the military, a relatively simple procedure updates went "Grad" benefit because their military capability has increased to several times.
This technique is used by all parties to the conflict in the Ukrainian territory.Militant Africans who received MLRS from the Soviet Union, also like a weapon.In short, the geography of the plant has huge.That's what the system is characterized by multiple rocket launchers "Grad"."Smerch" is that we will describe below, are many times more powerful and has a terrible destructive force.
«Tornado»
truly terrifying weapon.In comparison, "Castle" is really similar in effectiveness with the same natural phenomenon.Judge: Americans believe that "Smerch" - multiple rocket launchers, a characteristic that would fit a compact complex with nuclear weapons.
And they are absolutely right.Installation of this in just one volley of "covers" unrealistic 629 hectares in the firing range of 70 kilometers.And that's not all.Today the development of new types of missiles that will fly is already a hundred kilometers.In the square, which covered the systems of salvo fire Russian, burned everything, including heavy armor.Like the previous MLRS "Smerch" may be used in a wide range of temperatures.
Designed for large-scale processing of enemy positions before the offensive, destroying especially strong bunkers and pillboxes, destroying large accumulations of enemy troops and enemy vehicles.
chassis rails to launch projectiles
chassis is created on the basis of all-terrain vehicle MAZ-543.In contrast to the "Castle", this setting is far more dangerous enemy to the fact that part of the battery fire control system "Vivarium", which allows to achieve the highest efficiency, which is more typical of barrel artillery systems.
These rocket launchers, rocket launchers have 12 tubular guide for projectiles.Each of them weighs 80 kilograms, and 280 of them are in charge of a powerful explosive.Armament specialists believe that this ratio is ideal for unguided missiles, as it allows to combine in munition powerful boosters and huge destructive potential.
And one more feature of shells "Smerch".The designers have worked on this for a long time, but made sure that the angle of incidence on the ground was 90 degrees.Such a "meteorite" easy to sew through any enemy MBT probability, and concrete structures are unlikely to succumb to such power.Currently, the production of new "Smerch" is not planned (most likely), since the line of duty they will be replaced by the new "Tornado".
However, there is some likelihood that the old systems will still be subjected to modernization.It is certain that their ammunition is possible to include new types of missiles with active guidance, so that the combat capabilities of the complex and to date are far from exhausted.
What else we have rocket launchers, rocket launchers?
«Hurricane»
Adopted in the 70s of the last century.In combat effectiveness occupies an intermediate position between the "Grad" and "Smerch".Thus, the maximum range is 35 kilometers.In general, the "Hurricane" - multiple rocket launchers, the design of which were laid by many of the principles, which are still governed by the developers of such weapons in our country.She created her illustrious Designer Kalachnikov Yuri.
the way saying, "Hurricane" - installation of volley fire, which was once the Soviet Union in considerable quantities delivered to Yemen, which is now beginning to intensive combat operations.Surely we will soon find out how effectively proved the old Soviet equipment in battle.Russian armed forces along with "Grad" used as "Hurricane" during the war in Afghanistan.
also install widely used in Chechnya, and then - in Georgia.There are indications that with the help of "Hurricane" once was completely destroyed by the advancing column of Georgian tanks (according to other sources, it was the "Castle").The complex
on the chassis of the machine terrain ZIL-135LM 16 mounted tubular guide (it was initially planned that there will be 20).Ukrainians in their time getting to them upgraded machines, putting them on the chassis KrAZ its Kremenchug.The composition of the crew compartment of the plant consists of the following components:
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Directly machine 9P140.
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transporting and loading shells 9T452.
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Set ammunition.
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car fire control based installation 1V126 "Skit-B."
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funds for education and training of calculation.
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station topographic survey 1T12-2M.
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complex DF Meteorology and 1B44.
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complete set of equipment and tools 9F381 is designed for repair and maintenance of machines from the complex.
What has characterized Russian multiple rocket launchers "Hurricane"?Artillery unit is made on the basis of a rotary mechanism for balancing and equipped with hydraulic and electromechanical actuators.Solid package guides can be induced in the range from 5 to 55 degrees.
traverse can be carried out at an angle of 30 degrees to the right and left of the central axis of the war machine.To massed volley when there is no risk zavalivanija heavy chassis, the back part, there are two powerful lugs.The complex is also equipped with night vision devices and therefore can be operated in the dark.
Currently, the Russian Armed Forces has maintained about a hundred of these machines.Rather, they were subjected to modernization will not be written off as soon as the full development of military life.This is due to the fact that the arms adopted a new MRL, which includes all the advantages of the old models.
«Tornado»
This - a new system of salvo fire Russian.Developing it began due to the fact that the old "Castle", which have been in service for over forty years, urgently needed replacement.As a result of hard development work and there was this car.
Unlike their predecessors, multiple rocket launchers Russia "Tornado" far superior in the area of guidance and shooting accuracy, as can use topographic data transmitted by satellites.But not only this unique newly established MRL.
fact that for each task before the Soviet industry to create a separate installation: in fact, just that there was a meteorological "zoo" as "Castle", "Cyclone" and "Hurricane."But modern Russian multiple rocket launchers ("Tornado") will be released in three versions, all three rounds using the above machines.It is assumed that designers able to quickly replace the artillery unit, so that a single chassis can be used in various capacities.
new shells
In addition, all previous system was one big disadvantage of uncontrollability of ammunition.Simply put, the correct course of already issued ammunition was impossible.All this is quite suitable for the wars of the past decades, but in the current environment is already unacceptable.To solve this problem, for the "Tornado" have created new types of missiles with active optical and laser guided.MLRS now turned into a completely new, extremely dangerous weapon.
Thus, modern multiple rocket launchers Russia today can be compared to the effectiveness of the most perfect specimens of cannon artillery, hitting the goal for tens of kilometers.Unlike most perfect in this respect, "Smerch", and range from "Tornado" is already up to 100 kilometers (using the respective shells).
meeting new and old
As we wrote at the beginning of this article, at the present time as being the work on improvement of the old "Grad", which is still a lot left in service.Then the designers visited the idea: "What if you use a simple, tech gear from" Castle "setting to the new combat module of the" Tornado "appropriate caliber"?Thought was quickly implemented.
Thus was born a new car made "Tornado-G."Officially, it was put into service in 2013, but then started to supply the troops.In the "tank biathlon - 2014" a new MRL demonstrated to everyone.
Unlike the two predecessors of this technique, the design of the control system is turned on "Skit-BM", which is several times increases the combat capabilities of the complex.In addition, a significantly simplified the process of aiming and firing Battle: Now the crew did not have to go outside, so all the necessary topographical data is displayed in real time on monitors installed inside the cabin.From there you can select a destination and make the launch of missiles.
Such modernization is not only to modernize the old center, but also greatly secured the crew.Now the machine can quickly produce a volley from the closed position and leave it at a cost of no more than every half minutes.This dramatically reduces the risk of detection and destruction of the complex enemy retaliation.In addition, through the use of new shells with detachable warhead it is now possible to significantly expand the range of possible combat units.
That's what has to date systems of salvo fire Russian.Photos are presented in their paper, so that you can make for yourself an approximate idea of their power.
