Russian MRLS: Grad, Uragan, Smerch, Tornado-G/S

A batch of modernized heavy flamethrower systems TOS-1A "Solntsepёk" delivered to the troops

https://en.topwar.ru/189912-partija-modernizirovannyh-tjazhelyh-ognemetnyh-sistem-tos-1a-solncepek-postavlena-v-vojska.html

Arctic variant of 122-mm MLRS



https://twitter.com/gunner_schmulke/status/1480453548555051010

122-mm coastal rocket system DP-62 "Damba"

Those red caps look like nipples

I must say the DP-62 doesn't look anything like the DP-61 or DP-64...

Is that the Belorussian camo on the BM-30 Smerch? I've seen footage over the past few days with Smerch and Uragan units firing smaller and faster firing rockets. Is there a new rocket type being introduced?

Yes, there is a 14.5mm attachment for 125mm tank guns that allows special 14.5 x 114mm HMG rounds to be fired from a special barrel insert that matches the ballistics of the 125mm round that can be used for cheap training...

Perhaps this is the same with smaller lighter rockets?

Some sort of rocket tube liner?

They likely will have a lot of 122mm rockets made...

It’s cloudy and cold with a chance of Tornado.
https://t.me/intelslava/22210

Are tornadoes in use in Ukraine or is it mostly smerch? https://iz.ru/1389041/roman-kretcul-aleksei-ramm/slukhovoi-apparat-tornado-s-smogut-streliat-odnorazovymi-dronami I think we have all been curious about drones used in MLRS, we had earlier news before about drones with explosives finding targets but this talks about EW use in locating radars on where to launch rockets next or cause interference.

Russian gunners will start firing drones. For multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), Tornado-S is developing missiles with UAVs inside. The devices can be launched at a distance of tens of kilometers, after which disposable drones will temporarily silence communications and radars behind enemy lines. This makes it possible to radically increase the capabilities of electronic warfare of Russian troops. According to experts, promising ammunition will make the Tornado-S an effective means of countering enemy artillery and air defense.

Find and silence

The case is accurate: the Eastern Military District will receive the Tornado-S
The Ministry of Defense will re-equip artillery on the Far East to the world's most powerful multiple launch rocket systems
Experimental work is underway to create electronic warfare (EW) drones for the Tornado-S MLRS, Izvestia's sources in the military department told Izvestia. Specialized drones will be placed in rockets that can launch them into the deep rear of the enemy. After entering a given area, the drone can jam enemy radio signals, put interference, interfere with the operation of radar stations. Such a system can play an important role both in the offensive of Russian troops and in defense.

Drones launched with MLRS will be "disposable": after delivery to a given area, they loiter for a certain time. Their return to base is not expected. The use of relatively cheap devices will allow not to risk airplanes and helicopters with electronic warfare equipment.



xcraft.ru
РЕКЛАМА
Начни жизнь на одинокой планете
Игра с масштабными боями
Plans to create reconnaissance and strike electronic warfare systems based on multiple launch rocket systems and unmanned aerial vehicles have already been mentioned by the head of the electronic warfare troops of the Russian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Yuri Lastochkin.

Electronic warfare systems are needed primarily to counter counter-battery warfare stations, military expert Alexei Leonkov told Izvestia.

"If such a station is detected, then you need to prevent it from working," he explained. - And at the same time give out the coordinates for the multiple launch rocket system so that it can accurately destroy the object with missiles. In fact, we can say that the Tornado-S in the future can become a counter-battery system. The main thing is that there is a suitable drone.

Soldier of the Electronic Warfare of the Russian FederationPhoto: IZVESTIA/Alexander Kazakov
Electronic warfare equipment usually consists of a complex of electronic reconnaissance and what then presses on the frequency of this or that device.


"Tornado" salvo: the Western Military District will receive new weapons
One jet system will replace a whole battery of combat vehicles of the previous generation at once
- If the system is made competently enough, the drone will not even have to fly behind the front line. Counter-battery stations are usually located in a strip of up to 50 km, - said Alexey Leonkov. - If the electronic warfare systems work at such a range, then the device will not need to fly "behind the ribbon". He, for example, will be able to detect short-range anti-aircraft systems, transmit coordinates, and a missile will fly there.

A few years ago, it was reported that NPO Splav was developing specialized missiles with drones for the Smerch MLRS, the predecessor of the Tornado-S. These devices are equipped with a video camera and are designed for reconnaissance. The flight range of Smerch rockets exceeds 70 km. Last autumn, the general director of NPO Splav, Alexander Smirnov, said that preparations were underway to conduct preliminary tests of a pilot batch of rockets with drones with the participation of the customer.


Main Caliber
The Tornado-S MLRS, for which ammunition with electronic warfare drones is being developed, is considered the most powerful and long-range rocket systems in the world. In the future, they should replace the Tornadoes in artillery brigades. Each combat vehicle has 12 launchers from which you can fire both salvo and single missiles. . The arsenal of the system includes corrected and unguided projectiles. The exact characteristics of the system are not disclosed, but it was reported that the range of the rockets exceeds 100 km.

Each Tornado-S vehicle receives its exact coordinates according to the GLONASS system and is equipped with an automated guidance and fire control system. This allows you to determine the coordinates of the installation and calculate all the necessary parameters for firing at targets. The control system receives data on weather conditions and the operation of enemy air defenses. Having received the coordinates of the target from the command post, mlrs independently conduct calculations and deploy launchers. The crew can only give the command to open fire.

Military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian FederationPhoto: TASS/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

"Drones help us hit targets in real time"
Chief of Missile Forces and Artillery Mikhail Matveevsky on the use of drones, "smart" missiles and the development of new equipment
On-board control systems allow vehicles to be placed at a distance from each other, which makes them less vulnerable to enemy fire. In addition, they are quickly transferred to the marching position, which allows you to quickly leave the firing position after shooting.

The head of the missile forces and artillery (RViA) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Lieutenant General Mikhail Matveevsky, said in an interview with Izvestia that in comparison with his predecessor, the Tornado-S for the first time in domestic practice was able to hit small-sized and point targets with guided rockets, including increased power. . "At the same time, the firing range has increased significantly. In addition, the introduction of modern automated guidance control systems allows crews to prepare for launch without leaving the cockpit of the combat vehicle," the general emphasized.

The arsenal of the Tornado-S already includes, in particular, high-precision missiles 9M544 and 9M549 with anti-tank and anti-personnel combat elements. Their range reaches 120 km. In addition, the munitions are more accurate due to the fact that they combine satellite and precision inertial navigation systems.

Last year, new adjustable ammunition for the Tornado-S was tested. After launching the rocket, they perform a maneuver and go on individual flight paths. This allows you to simultaneously hit several different targets at once, for example, to knock out armored vehicles with high-precision missiles, and destroy fortifications and infantry with high-explosive ammunition.

Tornado-S is the new version of Smerch AFAIK... presumably there is also a Tornado-G and Tornado-U for Grad and Uragan.

thegopnik wrote:
Russian gunners will start firing drones. For multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), Tornado-S is developing missiles with UAVs inside. The devices can be launched at a distance of tens of kilometers, after which disposable drones will temporarily silence communications and radars behind enemy lines. This makes it possible to radically increase the capabilities of electronic warfare of Russian troops. According to experts, promising ammunition will make the Tornado-S an effective means of countering enemy artillery and air defense.

A very clever weapon. It spots targets for the battery and then takes out the EW countermeasures just before the barrage hits.

Now this is how you do a revolution in rocket artillery.

GarryB wrote:Tornado-S is the new version of Smerch AFAIK... presumably there is also a Tornado-G and Tornado-U for Grad and Uragan.

AFAIK also in production we have Tornado-G and Tornafo-S. And also Uragan-1M in a new chasis

lyle6 wrote:

thegopnik wrote:
Russian gunners will start firing drones. For multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), Tornado-S is developing missiles with UAVs inside. The devices can be launched at a distance of tens of kilometers, after which disposable drones will temporarily silence communications and radars behind enemy lines. This makes it possible to radically increase the capabilities of electronic warfare of Russian troops. According to experts, promising ammunition will make the Tornado-S an effective means of countering enemy artillery and air defense.

A very clever weapon. It spots targets for the battery and then takes out the EW countermeasures just before the barrage hits.

Now this is how you do a revolution in rocket artillery.  

Worth to further explaining what you mean, as some may find it not clear.
Modern ECM systems can remotely activate the fuze of incoming rounds.
Russkies presented that in practice on some maneuvers a few years ago, intercepting&detonating a Grad salvo in mid-air.
Not sure if that is widely spread in any other army, but it is one of the defensive measures that Russian land forces have at their disposal.
As Russkie always create countermeasures to both the enemy means and their own, I suppose that having this kind of toy in arsenal is tempting

Having eyes on target is a huge advantage because it tells you immediately if you need to follow up with more rockets, or if the target is destroyed and you can move on to the next target.

Also you can judge if your shots are off and get them on target and finish the job.

Having some drones that can attack any effective air defence systems present like a Pantsir or TOR equivalent makes good sense, and any EW vehicle that could interfere with the first volley of rockets could be detected by drones and attacked so the follow up rockets can then get the job done.

New tactics like this will be very valuable moving forward and would be expected from a HATO force, so learning to over come their defences and hitting them properly and hard makes this a very valuable learning experience.

GarryB wrote:Tornado-S is the new version of Smerch AFAIK... presumably there is also a Tornado-G and Tornado-U for Grad and Uragan.

Tornado-S and Tornado-G are indeed heavily upgraded Smerch and Grad modifications. But there is no upgrade for Uragan which could have been called Tornado-U. I assume Russian Ministry of Defense decided there are too many calibers and 227mm is not required, 122mm and 300mm is enough. Another reason reason is ZiL-135LM chassie with two Zil-375 gasoline engines is complicated in a bad way and not very reliable.

There is quite a lot of information about Tornado-S ammo. What about Tornado-G? I have heard previously these vehicles should also have guided rockets 9M541 with range up to 100 km. But never heard they were ever adopted into service or used anywhere. Does anyone know this?

BliTTzZ wrote:
Tornado-S and Tornado-G are indeed heavily upgraded Smerch and Grad modifications. But there is no upgrade for Uragan which could have been called Tornado-U. I assume Russian Ministry of Defense decided there are too many calibers and 227mm is not required, 122mm and 300mm is enough. Another reason reason is ZiL-135LM chassie with two Zil-375 gasoline engines is complicated in a bad way and not very reliable.

There is quite a lot of information about Tornado-S ammo. What about Tornado-G? I have heard previously these vehicles should also have guided rockets 9M541 with range up to 100 km. But never heard they were ever adopted into service or used anywhere. Does anyone know this?

There is a modified Uragan-1M, and the Tornado-S can use both 220 (not 227 as you mention, it is HIMARS caliber) and 300 mm rockets (30 and 12 pcs respectively).
So it is not a matter of caliber for sure

227mm rockets are American MLRS rockets.
Uragan and TOS are both 220mm AFAIK.
The new pallet based systems seem to include 122mm, 220mm, and 300mm versions.

ALAMO and GarryB, thank you for correcting me. It seems like I have been reading too much lately about MLRS and HIMARS, sorry.

But the fact is that basic BM-27 Uragan is not upgraded like it's Grad and Smerch colleagues. And I think it is really most likely because of the unreliable platform such is ZiL-135LM. Uragan-1M feels more like a standalone vehicle not related to BM-27.
Yes, TOS also has 220mm caliber like Uragan.

I have not heard any information about Uragan-1M using all 3 different calibers. Do you have any sources to back this up? Very interesting to read.

Does anyone know how many of these new vehicles are in Russian arsenal now? I hope they get more of them later on. Along with new Tornado-G/S.

You have missed the point.
220 mm Uragan has been upgraded, and accepted for duty - modernization is progressing. Uragan-1M.
Tornado-S has been redesigned to carry both calibers, so there is no need to implement a dedicated platform for a middle layer of tube artillery. The Big Guy S can take care of it, up to 200 km.
Russkie still has a 3 layers of tube artillery, assisted by the 3 layers of a classic one.
Just chassis has been combined, for a part of them.