Missile installations - from "Katyusha" to "Smerch"

Predecessors of modern missile installations can be considered weapons from China. Shells could cover a distance of 1.6 km, releasing a huge number of arrows in the target. In the West, such adaptations appeared only 400 years later.

The history of the creation of missile guns

The first missiles appeared exclusively due to the appearance of gunpowder, which was invented in China. Alchemists discovered this element by accident, when they made an elixir for eternal life. In the XI century, gunpowder bombs were sent to the target from the catapults for the first time. It was the first weapon, the mechanism of which resembles rocket launchers.

The rockets created in China in 1400 were as much like modern guns. The range of their flight was more than 1.5 km. They were two rockets equipped with engines. Before the fall of them flew a huge number of arrows. After China, such weapons appeared in India, then fell into England.

General Kongreve in 1799 on their basis is developing a new type of projectiles from gunpowder. They are immediately taken into service in the British army. Then there were huge guns that fired missiles at a distance of 1.6 km.

Even earlier, in 1516, grass-roots Zaporozhye Cossacks near Belgorod at the destruction of the Tatar horde of the Crimean Khan Melik-Girey used even more innovative missile installations. Thanks to new weapons, they were able to defeat the Tatar army, which was much larger than the Cossack army. Unfortunately, the secret of their development Zaporozhye carried with them, dying in subsequent battles.

Achievements A. Zasyadko

A major breakthrough in creating launchers was made by Alexander Dmitriyevich Zasyadko. It was he who invented and successfully implemented the first UZO - volley fire installations. From one such design it was possible to release almost simultaneously at least 6 missiles. The plants had a low weight, which made it possible to carry them to any convenient place. Zasyadko's achievements were highly appreciated by the Grand Duke Constantine, the Tsar's brother. In his report to Alexander I, he solicits the award of rank of Major-General to Colonel Zasyadko.

The development of missile installations in the XIX-XX centuries.

In the XIX century, the design of rockets on nitro-powder (smokeless powder) began to engage NI. Tikhomirov and V.A. Artemiev. The first launch of such a missile was made in the USSR in 1928. Shells could cover a distance of 5-6 km.

Thanks to the contribution of the Russian professor KE Tsiolkovsky, scientists from the RNII II. Guaya, V.N. Galkovsky, A.P. Pavlenko and A.S. Popov in 1938-1941 appeared multi-discharge missile launcher RS-M13 and installation BM-13. At the same time, Russian scientists create rockets. These missiles - "eres" - will become the main part of the yet-existing "Katyusha." Over its creation will work for several more years.

Installation of "Katyusha"

As it turned out, five days before the German attack on the USSR, the group of L.E. Schwartz demonstrated in the Moscow region a new weapon called "Katyusha." The missile system at that time was called BM-13. The tests were carried out on June 17, 1941 at the Sofrinsky test site with the participation of the Chief of the General Staff, G.K. Zhukov, people's commissars of defense, ammunition and weapons, and other representatives of the Red Army. On July 1 this military equipment left Moscow for the front. And in two weeks "Katyusha" visited the first baptism of fire. Hitler was shocked to learn about the effectiveness of this missile system.

The Germans were afraid of this weapon and tried in every way to capture it or destroy it. Attempts by designers to recreate the same gun in Germany did not bring success. The projectiles did not gain speed, had a chaotic flight trajectory and did not hit the target. The Soviet-made gunpowder was clearly of a different quality, it took decades to develop it. German counterparts could not replace it, which led to unstable operation of ammunition.

The creation of this powerful weapon opened a new page in the history of the development of artillery weapons. Terrible "Katyusha" began to wear the honorary title of "weapon of victory."

Features of the development

The BM-13 missile systems consist of a six-wheel four-wheel-drive truck and a special design. Behind the cockpit was a system for launching missiles on a platform installed there. A special lift lifted the front part of the installation hydraulically at an angle of 45 degrees. Initially, there was no provision for moving the platform to the right or to the left. Therefore, to guide the target, it was necessary to deploy the entire truck. 16 missiles fired from the unit flew along a free trajectory to the location of the enemy. The crew was making corrections already while conducting fire. Up to now, more modern modifications of these weapons are used by the army of some countries.

To replace the BM-13 in the 1950s, the BM-14 rocket launcher (MLRS) reactive system was launched .

Missile launchers "Grad"

The next modification of the system was "Grad". The rocket launcher was created for the same purposes as the previous similar samples. Only tasks for developers have become more complicated. The shooting range should not be less than 20 km.

The development of new shells engaged NII 147, which had not previously created such weapons. In 1958, under the supervision of A.N. Ganichev, with the support of the State Committee for Defense Technology, began work on the development of a missile for a new modification of the installation. To create a technology used to manufacture artillery shells. The casings were created using the hot-drawing method. Stabilization of the projectile was due to tail feathering and rotation.

After numerous experiments in rockets, the Grad used for the first time the feathers of four curved blades, which were opened at the start. Thus, A.N. Ganichev was able to achieve that the missile was perfectly integrated into the tubular rail, and during the flight its stabilization system proved to be ideal for a range of 20 km. The main creators were NII-147, NII-6, GSKB-47, SKB-203.

The tests were carried out at the Rzhevka training ground near Leningrad on March 1, 1962, and a year later, on March 28, 1963, the "Grad" was adopted. The rocket launcher was put into serial production on January 29, 1964.

The composition of Grad

SZO BM 21 includes the following elements:

- rocket launcher, which is mounted on the stern of the chassis of the car "Ural-375D";

- fire control system and transport-loading car 9T254 on the basis of "ZIL-131";

- 40 three-meter guides in the form of pipes installed on the base, which rotates in a horizontal plane and is guided vertically.

Guidance is carried out manually or with the help of an electric drive. Charge the installation manually. The car can move around charged. Shooting is carried out with a volley or single shots. At a volley of 40 shells, the living force affects an area of 1,046 square kilometers. M.

Shells for Grad

For shooting, you can use different types of missiles. They differ in the range of fire, mass, target of defeat. They are used for the destruction of manpower, armored vehicles, mortar batteries, aircraft and helicopters at airfields, mining, installation of smoke screens, radio interference, poisoning with a chemical substance.

Modifications system "Grad" a huge amount. All of them are in service in various countries of the world.

Long-range MLRS "Hurricane"

Simultaneously with the development of Grad, the Soviet Union was engaged in the development of a long-range multiple rocket launcher (MLRS). Prior to the appearance of the "Hurricane", R-103, R-110 "Chirok" and "Korshun" rocket launchers were tested. All of them were evaluated positively, but they were not powerful enough and had their shortcomings.

At the end of 1968, the development of a long-range 220 mm SZO began. Originally it was called Grad-3. In full, the new system was taken into use after the decision of the USSR Defense Ministries of March 31, 1969. At the Perm Instrument Factory No. 172 in February 1972, a prototype of the Uragan MLRS was produced. The rocket launcher was adopted on March 18, 1975. After 15 years in the Soviet Union housed 10 reactive artillery regiment MLRS "Hurricane" and one reactive art brigade.

In 2001, many Hurricane systems were in service in the countries of the former USSR:

- Russia - 800;

- Kazakhstan - 50;

- Moldova - 15;

- Tajikistan - 12;

- Turkmenistan - 54;

- Uzbekistan - 48;

- Ukraine - 139.

The shells to the "Hurricanes" are very similar to the ammunition to the "Grad". The identical components are the 9M27 missile parts and 9X164 propellant charges. To reduce the range of action, they also wear brake rings. Their length is 4832-5178 mm, and weight - 271-280 kg. The funnel in the middle density ground has a diameter of 8 meters and a depth of 3 meters. The shooting range is 10-35 km. Fragments from a rupture of shells at a distance of 10 m can pierce a 6 mm steel barrier.

What are the purposes of the Uragan system? The rocket launcher is designed to engage manpower, armored vehicles, artillery, tactical missiles, anti-aircraft complexes, helicopters in parking lots, communication centers, military industrial facilities.

The exact MLRS "Smerch"

The uniqueness of the system consists in the combination of such indicators as power, range and accuracy. The world's first MLRS with guided revolving projectiles is the "Smerch" rocket launcher, which is still unparalleled in the world. Its missiles are able to reach the target, which is 70 km from the gun itself. The new MLRS was adopted in the USSR on November 19, 1987.

In 2001, the "Hurricane" systems were located in such countries (the former USSR):

- Russia - 300 cars;

- Belarus - 48 cars;

- Ukraine - 94 cars.

The projectile has a length of 7600 mm. Its weight is 800 kg. All varieties have a huge destructive and damaging effect. Losses from the batteries "Hurricane" and "Tornado" are equated with tactical nuclear weapons. At the same time, the world does not consider their use as so dangerous. They are equated to weapons such as guns or tanks.

A reliable and powerful "Topol"

In 1975, the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering began to develop a mobile system capable of launching a rocket from various locations. Such a complex was the Topol missile system. This was the response of the Soviet Union to the appearance of controlled American intercontinental ballistic missiles (they were adopted in the US in 1959).

The first tests took place on December 23, 1983. During the whole series of launches, the missile proved to be a reliable and powerful weapon.

In 1999, 360 Topol complexes were located in ten positional areas.

Every year, Russia launches one Topol missile. Since the creation of the complex, about 50 tests have been carried out. All of them passed without any difficulties. This indicates the highest reliability of equipment.

To defeat small-scale targets, the Soviet Union developed the Tochka-U missile system. The work on the creation of this weapon began on March 4, 1968 on the Decision of the Council of Ministers. Kolomenskoe Design Bureau became the executor. Chief Designer - S.P. Invincible. CNII AG was responsible for the missile control system. The launcher was produced in Volgograd.

What is SAM

A set of various combat and technical means, which are connected together to combat the means of attacking the enemy from the air and space, is called an anti-aircraft missile system (SAM).

They are distinguished in the place of military operations, in mobility, in the mode of movement and guidance, in range. These include the rocket launcher "Beech", as well as "Needle", "Wasp" and others. What is the difference between this type of construction? The anti-aircraft missile system includes means for reconnaissance and transportation, automatic tracking of an air target, an anti-aircraft guided missile launcher, devices for controlling a missile and its support, and means for controlling the equipment.