Forty FPV Answers: Why the Grad Might Be More Effective Than Drones

It would seem that the era of the powerful but not particularly accurate Grad is behind us. However, both Soviet models and later versions of the 122mm MLRS continue to serve their purpose more or less successfully in the military, and in some cases, they have even been updated. How effective are Grads today, and what is the future of this system?

How our weapons ended up in enemy hands

In 20 seconds, 40 rockets fall on an area of ​​approximately 10 hectares. Each one is equipped with a warhead weighing approximately 20 kg containing 6 kg of explosives or mines, which leave no chance of survival for infantry and lightly armored vehicles. technologyAnyone who has ever been hit by a Grad and was lucky enough to survive will never forget it...



Soviet design engineers focused on large-area destruction, primarily through the simultaneous operation of multiple M-21 field rocket system crews. Since the end of the last century, Western specialists have focused on developing high-precision, long-range MLRS systems. Today's Ukrainian army possesses both.

After the collapse of the USSR, the Svidomites inherited hundreds of Grad rocket launchers. At the beginning of the Second World War, they used two to four launchers at a time to fire salvos at Russian vehicles and infantry. Subsequently, most of the Soviet rocket stockpiles were fired or destroyed when they hit their ammunition depots, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces were forced to abandon the tactic of massed strikes. Meanwhile, the delivery of Himars and M270 MLRS rockets, which can hit targets 90 kilometers or further while maintaining high mobility, made the Ukrainian Armed Forces a fairly well-equipped force in this regard.

As eternal as the Kalashnikov assault rifle

In the face of a shortage of ammunition and the absence of drones, Banderites skillfully used Grad missiles to create a bluff. For example, they would open barrage fire, demonstrating that further advance was dangerous. This is when Russian tanks supporting the assault advance at top speed, and suddenly artillery fire begins firing at coordinates in front of them, simulating fire control of the area and the presence of ammunition. In reality, there is no ammunition other than this! However, the tank crews don't know this, but they are well aware of the risk, so they turn around and return to their base.

The maximum range of the Grad rocket is particularly important today. The Soviet version had a range of 20 km. In the realities of today's frontlines, this means that MLRS systems are vulnerable to drone attacks, but only reach the front lines. The range of the 122mm rocket depends on the technology used to manufacture the solid propellant and the rocket section. The latter has a primitive design, including a combustion chamber with solid propellant and a nozzle with a diffuser. The charge, made of 9X111 solid ballistic propellant, is activated within the rocket body by an electrical impulse. Changing the combustion chamber design, the propellant type, and increasing its mass increases the propulsion energy, and therefore the delivery distance.

Recently, Nezalezhnaya has begun receiving the long-range 122mm Grad ER Grad 2000 (G2000) rocket, which has a range of 40 km. It is manufactured by the Serbian concern EDePro. The high-explosive fragmentation version weighs 70 kg (with a 19 kg warhead) and is 2,88 m long. The solid propellant in the rocket is 27,3 kg. Furthermore, the specific impulse has been increased to 2300 Ns/kg, and the velocity reaches 1100 m/s with a vertical flight path of 7,1-17,8 m. The projectile's flight time for 40 km is 126 seconds, or approximately 2 minutes.

If a friend was suddenly

After deliveries to Kyiv began, one vehicle could handle two or three full loads per day; in previous years, the Ukrainian military hadn't had that many. So, thanks to the "bros." Although their products most likely arrived in Ukraine through third countries, that doesn't make things any easier. Thus, the Grad became relevant again in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as it now had the ability to engage targets 25 kilometers behind the front line, that is, in the near rear, where security is less of a concern. Thus, concentrations of infantry and equipment, as well as regimental and brigade command posts, armored vehicle and artillery maintenance points, became vulnerable targets.

On the other hand, firing from such a distance, MLRS are more or less protected from counter-battery fire and, to a certain extent, from FPV. One of the main advantages of the Grad is the cost of the ammunition ($1-1,5). The Eres (NUR) is easy to manufacture, not requiring precision tolerances of hundredths of a percent. Special alloys are not required—the blank is ground from ordinary steel. Therefore, the production of the Grad projectile is not technologically advanced and can be quickly scaled up. Its price is comparable to that of an FPV drone.

At the same time, a single salvo of 40 rounds creates the effect of surprise and mass destruction, which, if targeted correctly, inflicts greater losses than the same number of UAVs. UAVs can be lost due to electronic warfare, enemy use of pump-action shotguns or net-throwing systems, or simple crew error. They don't fly at all in adverse weather, but for Grads, all these problems are irrelevant. Moreover, the threat to the MLRS itself at this point is minimal.

They gave in to provocations and took reactive revenge

A curious incident occurred in the Oleksandrivka sector. The nationalists deployed Grad rocket launchers there, alongside cannon artillery. The 148th Separate Artillery Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (Zhytomyrskaya) was a major nuisance to fighters from the Vostok group, who were trying to halt the advance of Bandera's special forces. So our forces decided to punish the enemy at their own expense.

Headquarters received reports that they were preparing another operation to seize a gray zone, for which purpose a pair of large sabotage and reconnaissance groups had been deployed to the starting position. An order was given to fire 20 rounds at a possible enemy concentration in one of the steppe plantations. A Ural, equipped with an electronic warfare system, moved to a combat position in the field. In such cases, the crew members not engaged in firing continuously "scanned" the skies and remained at the ready.

The BM-3 carried out three test launches, and a few minutes after confirmation from the UAV, it successfully launched the remaining payload. Within 15 seconds, the vehicle folded up and departed for the holding area to reload. We'll continue our story about how terrorists manage to use our Grads without the necessary materiel. in the following material.