The BM-30 Smerch ("tornado/whirlwind") GRAU designation 9K58 Smerch and 9A52-2 Smerch-M. The rockets were . The vehicle was designed in the Soviet Union to fire twelve solid-fuelled 300 mm rockets at longer range and with a heavier payload than any other system design prior to this. These are tailored, depending on their warhead, to defeat personnel, but also soft or armored targets, all concentrated as well as enemy artillery batteries, command posts and ammunition depots thansks to their longer range. Designed from the early 1980s based on the common MAZ-543 8x8 multipurpose truck platform. The Smerch entered service with the Soviet Army in 1989, not long after the collapse. It was first observed in the West in 1983, and NATO classified it under "MRL 280mm M1983". It was used by next Russia, which started to develop the Tornado-S as an upgrade in 2018.

Development

The multiple launch rocket system "Smerch" was developed in the USSR by specialists from the Tula State Research Institute of Tochmash now called JSC NPO "Splav" in Tula under chief designer Gennady Alekseevich Denezhkin and other state institutes and companies. Before a rival development in 1990 by China (the WS-1), the BM-30 was taunted as the world's longest-range rocket launching system (SPRL). The later rival HIMARS (2006) on average was capable of 45 km but the tracked, older M270 MLRS using the latest M30 and M31 rockets was capable of 92 km.

The BM-30 is the culmination of self propelled rocket systems, with a longer range than the similar but older BM-27 Uragan and much larger than the simpler BM-21 Grad. The cluster of rocker tubes are mounted on a modified chassis of the more recent 8x8 MAZ-79111 or MAZ-543M truck. In India, a version was created based on the Tatra 816 6ZVR8T 10x10 1R/41T truck.

The designers goal back in 1982 was to create a system that could go anywhere, carry the largest rockets possible, with a very limited time of operation to avoid counter-battery fire. Preparing the "Smerch" for combat after receiving target designation was to be done in three minutes with the full salvo fired within 38 seconds. After firing, the battery was to be able to departed in a minute. Contrary to tracked vehicles, the truck 8x8 basis ensured quicker mobility and simpler, cheaper maintenance and operation. The MAZ-543 (1965, c4230 built) is a dependable, well proven beast of burden used for other systems and widely exported.

Design

9T234-2

The MLRS complex as a whole comprised the following:
-Combat vehicle (BM) 9A52-2
-Transport and loading vehicle 9T234-2 with 850 kg crane and 12 spare rockets
-The training equipment 9F827 and mobile facity 9F840
-Special arsenal equipment and tools 9F819
-Automated fire control system (KSAOU) 9S729M1 "Slepok-1"
-Command post 1K123 "Vivary"
-Topographic Vehicle for survey 1T12-2M
-Radio direction finding meteorological complex 1B44
-300mm rockets, 70 and 90 km range and varied warheads.



The 9A52-2 vehicle is partly automated to ensure fire from an improvized fire position, laying of cluster with the crew staying in the cabin, without using aiming points. Autonomous determination of an azimuth, information display for the cluster tubes laying, vehicle route and location and determination of a point of destination and movement by video terminal. Survivability in enhanced due to a reduced time at a fire position. Laying operator protection for awerness and proper operation in adverse weather and by night. The vehicle is capable of independent operation owing to navigation and survey equipment allowing the vehicle to quickly change fire position. This automation allows to keep the operating crew low.


BM-30 Cabin

The Chassis used is a MAZ-543M or MAZ-79111 truck, and in both cases the vehicle is capable to find an emplacement Time in 3 minutes and to be away again under 2 minutes. The launch Rate is 12 rounds in 38 seconds. Reload is possible in 20 minutes.

Ammunitions

9M55K

300-mm rocket with a 9N139 cluster warhead with 9N235 fragmentation warheads. Contains 72 warheads (W), each carrying 96 ready-made heavy fragments designed to destroy unarmored vehicles, and 360 ready-made light fragments designed to destroy enemy manpower in places of their concentration; in total — up to 32,832 fragments. The area of ​​destruction of the element is 300-1100 m². Armor penetration at a distance of 10 m is 5-7 mm, at a distance of 100 m — 1-3 mm. 12 shells contain 393,984 ready-made fragments. Most effective in open terrain, in the steppe and desert. Serial production of the 9M55K (and 9M55K-IN — with inert BE filler) began in 1987. It was supplied to Algeria and India.

9M55K1

Rocket with a 9N142 cluster GC (CGC) with self-aiming warheads (SAW). The cluster GC carries 5 SAW "Motiv-3M" (9N349)[9], equipped with dual-band infrared coordinators that search for a target at an angle of 30°. Each of them is capable of penetrating 70 mm of armor at an angle of 30° from a height of 100 meters[10]. Suitable for use in open terrain, in the steppe and desert, almost impossible to use in the forest, difficult to use in the city. Designed to destroy armored vehicle and tank groups from above. The tests were completed in 1994 and accepted in 1996. By order of the Minister of Defense No. 372 dated 13.10.96, the 9M55K1 projectile was accepted into service with the Russian Army. It was delivered to Algeria.

9M55K4

This Rocket type goes with a 9N539 KGC used to detonate mines. Each projectile contains 25 PTM-3 anti-tank mines with an electronic non-contact fuse. This a total of 300 anti-tank mines could be spread over the minefield in one salvo. It is intended to quickly clear out a minefield at a distance making it safe to cross a channel by armoured vehicles, instead of sending walking anti-mine teams under enemy fire.

9M55K5

Rocket equipped with the 9N176 KGC using cumulative fragmentation warheads (KOBE). The cluster warhead contains 646 118 mm long warheads or 588 128 mm long warheads weighing 240 g each with a cylindrical shape. 118 mm long warheads are capable of penetrating up to 120 mm of homogeneous armor at normal angles, 128 mm long warheads are capable of penetrating up to 160 mm. It is most effective against underway motorized infantry seating in armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles. A total of 12 shells contain 7,752 or 7,056 warheads depending on the type. They are designed to also sheltered infantry or lightly armored military equipment.

9M55F

Rocket using a detachable high-explosive fragmentation warhead. It is designed to neutralize infantry in the open as well as soft skinned or lightly armored military vehicles and equipment concentrated on a given site, destroy command posts, communication posts, facilities and infrastructures. It was adopted by the Russian Army in 1992, and has producted since 1999 and also supplied to India.

9M55S

Rocket using the thermobaric warhead 9M216 "Volnenie". Just one of these dtonating creates a thermal field of c25 m depending on the terrain at a temperature of +1000 °C for at least 1.4 s. This ensure the instant incineration of any infantry caught in the open, or hidden in open fortifications or soft-skinned, lightly armored military vehicles and facilities. It is most effective in the steppe and desert, and urban threater on flat terrain.l Tests were complete by 2004. By Presidential ordered of October 7, 2004, the 9M55S was adopted by the Russian Army. It was used several times in Ukraine as documented notably at Luhansk and during the siege of Bakhmut.

9M528

A rocket with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. It is fitted with a contact fuse, with instant and delayed action. Usable against the same objectives as above.

9M534

Experimental rocket with a small-sized reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Tipchak type on board. It is used for a flight of reconnaissance to target up to twenty minutes. Once over the target area, its dropped by parachute, scanning the site and reporting information on the coordinates at a distance of up to 70 km for decision-making and optional destruction. It could be used also for artillery spotting and correction.

9M542

GLONASS-guided rocket with a detachable high-explosive fragmentation or cluster warhead with a firing range of up to 120 km (as claimed).

Main performance characteristics of the above-mentioned rocket munitions (except 9M542), see below.

9M55K: Cluster 800 kg, Frag. 9N235 Self-aiming, 7,6 kg for all, Warhead weight 243 kgs, 2049 mm for all, 70 km
9M55K1: Cluster 800 kg, 9N142 "Motiv-3M", Warhead weight 243 kgs, RA 20 km
9M55K4: Cluster 800 kg, Anti-tank mines, Warhead weight 243 kgs, 70 km
9M55K5: Cluster 800 kg, "PTM-3" Cumulative fragmentation, Warhead weight 243 kgs, 25 kg
9M55F: Separable 810 kg, HE fragmentation, Warhead weight 258 kgs, 90 km
9M55S: Thermobaric 800 kg, Warhead weight 243 kgs, 25 km
9M528: HE fragmentation 815 kg, Warhead head 258 kgs, 90 km
9M534: With reconnaissance UAV 815 kg, Warhead weight 243 kgs, 20 km
Dimensions, are 69×263, 284×255×186, 330x84x84, 43×118 (43×128)
. Explosive mass: 0.32, 4.5, 1.85, 0.035 (0.046), 95, 100, 95 kgs.
The Fragmentation head comprises 96x 4.5 g parts, or 360x 0.75 g Armor penetration parts.
The 70 mm homogeneous armor Armor penetration warhead is capable of going through 120 mm and 160 mm RHA respectively.
Standard HE: 1100 parts of 50 g each, heat impact, field diameter, 1000 °C over 25 m flying in 1.44 s.
HE-Frag, 800 parts, 50 g each.

Each warhead could be self-destroy over 110 seconds and 60 seconds over 16-24 hours, 130-260 sec. and 110-160 sec.

Truck Carrier Variants

• 9A52 – Standard variant on MAZ-79111 truck
• 9A52-2 – Modified variant on MAZ-543M truck
• 9A52-2T – Export version, based on the Tatra T816 10×10 truck
• 9A52-4 – Lighter, airmobile version on KamAZ-6350 truck with modular 6-round rocket pack. Demonstrated in 2007
• Arctic version with rockets mounted on DT-30PM tracked vehicle
• 9A54 – Tornado-S, upgraded with a GLONASS receiver and automated digital FCS

PHL-96

Visually similar but based on the Wanshan WS-2400 8x8 truck. The PHL-03 and BM-30 does not share any interchangeable parts and despite the appearance are very distinct systems. The Chinese vehicle is powered by a German-designed diesel, transmission and hydraulics made by Wanshan after a technology transfer from ZF Friedrichshafen. The reported '96' designation is for 1996, year of requirement for this new long range SPMRL.

The program went through major redesign changes as the BM-30 Smerch was purchased by the PRC and reverse engineered. The PHL96 does not fire guided rockets, guidance is achieved via sub-munitions such as the 9M55K1 cluster munition. A few PHL96 entered Chinese service until replaced by the now common, mas produced PHL03.

PHL-03

Chinese development of the PHL96 with 150 km range rockets. The PHL03 is a highly digitized PHL96 with a computerized fire control system and GPS/GLONASS of the same type as for the Type 90A SPMRL. It has a four-man crew and entered service around 2004–2005. Here again only the submunitions are guided.

A-100

A 300 mm, 10-tube multiple rocket launcher developed by the Beijing-based Launcher Technology (CALT) institute in the late 1990s. The A-100 has a minimum firing range of 40 km, maximum firing range of 100 km. The A-100E is the name for the Export variant of the AR-1A for Pakistan Army (see below).

AR-1

Chinese PHL03 development, actually the first model with truly a guided rocket but nozzles and inertial terminal guidance, which became standard for later Chinese versions.

AR-1A

Chinese development of the AR-1 with a 10-round version in two launching boxes, each containing five expandable launching tubes. Once rockets are launched, the entire launch box is burnt and replaced, instead of individual reload of any tube greatly reducing the reload time.
AR-2: Chinese development of the AR-1/1A manufactured by Norinco, range increased to 130 km.
AR-3: Chinese system manufactured by Norinco launching 300 mm or 370 mm rockets.

Vilkha

A Ukrainian development of the Smerch system that entered service in 2018 with the Ukrainian Rocket Forces.

Operators

Soviet Union: Perhaps 800 vehicles built, passed onto successors states
Fed. of Russia Exported most of its vehicles in park, retained 106 for its own units and More in production in 2020.
Algeria 50 vehicles listed as of 1999.
Armenia 6 vehicles, more offered in 2018.
Azerbaijan 40 systems (vehicles) in park
Belarus 48 systems in 1990
India Total 372 9A52-2T launchers in service but mounted on Indian T816 KOLOS TATRA with its own ammunition replenishment vehicle on the same basis. From 2012 the national Ordnance Factory Board started to replicate and improve the rocket, creating variants capable of a range between 70 and 90 km.
Iraq Unknown numbers delivered before the Gulf war, none post 1996.
Kuwait 27 in 1997
Morocco 36 systems PHL03/AR2 Chinese version
Pakistan 36 produced locally as the A-100E (Chinese A-100)
Syria Unknown numbers.
Turkmenistan 6 9A52-2T in 2008-2009
Ukraine 80 in 2014
UAE 6 systems
Venezuela 12 vehicles

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China Locally produced as the PHL-03

Dimensions:
Weight:
Tires:
Crew:
Propulsion:
Speed:
Range:
Payload:
Production:

Operational History

In 1999 The Smerch MLRS started use in the Second Chechen War.
In 2011 The Smerch MLRS iss used by the Syrian Arab Army in the Syrian Civil War, in particular at Palmyra. According to some reports, the Smerch was also used in Syria directly by the Russian Armed Forces with a first confirmed combat use by Loyalist military forces bombarding rebel forces, notably at Jobar. The Russian Ground Forces themselves used it from October 2015 as part of the Russian intervention in Syria.

The Smerch was was also used by Russian "green men" using cluster munitions on Ukrainian military positions in the Donbass war in eastern Ukraine also from 2014.

During the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Armenia and Azerbaijan both as successors state having this vehicle in their arsenal, and seen in combat, targeting each other's territory.

It was used also from 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as well as by and against the Ukrainian Army. On 27 and 28 February 2022, the Smerch was used against three districts of Kharkiv with cluster munitions and on the city of Nikolaev and its usrrounding, targeting civilians. Guided rockets with 9M544 and 9M549 cluster warheads were reported. On March 2024, there was OSINT visual evidence of two Russian BM-30s destroyed. A battery operated from Belgorod in 2022 and they were allegedly put to use dueing the Battle of Kharkiv. 11 rockets were fired on 27–28 February alone.

In 2012 GLONASS-guided extended-range rocket 9M542 was approved with a maximum range of 120 km. It is 7,6 m long for a total weight 820 kg, warhead 150 kg, explosive 70 kg, equipped with 500 fragments weighing 50g. In 2016, it was announced these would be supplied to the new Tornado-S MLRS. In 2017, report annonced the compatibilty of the Grom drone for launch by the Smerch MLRS for reconnaissance purposes. In January 2019 a turbojet engine was tested by the Grom UAV, ordered by NPO Splav (part of Rostec) under the direction Nikolai Makarovets, which announced state order for delivery.

Since December 2016, the Smerch and Grad MLRS have been replaced by the Tornado family equipped with GLONASS navigation and a new computerized fire control system. GLONASS is used for the guided rockets fired by the Tornado-S MLRS as confirmed by experts from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Author's Renditions

Basic green vehicle in 1989, Soviet Army.

Russian Camouflaged vehicles today

Russian Camouflaged vehicles today

Kuwaiti BM-30

Gallery

Modern Russian variant

Rear view, cluster up

Firing, with snow paint

Ukrainian Vilkha-M

Forward view, and truck bonnet

Snow painted vehicle tested

Russian vehicle, southern camouflage

Resume of the vehicle

Russian vehicle on exhibition

Same, side view

Cluster erected, Firing

Kuwaiti vehicles

Artist's impression, Artist Mateusz Michalski.

Sources

strategic-bureau.com
armyrecognition.com/
cat-uxo.com
militaryperiscope.com
weaponsystems.net
cat-uxo.com/

ru.wikipedia.org

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Sd.Kfz 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were half-tracks designed just before the war as prime movers, to carry supplies, ammunition, personal, and tow artillery. Many were also converted during the war as armored versions carrying AA FLAK guns (Flakvierling, 37 mm, or the legendary 88 mm Rheinmetall als used as tank hunters), or were converted as nebelwerfer (rocket launching armored vehicles). They were built by Hanomag, Steyr, Mercedes-Benz, Bussing and many other manufacturers until 1945, over 20,000 half-tracks.

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