MRL's.

This is coolbert:

Once more from that prior blog entry:

"Two [images] show what the US government alleges are Russian batteries on its own territory -- one group of multiple rocket launchers and another of self-propelled howitzers."

Multiple rocket launcher [MRL]! Rocket artillery.

The Russian having at their disposal a wide variety of MRL. To include:

1. BM-21 Grad. Hail".

"The BM-21 launch vehicle . . . (Grad) a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher . . . The complete system is more commonly known as a Grad multiple rocket launcher system. Barrels 40, Maximum firing range 20 km (new rockets 30–45 km)"

 

BM-21 Forty tubes of 122 mm rockets.

2. BM-27 Urugan. Hurricane.

"The BM-27 Uragan . . . is a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher system designed in the Soviet Union. It began its service with the Soviet Army in the late 1970s, as its first modern spin and fin stabilized heavy multiple rocket launcher. 220 mm (8.66 in) Barrels 16 Effective firing range 35 km (22 mi)"

 

BM-27. Sixteen tubes of 220 mm. Fewer tubes than the BM-21 but larger size rocket.

 

3. BM-30 Smerch. Tornado.

"The BM-30 Smerch (Tornado) or 9A52-2 Smerch-M is a Soviet heavy multiple rocket launcher. 300 mm (12 in), Barrels 12, Maximum firing range 90 km (56 mi)"

 

BM-30. Again, the fewer number of tubes but larger rockets with greater range.

4. BM-14. 140 mm TOWED rocket artillery antiquated but nonetheless deadly.

"The BM-14 . . . is a Soviet-made 140mm multiple rocket launcher, fielded by the Soviet Union . . . The rocket has a range of about 9.8 km and can carry a warhead of 8 kg weight. Launchers were built in 16 and 17-round variants. The weapon is not accurate as there is no guidance system, but it is extremely effective in saturation bombardment."

 Do not preclude the possibility of seeing rockets as fired by this towed unit. Crude but effective as they say. A whole bunch of firing units gathered en masse and discharging simultaneously on the same target can do a lot of damage and fast.

The very long and very visible trails of smoke as given off by the rockets while en route to target indicating the exact location of a firing unit a terrible drawback to multiple launch rocket artillery. Counter-fire a very distinct possibility.

 coolbert.