9K57 "Hurricane" multiple launch rocket system

The Hurricane Multiple Rocket Launcher System (MRLS) is designed to engage the living force, light armoured and armoured vehicles of the enemy's motorized infantry and tank units at the concentration sites and on the march, to destroy command posts, communication nodes and military industrial infrastructure facilities, to remotely install anti-tank and anti-personnel minefields in the combat zone at a distance of 10 to 35 km.

Taking into account the adoption of the M-21 Field Rocket System in 1963, the Tula State Research Institute of Precision Mechanical Engineering initiated a search work in 1963-1964 in order to study the possibility of creating a more powerful system in terms of the quantity of explosives in the salvo, a longer range system with the help of which it would be possible to solve in operational mode combat tasks at ranges from 10 to 35-40 km.

In June 1964, the Ministry of Mechanical Engineering was sent the "Hurricane Field MLRS Project with a projectile range of 35 km" for consideration. The project proposed a system with high maneuverability, travel speed of up to 70 km/h, high cross-country ability and the ability to open volley fire in a short time, which could be used to combat manpower, both openly located and hidden in field structures, firearms, tanks, nuclear and chemical weapons and other enemy targets and objects at ranges up to 35-40 km.

On the basis of the order of the Ministry of Defense Industry (MOD), dated 28.12.1966, in 1967 there was started the research "Creation of high-precision multiple launch rocket complex "Hurricane" (NV-121-66). The work was completed in December 1967 with the confirmation of the possibility of obtaining the specified characteristics, carrying out theoretical studies, bench tests of engines, the mechanism of delay of stabilizer opening, separation mechanism, aerodynamic blowing and firing of model projectiles, and recommended for experimental design work (RDW).

The results of the work performed were approved by IOM sub-section No. 1 of section 1 of NTS and the topic was recommended for RCD after elimination of the noted shortcomings.

There are also other data, according to which in 1967 the research theme was completed and the conceptual design of the complex was developed, confirmed by bench tests of projectile units and launcher, as well as tests of firing of model projectiles. As a result of the work performed, the conclusion was made about the possibility and expediency of creating a Hurricane complex with the following characteristics:

Caliber	152÷180 mm
Range of fire	30÷35 km
Blast effect of the projectile	not worse than 180 mm OF shell
Shattering effect	specified shrapnel kill zone lying down at least 1300 m2
Pile of fighting:
in the direction of W/w	1/180
at range W/w	1/200
Number of guides	25÷30
Chassis type	crawler

The "Hurricane" complex with the given characteristics exceeded the standard "Grad" system and considerably surpassed the known domestic samples, therefore it was recommended to carry out developmental work.

On the basis of the Order of the Minister of Machine Building and Minister of Defense Industry No.18/94 dated February 27, 1968, according to the basic requirements of part 64176 (out. No. a/774378 dated March 30, 1968), in the III quarter 1968 the advance design of "Uragan" complex was finished.

The "Hurricane" complex was designed for suppression and destruction of the enemy's manpower and equipment in the places of concentration at ranges up to 35 km.

The complex was developed as a part of it:

• of an unguided jet projectile;
• a combat vehicle;
• commander's vehicle;
• transport and charging machine.

As a result of the work performed, the following characteristics of the complex were obtained:

Missile calibre	200-210 mm
Weight of projectile	not more than 205 kg
Weight of combat unit	45 kg
Range of fire	12-35 km
Firing accuracy	±1300-1400 m
Combat vehicle chassis	wheeled ZIL-135LM and tracked - "object 123"
Number of war machine rails:
at ZIL-135LM	24 pcs.
at facility 123	24-27 pcs.
TZM chassis	are the same as the ones for combat vehicles.

For the "Hurricane" complex, it was shown that it was possible and expedient to create a shrapnel-flagged combat unit, a combat unit with special filling, as well as cluster combat units with shrapnel effect. These combat units were recommended for research and development.
For combat units for remote mine-mining with anti-personnel and anti-tank mines and firing units, research and development work with the production and testing of prototypes was necessary.
As a result of the vehicle project, it has been demonstrated that radio-technical firing can be used to improve firing accuracy. In case of application of radiotechnical shooting accuracy of "Hurricane" complex could be received not worse than ±1000 m.
The radiotechnical shooting machine could be created either as an independent commander's vehicle or as a modification of the combat vehicle. In the latter variant, the number of guides had to be reduced to accommodate the radiotechnical sighting equipment.
The question of the expediency of creating a radio technical bayonet in the "Hurricane" complex required further study.
The "Hurricane" complex vanproject was approved by the 2nd Main Department (out. № I-6226 of 27.II.68) and the decision of sub-section № 2 of section № I of NTS Minmash (out. I-6224 of 4.I2.68) and recommended for experimental development work.

There are also data, according to which, in order to eliminate these shortcomings discovered during the research, on the basis of the order of MM and MOE ¹ 18/94 in 1968 was developed by the Avanproject of multiple launch rocket system "Hurricane" and in September 1968, the work was recommended for the OCR (from the document TULGOSNITOCHMASH (Tula) of the early 70s).

In 1969 - the beginning of 1970 works on drawing up and adjustment of tactical and technical requirements for development work have been carried out: "The army multiple launch rocket system" "Grad-3" (on changes of the beginning of 1970 "Hurricane"). Probably, this is TTT ¹0010 of military unit 64176. It was to include a combat vehicle, a transport vehicle, a command vehicle, and arsenal equipment. The following types of head units were offered: high-explosive (with a specified crushing of the hull), cassette shrapnel, cassette for remote terrain mining. The decision to develop combat units of other types (cumulative, incendiary, agitation and special filling) was to be made by the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Mechanical Engineering according to the results of the advance project in the second quarter of 1970 . The projectiles design was to use one solid propellant jet engine with unregulated nozzle(s) throughout the entire operating temperature range for all types of combat units. Replaceable nozzles were not permitted. The ZIL-135LM chassis was offered as a base. At the stage of conceptual design the variants of combat and transport vehicles on the chassis of the MT-C tracked transporter-tractor (see variant TTT for the RSZO "Grad-3" ("Hurricane") and TK for the revision of the command vehicle for the system "Grad-3" ("Hurricane") should have been worked out. The number of guides was set to 20 when using ZIL-135LM chassis and 24 when using MT-C chassis. However, the exact number of guides was to be specified according to the results of the sketch design review. A variant on the wheel chassis of the Kraz-253 truck was also considered as the base of the transport vehicle.

From the letter of A.N. Ganichev (TULGOSNITOCHMASH) to Yelagin (GRAU) at w.h. 64176, it became known that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense approved the following implementing organizations for the system "Grad-3":

MINMASH:

• Research Chemical and Technological Institute (Lyubertsy, Moscow region, A-7210) on development of powder charge with ignition system;
• Plant "Krasnoarmeets" with the State Design Bureau ... instrumentation (Leningrad, V-8475) on ignition means;
• Kazan Research Institute of Chemical Industry (Kazan, V-2281) on the bouncing charge for cassette head units;
• Maslennikov Plant (Kuibyshev, R-6833) on contact-acting fuse for high-explosive warheads and mechanical remote tube for cassette warheads;
• Institute "Geodesy" (Krasnoarmeysk, Moscow region, suburb R-6766) for testing and evaluation of combat unit efficiency;
• Research Institute "Search" (Leningrad, V-8921) on contact fuse for a cassette warfare unit;
• The Red Army Research Institute of Mechanization (Krasnoarmeisk, Moscow region, substation A-7690) for equipment of a high-explosive warhead and explosive charge for a cluster warhead);
• Orsk mechanical plant (Orsk, Orenburg region, substation R-6286) for the manufacture of engine casings and combat units.

MINOBOROMPROM:

• Perm Machine-Building Plant named after V.I. Lenin (Perm, settlement R-6760) in combat and transport vehicles;
• All-Union Scientific Research Institute "Signal" (Kovrov, Vladimir region, unit A-1658) to refine the commander's machine.

Works on creation of the "Hurricane" system were carried out on the basis of the USSR Council of Ministers Decree No. 71-26 of January 21, 1970 (Order No. 33 of the Minister of Mechanical Engineering of January 28, 1970).

For January-February 1971, in order to check the activities related to the work on increasing the range of firing, it was planned to fire 30 pieces of "Hurricane" system shells from the ballistic unit on the ML-20 carriage. Three types of plumage were to be delivered:

• a knife type, with a 7 mm thick nib, and the opening of the feathers at an angle of 90° to the longitudinal axis of the projectile (probably meant up to an angle of 90°);
• according to the "Grad" projectile pattern;
• Combined (combining the plumage of a Grad projectile with a knife type).

The blowing of projectile variants with three types of plumage at TsAGI yielded positive results. Resistance margin was ~12%.

The letter of April 26, 1972, mentions the work on fiberglass pipes for 9P140 and 9P139 war machine guide packages.

In 1972, TulgosNIItochmash carried out work on the topic HB2-154-72 "Single-channel system of angular stabilization to the projectiles such as "Grad" and "Hurricane" (the beginning of work - 1 quarter 1972, the end - 2 quarter 1973).

In 1972, the study of the design of a single-channel system of angular stabilization was conducted in two directions:

• based on an angular velocity sensor using gas-dynamic actuators;
• based on a contact angle sensor with powder pulse actuators.

According to the report of TulgosNIItochmash about work in 1972, theoretical calculations, modeling on analogue electronic machines, experimental laboratory researches of single-channel system of angular stabilization and its elements for uncontrolled rockets such as "Grad" and "Hurricane: The main requirements to the system and its elements were defined.

The single-channel angular stabilization system consisted of an angular displacement sensor, an electronic conversion unit, and executive bodies of a gas-dynamic (or pulse) type.

It was determined that application of the single-channel angular stabilization system in the Grad and Hurricane projectiles improves their performance by 1.5-2 times.

Drawings were developed for the elements of the angular stabilization system, prototypes were produced and tested in laboratory conditions. At the time of drawing up or submission of the report, a batch of blocks of single-channel angular stabilization system was being produced for flight tests.

In 1972, on the basis of the order of the Head 2 of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Mechanical Engineering dated December 20, 1970, No.17, TulgosNIItochmash carried out research work on the topic "Investigation of ways to create long-range projectiles for systems such as "Grad" and "Hurricane" (topic HB2-110-71g).

In accordance with the target task of the theme, theoretical and experimental works were carried out, which demonstrated the possibility of increasing the range of the projectile systems "Grad" and "Hurricane" through the use of strong materials for the hull and high-pulse fuels.

In 1972, it was recommended that research and development work should be carried out to develop the Hurricane system (obviously meaning the development of a projectile or shells) with an extended range of up to 40 km.

In 1972, the factory development was completed and the system was presented for testing at the range in the following composition:

• Unmanned rockets with high-explosive (100-105 kg) and cluster-shrapnel (80-85 kg) warheads;
• 9P140 fighting vehicle on ZIL-135LM chassis;
• 9T452 transport and charging vehicle on ZIL-135LM chassis;
• arsenal equipment.

At the stage of factory development the characteristics of the system meeting the main tactical and technical requirements were obtained:

• The maximum range of projectiles with a high-explosive warhead is 34 km, with a cassette warhead is 35 km..;
• heap of firing:
  • The projectile with the high-explosive warhead: in the range I/X = 1/197, in the direction I/X = 1/174.
  • The projectile with the cassette warhead: in the range I/X = 1/261, in the direction I/X = 1/152.
• The area of engagement of a cluster munition with a cluster munition provided that the warheads approach target 85-90°:
  • Open-mounted manpower (Jud. = 10kg/cm2) - 22090m2
  • of military equipment (Jud. = 135kg/cm2) - 19270m2
• The given area of destruction by blast combat unit: military equipment (Eud = 240 kg/cm2) - 1804m2;
• Funnel size: diameter 8m, depth 4.8m.

The number of guides of the combat vehicle - 18; salvo time - 9 sec, carryable ammunition on the transport and charging machine - 1 set.

Chief Designer of the fighting vehicle Yuri Kalachnikov.

According to the data dated 1986, the Uragan MRZO (in the source - BM-27 combat vehicles) were in service not only in the Soviet Army, but also in the army of Syria, and according to some reports in the army of Libya.

Currently, the system is in service with the armies of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, Yemen and Syria.  

Hurricane MLRS was widely used in combat operations in Afghanistan, during which it was used to defeat ground targets, especially for surprise attacks from various natural shelters, as well as for fire support during tactical helicopter raids and operations to destroy ground targets. In the early 1980s, it was deployed and used by the Syrian military in the initial phase of the war with Israel. The system was used in Transcaucasia (as of 1991), by Russian federal troops in the Chechen Republic and during the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict of 2008 by Russian troops. Between 2014 and 2015, the system was used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) against militias in south-eastern Ukraine.

In Ukraine, work was carried out to install an artillery unit on the chassis of the KrAZ-6322 truck, which had been modified for its installation. The time of work performance has not been set.