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​Ukrainian Military Showcases Improvised MLRS Resembling BM-21B Grad

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The BM-21V system / Open source illustrative photo
The BM-21V system / Open source illustrative photo

What types of rocket weaponry are urgently needed by Ukrainian forces, and what outcomes can they achieve

The press service of the 127th Territorial Defense Brigade showcased how its soldiers use an improvised multiple launch rocket system, which has 12 launch tubes for 122-mm rockets, to fire at russian invaders.

Externally, this system resembles the BM-21V Soviet airborne system, which also had 12 launch tubes, but has noticeable differences, in particular in the appearance of the launcher. We can assume that in this case, Ukrainian warriors are using an improvised system with launch tubes, probably from Grad-P.

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Speaking of a possible Soviet BM-21B, the following features should be emphasized. A GAZ-66 truck was used as a chassis for this MLRS, with a crew of only two people.

Weighing 6 tons in the combat position, the BM-21V can be deployed from transport aircraft such as the An-12, An-22, and Il-76. The firing range is from 5 to 20.1 kilometers, the time to deploy from the stance to the combat position is up to 3.5 minutes, the time to fire a full salvo is 6 seconds, and the time to redeploy from the position is also up to 3.5 minutes.

The BM-21V production was limited, as experience revealed specific nuances in using such MLRS for troop fire support. Therefore, over time, the Soviet airborne troops shifted from the BM-21V to relying on the D-30 howitzer. According to publicly available information, the "original" BM-21V systems were most likely not in the possession of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Military Showcases Improvised MLRS Resembling BM-21B Grad, Defense Express
The BM-21V system / Open source illustrative photo

As for the improvised MLRS used by Ukrainian forces, we should focus not only on the broader need to supply Ukraine with heavy weapons, but also on the requirement for mini-MLRS or rocket mortars.

However, whether this type of system should be mass-produced using the capacities of Ukraine's domestic defense industry will depend on further practice and the needs of the Ukrainian military.

As Defense Express reported, the Bohdana is more accurate than the PzH-2000, with a rocket-assisted firing range of 60 km.

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