Story By: Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
This is the moment Russian ground forces showcase their upgraded BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launcher as they take part in war games in a remote region.
The footage, filmed in the south-western Russian region of Kurgan Oblast, was shared on social media by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.
The ministry said the war games took place on 17th February and footage shows Russian soldiers testing their BM-21 Grad weapons system in the snowy terrain.
Reports said the updated truck-mounted rocket launcher, which was first developed by the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, can propel missiles as far as 40 kilometres (25 miles).
A Russian MoD spokesperson said: “Soldiers tested a fleet of military vehicles which arrived in early February. The new vehicles will increase our combat capabilities by 50 percent.”
The statement said the updated Grad system has a new remote launch system with fire control and guidance capabilities, and the rocket firing range has almost doubled to 25 miles.
Meanwhile, the vehicle has new off-road features and an updated diesel engine.
The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket is sometimes referred to as the M-21 field-rocket system. The complete system is more commonly known as a Grad multiple rocket launcher system.
In NATO countries the rocket launcher, either the complete system or the launch vehicle only, was initially known as M1964. Several other countries have copied the Grad or have developed similar systems.
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