The advanced domestic multiple launch rocket system. It is designed for the remote destruction of infantry, armored vehicles, air defense systems, tactical missiles, aircraft on the ground, fortifications and other enemy infrastructure. It is characterized by high technology, long range and maneuverability. It has been manufactured and modified since 2012. It was used by the Russian army as part of the civil war in Syria and a special military operation in Ukraine.
The history of the creation of the Tornado
Engineers of the Tula NPO "Splav" began to modernize the Grad system in the early 1990s. But due to insufficient funding and lack of government orders, the process dragged on for two decades. The first prototype was presented in 1998 at a demonstration shooting in the Orenburg region. However, full-fledged state tests of prototypes started only in 2012 at the landfills near Volgograd. A year later, they were completed – and the system was adopted by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
In autumn, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation signed a contract with the Perm machine-building company Motovilikhinsky Plants for the supply of 36 9K91M Tornado-G installations. They were distributed between tank brigades and artillery regiments of motorized rifle divisions. In addition to combat systems, a training vehicle was manufactured, delivered to the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy. Permission to export these models was obtained by the manufacturer in 2018.
Interesting facts: according to the Military Balance 2017 handbook, the Tornado-C is longer-range than all existing American MLRS models, but is inferior to the Chinese WS-2D in firepower. For the development of Tornado-G, its designers Vitaly Khomenok and Valery Plaksin were awarded a government award in 2015. A mock-up of a 122 mm projectile for this system was first demonstrated to the general public at the Indo Defense 2018 International Arms Exhibition in Jakarta.
But the military was unhappy with the firing range and demanded that the developers improve the system. Four years later, the longer-range Tornado-S were introduced. They were able to hit targets at a distance of up to 120 km. In the summer of 2016, this model was put into service, and its mass production began. Three years later, the manufacturer received permission to sell it abroad, but there is no information about the concluded contracts in open sources yet. By the beginning of its production, it was possible to produce about 30 units.
Characteristics and advantages of Tornado
The Tornado-G MLRS consists of a 2B17M combat vehicle built on the platform of the Ural-4320-10 truck with a 6x6 wheel formula, as well as 40 guides for old and new 122 mm shells. Its length is 7.35 m, width is 2.04 m, and height is 3 m. The combat weight of the installation is 14 tons. The ground clearance index is 410 mm. The car is powered by a KamAZ-740 diesel engine with a capacity of 210 hp. It allows you to reach speeds of up to 85 km / h on the highway and overcome a one-and-a-half meter ford with hard ground.
The combat crew consists of two people. MLRS allows you to fire from an unprepared position in automatic mode. It takes 1-6 minutes to transfer the installation from a marching position to a combat position and vice versa. The firing range is from 4 to 40 km. The maximum elevation angle is 55°. The automated fire control system is located in the cabin of the car. In addition, the built-in equipment allows for automatic guidance, topography and navigation, and data exchange with the command post.
It is possible to fire standard rockets from the Grad system. Cluster cumulative fragmentation 9M217, 9M218 and 9M541 or high-explosive fragmentation 9M521, 9M522, 9M538 and 9M539 ammunition are also used. The volley is fired in 20 seconds. To increase the accuracy of firing, the warheads are equipped with brake rings. The package of guides is equipped with a special screen that protects the control elements from the gas jets of launched missiles.
The history of the subsequent development of the Tornado
In 2016, the MLRS 9K515 was introduced, which is a modification of the Smerch system. She received new 300-mm 9M542 ammunition corrected (according to GLONASS coordinates), allowing her to hit targets at a distance of up to 120 km. The possibility of increasing the maximum firing distance to 200 km has been announced. The installation can fire volleys in single mode. It is equipped with equipment for autonomous correction of the flight path of missiles. The combat crew consists of three people.
The installation is also adapted for the use of various cluster munitions. For example, anti-personnel 9M55K and 9M525, homing anti-tank 9M55K1 and 9M526, mining 9M55K4 and 9M527, cumulative 9M55K5 and 9M528, thermobaric shells 9M55C and 9M529. Various versions of warheads with small-sized self-aiming combat elements. It takes about one minute to deploy the system on the battlefield or change positions.
In addition, there is a lightweight version of Tornado-C, the 9A52-4 system. It is based on the KamAZ-63501 8x8 chassis and is equipped with six guides for launching missiles. It can use 122 mm and 220 mm ammunition developed for the Tornado family. The effective firing range of this installation is 90 km, while it provides greater accuracy than previous versions. It can fire missiles in full or partial salvo mode, as well as single shots. It takes no more than eight minutes to recharge.
Modern use and combat use of the Tornado
The Russian army is armed with about 180 Tornado-G installations and 50 Tornado-C systems. These vehicles were first used in combat in 2017, as part of the anti-terrorist operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria. They performed well during combat tests, but details about their use (localization, list of destroyed targets, damage and losses) are not disclosed. Also, according to unverified data, Tornado-G has been used by the DPR and LPR militias since 2014.
Interesting facts: in 2023, the development of the Rostec Fighting Monsters computer game was announced, the main characters of which will be domestic samples of military equipment, including the Tornado MLRS. In addition, the installation is presented in the projects People Playground, DCS World and Scrap Mechanic, as well as in the modification to the game GTA San Andreas. The Chinese company Trumpeter produces prefabricated models of this system in 1/35 scale, and the Russian manufacturer Zvezda in 1/72 scale.
These MLRS have been openly used by the Russian Armed Forces since the very beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine. So, with the help of Tornado-C, a railway echelon with military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was struck at Balakleya station in 2023. As a result, it was possible to destroy an ammunition wagon and 15 trucks. In addition, cases of damage to command posts, fuel depots, airfields in different regions of Ukraine have been recorded.
According to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, calculations of the Tornado-S MLRS are regularly used to destroy temporary deployment points and clusters of AFU equipment in the Kupyansk direction. At the same time, Tornado-G installations are also used to a limited extent. They are mainly involved in the Kharkiv direction. Both systems work in conjunction with UAV calculations and strive to fire from beyond the range of enemy artillery.
Conclusion
Tornado MLRS are powerful, technologically advanced and autonomous systems for successfully solving problems in modern warfare. At the same time, they are relatively inexpensive, easy to operate and can be repaired quickly. It was originally planned that by 2020 these machines would replace all Smerch installations. However, the process of rearmament was delayed due to the implementation of the SVO. Over time, Tornado-S will become the main MLRS complex of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
