The mid-60s were marked by a real boom in rocket science, and rockets were often introduced even into areas that were traditionally occupied by conventional cannon artillery. Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev especially distinguished himself in this field. However, such innovation also had its bright sides. For example, it was during this period that the USSR laid a solid scientific basis for the development of a huge number of missile systems.
“Tochka-U” also belongs to these: this installation was significantly superior to all its foreign analogues (and at first there were none at all). Today we will tell you about the history of the creation of this weapon.
Prerequisites for creation
Around the mid-60s, the Ministry of Defense initiated the start of work on a project for a completely new ballistic system of limited range. For the first time in the history of the domestic weapons complex, the emphasis was placed not on the power of the warhead, but on the accuracy of the missile. All previous design work showed absolutely clearly that this approach should become prevalent in the new, changed world. In particular, it was possible to deliver painful blows to enemy territory without tearing the entire surrounding area to pieces.
The development was assigned to the Fakel ICB. The work was not carried out from scratch: the basis was taken from the missiles from the M-11 “Storm” complex, which was initially installed exclusively on ships. The first result was the Hawk complex. It was assumed that it would use an electronic guidance system. Simply put, in this case it would be necessary to “guide” the rocket from the ground, constantly adjusting the accuracy of its flight.
Already in 1965, “Hawk” turned into the “Tochka” project. The missile part was left the same, but the engineers completely redesigned the guidance system. So, they completely abandoned the radio-electronic circuit, proposing to use a relatively simple inertial option. It was well tested and tested on a number of previous Soviet missile systems. But this is not Tochka-U yet. The installation went through a rather difficult development path, as the developers constantly faced new technical obstacles.
Further work
All Fakel projects never went beyond drawings and sketches. Around 1966, all the developments were transferred to the Kolomenskoye Design Bureau, and the project was immediately supervised by S.P. Nepobedimy. However, Kolomna engineers completely agreed with the point of view of their colleagues from Fakel: indeed, an inertial guidance system would be optimal. In fairness, it is worth noting that later the project was completely redesigned. In fact, all that remains of it is its name - “Tochka-U”. The installation has been significantly improved, its design has been reduced in cost.
In general, the active stage of work started only in 1968. This time the project was supported by about 120 various scientific and technical enterprises, which created Tochka-U. This approach was dictated by the fact that in the shortest possible time it was necessary to create not only the rocket itself, but also a mechanical chassis, as well as a launch installation and a huge amount of electronic “stuffing”. A huge contribution was made by the Volgograd “Barricades”, who created the launcher from scratch, as well as the Bryansk automobile plant, at whose facilities all the elements of the new chassis were developed and created.
Main characteristics of the missile unit
In 1973, rocket assembly began at the Votkinsk plant in Udmurtia. At the same time, the first stages of state tests began, based on the results of which Tochka-U was adopted for service. The installation in the army is better known under the symbol 9K79.
The basis of the entire complex is the 9M79 single-stage solid fuel rocket. The total length of the ammunition was 6.4 meters, the diameter was 650 mm. To correct the course, lattice rudders with a span of 1350-1400 mm were used. A missile launches with a combat weight of about two tons, of which at least one and a half tons were directly on the missile part. The remaining 482 kilograms were divided between the explosive charge and the electronic control system.
Many difficulties were caused by the correct recipe for solid rocket fuel, which was responsible for accelerating the rocket and bringing it to the target. Ultimately, they settled on a composition that included rubber, aluminum powder, and also a considerable part of ammonium perchlorate. The fuel supply burned out in approximately 18-28 seconds. The rocket received an inertial impulse, which was enough for a flight lasting 235 seconds. Because of this, the Tochka-U missile system turned out to be relatively cheap, since the design used a minimal amount of fuel and explosives.
Missile system "Tochka-U" - video of live firing
The development of the Tochka divisional missile system was started by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of March 4, 1968. The Kolomenskoe Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering was appointed as the lead executor on the topic, and S.P. was appointed as the chief designer. Invincible. The missile control system was developed at the Central Research Institute of AG. The launcher was designed and mass-produced by the Barricades Production Association in Volgograd. Serial production of missiles was carried out by the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant. The chassis for the launcher and transport-loading vehicles were manufactured in Bryansk.
The first two launches of Tochka guided missiles were carried out in 1971 during factory flight tests. Serial production of the missile began in 1973, although the complex was officially put into service in 1976. The Tochka complex had a firing range of 15 to 70 km and an average circular deviation of 250 m. In April 1971, development of the Tochka-R modification began, with a passive homing system for radio-emitting targets (radars, radio stations, etc.). The guidance system provided a target acquisition range at a distance of at least 15 km. It was assumed that the accuracy of Tochka-R's guidance on a continuously operating target did not exceed 45 m, and the affected area was over two hectares. In 1989, the modified 9K79-1 Tochka-U complex was put into service. Its main difference is its long range and shooting accuracy. In the west, the complex received the designation SS-21 "Scarab".
Composition of the Tochka-U 9K79 (9K79-1) missile system: Missiles:
- 9M79B with an AA-60 nuclear warhead with a power of 10 kt
- 9M79B1 with an AA-86 critical nuclear warhead
- 9M79B2 with AA-92 nuclear warhead
- 9M79F with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead of concentrated action 9N123F (9M79-1F)
- 9M79K with 9N123K (9M79-1K) cluster warhead
- 9M79FR with high-explosive fragmentation warhead and passive radar seeker 9N123F-R (9M79-1FR)
Launchers:
- 9P129 (except for the 9M79F-R missile) (9P129-1)
- 9P129M (9P129-1M)
- 9P129M-1
Transport-loading machine (TZM) 9T218 (9T218-1). Special vehicles:
- Transport vehicles 9T238, 9T222
- Storage machines – special onboard machine type NG2V1 (NG22V1)
Containers:
- 9YA234 for missile unit and missiles
- 9Y236 for the warhead
Airfield storage trolleys:
- 9T127, 9T133 for the missile unit
- 9T114 for warhead
Maintenance and routine maintenance equipment:
- automated control and testing machine AKIM 9V819 (9V819-1) for carrying out
- routine maintenance of missile and warheads (except for special warheads).
- MTO 9V844 maintenance vehicle – for checking PU and AKIM control panel equipment
- The MTO-4OS maintenance machine is designed for repair and maintenance of the base part (four-axle vehicles).
- a set of arsenal equipment 9F370 for carrying out routine maintenance at bases and arsenals.
Communication controls - command and control vehicle R-145BM (R-130, R-111, R-123).
Educational and training aids:
- training missiles 9M79F-UT, 9M79K-UT.
- training combat unit - 9N39-UT, 9N64-UT.
- overall weight model - 9M79-GVM.
- cutaway model of a 9M79 missile unit.
- cutaway model of a high-explosive fragmentation warhead of concentrated action - 9N123F-RM.
- cutaway model of a cluster warhead - 9N123K-RM.
Trainers:
- 9F625 is a comprehensive simulator for training PU calculations.
- 2U43 - simulator of the launcher driver's control panel.
- 2U420 - operator simulator.
- 2U41 - a simulator for training the correctness of taking readings from the 1G17 gyrocompass.
- 2U413 – 9M79F simulator-rocket, interaction of complex elements.
In addition to the listed equipment, the technical departments are armed with 9T31M1 cranes and 8T311M washing and neutralizing machines and other equipment.
Characteristics of the guidance system
The complex contains a large amount of electronic and mechanical equipment responsible for targeting the target: a command-gyroscopic device, an analog heading computer, many speed sensors, etc. The basis of the system was a command-gyroscopic device of the 9B64 brand. He was responsible for stabilizing the platform during flight. In general, the Tochka-U missile system ensured that a projectile would hit a target at a distance of 50 kilometers and with a dispersion of no more than 30-40 meters already during testing, which at that time bordered on science fiction.
From all instruments, data was promptly transferred to the 9B65 computer, which was responsible for automatically plotting the flight course. This was done quite simply: the device compared the information received with the reference indicators that were included in it at launch, and, if necessary, corrected the flight. As we have already mentioned, this was done using lattice rudders located at the end of the projectile. If at the time of correction the fuel reserve had not yet burned out, gas-dynamic rudders were also used, using the energy of the gases released by the burning composition.
In this way, the Tochka-U missile system also differed significantly from its few foreign analogues, in which the control and course correction system was many times more complex.
Tactical missile system 9K79-1 Tochka-U
Onboard equipment of the 9B63 control system of the 9M79 missile:
- command-gyroscopic device 9B64
discrete analog computing device 9B65
- control unit 9B150
Onboard equipment of the 9B84-1 control system of the 9M79-1 missile:
- command-gyroscopic device 9B64-1
- discrete analog computing device 9B638
- hydraulic drive 9B640: automation unit 9B66-1
- hydraulic supply unit 6B639
- steering gear 9B89 – 4 pcs.
- control unit 9B150-1
The missile is equipped with the following types of warheads:
- AA-60 - nuclear power from 10 to 100 kt,
- AA-86 - nuclear of special importance,
- AA-92 - nuclear
- 9N123F - high-explosive fragmentation concentrated action (see description),
- 9N123K - cassette (see description),
- 9N123F-R - high-explosive fragmentation with a passive radar seeker.
The warhead of the rocket does not separate in flight. The docking of the missile and warhead is carried out by 6 hinged bolts with self-locking nuts along a ring connection, the electrical connection of the warhead with the missile part is carried out by cable through the Ш45 connector. The presence of replaceable warheads expands the range of application of the complex and expands its effectiveness. Missiles in conventional equipment can be stored in their final assembled form for 10 years. There is no need to carry out assembly work with missiles in the army. When carrying out routine maintenance, it is not necessary to remove instruments from the rocket body.
When calculating the flight mission when pointing the “Point” at a target, digital terrain maps are used, obtained from the results of space or aerial photography of enemy territory.
Launcher and transport-loading vehicle
the 9P129M-1
launcher 9T218-1 transport-loading vehicle
- The equipment of the 9P129M-1 launcher itself solves all the problems of fixing the launch point, calculating the flight mission and aiming the missile. No topographic and geodetic and engineering preparation of launch positions and meteorological support are required during rocket launches. If necessary, 16-20 minutes after completing the march and arriving at the position, the missile can be launched towards the target, and after another 1.5 minutes the launcher is already able to leave this point in order to eliminate the possibility of being hit by a retaliatory strike. During aiming, combat duty, and also during most operations of the launch cycle, the missile is in a horizontal position and its rise begins only 15 seconds before launch. This ensures high secrecy of the strike preparation from enemy tracking means. A guide with a mechanism for changing the elevation angle is mounted in the cargo compartment of the launcher, on which one missile can be transported. In the stowed position, the guide with the rocket is installed horizontally, while the cargo compartment is closed from above with two doors. In the combat position, the doors are open and the guide is installed at an elevation angle of 78°. The firing sector is ±15° from the longitudinal axis of the launcher.
- The 9T218-1 transport-loading vehicle (TZM) is the main means of quickly providing launch batteries with ammunition for missile strikes. In its sealed compartment, two missiles with warheads docked, fully ready for launch, can be stored and transported around the combat area. The special equipment of the vehicle, including a hydraulic drive, a jib crane and some other systems, makes it possible to load the launcher within about 19 minutes. This operation can be performed on any unprepared engineering site, the dimensions of which allow the launcher and the transport-loading vehicle to be placed side by side. Missiles in metal containers can also be stored and transported on transport vehicles of the complex. Each of them is capable of placing two missiles or four warheads.
The launcher and transport-loading vehicle are mounted on wheeled chassis 5921 and 5922 of the Bryansk Automobile Plant. Both chassis are equipped with a six-cylinder diesel engine 5D20B-300. All wheels of the chassis are driven, tires with air pressure regulated through a centralized system are 1200 x 500 x 508. The chassis has a fairly high ground clearance of 400 mm. For movement on water, water-jet propulsion and propeller-type pumps are provided. The suspension of all wheels is independent torsion bar. The wheels of the first and third pairs are steerable. On the water, the chassis is controlled by the dampers of the water jets and channels built into the hull. Both cars are capable of driving on and off all categories of roads.
In addition to the 9T238 transport vehicle, the complex also includes the 9T222 transport vehicle. Externally, they are very similar and their transportation capabilities are identical. Both are active road trains - i.e. The semi-trailer axles are driven. The fundamental difference between these units is in the method of transmitting torque from the tractor to the semi-trailer axles - in one case the transmission is hydraulic, and in the other it is mechanical.
Organizationally, the complex is part of the MSD or TD, as well as individual brigades (2-3 RDN each), in a division there are 2-3 launch batteries, in a battery there are 2-3 launchers. . Combat work is carried out on the move by a crew of 3 people in the shortest possible time. Thanks to the presence in the launcher of a system for topographical reference, aiming, communications equipment, as well as life support equipment when operating in contaminated areas, the launcher crew can launch missiles from the cockpit.
The 9K79 (9K79-1) missile system can be transported by AN-22, IL-76, etc. aircraft. Missiles, missile parts and warheads can be transported by helicopters such as MI-6, V-12, MI-8.
Other technical solutions
Since the combat and propulsion parts of the complex were inextricably linked throughout the flight, engineers concentrated on developing a correction system that would begin to work immediately upon approaching the target. At this stage, the sensitive gyroscope had to hold the projectile at an angle of 80° to the horizon. In general, the Tochka-U ballistic missile, despite its comparative simplicity and low cost, shows excellent accuracy results.
Data on the target location was entered before the missile was raised to a vertical position on the launcher. The Argon control equipment and converter automatically calculated and generated the flight mission, after which it was transmitted to the rocket.
A very interesting method was to test the gyroscopic stabilization system used by the Tochka-U ballistic missile. In particular, its design included a special multifaceted prism connected to an optical course recognition system. There was a small window in the rocket body, the light from which fell on this polyhedron and was reflected precisely on the inspection equipment.
Missile 9M79 (9M79-1) of the Tochka-U complex
The 9M79 missile (9M79-1) is a single-stage, guided missile consisting of a missile and a warhead.
The missile unit (RF) is designed to deliver the warhead (warhead) to the target and includes:
Rocket body. The RF enclosure is designed to house all RF elements. The RF housing is a power element that absorbs loads acting on the rocket in flight and during ground operation; it consists of:
Instrument compartment housings (KPO). The KPO is designed to accommodate individual control system devices and is made of aluminum alloy in the form of a cylindrical shell with stiffeners. In the front part it has a frame with 6 hinged bolts with self-locking nuts and 3 guide pins. The front part of the housing is sealed with a lid. At the bottom of the KPO there is a tear-off connector with 205 (214) contacts, through which the electrical connection of the control system devices with the ground-based control panel equipment of the launcher is carried out, and there is also a transport yoke (for attaching the missile along the stowed one on the launcher guide). On the right side of the KPO there is a porthole (see photo), through which optical communication between the GSP and the control devices of the 9P129 or AKIM 9V819 launcher is carried out. At the top left there is hatch No. 2 (in hatch No. 2 in the UTR there is a key and a packet switch for entering faults for training purposes); Next to hatch No. 2 there is hatch No. 3, in which the ShR37 plug connector is located, to which cable No. 27 is connected to measure the temperature inside a special warhead on the TZM.
Inside the KPO there is:
- gyro-stabilized platform (or command-gyroscopic device) GSP 9B64 (9B64-1)
- discrete analog computing device DAVU 9B65 (9B638)
- onboard automation unit 9B66 (9B66-1)
- control unit 9B150 (9B150-1)
- angular velocity and acceleration sensor DUSU-1-30V..
Propulsion housings. The remote control housing is designed to accommodate and secure the fuel charge and ignition unit (igniter and two squibs). It is a structure made of high-strength steel, has 3 frames - front, middle, rear. Two transport yokes are attached to the front frame, and 3 launch yokes are welded to the lower part of the front frame. On the middle frame there are 4 attachment points and fixation points for the air wings. On the rear frame, a transport yoke is attached at the top, in the lower part there are 2 launch yokes and one clamp for attaching the rocket to the launcher and TZM, as well as for holding the rocket when the guide is raised. The inside of the body is covered with a layer of heat-protective coating.
Tail compartment housings (TCH). The CCS is designed to accommodate control system devices and at the same time serves as a fairing for the nozzle block of the solid propellant rocket engine. The body is made in the shape of a cone made of aluminum alloy with longitudinal stiffeners. For fastening and installation of aerodynamic and gas-jet rudders, there are 4 attachment points on the rear of the body. A derailment sensor is attached to the CWC in the lower part (closed with a red removable casing, removed before loading). The derailment sensor is designed to turn on the steering gear (the start of the flight program). On the upper part of the body there are two hatches No. 11 and No. 13 for connecting hoses to supply oil to the oil tank feeding the hydraulic installation, consisting of a pump, tank and distribution device, during routine maintenance using AKIM. At the bottom of the CWC there are two openings for the exit of gases from a working turbogenerator power source (TGPS). A layer of heat-protective coating is applied on the outer conical surface and at the rear end of the housing. Inside the CWC there is:
- hydraulic supply unit 9B67 (refers to the steering gear) (9B639)
- gas turbine unit 9B152 (belongs to TGIP) (9B186)
- resistance block 9B151 (belongs to TGIP) (9B189)
- regulator block 9B242 (refers to TGIP) (9B242-1)
- 4 steering gears: 9B69 – upper – 2 pcs., 9B68 – lower – 2 pcs. (9B89 – 4 pcs.)
Aerodynamic surfaces. Aerodynamic surfaces – 4 aerodynamic rudders, 4 gas-jet rudders and 4 wings. Aerodynamic rudders control the rocket in flight throughout its entire trajectory. On the same shaft there are gas-jet rudders made of tungsten alloy, which also perform the function of controlling the rocket when the propulsion system is running.
Cable trunks. Two cable trunks are designed to accommodate cables for the purpose of connecting control system devices located in the software and cold storage.
Propulsion system.
Control system. The control system is autonomous, inertial, with an on-board digital computer complex. The missile is controlled throughout its entire trajectory, which ensures high accuracy. When approaching the target, in order to more efficiently use the warhead explosion energy, the missile performs a maneuver (turning along the pitch angle), which ensures that the charge meets the target at an angle close to 90°. For the same purpose, the charge axis of the high-explosive fragmentation warhead 9N123F is turned downward relative to the axis of the warhead body at a certain angle. To achieve the maximum affected area, an air detonation of the 9N123F warhead is ensured at a height of 20 meters.
Work on the creation of a self-propelled chassis
At the first stage, engineers believed that the chassis would be made on the basis of some vehicle developed at the Kharkov plant. However, after comparing the characteristics of all proposed samples, preference was given to the copy created at the Bryansk Automobile Plant. The 9P129 vehicle was created on the basis of this floating chassis. Oddly enough, according to the documents, the work on the “Tochka-U complex” project was supervised by the Volgograd. Serial launchers and many other important chassis elements were generally produced by the Petropavlovsk plant.
Chassis Specifications
The car was equipped with a diesel engine that developed power up to 300 horsepower. The powerful engine allowed the installation, fully ready for launch, to travel along the highway at speeds of up to 60 km/h. Off-road conditions limited the speed of movement to 10-15 km/h. If the need arose, the Tochka-U complex could overcome water obstacles under its own power, while developing a speed of up to 10 km/h. Since the total weight of the chassis did not exceed 18 tons, it could be transported using almost all military transport aircraft.
The compartment for the rocket was quite original. Thus, a massive heat-insulating casing was mounted in its front part, which reliably protected the warhead of the projectile from exposure to excessively high or too low temperatures. What else is notable about Tochka-U? The characteristics of pre-launch preparatory work clearly distinguish it from all other missile systems due to the simplicity and high speed of all operations.
Launcher 9P129M-1 of the Tochka-U complex
The 9T218-1 transport-loading vehicle (TZM) is the main means of quickly providing launch batteries with ammunition for missile strikes. In its sealed compartment, two missiles with warheads docked, fully ready for launch, can be stored and transported around the combat area. The special equipment of the vehicle, including a hydraulic drive, a jib crane and some other systems, makes it possible to load the launcher within about 19 minutes. This operation can be performed on any unprepared engineering site, the dimensions of which allow the launcher and the transport-loading vehicle to be placed side by side. Missiles in metal containers can also be stored and transported on transport vehicles of the complex. Each of them is capable of placing two missiles or four warheads.
The launcher and transport-loading vehicle are mounted on wheeled chassis 5921 and 5922 of the Bryansk Automobile Plant. Both chassis are equipped with a six-cylinder diesel engine 5D20B-300. All wheels of the chassis are driven, tires with air pressure regulated through a centralized system are 1200 x 500 x 508. The chassis has a fairly high ground clearance of 400 mm. For movement on water, water-jet propulsion and propeller-type pumps are provided. The suspension of all wheels is independent torsion bar. The wheels of the first and third pairs are steerable. On the water, the chassis is controlled by the dampers of the water jets and channels built into the hull. Both cars are capable of driving on and off all categories of roads.
Preparation for combat use, pre-launch work
The standard for preparing for a moving launch assumed full combat readiness within 20 minutes maximum. At the same time, the lion's share of the time was spent on ensuring maximum stability of the chassis itself. All other procedures were performed by trained calculations many times faster. Thus, only the Tochka-U installation (photo is in the article) poses a real difficulty.
It took literally a couple of seconds to transmit commands to the control system; raising the launcher to a vertical position took exactly 15 seconds, after which the launch could be carried out immediately. The elevation of the launch slips could reach 78°. Thus, the Tochka-U complex is a formidable weapon, the deployment of which, under favorable conditions, takes less than two minutes.
In the horizontal plane, the guidance mechanics made it possible to turn the launcher 15° to the right and left relative to the central axis of the self-propelled chassis. When firing at a maximum range of 70 kilometers, the missile covered this distance in just a couple of minutes. During this time, the Tochka-U launcher had to be transferred to the traveling position and begin to retreat from the “exposed” position. Recharging the complex took about 19-20 minutes.
..
...and corn owner Emzari Dekanoidze
This is what Tochka-U looks like before the start
Our special correspondent repeated the route of a ballistic missile from the North Caucasus to Transcaucasia and found its parts in a peasant field
As a result of the five-day war and large-scale looting, several tens of thousands of Georgian refugees fled the territory of South Ossetia. In fact, in South Ossetia, Georgians remained to live only in villages remote from Tskhinvali on the administrative border with Georgia.
6 September. We - Russians and Ossetians, journalists and human rights activists - left Java towards the border with Western Georgia to look for the remaining Georgians.
The road went through the Trialeti ridge, dividing Western and Eastern Georgia. At a two-kilometer altitude there is a watershed: from the eastern side of the ridge the rivers flow into the Caspian Sea, from the western side into the Black Sea. For most of the route, we observed active construction work on laying a branch of the Alagir-Dzuarikau-Tskhinvali gas pipeline, 168 km long. The construction of the pipeline, equated to a strategic facility, is guarded by the Russian military. Not peacemakers.
Along the way we passed a number of abandoned and almost deserted Ossetian villages. In the village of Khemulta, a five-story school building was destroyed by a terrible earthquake in 1991 and overgrown with weeds.
Having descended along a broken serpentine into the Lesegon Gorge and driving along an unidentified river, we stopped at a small bridge made of reinforced concrete blocks that had recently been undermined. There is a scattering of machine gun cartridges all around. On the 9th, Georgian troops attacked Java from the direction of Western Georgia. The militia blew up the bridge, and the Georgians turned back. Then the bulldozer leveled the banks of the river in one place, but only one of our cars, the Niva, could get through the improvised ford. The Volkswagen Golf remained on the other side.
How we found the rocket
Having crossed the river, we went deeper into the gorge and soon saw Emzari Dekanoidze, a resident of the mixed Georgian-Ossetian village of Sinaguri. We took him into the car, very happy about the first Georgian we met. They began to ask how his village and he personally survived the five-day war. “No one was hurt,” he answered. “Except for my cornfield!” Two weeks ago he discovered a huge rocket there.
Emzari spreads his arms wide, trying to show how big the rocket is. We're laughing for now, but we're going to see the rocket. The corn field is located directly opposite the Ossetian peacekeeping post. We are met: people - good, dogs - bad. One dog bites our driver's leg.
And lying in the corn is actually the body of a large missile without a warhead with wings. Nearby there is a half-meter hole in which, as “Memorial” Sasha Cherkasov explains, the rudders of the rocket’s undercarriage compartment are clearly visible. The markings are not visible, but we are not trying to turn this weight over. Experienced (worked a lot in different wars) Cherkasov is sure that this is a tactical surface-to-surface missile. The so-called “Tochka-U”, the use of which during the five-day war was denied by Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Defense Ministry Anatoly Nogovitsyn.
Cherkasov says that on October 21, 1999, civilian objects in the city of Grozny were fired at with just such a missile: the central market, the only maternity hospital operating in the city at that time, the main post office and a mosque in the village of Kalinin. Then missiles with cluster warheads equipped with ball bombs were launched from the Tarskoye training ground of the 58th Army, located in the vicinity of Vladikavkaz. 140 people immediately died (including 13 women in labor and 15 infants in the maternity hospital). More than 200 people were injured.
It is unknown what happened to the warhead of “our” missile lying in Emzari’s cornfield. Most likely, it exploded on the territory of Western Georgia, the border with which is only seven kilometers from Sinaguri.
It is interesting that with a high degree of probability we can guess where this Tochka-U was launched from. On August 11, when military equipment was being transported through the Transkam through the Roki tunnel into South Ossetia, Tatyana Lokshina (Human Rights Watch) observed a missile launch while standing in a huge traffic jam in front of the North Ossetian border point of Nizhny Zaramag. (Our Hurricanes, multiple launch rocket systems, were also passing through the tunnel, in comparison with which the Grads look like a toy.) At some point, completely unexpectedly, from below, from the gorge, on the left side of the road, a rocket rose on a column of fire. She flew with a piercing whistle and at the same time with a low rumble, which made her feel physically ill. The rocket rose up and turned somewhere south, over the ridge, into Georgia. To the question: “What was that?” - the soldiers who were repairing a broken Uragan tractor responded to Lokshina: “Tochka-U”...
The military explained to me that this is exactly how Tochka-U flies (with a whistle and low-frequency sound vibration). And in general, such missiles are designed for targeted destruction of large objects. The corps of our “Tochka-U” targeted the peasants’ corn. Only the Georgian side can clarify where the warhead ended up. Emzari also said that he immediately called Ossetian peacekeepers for help. They called Russian sappers, since our engineering sapper units are plowing through South Ossetia. Sappers arrived, examined the missile body, said that the iron “remains” did not pose a danger, and left.
Emzari plaintively asked us to take this thing with us. But it is unlikely that it will be possible to remove hundreds of kilograms of missile scrap metal along such a road without the help of Ural vehicles.
We photographed the rocket from every possible angle. The Ossetian peacekeepers demanded that we remove them - riding on the Tochka-U. After that we went back to Java. Emzari told us how well the local Georgians get along with the local Ossetians. Of course, he was extremely politically correct. On the other hand, in this gorge with lush, almost subtropical greenery and tall mountains, the only reminders of the war are this rocket in the corn and the blown-up bridge across the river. Verbatim
There is no need to use the Tochka-U operational-tactical missile system in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, said Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Federation Anatoly Nogovitsyn.
“This complex is in service with the Ground Forces of the Russian Federation, these weapons are not new, they have been sufficiently mastered by the troops, they are used on large objects, and there is no need to bring them here (to the zone of the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict),” A. Nogovitsyn said at a press conference. conference in Moscow on Monday.
https://www.novayagazeta.ru/data/2008/67/00.html
Peacekeeping ballistic missile strike
There is no doubt that the photograph shows the Tochka-U operational-tactical ballistic missile, which in our army is considered a high-precision weapon with a range from 20 to 120 km
.
The Tochka-U complex is designed “for the destruction of single, group and area fixed targets deep in enemy defenses (missile launchers, communication centers, control posts, parked aircraft and helicopters, lightly armored vehicles).” The rocket is solid propellant, single stage. Along the entire trajectory, the rocket's flight is controlled by an inertial control system. For high-precision aiming, you need to know the exact coordinates of the target and have electronic maps of the area.
The launch most likely took place from the territory of North Ossetia before the Tochka-U missile launchers of the 58th Army were introduced on August 11, according to eyewitnesses, through the Roki tunnel into the territory of South Ossetia, as Novaya Gazeta already reported wrote. According to Pentagon information cited by the New York Times, Tochka-U (SS-21) launchers of the 58th Army were deployed north of Tskhinvali in mid-August.
Until now, Russian authorities have denied using live ballistic missiles in the operation to “force Georgia to peace,” but now there is direct evidence of at least one launch. But, according to the Pentagon, cited by CNN, from August 8 to 12, ours launched more than 15 SS-21 missiles at Georgia. In the area of the city of Poti, the remains of a rocket stage, undoubtedly Tochki-U, were also found.
Surprisingly, Sinaguri is far (40 km) to the north-west of Tskhinvali, where the fighting took place, and lies on the road from Java to the Georgian Chiatura. There were no reports of fighting in this area; it is generally outside the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, although Russian troops nevertheless established a “security zone” here too.
“Tochka-U” is a high-precision and all-weather weapon, if necessary - at night, in contrast to our technically backward aviation. The Georgians claim to have shot down 19 planes, ours admit 4, the truth seems to lie somewhere in the middle. While suffering losses, our Air Force, which is not organizationally subordinate to the Ground Forces, was not very successful in supporting them on the battlefield. The lack of air support was supposed to be compensated for by missile strikes, but for a high-precision launch, equally high-precision reconnaissance of targets is needed, and there is nothing - there are no modern drones and reconnaissance satellites. Therefore, the effectiveness of the peacekeeping missile strike turned out to be low, and near Sinaguri it is generally unclear what they were shooting at.
The use of tactical missiles during combat operations, especially high-precision ones, is legal, but Tochka-U covers a very large area with fragments, and its use near cities and populated areas is unacceptable. However, during the second war in Chechnya, Tochka-U was used by our troops to target cities.
The most famous and investigated cases: the attack on the market in Grozny on October 21, 1999 and on the city square in Shali on January 11, 2000. In both cases, hundreds of people died, including women and children.
After the attack on Grozny, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the then official representative of the General Staff, General Valery Manilov, claimed that they were selling weapons at the market, that there was a “clash between two gangster groups” and their goods exploded. Then they claimed that there was some kind of “special operation”. Later, the commander of the western army group, General Vladimir Shamanov, admitted that there could have been a missile strike, but in any case the decision was made by the highest commander. In total, several hundred Tochka missiles were launched during the second war in Chechnya. The guaranteed service life of the 9M79 missile is at least 10 years. After the collapse of the USSR, the deadlines were constantly extended, but this cannot be done indefinitely. The Chechens used up unnecessary supplies, which is significantly cheaper than peaceful disposal. Now the Georgians have got it.
According to reliable information, the Tochka-U with the 9N123K cluster warhead is no longer produced for the usual reasons for modern Russia - there are no components, Soviet technologies have been lost, etc. Only the 9N123F high-explosive fragmentation monoblock is produced, which apparently exploded somewhere near Sinaguri, and the rocket stage fell into a corn field. The cassette warhead covers a significantly larger area, so the Georgians are lucky so far, not like the Chechens.”
Transport-charging machine
What else is included in the Tochka-U complex? The characteristics of its rocket, if you have not forgotten, suggest a projectile weight of two tons. So it is impossible to do without a transport-loading vehicle, which was created on the basis of the BAZ-5922 chassis. In its body there is space for two missiles, the warheads of which are covered with a heat-insulating casing. Installation of projectiles on the guides is carried out using a cargo crane, which is part of the 9T128 design.
In principle, missiles can be stored for a relatively long time in a transport-loading vehicle, but it is much better to use specially designed metal containers for this purpose. What is this connected with? If the Tochka-U installation (photos of which appear repeatedly in the article) was stored in inappropriate conditions, the missile can fly anywhere, but not at the target.
To transport installations over long distances, special vehicles 9T222 or 9T238 are used, which are practically standard tractors. One such vehicle can transport two containers/missiles or four warheads. No matter how good Tochka-U was, its characteristics began to deteriorate more and more noticeably over time. Of course, work began on modernizing the equipment.
Description of design
The main part of the Tochka-U complex is the 9M79-1 missile. It is 1-stage, consists of a rocket part, which includes an engine and control devices, and a warhead - the actual combat charge. The engine is solid fuel, with one composite nozzle. At startup, the fuel charge is ignited by squibs connected to an igniter.
In the tail section, which serves as a nozzle fairing, there is a turbogenerator that supplies the devices with electricity during flight. The tail is also located there - folding wings, gas-jet and aerodynamic rudders. Compared to earlier samples, the Tochka-U engine had a newly designed nozzle and used a different fuel charge.
In front of the propulsion system is the instrument compartment. It contains a control system with a digital computer. Inertial guidance is used, resistant to countermeasures, and the flight path is adjusted not until the engine is turned off, but until the aiming point is reached. Due to constant control, by the way, the missile is not considered ballistic. Aerodynamic rudders are controlled using hydraulic drives; gas-jet rudders serve as an auxiliary means and are used only when the rocket is gaining speed.
The warheads are connected to the missile bolts, and power is supplied to the warhead through a cable.
The main type of warhead is the high-explosive fragmentation 9N123F. It is equipped with 162 kg of a mixture of hexogen and TNT. For maximum fragmentation efficiency, the charge is detonated in the air, and the rocket rotates to an angle of contact close to direct before firing. Due to this, the bulk of the fragments evenly scatters to the sides. The area covered by fragments can reach up to 3 hectares. The main part of the fragments has a mass of up to 20 g, and the lightest - up to 5 g.
The 9N123K cassette warhead contains 50 submunitions with the index 9N24. Each such combat element is equipped with 1.5 kg of hexal and produces up to 316 fragments weighing an average of 7 g. The total affected area reaches 7 hectares.
Missiles with cluster warheads were considered more effective than high-explosive fragmentation ones. Thus, it was assumed that one missile with a 9N123K warhead could destroy an artillery battery (including a self-propelled one). To hit the same target with high-explosive fragmentation charges, two missiles were required. If the target coordinates were determined with less accuracy (up to 150 m), the standard consumption was two cluster missiles and four fragmentation missiles.
There is a variant of a high-explosive fragmentation warhead equipped with a radar homing head. Such missiles were supposed to be used against radar installations, the radiation of which they would be aimed at.
Nuclear warheads for Tochka-U had a charge of up to 100 (according to other sources - up to 200) kilotons.
The chemically charged missiles carried 65 submunitions filled with soman or VR gas at the head.
The transport and launcher for the Tochka-U complex is a 6-wheeled amphibious all-terrain vehicle of the BAZ-5921 brand. The car is equipped with a 6-cylinder diesel engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. Movement on water is carried out with the help of water cannons; high maneuverability is ensured by the presence of a rear steered axle. The vehicle was equipped with means of protection against weapons of mass destruction. The rocket was brought into the starting position in 15 seconds.
Since all the necessary sighting and launching equipment is located on board the vehicle, even one launcher can autonomously launch and complete a combat mission.
The missile batteries also included transport-loading vehicles on the BAZ-5922 chassis and transport road trains consisting of a ZIL-131 tractor and an active semi-trailer. Loading the rocket from the loading machine to the launch vehicle took from 15 to 30 minutes. All vehicles included in the complex (except for auto-eating vehicles) are air transportable, usually transported by heavy AN-22 or Il-76 aircraft.
Modifications and upgrades
The result of the work was the adoption of the Tochka-R complex into service in 1983. In principle, it differs from the old system only in the new way of pointing the missile at the target. More precisely, the designers returned to the idea of a radar guidance system. The new complex can automatically lock onto a target at a distance of 15 kilometers, after which standard control mechanisms inherited from the old Tochka are put into action. However, the new installation may well use the entire range of missiles that were produced in past years.
Starting in 1984, a new round of work began, since even the characteristics of the new generation Tochka-U installation did not really satisfy the military. Tests took place already in 1986. Three years later, the updated complex was put into service and its mass production began. As in the previous case, the main changes affected the missile part itself. As a result, the mass of the Tochka increased by about 250 kilograms.
But this is not the only thing that characterizes the new Tochka-U installation. The damage radius has also been increased. The new rocket received a solid fuel engine weighing one ton. The flight range then immediately increased to 120 kilometers, which also made it possible to create nuclear variants of projectiles.
Fraza.ua - the author's view of life
The symbol of the war in Donbass was the Tochka-U operational-tactical missiles, which were presented by militants as “weapons of mass destruction of civilians”, and by some of our military experts as “miracle weapons”, which inflicted maximum losses on the Russian invasion corps in August 2014 and later. The truth, it seems, lies somewhere in the middle.
The Tochka missile system in the Soviet army was of divisional subordination (has a firing range from 15 to 70 km and an average circular deviation of 250 meters) and was intended to destroy small-sized pinpoint targets deep in enemy defenses: ground-based reconnaissance and strike complexes, control posts of various branches of troops, aircraft and helicopter stands, reserve troop groups, ammunition depots, fuel and other materiel.
Training sessions for the preparation of the Tochka-U OTRK, June 2016.
The lead executor on the topic was the Kolomenskoye Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering, and the chief designer was S.P. Nepobedimy. The launcher was designed and mass-produced by the Barricades Production Association in Volgograd, mass production of missiles was carried out by the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant, while the chassis for the launcher and transport-loading vehicles were manufactured in Bryansk. That is, it so happened that the production of all components was concentrated on the territory of the RSFSR, which subsequently played a negative role in the fate of the complex in the Ukrainian army.
Serial production of the missile began in 1973, although the complex was officially put into service in 1976.
At the time of the collapse of the USSR, 6 missile brigades armed with 9K79 (9K79-1) Tochka-U tactical missile systems were stationed on the territory of Ukraine. In total, they included 90 launchers 9P129, 9P129M and 9P129-1M, 114 missiles 9M79 and 9M79M and 336 missiles 9M79-1 1978-1991. release, as well as 530 high-explosive fragmentation 9N123F and cluster 9N123K warheads.
During independence, the complex was able to be kept in service, since it did not fall under any restrictions of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty). However, physical obsolescence led to the fact that in the spring of 2014, all the few launchers were consolidated into a single 19th missile brigade (based in Khmelnitsky), which was directly subordinate to the command of the ground forces.
As a matter of fact, the formation has acted as a missile brigade only since 1999, after being reduced from the size of a division. In 2005, the 1st and 2nd divisions received 9K79-1 Tochka-U tactical missile systems, and only in the fall of 2007 did the 3rd division replace their rather outdated Elbrus missile systems.
As of 2009, the 19th brigade was armed with 4 9P129-1M launchers manufactured in 1989-1990 in the first and second missile divisions, and 4 9P129M launchers manufactured in 1986-1987 in the third division. Apparently, the spring of 2014 found the brigade in the same condition.
It is worth noting that the number of launchers was limited only by the presence of “live” missiles. But there were problems with this.
Remains of two missiles launched at Saur-Mogila.
In total, 94 9M79M and 9M79-1 missiles were ready for immediate use (as of 2009) (9M79M missiles were produced in 1987-88, and 9M79-1 were produced in 1990-91). There were still a number of missiles in the arsenals. In general, this is about 300 missiles of different years of production.
It is clear that during combat operations they tried to use only relatively “new” missiles manufactured in 1989-1991.
The situation with missiles was problematic, since the maintenance and extension of the life of missiles after 1991 was handled by a single Russian company - JSC NPK Mashinostroeniya Design Bureau. However, recent relations have not been conducive to such a strong friendship, despite the clearly pro-Russian course of President Yanukovych, and the Russians, for various reasons, refused to extend the life of the missiles.
Therefore, at a certain point, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, through its internal documents, simply in fact extended the technical suitability of the 9M79M and 9M79-1 missiles. Thus, according to the documents, it turned out that serviceable but expired missiles could be used, but in order to “legally justify” their use, there must be an officially introduced martial law regime in the country. Therefore, in the zone of the anti-terrorist operation, missiles were actually used illegally, but the military tries not to talk about this again, shrouding their service in a layer of secrecy.
Launcher of the 19th Missile Brigade in the steppes of Donbass, summer 2014. The vehicle has its own name “Umka” and bears marks of 10 launched launches.
After Russian armed forces effectively established a no-fly zone in the area of border fighting in July 2014, the group’s command in Donbass needed a “long arm.”
At least one division was urgently transferred to the Kramatorsk airfield, which began to “work” on targets in the border area. For the first time, "Tochka-U" was used during the battles for Saur-Mogila on July 28 - 29, 2014. Apparently, the 1st Division carried out a paired launch (subsequently all launches were, as a rule, paired). Although the missiles hit the target (a Grad battery), they did not cause a catastrophic defeat. But the fact itself made it possible to start a propaganda campaign in the Russian media about “punitive forces” and the use of missiles against “peaceful militias.” At the same time, they modestly kept silent about the fact that the Russian army widely used such weapons both during the Chechen wars and during the war with Georgia in 2008.
Subsequently, launches were carried out not only from the Kramatorsk airfield, but also from field sites in the Svetlodarsk region, and in August 2014 even from the Volnovakha region. After September 2014, all complexes were assembled in Kramatorsk.
At the end of August, it was the “Points” that were one of the means of countering the Russian invasion. And the fact that more than half of our fighters came out from near Ilovaisk is also the merit of the missilemen of the 19th brigade. Realizing that the group had fallen into a trap, the General Staff Department ordered to inflict fire on the enemy with all available forces in order to give the fighters the opportunity to break through. In addition to Su-25 attack aircraft (one of which was shot down by the Russians), Smerch MLRS (approximately 15 strikes), Tochki also operated at heights and known places where Russians gathered in the “green corridor” area (in total more than 12 group and single launches ). By the way, this is why the Starobeshevsky district is literally strewn with missile debris in battle areas.
The remains of the Tochka-U missile are somewhere in the Donbass.
Here, by the way, it’s worth making a small digression. Although the militants publish numerous photographs of the remains of missiles, this does not mean that they were shot down or even worked in this area. The fact is that when using 9M79, 9M79M and 9M79-1 with both cassette and high-explosive warheads, the body of the missile part (where the solid propellant charge of the engine is located) remains slightly damaged. Usually only the front and back parts are crushed and burned. In this case, the missile unit can “fly” quite far from the affected area (the place where the warhead was triggered).
After Ilovaisk, the orders of the Russian units were actively disrupted in the Azov region (in particular, near Novoazovsk), which had an extremely negative impact on the morale of the included battalion groups, including conscripts.
The brigade carried out many launches during the events near Debaltseve in the winter of 2015. It is difficult to judge their effectiveness, but we can responsibly say that several warehouses and militant locations were blown up precisely after our “Point” strikes.
I’ll dwell a little on another misconception - the myth that Russian air defense shot down “old Ukrainian missiles falling apart in the air,” as they say, “in batches.”
In reality, only such a powerful air defense system as the S-300B with heavy anti-missile missiles can intercept the quasi-ballistic Tochka. However, the distances in the Donbass theater of operations are quite small, so interception is practically impossible. And the stories about how Pantsir-S1 or Strela-10 crews shot down Tochkas are generally nonsense. If they fired at anything, it was at most at the separated engine.
The last case of using the “Point” known to the author was noted on February 13, 2015. Then, in response to the shelling of the Kramatorsk airfield by Russian Smerchs, a “retaliation strike” was launched at the location of the Russian complexes - in the area of the Ilovaisk railway station. At the same time, the train with personnel, ammunition and fuel also came under distribution. The Russians then suffered quite serious losses, but the “reactive fighters” managed to escape the attack at the last moment. By the way, the very fact of the defeat was confirmed by local residents, and the remains of one of the missiles could be seen in the area of the station back in the fall of 2015.
In total, based on photo and video recordings, to date I have been able to identify the serial numbers of at least 20 missiles fired between July 2014 and February 2015. In total, according to my data, there were at least 60 launches.
Data on the use of Tochka-U missiles
Another question that is very difficult and is unlikely to ever be commented on by the military. It's about losses. According to the author, during the war, two launchers were lost as a result of self-explosions - one on the 20th of August 2014 in the Svetlodarsk region, the time and place of the second incident remains a mystery. As well as whether military personnel died in these cases. The years 2015-2016 were used usefully to build up the power of the army. Several launchers from storage bases were also recovered. In fact, today the 19th Missile Brigade already has five divisions - four combat and one training. That is, we can say that there are 20 launchers in service, but the number of missiles is unknown. And there is no doubt that if full-scale hostilities resume, these weapons will be used again.
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New ballistic missile options
Before modernization, the complexes received new types of combat units. In general, today there are the following types of projectiles for “Points”:
- 9M79. This model of the rocket is the very first; it appeared along with the installation itself.
- 9M79M. The first modernization option. In this case, the production technology itself was seriously changed. In addition, full compatibility with the new automatic target guidance system was ensured. The upgraded missile has the index 9M79R.
- 9M79-1. A projectile with this name is characterized by a significantly increased flight range.
- 9M79-GVM. This is a training model of a combat missile, which is used in training combat crews. In appearance, they almost perfectly reproduce their combat “ancestors”.
The missile is equipped with the following types of warheads:
- AA-60 - nuclear power from 10 to 100 kt,
- AA-86 - nuclear of special importance,
- AA-92 - nuclear
- 9N123F - high-explosive fragmentation concentrated action,
- 9N123K - cassette,
- 9N123F-R - high-explosive fragmentation with a passive radar seeker.
The warhead of the rocket does not separate in flight. The docking of the missile and warhead is carried out by 6 hinged bolts with self-locking nuts along a ring connection, the electrical connection of the warhead with the missile part is carried out by cable through the Ш45 connector. The presence of replaceable warheads expands the range of application of the complex and expands its effectiveness. Missiles in conventional equipment can be stored in their final assembled form for 10 years. There is no need to carry out assembly work with missiles in the army. When carrying out routine maintenance, it is not necessary to remove instruments from the rocket body. When calculating the flight mission when pointing the “Point” at a target, digital terrain maps are used, obtained from the results of space or aerial photography of enemy territory.
Types of combat units
The warheads of the missiles themselves are no less varied. Here we present the most common ones.
- 9H123. High-explosive fragmentation projectile type. Development was completed in the late 60s. Its design contains almost 163 kilograms of explosives and 14.5 thousand semi-finished fragments. They can cover an area of up to three hectares. It should be noted here that during the design a huge number of calculations were made, according to the results of which the TNT mass is located at an angle to the central axis of the rocket, which ensures the most uniform distribution of the fragmentation mass over the area.
It is for this shell that Tochka-U is unloved among the infantry. The destruction of manpower when using it approaches 100%. You can hide from heavy damaging elements only in very good shelter.
- 9H123K. What is remarkable about this Tochka-U missile? Its characteristics are quite simple: a cluster fragmentation projectile with 50 submunitions. Each of them is a separate small projectile weighing 7.5 kilograms, and one and a half kilograms is occupied by an explosive charge. Individual "grenades" scatter approximately 316 fragments, but due to their dispersion at an altitude of approximately two kilometers, they cover up to seven hectares at a time. To ensure that the cassettes are dispersed more evenly, their fall is stabilized by ribbon parachutes.
Nuclear warheads with the index 9N39. Power - an impressive 10 kilotons. But there is also the 9N64 model, the power of which is already 100-200 (according to various sources) kilotons. All missiles that were equipped with a nuclear warhead were marked with the letter “B”. During the entire existence of the complex they were never used.
This is what characterizes the Tochka-U missile system. The photos, which are presented in sufficient quantity in the article, will allow you to create your own idea about him.
Gods of war in Donbass. "Tochka-U" and more. Ending
Ukraine constantly requires military assistance. It seems that this condition will continue for many years to come. However, most European countries, including Germany and France, refused to officially supply weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. But the United States openly donates military equipment to the country. Moreover, according to unofficial information, in the summer of 2014, several American M777 towed howitzers entered service with artillery units of the Ukrainian army. The transport C17 from Oklahoma brought them with a supply of 155-mm guided Excaliburs. The gun is distinguished by high accuracy: the deviation of the adjusted projectile from the target does not exceed 2 meters, as well as its rapid transfer to the firing position. However, there is no documentary evidence of the presence of M777 on the battlefields of Donbass yet.
M777, which is believed to be present in the arsenal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Back in October 2014, after returning from Milan, President Poroshenko said in the Verkhovna Rada: “We agreed to use modern anti-battery stations. They will be installed at 15-17 points, and as soon as the first shot is fired, the operator will be able to determine the azimuth, range, and fix the point from which the fire is being fired.” No sooner said than done. In November, the United States transferred three LCMR (Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar) mobile radar stations to Ukraine. At that time, Pentagon spokesman Steve Warren said that this was only the first sign of the supply of non-lethal weapons to Ukraine. In addition, the suppliers immediately mentioned that they disclaim any responsibility regarding the consequences of using such weapons.
Mobile radar stations LCMR (Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar)
Poroshenko and the American “wunderwaffe”
Moment of acceptance of counter-battery weapons by Ukraine
Deliveries continued in 2015, and in the summer of 2016, an additional 14 AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery systems and 10 more modern AN/TPQ-49 counter-battery systems were solemnly welcomed at the Kiev Boryspil airport. Such radars allow you to record up to 20 targets in one minute from all angles. Typically, the AN/TPQ-36 is mounted on an M116 single-axle trailer and in a vehicle container on an M1097 Humvee. The trailer contains an antenna and a transmitter with control systems, as well as a 10 kW generator. The antenna itself is built on a phased array with 64 elements. The AN/UIK-15 computer, based on the received radar interception data, automatically calculates the coordinates of artillery batteries. In the back of the Humvee there are two operators, control terminals, communication and navigation equipment. The radar can track the 81mm mortar at a range of up to 8 km, and the 120mm mortar up to 10 km. The Ukrainian Armed Forces actively used American gifts in hostilities and even lost them - at least one was captured in Debaltsevo, and another was destroyed in Gorlovka.
VZ-77 “Dana”, supplied to Ukraine by Polish comrades
Poland also did not remain aloof from the global trend of assistance to Ukraine, only now it decided to supply lethal weapons. On July 16, 2014, in the port of Odessa, the Poles, in strict secrecy, immediately unloaded 12 Czech self-propelled wheeled howitzers VZ-77 “Dana”. The technology, although of the first freshness, is, however, accepted in Ukraine with understanding and gratitude.
The most interesting thing is that Russia was also among the suppliers of artillery weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces! In the spring and summer of 2014, 120 units of missile and artillery weapons were returned from the territory of the Republic of Crimea. This is in addition to 32 ships, 1,341 vehicles and 121 armored vehicles. After July 5, these returns stopped - the Ukrainian Armed Forces began to attack residential areas of Donbass with heavy weapons.
Chassis of the Tochka-U complex from the 19th separate missile brigade
Over time, Ukrainian artillerymen realized that to achieve success they needed a true “wunderwaffe”. The Tochka-U missile systems, which were released back in the Soviet Union, were in service, making it possible to solve some problems on the battlefield with one blow. A peculiarity of the use of such powerful weapons is the dependence on accurate intelligence data, which is included in the flight map. It is not difficult to guess that as of 2014, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were unable to conduct full reconnaissance of targets for tactical missiles. That’s why they were often used “at random,” like powerful MLRS. During the conflict, a separate 19th missile brigade from the city of Khmelnitsky with 12 launchers of the 9K79-1 Tochka-U TRC (tactical missile system) operated with similar equipment. The total number of missiles in the Ukrainian Armed Forces' reserves at that time could reach 500. Most likely, 9N123F high-explosive fragmentation missiles were used in Donbass as part of 9M79F or 9M79-1F missiles. The head part of such ammunition has a mass of 482 kg, and the total mass of the explosive exceeds 162 kg. During the explosion, the rocket creates a field of damaging elements consisting of 14.5 thousand fragments. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces rocket artillerymen did not shy away from using cluster warheads consisting of 50 9N24 fragmentation combat elements (submunitions). In this case, the area affected by manpower and light equipment increases to 7 hectares.
Warhead of the Tochka-U tactical missile with submunitions
Launch of the Tochka-U rocket from a position near Kramatorsk, 2014.
The beginning of the use of Tochka-U on Donbass infrastructure facilities and militia positions dates back to July 29, 2014. The positions of the militia near Saur-Mogila were the first to be hit by numerous rocket attacks - the launches were carried out from Kramatorsk. Further, the Vergunka station, the settlements of Makeevka, Rovenki, Snezhnoye, Ilovaisk, Beloyarovka, Amvrosievka, Khartsyzska, Alchevsk, Donetsk, Logvinovo and the area of the 238th height were added to the list of targets. The low accuracy of some missiles is surprising - many photographs record the consequences of attacks in an open field without targets visible nearby. Typically, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched strikes only with pairs of missiles at supposed targets deep in the enemy’s defenses. In this regard, it is worth remembering that the Soviet Army introduced group strikes with four missiles at once, thanks to which at least one Tochka-U missile was guaranteed to hit a circle with a radius of 50 meters.
9M79-1 missile with serial number Ш905922, manufactured in 1990, used in the area of the Alchevsk Metallurgical Plant in February 2015.
Consequences of the Tochki-U submunition strike on the territory of Donbass[/center]
One of the first infrastructure facilities to come under tactical missiles was the Donetsk State Chemical Products Plant. It must be said that the Ukrainians hit it very successfully - as a result, about 12 tons of hexogen detonated. It was no coincidence that the plant came under fire - it produced explosives for a wide range of ammunition. Then the rockets fell in Donetsk itself and at the Oktyabrskaya mine, leading to numerous civilian casualties.
The moment of explosion of hexogen reserves at the Donetsk Chemical Products Plant after the Tochka-U hit
Soldiers of the 19th separate missile brigade tried to get into ammonia storage facilities located in Donetsk, Lugansk and Gorlovka. The task was simple - to deprive the region of raw materials for the production of explosives and to poison a considerable number of residents with toxic gas. This time, the Tochka-Us did not reach chemically hazardous objects. It is worth remembering that on the territory of Donetsk there is a special plant “Radon”, which processes and stores a wide range of radioactive waste, except for spent fuel from nuclear power plants. What is currently located at this facility and what consequences may be for the region and adjacent states after Tochka-U hits it, one can only guess.
