TechUkraine strikes with BM-30 Smerch in unexpected attack

Ukraine strikes with BM‑30 Smerch in unexpected attack

Ukrainians claimed responsibility for an attack on Russian forces in December 2024 using the BM-30 Smerch system, despite theoretically not having the rockets. We explain how they might have acquired them and present the capabilities of this system.

Ukrainians are launching missiles from BM-30 Smerch launchers.
Ukrainians are launching missiles from BM-30 Smerch launchers.
Images source: © x (formerly Twitter) | OSINTtechnical

In recent years, Ukrainians have been intensely working to expand their capabilities for producing long-range weapons. It seems that besides producing new missiles, they have also decided to restore the production or repair capabilities for older or damaged/defective units.

A recent recording from the winter of 2024/2025 shows the use of the OTR-21 Tochka system, and now a recording of the BM-30 Smerch system launch has appeared online. The primary producer of missiles for this system, with a range of over 62 miles (100 kilometers) for newer rockets, was Russia. However, before the war, Ukraine also had its variants, similar to other countries like India, which have licensed production.

It is possible that Ukraine resumed production with help from countries like the Czech Republic or Poland (WITU boasted of a 300 mm rocket engine that could theoretically be suitable for BM-30 missiles) or acquired rockets or their components secretly from India, as was the case with 155 mm artillery shells.

BM-30 Smerch system — a post-Soviet system with enormous striking power

The BM-30 Smerch systems, developed in the 1970s, are powerful weapons capable of attacking targets initially at 43 miles (70 kilometers), with this range increasing over time to 56 miles (90 kilometers). Each 300 mm rocket weighs about 1,764 pounds (800 kilograms) and is nearly 26 feet (eight meters) long, containing a warhead of nearly 551 pounds (250 kilograms). This could be a high-explosive fragmentation variant or a cluster containing anti-personnel, anti-armor bomblets, or mines.

These are unguided rockets, but the launcher carrying 12 rockets can fire them in less than 40 seconds. After the fall of the USSR, both Russia and Ukraine decided to follow the path set by the USA with the M142 HIMARS and M270 MLRS systems and began designing guided missiles based on GPS and INS navigation systems.

Vilkha-M and Tornado-S missiles - the Eastern GMLRS missiles

Before the full-scale war, Ukraine developed Vilkha-M1 guided rockets with a range of up to 93 miles (150 kilometers) and Vilkha-M2 with a range of up to 124 miles (200 kilometers). On the Russian side, missiles for the Tornado-S system were developed. In both cases, the warhead is reduced to about 375 pounds (170 kilograms) to increase the fuel reserve.

This, combined with the use of newer propellant mixtures and increased accuracy within a few meters, creates a weapon with a range similar to older ballistic missile systems like the OTR-21 Tochka. More importantly, the new missiles are backward compatible with BM-30 Smerch launchers, allowing for the use of old launchers.

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