BM-21A BelGrad
Notes: The
BelGrad is a Belorussian version of the BM-21-1, which has the features of the
Russian Grad-G , but in fact achieves the same capability as the Grad-G with
components sourced from their own and other countries, including Poland and
France. It has been placed on the
international market, but the Belorussians have not yet sold any.
The BelGrad has, however, replaced all the Russian-based 122mm MRLs
formerly in Belorussian service. This system entered service in Belorussia in
2001, after a four-year development period.
The BelGrad is
mounted on a MAZ-631705 medium truck, with a turbocharged diesel developing 425
horsepower. The vehicle has an
automatic transmission, power/antilock brakes, and power steering.
The drive is 6x6 and the tires are run-flat and puncture resistant, and
the vehicle has central tire pressure regulation. The chassis is large enough
that it carries an extra rocket pack between the cab and the launcher, and a
crane integrated with a special mechanism can reload this pack in less than 15
minutes. A special reload vehicle
based on the same chassis can also reload the BelGrad in less than 15 minutes.
The crew of the MRL and the crew of the reload vehicle do not need to leave
their cabs to perform the reload operations.
The cab is not
armored on the outside, though they have thick, hard Kevlar panels on the inside
of the cab. There is also not a
sleeping berth at the rear of the cab, something found of few military vehicles;
however, this little more than a cot with a narrow mattress on top of it in a
semi-enclosed space.
The fire control
equipment has an automatic aiming system; the gunner inputs coordinates using
the mapping system and the fire control computer lays the correct elevation and
deflection, and the right dope on the fuzes of certain rounds that require
certain fuze setting on a given round.
The BelGrad has a NATO-compatible BMS, along with a vehicle state
computer, displaying to the appropriate information to a given crewmember on LCD
screens.
The BelGrad can
fire Russian, Chinese, Polish, and Czech 122mm rockets, and others which are
compatible with Russian 122mm launchers.
They may be fired singly, or in ripples of any size; an entire 40-round
rocket pack may be rippled in 18.4 seconds.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$392,537 |
D, A |
538 kg |
18 tons |
3 |
17 |
2nd
Gen Thermal Imaging (G), 2nd Gen Image Intensification (G),
Long-Range Day/Night CCD Camera (G, C), Backup Camera (D) |
Shielded |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
178/90 |
50/26 |
475 |
157 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF1
TS1 TR1
HF2 HS2
HR2* |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
+4 |
None |
40-Round 122mm Grad Rocket Launcher |
80x122mm Grad Rockets |