BM-14

BM-14
A 140mm, 16-round launcher (BM-14) mounted on a ZIS-151 truck.
Type	Multiple rocket launcher
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1952–present
Wars	Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Dhofar War Indonesian invasion of East Timor [1] South African Border War Angolan Civil War Lebanese Civil War Soviet-Afghan War [2] Algerian Civil War Somali Civil War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) [3] Syrian Civil War
Production history
Designer	NII 303
Designed	1950
Specifications
Mass	5,323 kg (11,735 lb)
Length	5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Width	1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
Height	2.24 m (7 ft 4 in)
Crew	6 [4]
Caliber	Diameter: 140 mm (5.5 in) Length: 1 m (3 ft 3 in) Weight: 39.6 kg (87 lb)
Barrels	16 in two rows
Elevation	+50°/0°
Traverse	180°
Muzzle velocity	400 m/s (1,300 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	9.8 km (6.1 mi) [4]
Engine	GAZ-51 70 HP 6-cylinder petrol
Suspension	Wheeled GAZ-63 4x4 chassis
Operational range	650 km (400 mi)
Maximum speed	65 km/h (40 mph) [4]

The BM-14 (BM for Boyevaya Mashina, 'combat vehicle'), is a Soviet-made 140mm multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), normally mounted on a truck.

The BM-14 can fire 140 mm M-14 rockets with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, a smoke warhead or a chemical warhead. It is similar to the BM-13 "Katyusha" and was partly replaced in service by the 122 mm BM-21 Grad. ^[5] While the Grad rockets are smaller, they have longer range and carry larger payloads. ^[6]

Launchers were built in 16 and 17-round variants. The rockets have a maximum range of 9.8 kilometers (6.1 mi). ^[7]

The weapon is not accurate as there is no guidance system, but it is extremely effective in saturation fire.

Variants

BM-14-16 (8U32)

A 140mm, 16-round towed launcher (RPU-14).

• BM-14 (8U32) − 16-round model (two rows of 8), launcher mounted on the ZIS-151 truck, it entered service in 1952. ^[5] Also known as BM-14-16 ^[8]
  • BM-14M (2B2) − modified model, mounted on the ZIL-157 ^[7]
  • BM-14MM (2B2R) − final upgrade, mounted on the ZIL-131 ^[7]
• BM-14-17 (8U35) − 17-round (8+9 launch tubes) launcher, mounted on the GAZ-63A, revealed to the public in 1959. ^[9] This launcher was also used on naval vessels, such as Project 1204 patrol boats ^[10]
  • BM-14-17M (8U35M) − modified model, mounted on the GAZ-66 ^[7]
• RPU-14 (8U38) − towed 16-round version, based on the carriage of the 85mm gun D-44 and used by Soviet Airborne Troops, where it was replaced by the 122mm BM-21V "Grad-V" ^[11]

Ammunition

The BM-14 launcher and its variants can fire 140mm rockets of the M-14-series (also called Soviet-made M14 artillery rockets). They have a minimum range of 3.8 kilometers (2.4 mi) and a maximum range of 9.8 kilometers (6.1 mi). ^[12] The M-14 series consist of three known types:

• M-14-OF − an M-14 rocket with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead containing 3.68 kilograms (8.1 lb) of TNT ^[13]
• M-14-D − an M-14 rocket with a smoke warhead containing white phosphorus ^[12]
• M-14-S − an M-14 rocket with a chemical warhead containing 2.2 kilograms (4.9 lb) of sarin ^[12]

Use

The BM-14-16 was first seen in public during a parade in Red Square, Moscow in 1953 mounted on the rear of a ZIL-151 6×6 truck chassis. In Soviet service, each Motorized Rifle Division and Tank Division had one battalion with 18 launchers attached. While in the Chinese Army each Artillery Division had 32 BM-14-16s. ^[8] The BM-14 had a short frontline service life, being replaced by the BM-21 Grad in 1964. By 1980, it was mounted on a Zil-131 chassis and used in Soviet Asian military districts, while the RPU-14 remained in frontline service with Soviet Airborne Forces in 1988. ^[14] In 1990, the RPU-14 began to be replaced by Grad launchers mounted on GAZ-66 trucks. ^[8]

The North Vietnamese made use of both BM-14 and BM-21 during the Vietnam War. They were often cut down into individual tubes and used for hit-and-run attacks against United States forces. ^[15] In the beginning of the Ogaden War, the noise of incoming Somali BM-14 rockets spread panic on Ethiopian forces before the Soviets began supplying BM-21s and BMD-20s to the Derg. ^[15]

During the Soviet-Afghan War, the BM-14-17 was used by both the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan armed forces and mujahideen . ^[9] Prior to Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001, the Taliban had some BM-14 and Grad mobile launchers at their disposal. ^[3]

During the Syrian Civil War, a rocket engine from a 140 mm M-14-series rocket was identified on 26 August 2013 by the U.N. fact-finding mission in the Muadamiyat al-Sham district southwest of Damascus, allegedly originating from the chemical attack on Western Ghouta on 21 August 2013. ^[16]

The rockets nozzle assembly had 10 jet nozzles ordered evenly in a circle with an electrical contact plate in the middle. The bottom ring of the rocket engine had the lot number "Г ИШ 4 25 - 6 7 - 179 К" engraved, ^{[16] : 21–22} which means it was produced in 1967 by factory 179 (Sibselmash plant in Novosibirsk). ^[17] However, no warhead was observed at the impact site and none of the 13 environmental samples taken in the Western Ghouta area tested positive for sarin, although three had "degradation and/or by-products" possibly originating from sarin. ^{[18] : 43–45} On 18 September, the Russian Presidential Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov commented on the U.N. missions findings. He said "these rockets were supplied to dozens of countries", but that "the Soviet Union never supplied warheads with sarin to anyone". ^[19] Another type of rockets was used in the Eastern Ghouta attack. ^[12]

Operators

Map of BM-14 operators in blue with former operators in red

Current operators

•   Algeria − 48 BM-14/16 as of 2023 ^{[update] [20]}
•   Cambodia − 20 BM-14-16 as of 2023 ^{[update] [21]}
• Congo-Brazzaville ^[22]
•   Cuba ^[23]
•   Egypt − 32 as of 2023 ^{[update] [24]}
•   Russia − BM-14-17 mounted on Shmel-class (Project 1204) patrol boats as of 2023 ^[25]
•   Vietnam ^[26] − fielded during the Vietnam War from 1967 ^[27]

Former operators

•   Afghanistan ^[3]
•   Angola − A number destroyed during the Angolan Civil War. ^[28] Operated BM-14-16s as late as 2011 ^[29]
•   China ^[8]
•   Indonesia − Indonesian Marine Corps (Korps Marinir) operated 36 BM-14-17 launchers. Replaced by the RM-70 in 2003 ^[30]
•   North Korea ^[31]
• Poland ^[32]
•   Somalia − BM-14-16 and BM-14-17 ^[33]
•   Soviet Union ^[34] − Passed on to successor states in 1991
• Syria − 200 BM-14 purchased in 1967. ^[35] Remained in service as late as 2016 ^[36]
• South Yemen − 15 BM-14 in 1989, ^[37] passed on to the unified Yemeni state ^[38]
•   Yemen ^[38]

Similar designs

• The Type 63 130mm multiple rocket launcher (not to be confused with the towed Type 63 of 107mm) is the Chinese version of the BM-14-17. It has a slightly smaller calibre but is fitted with 19 instead of 17 launch tubes. The Type 63 MRL is based on the Nanjing NJ-230 or 230A 4x4 truck, a licence-produced version of the Soviet GAZ-63/63A.
• The WP-8z (Polish : Wyrzutnia Pocisków rakietowych) was a Polish towed rocket launcher that was developed in 1960. The weapon was subsequently produced between 1964 and 1965. It fired the same rockets as the RPU-14 but had only 8 launch tubes. The main operator was the 6th Pomeranian Airborne Division (Polish : 6 Pomorska Dywizja Powietrzno-Desantowa). ^[39] with 12-18 WP-8s in its inventory. ^{[40] [41]}

See also

• BM-12 multiple rocket launcher
• Katyusha World War II multiple rocket launchers (BM-13, BM-8, and BM-31)
• M16 (rocket), U.S. 4.5 inch multiple rocket launcher
• BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple rocket launcher
• BM-27 Uragan 220 mm multiple rocket launcher

References

1. Haryadi 2019, p. 337.
2. Isby, David C. (1990). The War in Afghanistan 1979-1989: The Soviet Empire at High Tide. Concord Publications. p. 41. ISBN   978-9623610094.
3. Tucker-Jones 2014, p. 47.
4. Foss, Christopher (1977). Jane's pocket book of towed artillery. New York: Collier. p. 171. ISBN   0020806000. OCLC   911907988.
5. Prenatt 2016, pp. 25−26.
6. Isby 1988, p. 284.
7. Prenatt 2016, p. 26.
8. Foss 1990, p. 740.
9. Foss 1990, p. 739.
10. Prenatt 2016, pp. 26−27.
11. Prenatt 2016, p. 27.
12. "Attacks on Ghouta" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. 10 September 2013.
13. "Projectile and Warhead Identification Guide". US National Ground Intelligence Center. Scribd.com. 1 January 1997. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
14. Isby 1988, pp. 284−285.
15. Isby 1988, p. 285.
16. Sellström, Åke; Cairns, Scott; Barbeschi, Maurizio (16 September 2013). "Report of the United Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic on the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 August 2013" (PDF). United Nations. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
17. "Chemical weapon propulsion unit on Syrian missile 'made in Siberia', says Russian expert". The Siberian Times. 18 September 2013.
18. "The final U.N. report" (PDF). United Nations Mission to Investigate Alleged Uses of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic. 13 December 2013.
19. "Kremlin denies Soviet Union supplied warheads with sarin to other countries". Itar Tass. 18 September 2013.
20. Military Balance 2023, p. 316.
21. Military Balance 2023, p. 236.
22. Military Balance 2023, p. 444.
23. Military Balance 2023, p. 394.
24. Military Balance 2023, p. 321.
25. Military Balance 2023, p. 188.
26. Military Balance 2023, p. 299.
27. Zabecki, David T. (May 2011). "Rockets and Rocket Launchers". In Tucker, Spencer C. (ed.). The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History (2 ed.). p. 988. ISBN   978-1-85109-960-3.
28. "Operations Moduler and Hooper 1987-88". rhodesia.nl.
29. Foss 2011, p. 1133.
30. "BM-14/17: Generasi Pertama Self Propelled MLRS Korps Marinir TNI AL - Indomiliter.com". 18 July 2015. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
31. Foss 2011, p. 1139.
32. Military Balance 1989, pp. 49−50.
33. Foss 1990, pp. 739−740.
34. Military Balance 1989, p. 34.
35. "Sipri: Trade Registers". Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
36. International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. p. 354. ISBN   9781857438352.
37. Military Balance 1989, p. 142.
38. Foss 2011, p. 1145.
39. "Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's | IHS". Articles.janes.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
40. "6 PDPD". Oocities.org. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
41. "Wyrzutnia rakietowa WP-8z". Militarium. 17 February 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.

Bibliography

• Foss, Christopher F, ed. (1990). Jane's Armour and Artillery 1990−1991 (11th ed.). Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Defence Data. ISBN   978-0-7106-0909-0.
• Foss, Christopher F, ed. (2011). Jane's Armour and Artillery 2011–2012 (32nd ed.). Surrey: Janes Information Group. ISBN   978-0-71062-960-9.
• Haryadi, Letkol. (Mar.) Yosafat Robert (2019). Sejarah Kavaleri Korps Marinir (in Indonesian). Surabaya: Penerbit Karunia. ISBN   978-979-9039-97-2.
• Isby, David C. (1988). Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army (Revised ed.). London and New York, NY: Jane's Publishing Company Limited. ISBN   978-0-7106-0352-4.
• Institute for Strategic Studies (1989). The military balance, 1989-1990. London: Brassey's. ISBN   978-0080375694.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2023). The Military Balance 2023. Routledge, Chapman & Hall, Incorporated. p. 188. ISBN   978-1-032-50895-5.
• Prenatt, Jamie (2016). Katyusha: Russian Multiple Rocket Launchers 1941–Present. Oxford and New York, NY: Osprey Publishing. ISBN   978-1-4728-1086-1.
• Tucker-Jones, Anthony (2014). The Afghan War: Operation Enduring Freedom 2001–2014. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. ISBN   978-1-4738-4228-1.

External links

• Use of BM-14 by the Taliban
• Description of BM-14
• Use of BM-14 by Cuban Armed Forces
• Range and Payload
• Algerian use of BM-14 as of 1993
• Walk-around of Type 63 130mm MRL