Emergence of Light MLRS in RuAF Explains Presence of 107mm Rockets at 51st GRAU Arsenal Fire

On April 22, during explosions at the 51st GRAU [Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Defense] arsenal in Kirzhach, Vladimir region, various types of ammunition were scattered throughout the area. Among them were 107mm rockets that had not previously been in service with the Russian Armed Forces, as the army had no suitable launchers for them.

A distinctive feature of these rockets, which makes them visually recognizable, is the presence of six angled nozzles at the tail. These nozzles simultaneously propel the projectile forward and stabilize it by spinning. For comparison, similar Soviet 140mm rockets like the M-14-S have ten such nozzles, and the 128mm rockets used with the Yugoslav Plamen MLRS have eight. Unlike 122mm Grad rockets, which use fin stabilizers, these spin-stabilized rockets do not have any tail fins.

The 107mm rockets are launched from systems similar to the North Korean Type 75, the Iranian Fajr-1 or other analogs of the Chinese Type 63. In June 2024, Alexey Zhuravlyov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, publicly expressed interest in acquiring such MLRS systems from North Korea.

This week, a photo emerged that may explain the presence of these rockets. It reportedly shows a part of a 107mm towed MLRS from the Type 63 family in the possession of the RuAF. It can be identified by elements of the carriage (highlighted in red), an electrical cable and a switch assembly (highlighted in blue). Based on external appearance alone, we cannot determine the exact origin of either the launchers or the rockets. So far, there is no confirmed evidence of these systems being used in the combat zone.

It is worth noting that MLRS of this caliber have a maximum range of only 8.5 km [5.3 mi]. In modern warfare, where airspace is saturated with reconnaissance and attack UAVs, their effectiveness is rather limited.