Army-2022: Russia Showcases New Generation Ammunition

Russia’s state-owned Rostec has presented new generation of ammunition at the ongoing Army-2022 International Military-Technical Forum.

One of the key innovations will be a shot for a small-sized jet flamethrower in thermobaric equipment.

The small-sized jet flamethrower in thermobaric equipment MPO-A is designed to destroy manpower located in residential and industrial buildings, in defensive structures, as well as in automotive and lightly armored vehicles. With a relatively small caliber and weight of 4.7 kg, it has highly effective damaging properties. The MRO-A jet flamethrower has been adopted by the Russian army.

The forum will also feature a model of a new product - a 30-mm ZUOF23 round with a high-explosive fragmentation incendiary projectile with a controlled remote-contact fuse (UDKV) for automatic guns 2A42 and 2A72.

The projectile detonation time remote control complex (KDUVPS), in addition to the shot, includes a laser programmer-emitter, which provides information about the projectile detonation time to the UDKV after the projectile leaves the barrel. Therefore, unlike other remote fuze programming methods, gun modifications are not required. The shot is designed to destroy manpower, unarmored vehicles and air attack weapons at ranges up to 4000 m.

The ZUOF23 shot is many times more effective than the regular OFZ shot with a contact fuse. The product is a qualitative step in the development of small-caliber ammunition due to the transition to controlled remote detonation.

In addition, the joint exposition of Rostec presents models of ammunition for various multiple launch rocket systems, as well as models of transport-loading and combat vehicles for MLRS. Among them are the latest developments - a heavy flamethrower system (TOS-2) and an engineering system for remote mining (ISDM).

The heavy flamethrower system TOS-2, unlike its predecessors TOS-1 and TOS-1A, has a wheeled chassis. At the same time, shells are loaded into the launcher using a crane located on the combat vehicle, which made it possible to abandon the transport-loading vehicle.

The remote mining engineering system (ISDM) makes it possible to maximize the combat capabilities of units in solving operational mining tasks. Ammunition loaded with mines of various types (anti-tank and anti-personnel) is equipped with a self-destruction function and fully complies with the requirements of Protocol II of the Geneva Convention.

The exposition will show the latest guided missile for the Tornado-S MLRS. It is equipped with a satellite navigation system and, due to the control unit, created on the basis of a strapdown inertial navigation system, can receive individual flight tasks for each projectile. The firing range of guided missiles is more than 100km. The firing accuracy of the Tornado-S shells is 15-20 times higher than that of the Smerch MLRS shells.

In addition, the forum presented a whole line of new rockets for the Tornado-G MLRS.

The Rostec pavilion will also showcase a wide range of ammunition for tank, field and naval artillery from 57- to 152-mm, which are in service with artillery units of the Armed Forces and the Navy of the Russian Federation.

Particular attention is paid to two new tank rounds with armor-piercing sub-caliber shells. These are a 125-mm shot 3VBM23 ("Lead-2") with an armor-piercing sabot projectile 3BM60 for a tank gun 2A46M and a 125-mm shot with an armor-piercing sabot projectile of increased power ("Mango-M") for a tank gun 2A46M (experimental sample).

Their key feature in comparison with the regular 3VBM17 shot is increased armor penetration at a level of more than 20%. This allows you to hit almost the entire range of enemy armored vehicles from a distance of more than 2 km.

Among the exhibits worthy of attention is the RPG-30 rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade with a disposable grenade launcher, which is the only hand-held anti-tank weapon system capable of penetrating any known active protection systems for armored vehicles.

Of the presented samples of aviation bomb weapons, the unified planning bomb cassette PBK-500U SPBE-K also deserves special attention, designed for round-the-clock all-weather use without the aircraft entering the area of ​​​​action of fire weapons of object air defense and delivering self-aiming combat elements to the target with high accuracy. It ensures the defeat of armored vehicles, ground-based radars, command posts and power plants of anti-aircraft missile systems with thermal and radar contrast relative to the underlying surface under the influence of natural and artificial interference.

Also, within the framework of the forum, Rostec will demonstrate the S-13B unguided rocket with increased efficiency. The product is designed to destroy both vulnerable vehicles and military equipment in reinforced concrete shelters.

Among the key exhibits is the Zagon-2E anti-submarine guided aerial bomb. The product is designed to detect and destroy submarines located in the surface, sub-periscope and underwater positions. This sample has increased the effectiveness of destruction by two to three times compared to standard ammunition. It has no analogues, Rostec claims.

The joint exposition of Rostec will display the L376-2 Yagel trap cartridge, which makes it possible to effectively protect aircraft from "smart" missiles. Products are used at altitudes up to 20 thousand meters and at speeds up to 1500 km/h. They are designed to combat aircraft weapons equipped with an optical guidance system and kinematic target selection.