9K52 Luna-M (Frog-7)

8x8 Mobile Battlefield Rocket Launcher [ 1965 ]

The 9K52 Luna-M was a Soviet rocket-projecting development of the Cold War period but still sees service on the battlefields today.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 03/02/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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At a time when tensions between East and West ran extremely high during the Cold War period (1947-1991) and another major war in Europe seemed all but inevitable, the Soviet Union invested heavily in frontline rocket-projecting weapons to stave off an attack. One such development of the period became the 8x8 wheeled 9K52 "Luna-M" battalion-level mobile battlefield rocket launcher carrying a single large rocket over the modified chassis of a ZiL-135LM military truck. The rocket was capable of unleashing conventional, chemical, and nuclear payloads at range, reaching speeds of Mach 3 in flight, and could "touch" targets as far out as 40 miles. The vehicle was initially developed (under the designation of "3R-11" and "9R11") as a nuclear-capable solution to deter any advanced from the West, mainly in and around East Germany, but were later converted to a conventionally-minded variant to better serve a Soviet frontline assault.

The vehicle was known to NATO as "Frog-7" and remains in limited use worldwide. In practice, it proved inaccurate, sensitive to weather/environment, and required a resupply vehicle on hand to replenish the single-shot rocket component. As such, it was eventually succeeded in the Soviet inventory by the more effective OTR-21 "Tochka" (NATO: SS-21 "Scarab") of 1976 detailed elsewhere on this site.

First-use of this battlefield system was by Syria in 1973 during the Yom Kipper War against Israel. They remained in inventory long enough to be used in today's long-running civil war by Syria.

Major rocket variants of the line included the nuclear-minded 9M21B, the conventional 9M21F (High-Explosive, FRAGmentation - HE-FRAG), and the chemical-capable 9M21Kh. The 9M21E offered cluster munition capability and the Laith-90 was the version used by Iraq in its wars against neighboring Iran and, later, the West. The PV-65 designation covered training systems.

The 9K52 series had a prolific reach for its time, utilized in conflicts ranging from the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) and Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) to the Syrian Civil War (2011-Present) and the Yemeni Civil War (2014-Present). Its reach was such that it is still found on some battlefields today.

Active operators include former Soviet/Russian allied players such as Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Libya, North Korea, and Ukraine. Former operators of note include Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, Poland, and Romania.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

State Factories - Soviet Union
Manufacturer(s)

Algeria; Afghanistan; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria (former); Czechoslovakia (former); Cuba; East Germany (former); Egypt; Hungary (former); Iraq (former); Kuwait (former); Libya; North Korea; Poland (former); Romania (former); Russia; South Yemen (former); Soviet Union (former); Syria; Ukraine; Yemen; Yugoslavia (former)
Operators

1965
Service Year

Soviet Union
National Origin

Active, Limited
Project Status

4
Crew

3,000
Units

SPECIAL PURPOSE
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.

ALL-WHEEL
Wheeled arrangement gives this system an inherent road-running capability, enhancing mobility particularly on paved roads.

CROSS-COUNTRY TRAVERSAL
Design includes such features as a track-link system or high ground clearance to better traverse offroad.

CBRN PROTECTION
Crew is provided (either as standard or optional) protection against Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear agents for enhanced survivability in contaminated zones.

NIGHT VISION
Crew has access to night-vision equipment, allowing for low-light or night time operations.

IN-DIRECT FIRE
This system's capability is such that it can engage targets / target areas without Line-of-Sight attained.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT
Ability to provide lethal, in-direct firepower at range for area saturation; can include nuclear, biological, and chemical agents.

30.4 ft
(9.26 meters)
Length

10.3 ft
(3.13 meters)
Width

10.0 ft
(3.06 meters)
Height

30,865 lb
(14,000 kg)
Weight

15.4 tons
(Light-class)
Tonnage

2 x ZiL-375YA V8 diesel-fueled engine driving conventional 8x8 all-wheeled arrangement.
Drive System

1 x 5-speed manual (ZiL-135LM) or 6-speed automatic transmission system.
Gearbox

40 mph
(65 kph)
Road Speed

311 miles
(500 km)
Road Range

1 x Tactical battlefield rocket with conventional, chemical, or nuclear warhead / payload.

AMMUNITION
Single-shot use requiring accompanying resupply vehicle (which carries up to three rockets).

9K52 "Luna-M" - Base Series Designation.

9M21B - Nuclear-capable variant.

9M21E - Cluster munition variant.

9M21F - HI-FRAG rocket variant.

9M21Kh - Chemical rocket variant.

Laith-90 - Iraqi export model.

PV-65 - Training rocket variant.

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Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

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Land Systems / Battlefield

9K52 Luna-M (Frog-7)

8x8 Mobile Battlefield Rocket Launcher [ 1965 ]

The 9K52 Luna-M was a Soviet rocket-projecting development of the Cold War period but still sees service on the battlefields today.

Specifications