The VOG-17 is a cased 30x29mm grenade projectile primarily utilized in the belted Soviet-era AGS-17 ("Plamya" = "Flame") Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) system. The projectile was introduced in 1970 and continues to see widespread service today throughout conflicts ranging from the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) and South African Border War (1966-1990) to the Nagomo-Karabakh (2020) and Ukrainian-Russian (2022-Present) wars. Design work began in 1967 under the direction of KB Tochmash with manufacturing handled by the Molot Plant.
The projectile has proven versatile in that it can be used in the infantry-level AGS-17 system as a troop suppression weapon, on helicopters as an airborne weapon (the remotely-controlled "AG-17A"), and on vehicles via a trainable pintle mount (or remotely-controlled as in the "AGS-17D"). Despite its Soviet-era roots, the weapon is still in service with modern Russian forces and other global players.
Today (2022), the projectile is increasingly used by Ukrainian military forces as an air-droppable munitions for various non-combat and off-the-shelf drone solutions. While not an overtly powerful munition in and of itself, it can prove lethal or damaging under the right circumstances specially to unsuspecting, unprotected / "soft" targets such as infantry. In this role, the VOG-17 grenade is somewhat crudely attached to the drone in some way or another with a rudimentary release method installed to simply drop the munition onto targets / target areas below the hovering unit. Surprise gives the drone the initiative in such a scenario though accuracy is somewhat questionable.
The grenade itself is constructed with a steel cartridge casing with internal explosive filling and general fragmentation to maximize lethality, detonation had upon impact.
The VOG-17M, VOG-30, VOG-30D, and IO-30 all represent a High-Explosive (HE) round. The IO-30TP is a practice round used in training. The VUS-30 designates smoke-producing grenades in the series. Arcus of Bulgaria produces the projectile in hand grenade form as the "AR-ROG". Local production of the AGS-17 weapon is handled in China by NORINCO and in Serbia (M93) and Vietnam (SPL-17) under license. It has also been manufactured in Iraq prior to the 2003 American invasion.
Physical The physical qualities of the VOG-17. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
Not Applicable. Action
30x29mm Caliber(s)
1 Feed
Not Applicable. Sights
Variants Notable series variants as part of the VOG-17 Projectile Grenade / Improvised Munition family line.
VOG-17 - Base Series Designation.
VOG-17M - High-explosive variant.
VOG-30 - High-explosive variant.
VOG-30D - High-explosive variant.
IO-30 - High-explosive variant.
IO-30TP - Practice round.
VUS-30 - Smoke round.
AR-ROG - Hand grenade model produced in Bulgaria.
Operators Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the VOG-17. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.
Contractor(s): KB Tochmash (design) / Molot Plant (production) - Soviet Union; Arsenal AD - Bulgaria; NORth China Industries Corporation (NORINCO) - China; Serbia; Z125 Factory - Vietnam
[ Afghanistan; Angola; Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bulgaria; Chad; China; Cuba; Czechoslovakia; Finland (former); Georgia; India; Iran; Iraq; Ivory Coast; Latvia (former); Montenegro; Mozambique; Myanmar; Nicaragua; North Korea; Russia; Serbia; Soviet Union (former); Sierra Leone; Sudan; Syria; Slovakia; Turkey; Ukraine; Vietnam ]
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Going Further... The VOG-17 Projectile Grenade / Improvised Munition appears in the following collections:
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