"Manual" air defense systems. Part of 8. MANPADS Grom
Grom is the main Polish portable anti-aircraft missile system. Like other MANPADS, it is designed to hit various low-flying aerial targets on oncoming and catching-up courses. It is a fairly well-known complex and one of the avatars of the Polish military-industrial complex, with the first version of this portable complex in its composition and design almost completely repeats the Russian MANPADS "Igla".
MANPADS "Grom" and its further modernization are now in service with the Polish armed forces, as well as moving on the international market. It is known that in addition to Poland, this complex is precisely operated by the armed forces of Georgia and Lithuania. It is curious that the complex was created with the direct support of the Russian side, which from 1995 to 2004 provided Poland with technical assistance in developing and mastering the production of individual units of the portable complex, in particular, Russian components and materials were supplied to the country, complete localization of the complex and production at local enterprises The defense industry was able to provide only after 2004.
MANPADS "Grom" (Thunder) is designed to combat visually observable low-flying aerial targets of various types (including airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles) flying at speeds up to 400m / s on opposite courses and at speeds up to 320 m / s - on follow-up courses, including in the conditions of artificial and natural (background) thermal noise. The “Grom” MANPADS was developed by enterprises of the Polish military-industrial complex on the basis of the Russian Igla-1 and Igla MANPADS. Work on this portable complex began in Poland in 1992 year.
The first samples of the portable complex, which received the designation "Grom-1", began to enter service with the Polish army in the 1995 year. Improvement and modernization of the complex continued as part of the Grom-2 project. For quite a long time from 1995 to 2004, Russia provided Polish enterprises with technical assistance in developing and mastering the production of individual units of Grom-2 MANPADS, including, among other things, supplying components and materials, for example, the HH 9Е410 and 1Г-03 production OJSC LOMO. In accordance with the terms of cooperation, the Polish side pledged not to re-export the complexes, and not to sell them to a third party without Russia's consent, and to use Russian products only for the needs of the Polish Ministry of Defense.
MANPADS "Grom" on the design and its composition almost completely repeated the Russian portable complex "Igla". It consists of: an anti-aircraft guided missile, a trigger mechanism with a built-in radar interrogator and a power unit, a launch tube.
The anti-aircraft guided missile of the “Grom” complex is made according to the aerodynamic “duck” scheme, in the front part there are aerodynamic control surfaces, and behind it are four drop-down stabilizers. Two-channel homing head, similar to 9E410. The photodetector of the main channel is made on the basis of antimony indium, and is cooled before launching the rocket to a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius. The photodetector of the auxiliary channel is an uncooled photoresistor built on the basis of sulfur lead. The missile defense system is operated in a sealed launch tube of the complex, on which there are slots for connecting the trigger mechanism and the power supply unit. Starting mechanism MANPADS "Thunder" is reusable and can be used repeatedly. It provides automatic preparation of the anti-aircraft missile for launch, verification of the operation of the rocket systems, as well as the production of the shot itself. The power unit of the complex is needed to power the trigger and cool the homing head. It consists of a pyrotechnic battery and a cylinder with compressed nitrogen (pressure 35 MPa).
The developers from Poland for the rocket designed a new contact fuse, the main engine and the warhead were also modified. As a result, the portable Grom complex was able to hit air targets at an altitude of more than 3000 meters, and the range of use increased to 5500 meters. The combat part of the Zrom complex “Grom” differs from the Russian prototype by a slightly increased weight and, according to Polish developers, is more effective. For the portable complex “Grom” a new sensor for recognition of national identity (native or alien) IK3-02 was also created.
We can note the following observed evolution of the complex. Initially MPADS «Grom» (in 1990-ies called «Grom 1») represented collected Polish now Mesko license embodiment Soviet portable complex 9K310 "Needle-1» modified missile 9M313 equipped with a homing head (GOS) 9E410 from 9M39 rocket portable complex 9К38 “Igla” produced by St. Petersburg OJSC “LOMO”. In addition, the warhead of the rocket and the 9P519 launcher were revised.
Since 2000, the plant MESKO SA has established the release of a modified MANPADS, which received the designation “Grom 2”. The main difference of this version of the complex was a modified anti-aircraft missile, which received a new GOS 1Г03 developed by LOMO, as well as a new combat unit, the mass of which grew from 1,27 to 1,83 kg. Initially, the GOS for the new portable complex was supplied by the St. Petersburg enterprise LOMO, but from 2004, Poland was able to completely localize the output of the GOS. Also in the starting device of the complex a new element base and new batteries were used. Both modifications of “Grom” MANPADS are able to use standard Igla MANPADS (9P516) and Igla-1 (9P519) MANPADS.
A further variant of the modification of the complex was the Piorun MANPADS (Lightning), originally designated as Grom-M and being a variant of the further modernization of the Grom 2 complex. The development of an improved version of the "Thunder" engaged in the Military Technical Academy (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna) together with the companies BUMAR and ZM Mesko. The main objectives of the modernization program were to increase the speed of the rocket (increased to 660 m / s), the range and altitude of the targets, increase the noise immunity of the GOS, and also provide opportunities for the use of MANPADS against new types of air targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles.
The main differences of the latter at the moment of modernization of the portable complex include equipping anti-aircraft guided missiles with a new solid-fuel engine, which is the own development of the Polish company Mesko. The use of the new engine should increase the firing range of the complex to 6500 meters, and the reach of air targets in height will increase to 4000 meters. In addition, the Piorun MANPADS missile received a modified GOS with digital signal processing, as well as a new non-contact fuse, which can be programmed depending on the type of target. The mass of the warhead has increased to 2 kg, while it is equipped with a new high-energy explosive CL-20 and ready-made striking elements. The infrared sight was introduced into the starting device.
In December 2016, the Polish Ministry of National Defense signed a contract with Mesko for the supply of 420 launchers and 1300 missiles of the Piorun complex. According to the plans, they were supposed to replace all the Thunder systems in service, but it is hard to say when exactly this will happen. It turned out that the development of its own new solid-fuel engine for the portable Piorun complex turned out to be quite a challenge for Mesko, the unfinished business of this engine and the problems with its release became an obstacle to the serial production of the MANPADS.
Production of MANPADS "Grom" was carried out at the enterprise MESKO SA, located in the town of Skarzysko-Kamen. At present, the complex is actively moving forward on the international market as part of various short-range anti-aircraft systems (ZUR-23-2KG Jodek-G, ZSU-23-4MP Biala, Poprad) located on different chassis. It is also known that in the 2007 year, Poland sold about 30 portable Grom complexes to Georgia and to 100 missiles for them. These complexes were then used during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in August 2008.
Earlier, in 2005, Poland was able to conclude a contract for 35 million dollars for the supply of its own developed Kobra air defense system to Indonesia. The structure of this complex includes combat control vehicles WD-95, mobile radar MMSR, Poprad mobile missile launchers with Grom anti-aircraft missiles and ZUR-23-2KG installations. The first battery of the complex was purchased by Indonesia in the 2007 year. In total, the Indonesian military bought Xnumx Grom missiles and a significant amount of 74-mm ammunition.
Another foreign customer of the portable version of the complex was Lithuania, which at the end of December 2014 received the first batch of MANGS "Grom" (most likely in the version of Grom-2). The cost of the contract signed by Lithuania is 34,041 million euros, it was signed in September 2014, the details of the contract were not disclosed. Supplies of Polish MANPADS in small batches will be made up to 2021. The cost of the first batch received in 2014 year was estimated at 4,8 million euros, and its possible size could be 12 launchers and up to 60 missiles for them.
Tactical and technical characteristics of MANPADS "Grom":
The range of the targets hit is from 500 to 5500 m.
The height of the targets hit is from 10 to 3500 m.
Speed of targets hit: up to 400 m / s (on a head-on course), to 320 m / s (on a follow-up course).
Maximum rocket speed - 580 m / s.
The diameter of the rocket body - 72 mm.
Rocket length - 1648 mm.
Rocket launch weight - 10,25 kg.
The mass of the warhead - 1,27 kg.
The mass of the complex in the combat position - 18,5 kg.
Time of transfer to the firing position - 13 seconds.
Information sources:
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/missile/wobb/grom/grom.shtml
https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3270730.html
http://nevskii-bastion.ru/grom-poland
Open source materials
MANPADS "Grom" and its further modernization are now in service with the Polish armed forces, as well as moving on the international market. It is known that in addition to Poland, this complex is precisely operated by the armed forces of Georgia and Lithuania. It is curious that the complex was created with the direct support of the Russian side, which from 1995 to 2004 provided Poland with technical assistance in developing and mastering the production of individual units of the portable complex, in particular, Russian components and materials were supplied to the country, complete localization of the complex and production at local enterprises The defense industry was able to provide only after 2004.
MANPADS "Grom" (Thunder) is designed to combat visually observable low-flying aerial targets of various types (including airplanes, helicopters, cruise missiles) flying at speeds up to 400m / s on opposite courses and at speeds up to 320 m / s - on follow-up courses, including in the conditions of artificial and natural (background) thermal noise. The “Grom” MANPADS was developed by enterprises of the Polish military-industrial complex on the basis of the Russian Igla-1 and Igla MANPADS. Work on this portable complex began in Poland in 1992 year.
MANPADS "Grom"
The first samples of the portable complex, which received the designation "Grom-1", began to enter service with the Polish army in the 1995 year. Improvement and modernization of the complex continued as part of the Grom-2 project. For quite a long time from 1995 to 2004, Russia provided Polish enterprises with technical assistance in developing and mastering the production of individual units of Grom-2 MANPADS, including, among other things, supplying components and materials, for example, the HH 9Е410 and 1Г-03 production OJSC LOMO. In accordance with the terms of cooperation, the Polish side pledged not to re-export the complexes, and not to sell them to a third party without Russia's consent, and to use Russian products only for the needs of the Polish Ministry of Defense.
MANPADS "Grom" on the design and its composition almost completely repeated the Russian portable complex "Igla". It consists of: an anti-aircraft guided missile, a trigger mechanism with a built-in radar interrogator and a power unit, a launch tube.
The anti-aircraft guided missile of the “Grom” complex is made according to the aerodynamic “duck” scheme, in the front part there are aerodynamic control surfaces, and behind it are four drop-down stabilizers. Two-channel homing head, similar to 9E410. The photodetector of the main channel is made on the basis of antimony indium, and is cooled before launching the rocket to a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius. The photodetector of the auxiliary channel is an uncooled photoresistor built on the basis of sulfur lead. The missile defense system is operated in a sealed launch tube of the complex, on which there are slots for connecting the trigger mechanism and the power supply unit. Starting mechanism MANPADS "Thunder" is reusable and can be used repeatedly. It provides automatic preparation of the anti-aircraft missile for launch, verification of the operation of the rocket systems, as well as the production of the shot itself. The power unit of the complex is needed to power the trigger and cool the homing head. It consists of a pyrotechnic battery and a cylinder with compressed nitrogen (pressure 35 MPa).
The divisions of the anti-aircraft division of the 10 armored cavalry brigade of the Polish army during training sessions at the test site; February 2018 year
The developers from Poland for the rocket designed a new contact fuse, the main engine and the warhead were also modified. As a result, the portable Grom complex was able to hit air targets at an altitude of more than 3000 meters, and the range of use increased to 5500 meters. The combat part of the Zrom complex “Grom” differs from the Russian prototype by a slightly increased weight and, according to Polish developers, is more effective. For the portable complex “Grom” a new sensor for recognition of national identity (native or alien) IK3-02 was also created.
We can note the following observed evolution of the complex. Initially MPADS «Grom» (in 1990-ies called «Grom 1») represented collected Polish now Mesko license embodiment Soviet portable complex 9K310 "Needle-1» modified missile 9M313 equipped with a homing head (GOS) 9E410 from 9M39 rocket portable complex 9К38 “Igla” produced by St. Petersburg OJSC “LOMO”. In addition, the warhead of the rocket and the 9P519 launcher were revised.
Since 2000, the plant MESKO SA has established the release of a modified MANPADS, which received the designation “Grom 2”. The main difference of this version of the complex was a modified anti-aircraft missile, which received a new GOS 1Г03 developed by LOMO, as well as a new combat unit, the mass of which grew from 1,27 to 1,83 kg. Initially, the GOS for the new portable complex was supplied by the St. Petersburg enterprise LOMO, but from 2004, Poland was able to completely localize the output of the GOS. Also in the starting device of the complex a new element base and new batteries were used. Both modifications of “Grom” MANPADS are able to use standard Igla MANPADS (9P516) and Igla-1 (9P519) MANPADS.
A further variant of the modification of the complex was the Piorun MANPADS (Lightning), originally designated as Grom-M and being a variant of the further modernization of the Grom 2 complex. The development of an improved version of the "Thunder" engaged in the Military Technical Academy (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna) together with the companies BUMAR and ZM Mesko. The main objectives of the modernization program were to increase the speed of the rocket (increased to 660 m / s), the range and altitude of the targets, increase the noise immunity of the GOS, and also provide opportunities for the use of MANPADS against new types of air targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles.
The main differences of the latter at the moment of modernization of the portable complex include equipping anti-aircraft guided missiles with a new solid-fuel engine, which is the own development of the Polish company Mesko. The use of the new engine should increase the firing range of the complex to 6500 meters, and the reach of air targets in height will increase to 4000 meters. In addition, the Piorun MANPADS missile received a modified GOS with digital signal processing, as well as a new non-contact fuse, which can be programmed depending on the type of target. The mass of the warhead has increased to 2 kg, while it is equipped with a new high-energy explosive CL-20 and ready-made striking elements. The infrared sight was introduced into the starting device.
In December 2016, the Polish Ministry of National Defense signed a contract with Mesko for the supply of 420 launchers and 1300 missiles of the Piorun complex. According to the plans, they were supposed to replace all the Thunder systems in service, but it is hard to say when exactly this will happen. It turned out that the development of its own new solid-fuel engine for the portable Piorun complex turned out to be quite a challenge for Mesko, the unfinished business of this engine and the problems with its release became an obstacle to the serial production of the MANPADS.
Lithuanian soldier with the Polish Grom MANPADS in the Polish training center in Koszalin
Production of MANPADS "Grom" was carried out at the enterprise MESKO SA, located in the town of Skarzysko-Kamen. At present, the complex is actively moving forward on the international market as part of various short-range anti-aircraft systems (ZUR-23-2KG Jodek-G, ZSU-23-4MP Biala, Poprad) located on different chassis. It is also known that in the 2007 year, Poland sold about 30 portable Grom complexes to Georgia and to 100 missiles for them. These complexes were then used during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict in August 2008.
Earlier, in 2005, Poland was able to conclude a contract for 35 million dollars for the supply of its own developed Kobra air defense system to Indonesia. The structure of this complex includes combat control vehicles WD-95, mobile radar MMSR, Poprad mobile missile launchers with Grom anti-aircraft missiles and ZUR-23-2KG installations. The first battery of the complex was purchased by Indonesia in the 2007 year. In total, the Indonesian military bought Xnumx Grom missiles and a significant amount of 74-mm ammunition.
Another foreign customer of the portable version of the complex was Lithuania, which at the end of December 2014 received the first batch of MANGS "Grom" (most likely in the version of Grom-2). The cost of the contract signed by Lithuania is 34,041 million euros, it was signed in September 2014, the details of the contract were not disclosed. Supplies of Polish MANPADS in small batches will be made up to 2021. The cost of the first batch received in 2014 year was estimated at 4,8 million euros, and its possible size could be 12 launchers and up to 60 missiles for them.
Tactical and technical characteristics of MANPADS "Grom":
The range of the targets hit is from 500 to 5500 m.
The height of the targets hit is from 10 to 3500 m.
Speed of targets hit: up to 400 m / s (on a head-on course), to 320 m / s (on a follow-up course).
Maximum rocket speed - 580 m / s.
The diameter of the rocket body - 72 mm.
Rocket length - 1648 mm.
Rocket launch weight - 10,25 kg.
The mass of the warhead - 1,27 kg.
The mass of the complex in the combat position - 18,5 kg.
Time of transfer to the firing position - 13 seconds.
Information sources:
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/missile/wobb/grom/grom.shtml
https://bmpd.livejournal.com/3270730.html
http://nevskii-bastion.ru/grom-poland
Open source materials
Information