Dot rocket launch. Name under contracts

The Tochka-U complex is designed "to destroy single, group and area fixed targets in the depths of the enemy's defense (rocket launchers, communication centers, command posts, aircraft and helicopters in parking lots, easily armored vehicles)". Rocket solid propellant, single-stage. Throughout the trajectory, the flight of the rocket is controlled by an inertial control system. For high-precision aiming, you need to know the exact coordinates of the target and have electronic maps of the area.

The launch, most likely, was made from the territory North Ossetia before the missile launchers "Tochka-U" of the 58th Army were introduced on August 11, according to eyewitnesses, through the Roki tunnel into the territory of South Ossetia, about which " New Newspaper already wrote. According to the Pentagon, quoted by The New York Times, the Tochki-U (SS-21) launchers of the 58th Army were deployed north of Tskhinvali in mid-August.

Until now, the Russian authorities have denied that they used live ballistic missiles in the operation "to force Georgia into peace", but now there is direct evidence of at least one launch. But, according to the Pentagon, which CNN refers to, from August 8 to 12, ours launched more than 15 SS-21 missiles at Georgia. In the area of ​​the city of Poti, the remains of a rocket stage, undoubtedly, Tochki-U, were also found.

Surprisingly, Sinaguri is far (40 km) northwest of Tskhinvali, where the fighting took place, and lies on the road from Java to the Georgian Chiatura. There were no reports of battles in this area, it is generally outside the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict, although Russian troops nevertheless, a “safety zone” was established here as well.

"Tochka-U" is a high-precision and all-weather weapon, if necessary - night, in contrast to our technically backward aviation. The Georgians claim to have shot down 19 planes, ours admit 4, the truth seems to lie somewhere in between. Suffering losses, our Air Force, which is not organizationally subordinate to the Ground Forces, was not very successful in supporting them on the battlefield. Missile strikes were supposed to compensate for the lack of air support, but for a high-precision launch, equally high-precision reconnaissance of targets is needed, but there is nothing - there are no modern drones and reconnaissance satellites. Therefore, the effectiveness of the peacekeeping missile strike turned out to be low, and near Sinaguri it is generally not clear what they were shooting at.

In itself, the use of tactical missiles during hostilities, especially high-precision ones, is legal, but Tochka-U covers a very large area with fragments, and it can be used near cities and towns. settlements unacceptable. However, during the second war in Chechnya, "Tochka-U" was used by our troops aiming at the cities. The most famous and investigated cases are: the attack on the market in Grozny on October 21, 1999 and on the city square in Shali on January 11, 2000. In both cases, hundreds of people died, including women and children.

After the strike on Grozny, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the then official representative of the General Staff, General Valery Manilov, claimed that arms were being sold at the market, that there was a “clash between two bandit groups” and their goods exploded. Then they claimed that there was some kind of “special operation”. Later, the commander of the western army group, General Vladimir Shamanov, admitted that there could have been a missile strike, but the decision was made in any case by the top commander. In total, several hundred Tochka missiles were fired in Chechnya during the second war.
The warranty period for the 9M79 rocket is at least 10 years. After the collapse of the USSR, the terms were constantly lengthened, but it is impossible, after all, to infinity. Unnecessary stocks were spent on the Chechens, which is much cheaper than peaceful disposal. Now got to the Georgians.

According to reliable information, "Tochka-U" with a 9N123K cluster warhead is no longer produced according to the usual modern Russia reasons - there are no components, Soviet technologies are lost, etc. Only the high-explosive fragmentation monoblock 9N123F is produced, which seems to have exploded somewhere near Sinaguri, and the rocket stage fell into a cornfield. The cassette warhead covers a significantly larger area, so the Georgians are still lucky, not like the Chechens.

He began to enter the troops in 1989.

The production of missiles was carried out at the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant (according to other sources - at the Petropavlovsk Heavy Machine-Building Plant, Petropavlovsk, Kazakhstan), the production of special chassis for launchers (PU) BAZ-5921 and transport-loading vehicles (BAZ-5922) - at Bryansk plant of special automotive industry, the assembly of launchers was carried out at the software "Barricades". The enterprises of the entire Soviet Union were involved in the production cycle of the components of the missile complex.

Organizationally, the complex can be represented as part of a brigade, which includes 2-3 divisions. Each missile division has 2-3 starting batteries with 2-3 launchers in each battery. Thus, in the composition of one brigade there can be from 8 to 27 launchers.

Rocket

The rocket of the Tochka complex (Tochka-U) is a single-stage solid-propellant ballistic missile controlled throughout the flight, consisting of a 9M79 (9M79M, 9M79-1) missile unit with an X-shaped arrangement of rudders and wings and from a head unit that cannot be separated in flight parts (MS). Missile and head part are docked by six hinged bolts, and the electrical connection between the HF and RF is organized through a cable. A wide range of interchangeable warheads expands the range of tasks solved by the complex and increases its effectiveness in specific application conditions. Completely assembled missiles in conventional (non-nuclear) equipment can be stored for 10 years. The missiles are delivered to the troops in assembled form; when carrying out their maintenance, it is not required to remove the instruments from the missile.

Rocket part

The missile part (RF) performs the function of delivering the warhead to the target and consists of the RF body, including the instrument, engine, tail compartments, aerodynamic surfaces and two cable trunks, as well as the propulsion system (PS) and onboard control system devices (BSU). The body of the instrument compartment (OS) is located in the front of the RF, hermetically sealed with a lid and is a cylindrical shell with stiffeners, made of aluminum alloy. On the front frame of the software there are elements for attaching the warhead, and in the lower part of the software there is a transport yoke and a detachable electrical connector through which the onboard control devices are connected to the ground equipment launcher(PU). Optical communication between the SPU aiming system (or AKIM 9V819 devices) and the missile's BSU is provided by a porthole on the right side of the software.

The remote control housing is located in the middle part of the RF and is a cylindrical structure made of high-strength steel with 3 frames: front, middle, rear. Transport yokes are attached to the upper part of the front and rear frames, and launch yokes are welded to their lower part. 4 wing mounting units are fixed on the middle frame.

The tail section (XO) is conical in shape, has longitudinal stiffeners, is made of aluminum alloy and is a fairing for the PS nozzle block. Also in the CW case there is a turbogenerator power supply together with executive bodies control systems, and on the rear of the CW body there are 4 attachment points for lattice aerodynamic and gas-jet rudders. At the bottom of the CW there is a descent sensor. On the upper part of the hull there are two hatches for carrying out routine maintenance with the missile, and in the lower part of the CW there are two holes for the exit of gases from a working turbogenerator power source (TGPS).

The X-shaped plumage of the rocket includes 4 fixed wings (folding into transport position in pairs), 4 aerodynamic and 4 gas jet rudders.

Propulsion system

A single-mode solid-propellant rocket engine is a combustion chamber with a nozzle block and a fuel charge and an ignition system placed in it. The combustion chamber consists of an ellipsoidal front bottom, a rear bottom with a nozzle block and a cylindrical body made of high-alloy steel. The inner side of the remote control case is covered with a layer of heat-shielding coating. The nozzle block consists of a housing and a composite nozzle; until the moment of launch, the nozzle of the remote control is closed by a sealing plate. Materials used in the nozzle block: titanium alloy (body), pressed materials such as graphite-silicon (inlet and outlet from the nozzle), siliconized graphite and tungsten (liners in the critical section of the nozzle and the inner surface of the liner, respectively).

The fuel charge ignition system installed on the front bottom of the combustion chamber includes two 15X226 squibs and a 9X249 igniter. The igniter is a body, inside of which are placed tablets of pyrotechnic composition and smoky rocket powder. When triggered, the squibs ignite the igniter, which, in turn, ignites the 9X151 fuel charge.

The fuel charge 9X151 is made of mixed solid fuel type DAP-15V(oxidizer - ammonium perchlorate, binder - rubber, fuel - aluminum powder), is a cylindrical monoblock, the main part of the outer surface of which is covered with armor. During engine operation, the charge burns both on the surface of the internal channel, and on the front and rear ends with annular grooves, and on the unarmored outer surface, which makes it possible to provide an almost constant burning area during the entire time of operation of the remote control. In the combustion chamber, the charge is fixed with the help of an attachment point (made of rubber-coated textolite and a metal ring), sandwiched on one side between the frame of the rear bottom and the remote control housing, and on the other side attached to the annular groove of the charge. This design of the mount prevents the flow of gases into the tail section, while at the same time allowing the formation of a relatively cold stagnant zone in the annular gap (between the charge and the body), which prevents the combustion chamber walls from burning out and at the same time compensates for the internal pressure on the fuel charge.

Onboard control system

• Launchers MLRS - 2 9M79K, or 4 9M79F
• Lance missile battery - 2 9M79K, or 4 9M79F
• Battery of self-propelled guns or towed guns - 1 9M79K, or 2 9M79F
• Helicopters on landing sites - 1 9M79K, or 2 9M79F
• Ammunition depots - 1 9M79K, or 3 9M79F
• The defeat of manpower, unarmored vehicles, aircraft in the parking lot, etc.
  • On an area of ​​40 hectares - 2 9M79K, or 4 9M79F
  • On an area of ​​60 hectares - 3 9M79K, or 6 9M79F
  • On an area of ​​100 hectares - 4 9M79K, or 8 9M79F

Combat use

Fighting in Chechnya

The Tochka-U complex was used by the 58th Combined Arms Army to destroy military facilities in Chechnya during the first and second Chechen wars. Targets were previously identified by means of space reconnaissance. In particular, the complex was used to strike at a large weapons depot and a fortified terrorist camp in the Bamut area, in a special operation in the village of Komsomolskoye in March 2000:

Another attempt to leave the village - at the junction of the positions of the 503rd regiment and the unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - was thwarted thanks to the use of the Tochka-U operational-tactical missile. The zone of continuous destruction occupied an area of ​​​​about 300 by 150 meters. The rocket men worked filigree - the blow fell exactly on the bandits, without affecting their own.

South Ossetia (2008)

The complexes were used Russian army during military operations in South Ossetia on August 8-12, 2008.

Ukraine (2014-2017)

It was used by the Ukrainian army in the armed conflict in the east of the country, in particular during the battles for Saur-Mohyla

Invasion of Yemen (2015)

Incidents

Ukraine (2000)

On April 20, 2000, a rocket was launched from the Goncharovsky training ground, located 130 km north of Kyiv, which, after launch, deviated from the course and at 15:07 hit a residential building in the city of Brovary, breaking through the building from the ninth to the second floor . 3 people were killed and 3 injured. Fortunately, the rocket was equipped with an inert warhead, otherwise there could have been much more victims. The failure of the missile's control system was named as the cause of the tragic incident by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Operators

• Azerbaijan Azerbaijan- about 4 9M79 missiles, the number of launchers is unknown, as of 2013
• Armenia Armenia- from 6 units as of 2011
• Belarus Belarus- 12 units as of 2016
• Yemen Yemen- 10 units as of 2013
• Kazakhstan Kazakhstan- 45 units of 9K79 as of 2013
• North Korea North Korea- local copy of KN-02 Toksa, launcher based on MAZ-63171.
• Russia Russia- about 300 units as of 2016
• Syria Syria- more than 18 units as of 2013)
• Ukraine Ukraine- 90 units as of 2013
• NKR NKR- Several units as of 2016

Withdrawn from service

Notes

Footnotes

Sources

1. Lensky A. G., Tsybin M. M. Soviet ground troops in Last year Union of the SSR. Directory. - St. Petersburg. : V&K, 2001. - S. 266. - 294 p. - ISBN 5-93414-063-9.
2. http://zato-znamensk.narod.ru/History.htm
3. V. Shesterikov. Roses and rockets // Niva. - Astana: Niva, 2007. - Issue. four . - pp. 155-161. The volume is 1.5 MB.
4. DIMMI. 9К79 Point - SS-21 SCARAB (indefinite) . Domestic military equipment (after 1945) (05/11/2010 00:38:00). Date of treatment June 14, 2010. Archived from the original on February 20, 2012.

In the mid-1960s, the Department of Defense Soviet Union initiated work on the creation of a new tactical missile system with a high-precision ballistic missile. It was understood that the combat potential of the new complex would be increased not due to a more powerful warhead, but with the help of greater guidance accuracy. Testing and operation of previous tactical missile systems confirmed the correctness of this approach: a more accurate missile could destroy targets with great efficiency, even without a particularly powerful warhead.

Launch of the 9M79 Tochka missile of the 9K79-1 Tochka-U complex, Kapustin Yar test site, 09/22/2011 (photo by Vadim Savitsky, http://twower.livejournal.com, http://militaryrussia.ru)

The development of two new missile systems at once began at the Fakel Design Bureau. The ground-to-ground missile was based on anti-aircraft missile B-611 of the ship-based M-11 Storm complex. The first was the project "Hawk". It was supposed to use an electronic missile guidance system. In this case, the ballistic munition would fly on the active part of the trajectory in accordance with the commands sent from the ground. A little later, in 1965, the Tochka project was created on the basis of the Hawk. From the previous missile system "Tochka" was distinguished by a guidance system. Instead of a radio command, which is relatively difficult to manufacture and operate, it was proposed to use an inertial one, as on several previous domestic tactical missile systems.

Both projects of the ICB Fakel remained at the stage of development and testing of individual units. Approximately in 1966, all project documentation was transferred to the Kolomna Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering, where work continued under the leadership of S.P. Invincible. Already on early stages elaboration, it became clear that the most convenient and promising option for a tactical missile system would be "Tochka" with a missile equipped with an inertial guidance system. It was this project that was further developed, although it was later almost completely redesigned.

Active work on the project began in 1968, in accordance with the decree of the USSR Council of Ministers of March 4. About 120 enterprises and organizations were involved in the new project, since it was necessary to create not only a rocket, but also a wheeled chassis, a launcher, a complex of electronic equipment, etc. The main developers and manufacturers of the units of the Tochka complex were the Central Research Institute of Automation and Hydraulics, which created the missile control system, the Volgograd plant Barrikady, which made the launcher, and the Bryansk Automobile Plant, on the wheeled chassis of which all the elements of the complex were eventually mounted.

It is worth noting that there were two options for the launcher. The first was designed by the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering along with the rocket and was used only in field tests. It was with such a unit that the first two test launches were made in 1971 at the Kapustin Yar test site. A little later, tests of the complex began with the use of combat vehicles equipped with a launch system developed by the designers of the Barrikady plant. Already in 1973, the assembly of missiles began at the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant. In the same year, the first stages of state tests took place, according to the results of which, in 1975, the Tochka missile system was put into service. The GRAU index of the complex is 9K79.

The basis of the Tochka complex was the 9M79 solid-propellant single-stage rocket. Ammunition with a length of 6400 millimeters and a diameter of 650 had lattice rudders with a span of about 1350-1400 mm. starting weight rockets - two tons, about one and a half of which accounted for the rocket block. The rest of the weight of the ammunition was due to the 482-kilogram warhead and control system. The acceleration of the 9M79 rocket in the active part of the trajectory was carried out by a single-mode solid-propellant engine with fuel based on rubber, aluminum powder and ammonium perchlorate. About 790 kilograms of fuel burned out in 18-28 seconds. The specific impulse is about 235 seconds.

The inertial guidance system of the 9M79 missile included a set of various equipment, such as a command-gyroscopic device, a discrete-analog computer, an angular velocity and acceleration sensor, etc. The basis of the guidance system is the command-gyroscopic device 9B64. On the gyro-stabilized platform of this device, there were means for setting it up, as well as two accelerometers. Data from all sensors of the guidance system was transmitted to the 9B65 computer, which automatically calculated the missile's flight path, compared it with the given one, and, if necessary, issued the appropriate commands. The trajectory was corrected using four lattice rudders in the tail section of the rocket. When the engine was running, gas-dynamic rudders were also used, which were in the jet gas flow.

Because the warhead 9M79 missiles did not separate in flight, the designers provided for control in the final section of the trajectory, which significantly increased the accuracy of hitting the target. At this stage of the flight, the automation kept the rocket in a dive with an angle of 80 ° to the horizon.

Missile systems 9K79-1 "Tochka-U" with 9M79M "Tochka" missiles at the exercises of rocket and artillery units of the 5th combined arms army of the Eastern Military District, Sergeevsky combined arms training ground, March 2013. The launch of 9M79M "Tochka" missiles was conditional. (http://pressa-tof.livejournal.com, http://militaryrussia.ru)

Target data was entered into the missile guidance system immediately before launch, before the missile was raised to a vertical position. The 9V390 control and launch equipment with the 1V57 Argon electronic computer calculated the flight task, after which the data was transmitted to the rocket computer. An interesting way to check the gyro-stabilized platform of the guidance system. In its lower part there was a multifaceted prism, which was used by a special optical system placed on the combat vehicle. Through a special porthole on board the rocket, the equipment determined the position of the platform and issued commands to correct it.

In the early stages of the Tochka project, it was proposed to make a self-propelled launcher based on one of the machines of the Kharkov Tractor Plant. However, according to the results of the comparison, the BAZ-5921 floating chassis, created at the Bryansk Automobile Plant, was chosen. Based on it, they created the 9P129 combat vehicle. It is noteworthy that it was not the Bryansk Automobile Plant that was responsible for the installation of all the target equipment on the wheeled chassis, but the Volgograd enterprise Barrikady. In the serial production of launchers and transport-loading vehicles, they occupied the Petropavlovsk heavy engineering plant.

The six-wheeled all-wheel drive self-propelled launcher 9P129 was equipped with a 300-horsepower diesel engine. Such power point allowed a combat vehicle with a rocket to accelerate to 60 kilometers per hour on the highway. Off-road speed was reduced to 10-15 km/h. If necessary, the 9P129 vehicle could cross water obstacles at speeds up to 10 km / h, for which two water cannons were used. With a combat weight of about 18 tons with a rocket, the self-propelled launcher was suitable for transportation by military transport aircraft. The equipment of the rocket compartment is interesting. In front of it, the self-propelled launcher had a special heat-shielding casing that protected the missile warhead from overheating or hypothermia.

According to the standards, no more than 20 minutes were allotted for preparation for launch from the march. Most of this time was spent on ensuring the stability of the launcher during launch. Other procedures were much faster. So, it took less than a second to transfer commands to the rocket control system, and the subsequent rise of the rocket to a vertical position took only 15 seconds, after which the rocket could immediately launch. Regardless of the range to the target, the elevation of the guide launcher was 78 °. At the same time, the mechanisms of the 9P129 machine made it possible to turn the guide and the rocket in a horizontal plane by 15 ° to the right or left of the axis of the machine. The flight of the 9M79 missile to a maximum range of 70 kilometers took just over two minutes. During this time, a calculation of three or four people had to transfer the combat vehicle to the traveling position and leave the position. The reloading procedure took 19-20 minutes.

Approximate projections of the V-611 missiles (Volna air defense missile system), V-614 Tochka, 9M79 Tochka, 9M79-1 Tochka-U missiles and the section of the 9M79 missile (the last three with high-explosive warheads). 01/17/2010 drawing based on projections unknown author with significant changes in size, proportions and modifications, http://military.tomsk.ru

In addition to the missile and self-propelled launcher, the Tochka complex included a 9T128 transport-loading vehicle based on the Bryansk BAZ-5922 chassis. In the cargo compartment of this machine there are two cradles for missiles with heat shields for warheads. The loading of missiles into the transport-loading vehicle and installation on the launch rail are carried out using a crane, which is equipped with 9T128. If necessary, missiles can be stored in the cargo compartment of the transport-loading vehicle, but for long-term storage it is recommended to use special metal shipping containers. For the transportation of missiles or warheads in containers, transport vehicles 9T222 or 9T238 are used, which are a truck tractor with a semi-trailer. One semi-trailer can accommodate two missiles or four warheads.

In 1983, the Tochka-R complex was adopted. It differed from the base complex only in a missile with new system guidance. The 9N915 guidance system with a passive radar homing head was combined with the 9M79 missile unit. It is capable of capturing a radiating target at a distance of about 15 kilometers, after which the missile is aimed at it using standard control systems. The Tochka-R complex retained the ability to use missiles with a standard inertial guidance system.

In 1984, work began on the modernization of the Tochka complex in order to improve its performance. Tests of the updated complex 9K79-1 "Tochka-U" began in the summer of 1986. In 1989, he was put into service and put into mass production. During the modernization fighting machine The complex has undergone some changes, primarily related to the upgrade of the rocket. As a result, the total mass of the 9P129-1 self-propelled launcher, and then 9P129-1M, increased by 200-250 kilograms. During the modernization, the 9M79-1 rocket received a new engine with a fuel charge of 1000 kilograms. The use of a more efficient fuel mixture made it possible to increase the flight range to 120 kilometers.

Shortly before modernization, the Tochka complex received new types of missiles and warheads. Thus, at present, Tochka-U can operate the following guided ballistic munitions:
- 9M79. base model rockets that appeared along with the complex itself;
- 9M79M. The first upgrade of the rocket. The changes affected mainly the technological part of production. In addition, compatibility with the new passive radar homing head is ensured. In this case, the rocket is called 9M79R;
- 9M79-1. Rocket complex "Tochka-U" with an increased range;
-9M79-GVM, 9M79M-GVM, 9M79-UT, etc. Mass-dimensional and training models of combat missiles. They were produced with extensive use of their parts, but some of the units, such as a fuel block, squibs, etc. replaced by imitators.

The nomenclature of warheads for Tochka missiles is as follows:
- 9H123. High-explosive fragmentation warhead of concentrated action. It was developed together with the 9M79 rocket in the late sixties. Carries 162.5 kilograms of TNT-hexogen mixture and 14.5 thousand semi-finished fragments. The warhead 9N123 during the explosion scatters fragments of three types: six thousand fragments weighing about 20 grams, four thousand ten grams and 4.5 thousand striking elements weighing about five and a half grams. Fragments hit targets in an area of ​​up to three hectares. It is also worth noting the layout of this warhead. For uniform destruction of the area, due to the inclination of the last section of the missile's flight path, the explosive charge block is located at an angle to the axis of the warhead;
- 9H123K. Fragmentation warhead with 50 submunitions. Each of them is a fragmentation element weighing 7.45 kilograms, about one and a half of which are explosive. Each submunition scatters 316 fragments over a relatively small area, but thanks to the opening of the cassette at an altitude of about 2200-2250 meters, one 9N123K warhead is capable of “sowing” up to seven hectares with fragments. Submunitions are stabilized in the fall by parachutes;
- Nuclear warheads of models 9N39 with a capacity of 10 kilotons and 9N64 with a capacity of at least 100 kt (according to other sources, up to 200 kt). The letter "B" and the corresponding figure were added to the index of missiles equipped with nuclear warheads. Thus, the 9N39 warhead was used on the 9M79B missile, and 9N64 on the 9M79B1;
- Chemical warheads 9N123G and 9N123G2-1. Both warheads carry 65 submunitions loaded with poisonous agents, V-gas and soman, respectively. The total mass of substances was 60 kilograms for the warhead 9N123G and 50 for 9N123G2-1. According to various sources, the total number of chemical warheads produced does not exceed a few dozen. To date, most of the chemical warheads have been disposed of or are being prepared for destruction;
- Training warheads designed for training personnel work with combat units equipped with a real warhead. Training units have the same designations as combat units, but with the letters "UT".

Self-propelled launcher 9P129M OTR "Tochka"

Transport-loading vehicle 9T218 OTR "Point"

Transport vehicle 9T238

The layout of the rocket "Tochka" / "Tochka-U" (scheme from the site http://rbase.new-factoria.ru)

Missile systems "Tochka" began to enter the troops already in 1976. Just a few years later, the first such systems went to serve at bases located on the territory of the GDR. After withdrawal Soviet troops from Germany, all Tochka and Tochka-U complexes, due to the military-political situation, were concentrated in the European part of the country. By the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the total number of "Points" of all modifications approached three hundred. In 1993, these tactical missile systems were shown to the foreign public, and this demonstration looked like real combat work. During the very first exhibition of arms and military equipment IDEX (Abu Dhabi, United United Arab Emirates) Russian rocket launchers conducted five launches of missiles of the Tochka-U complex and hit conditional targets with a maximum deviation of no more than 45-50 meters.

Later, during the first war in Chechnya, a certain number of “Points” were actively used in shelling militant positions. Missile systems of this type also operated during the second Chechen war, in 1999 and 2000. According to various sources, at least one and a half hundred rockets with high-explosive fragmentation warheads were used up during the two Caucasian conflicts. There is no confirmed information on the use of cluster warheads and warheads of other types. Last on this moment combat use complexes of the "Point" family refers to the "War of the Three Eights" in August 2008. Foreign sources speak of 10-15 missile launches at Georgian positions and facilities.

Deployment of the OTR 9K79 Tochka-U division in South Ossetia, August 10, 2008 (http://www.militaryphotos.net)

In addition to Russia, other countries, primarily the former Soviet republics, have Tochka missile systems. A certain number of self-propelled launchers, auxiliary equipment and missiles remained in Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan. In addition, some of these countries bought or sold the remaining "Points", including to each other. Outside former USSR Tochka missile systems are owned by Bulgaria (from several units to several dozen), Hungary, Iraq, North Korea and some other countries. There is an opinion that the designers of the DPRK carefully studied the supplied Tochka complexes and, on their basis, created their own missile system KN-2 Toska ("Viper").

Currently, the Russian armed forces have no more than 150 9P129 combat vehicles and its modifications, as well as other equipment of the Tochka, Tochka-R and Tochka-U complexes. A few years ago, with enviable regularity, rumors appeared about the possible start of work on the modernization of missile systems, as a result of which they could significantly increase their combat capabilities. Figured even the name of such modernization - "Tochka-M". However, by the end of the last decade, the leaders of the Ministry of Defense decided to abandon the development of the Tochka complex in favor of the newer and more promising 9K720 Iskander. Thus, the existing complexes of the Tochka family will serve until the expiration of their service life and the exhaustion of the existing stock of missiles. Over time, they will end their service and give way to newer tactical missile systems.

Launches of Tochka missiles are carried out by the 308th separate division 465 missile brigade of the Armed Forces of Belarus, February 2012 (photo - Ramil Nasibulin, http://vsr.mil.by)

According to the websites:
http://rbase.new-factoria.ru/
http://kap-yar.ru/
http://arms-expo.ru/
http://russian-power.rf/
http://militaryrussia.ru/blog/topic-191.html

On July 29, 2014, the American information channel CNN informed the whole world that, launched during the hostilities conducted by Ukraine, ballistic missile"Tochka-U" was not supposed to cross the state border. At least that was the point cryptic message. Why could there be an assumption that the launch target could be an object on the territory of another country? Which one? And if the target was located in Ukraine, why use ballistic missiles to destroy it? Lots of questions...

Be that as it may, it was precisely because of these events that the public became interested in the Tochka-U tactical complex.

diplomatic incident

One of the main questions was how likely a mistake was made when aiming a missile at a target? To answer it, you need to understand the device of this type of weapon.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine immediately declared their non-involvement, immediately naming three reasons why it was impossible to do this. First, there are no ballistic missiles in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Secondly, they didn't get anywhere. And thirdly, the Ukrainian army did not use them. Then, at the initiative of the US State Department, a meeting of its representatives with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov took place, at which the latter was once again assured that the blow was not delivered on the territory of the Russian Federation. It was formally exhausted, although the Tochka-U missile, which, by the way, is in service with the Ukrainian army, quite fits the definition of the mysterious “ultra-precise weapon” that Prime Minister Yatsenyuk tried to scare the leadership of the DPR and LPR with. At least, obviously, it does not have anything more accurate than the APU.

Really didn't get anywhere. But that doesn't mean there wasn't an attempt. Military experts are making various bold assumptions, finding certain parallels between the successful repulsion of an Israeli missile attack by Syrian missile defense systems and this incident. The most plausible version seems to many, according to which four Ukrainian Tochka-U missiles were shot down by Russian defense systems. There is no documentary evidence for this, but some known facts suggest such an idea.

So what kind of missile is this and where did Ukraine get it from? When and where were they made? How old are the newest designs? What are the characteristics of this type of weapon? How should they be used and why were they created? What ammunition can it carry? Who can manage this complex?

This article will answer these and other questions clearly and without unnecessary details.

Tactical Missiles and Changing the Military Concept

All nuclear forces fall into two main categories. Strategic Missiles, submarine nuclear fleet and carry charges that serve to cause maximum, detrimental damage to the economy of the enemy country in the event of a global conflict. But there are also less powerful tools, decisive tasks frontal confrontation - they are called tactical. For these purposes, in 1965, Soviet engineers from the Fakel Design Bureau created the Tochka rocket. She had good performance, but by the end of the sixties they no longer met the requirements of the military. When using nuclear charges, accuracy did not matter much, but at that time there were changes in foreign policy life that affected the nature of the defense doctrine. The strategic forces were assigned the role of global containment and guarantor of the territorial integrity of the countries of the socialist camp, but the number of local conflicts increased. The idea of ​​using special charges during the Vietnam or Middle East wars may have visited someone's hotheads, but, fortunately, to no avail. Strengthened role conventional ammunition, therefore, it was necessary to seriously improve the accuracy of hitting the target. And at the same time increase the range. The case was entrusted to the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering. A secret institution with a modest name was led by S.P. Invincible. Surname speaking.

New rocket

The design documentation for the previous one was transferred to KBM from the Fakel Design Bureau. These materials turned out to be a very important component of the work, they saved a lot of time and effort. Many components, assemblies and systems have been preserved, for which the Tochka rocket served as a kind. The new model has other rudders, including gas-jet ones, the destabilizer has been eliminated, control and guidance technologies have been changed. As a result of the hard work of engineers during 1968-1971, serious improvements in performance were achieved, apogee and perigee increased. And - most importantly - hitting the target has become more accurate. The tests were carried out at the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome, and in 1973 the State Commission adopted the project. Production has begun. Prototypes manufactured at the Volgograd plant "Barricades" (launch and control systems) and (the missiles themselves). The system went into series at the heavy engineering plant in Petropavlovsk. In addition, orders for components were placed at various enterprises of the defense complex throughout the country. The official adoption took place in 1975, they were equipped with ground forces at the divisional level.

Further modernization of the complex took place in the mid-eighties. Various climatic conditions exploitation, for which in Transbaikalia and Central Asia additional tests were carried out.

The tactical missile "Tochka-U" (that was the new name of this weapon) was built in the city of Votkinsk.

Tochka-R and new guidance systems

The first test launches began in 1971, they were carried out by factory specialists. Within two years, fine-tuning and final determination of the compliance of the received data with the state order was carried out. Characteristics quite arranged a high commission. The deviation from the set target did not exceed 250 meters with a minimum range of 15 kilometers and a maximum range of up to 70.

Target designation systems have also been improved. "Point-R" could use a passive head to aim at the radiation of radio stations and locators, which expanded the range of its application and made it possible to use this weapon to suppress the enemy's air defense or disorientate the command and control systems and communications of a potential enemy. With an area of ​​destruction of two hectares, the accuracy increased - now it was 45 meters.

These were very good numbers.

Purpose

The tactical use of weapons implies the possibility of delivering strikes against small targets, by which the military understands small and large airfields, headquarters, communication centers, warehouses, storage facilities, railway stations, ports and other infrastructure that acquire military significance in a special period.

At the same time, the dimensions of such a target cannot be called miniature. There is no question of a ballistic missile (even a small one) hitting a separate building, ship, plane, helicopter or railway car. The blow is applied over the area, for which a whole arsenal of various combat charging warheads has been developed.

At the time when armed Soviet army the Tochka-U rocket arrived, citizens of the USSR learned about international terrorism mainly from the Vremya program, and even then only when they broadcast about the situation in Ulster. The events of recent decades have shown that this tactical tool can also be useful in the fight against bandit formations, in particular, for the destruction of militant bases and their training camps. But in no case was it supposed to use Tochka-U missiles for firing at residential areas of cities or villages. No matter how high the accuracy, it is impossible to achieve selective destruction of armed groups of people surrounded by civilians.

By land and water

By itself, a rocket cannot be launched from a launcher. The system is mobile, it is a column of several Vehicle, the number of which varies depending on the task. First, we need a launcher that directly launches the Tochka-U missile. But the complex was not created for the sake of a single shot! The PU is followed by a convoy consisting of charging and transporting vehicles, a mobile control and testing station and a maintenance workshop. Missiles are transported in special containers designed for the safe transportation of ammunition. The charging machine is equipped with loading and unloading equipment. Equipment and instruments are designed to monitor the health of systems and units. Almost everything is provided in case of emergency situations.

A fuel tanker is needed only if you have to march over long distances (more than 650 km - this is the power reserve). The rocket is refueled at the factory, it has a solid propellant engine.

The complex can move almost on any terrain, even on water. The speed of movement on a good road is up to 60 km / h, on a dirt road - up to 40 km / h, on rough terrain - 15 km / h. When using jet engines, cars will overcome a water barrier at a speed of 8 km / h. Motor resource of vehicles is 15 thousand kilometers.

Special charges

Tochka-U is a ballistic missile. Although its characteristics are more modest than those of strategic monsters, they are quite sufficient to consider it a possible carrier of special charges. By this term, the military means means mass destruction, nuclear and chemical. To strike at the enemy with them, you need an appropriate warhead, which is also called a combat charging compartment. The tactical missile "Tochka-U" can be equipped with nuclear charges depending on the required power of the explosion. So, the head part of 9H39 has up to one hundred kilotons, and 9H64 - up to two hundred.

When using nuclear special charges that the Tochka-U missile can be equipped with, the radius of destruction (solid), measured from the epicenter, will be over one and a half kilometers.

For conducting tactical chemical warfare, 9N123G and 9N123G2-1 warheads are provided, containing 65 sub-elements of OM in the amount of 60.5 and 50.5 kg, respectively ("Soman").

conventional ammunition

The nomenclature of blasting ammunition is presented more widely. The 9N123F high-explosive fragmentation warhead detonates 162 kg of TNT, scattering almost fifteen thousand fragments. For the greatest effect, the final maneuver performed by the Tochka-U rocket is important. The affected area of ​​up to three hectares is provided by the detonation of the charge at a height of 20 meters after turning from the ballistic trajectory into the mode of an almost sheer fall. The axis of the fragmentation cone has been shifted to expand the firing sector.

The 9N123K cassette warhead contains fifty elements (each weighing about eight kilograms) filled with striking elements with a total number close to 16 thousand. Each of the cassettes is an analogue of a conventional anti-personnel grenade, only larger. The ammunition destroys unprotected objects on an area of ​​up to seven hectares.

It is also possible to use the Tochka-U rocket to scatter propaganda literature.

Tactical and technical details

If the target is beyond the horizon, then the parameters will be somewhat different. The greatest height (apogee) will decrease significantly. In 2 minutes 16 seconds, a rocket projectile will overcome 120 km - this is maximum range missiles "Tochka-U".

Deployment efficiency is also important for successful firing. A well-trained launcher crew, consisting of four people, is able to transfer the complex from a transport to a combat state in 16 minutes, this is the standard. If the need to start is known in advance, then just two minutes after the start command is given, it will be carried out. A warhead weighing almost half a ton will fly to the target. The speed of the Tochka-U rocket reaches one kilometer per second,

Each type of armament is designed to solve a certain range of tasks, which, depending on the specific conditions, can be more or less wide. A weapon is a kind of tool, in some cases it must be very powerful and rough, and in other situations it is better to use something more subtle and delicate. Tactical ballistic ammunition, despite the high accuracy of targeting, cannot provide a clear selectivity of destruction, therefore, as a rule, they are not used in densely populated areas.

Practical tactical application

The Tochka-U missile, with a target destruction radius of no more than 120 kilometers, is perfect for destroying terrorist camps and bases located in the mountains or the desert. During the first campaign in Chechnya, it was used for its intended purpose, as General G. N. Troshev wrote about in his memoirs (the book was called "The Chechen Break"). Features of the tactics of using this ammunition require the command to have reliable information and accurate coordinates of the target. Such information in our time can be provided by space reconnaissance (in the case of suitable weather over the theater of operations and the absence of clouds obscuring the firing zone). It is also possible to use other sources if they are obtained from qualified agents with experience in working with topographic maps.

March 2000, the vicinity of the village of Komsomolskoye... It is known that there is a militant camp in this area. The object is well fortified, the level of fortification is such that when trying to storm, big losses personnel. Nearby is a settlement, which, of course, cannot be destroyed. The explosion of the Tochka-U rocket covered the defensive area, and the powerful bandit formation ceased to exist, without entering the battle, for which it was so carefully prepared. Tactical missilemen solved similar tasks in other sectors of the front, minimizing losses and achieving impressive successes, an important part of which was excellent calculation skills.

The crews of the Russian divisions showed the same high qualification during the events of 2008 in South Ossetia. The Syrian military personnel are doing a good job with such tasks, suppressing the anti-government rebellion. Their targets are usually terrorist bases in the desert.

Ukraine cannot boast of such accuracy. The Tochka-U missiles, inherited by this country from the USSR, may have already exhausted their shelf life (it is ten years). In 2000, during exercises at the Goncharovsky test site, a launch was carried out, as a result of which three residents of Brovary (Kyiv region) were killed and five were injured. The warhead used was training, without a charge, otherwise there could have been a lot of victims.

Maintenance of the complex

The control equipment of the Tochka complex is rather complicated. Obtaining the necessary qualifications takes several months, and at the same time, even in the case of the most favorable circumstances (not exhausted storage period, skillful calculation and the absence of active opposition from the enemy), there is no full guarantee of a hit from the first launch. The Tochka-U missile is not an ultra-precise weapon. Experts claim that best result can be achieved by firing four shells, one of which with a high degree probability at the end of the ballistic trajectory will be within a radius measured in tens of meters from the target. It should also be taken into account that the standards have changed since the development of this complex. The use of "Point" to fight rebel militias operating near populated areas is not only pointless, but also criminal, especially given the low qualification of rocket crews.

The creation of the Tochka tactical missile system (the predecessor of the Tochka-U missile) was initiated in March 1968 by a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers. The country's leadership set the task of creating precision missile with modern characteristics for the destruction of small-sized enemy targets. The development was entrusted to the team of the Kolomna Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering, headed by Sergei Pavlovich Invincible.

Handwriting of the Invincible

S.P. Invincible miraculously matched his name, creating a weapon of victory that had no equal. His track record includes anti-tank missile systems "Bumblebee", "Malyutka", the first Soviet MANPADS "Strela" and its subsequent modifications, MANPADS of the next generation - "Strela" and "Igla".

Head of development "Points"

In the 70-80s, the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering headed by him created new type weapons - supersonic ATGM "Shturm", "Attack" and "Chrysanthemum". Later, on his initiative, the Tochka and Oka missile systems were created and the development of the Iskander missile system began, work on which was already completed by his students.

From "Point" to "Point-U"

The tests of the "Point" lasted 5 years, and in 1976 the complex was put into service. He could hit targets at a distance of up to 70 km with a possible deviation from it within 250 meters. At the same time, the design bureau began to create a modified version of the complex - "Tochka-R" with a passive radar homing head to combat enemy radars.

However, soon the Tochka-R had to be abandoned, but work on updating the elements of the complex continued until 1989, when the first Tochka-U began to enter the troops.

Ready for any war

The Tochka-U complex is a “universal soldier” ready to fight and win in any war. Its 9M79M and 9M79-1 missiles are "sharpened" for several types of warheads at once - nuclear (up to 100 kt), high-explosive fragmentation, cluster, as well as warheads with poisonous substances. In any of the above options, when hit, the object is subjected to complete and guaranteed destruction. Compared with the original version, the range of the missile has increased to 120 km.

Rocket and its characteristics

Undoubtedly, the main actor» system is a single-stage solid-propellant rocket 9M79. Its dimensions are 640 x 65 cm (length, diameter). Of the two tons of the total mass, approximately 500 kg falls on the warhead. The rocket is accelerated by a single-mode solid-propellant engine that burns about 800 kg of fuel during the flight (up to 28 seconds).

Flight control is carried out by an inertial guidance system based on a 9B64 gyroscope and a 9B65 computing device. The "Point-U" does not provide for the separation of the warhead at the end of the flight. The missile dives at the target almost at a right angle, which guarantees high accuracy of destruction.

launch complex

"Tochka-U" is very mobile, thanks to a 6-wheel all-wheel drive self-propelled unit 9P129 with a 300-horsepower diesel engine. On the highway with a full combat load, the installation calmly accelerates to 60 km / h. Off-road and water obstacles that she overcomes afloat at a speed of 10 km / h are not a hindrance to her.

To launch from readiness No. 1, a crew of 4 people only needs 2 minutes, and for a crew making a march, this standard increases to 16 minutes.

Participation in conflicts

"Tochka-U" managed to fight in the Chechen Republic, in South Ossetia in August 2008. Cases of the use of the complex in the south-east of Ukraine by the Armed Forces of Ukraine were noted. Tochka-U was used by the Syrian government forces against the Islamists.

"Point-U" continues to serve. It was decided that gradually, as the service life expires, the complexes will be removed from service and replaced by more modern Iskanders.