OTR-21 Tochka

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OTP-21 Точка
OTR-21 Tochka
NATO reporting name: SS-21 Scarab

Type Tactical ballistic missile
Service history
In service 1976 / SS-21 Scarab A
1986 / SS-21 Scarab B
Production history
Manufacturer Kolomna OKB
Specifications
Weight 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) / SS-21 Scarab A
2,010 kg (4,431 lb) / SS-21 Scarab B
Length 6.4 m (30 ft)
Diameter 0.65 (2.1 ft)

Warhead Chemical, 100 kT nuclear warhead, EMP, or fragmentation filling

Engine Single-state solid propellant
Operational
range
70 km (43 mi) / SS-21 Scarab A
120 km (74 mi) / SS-21 Scarab B
Speed 1.8 km/s
Guidance
system
Inertial with GLONASS
Launch
platform
Mobile launcher vehicle

OTR-21 Tochka (Russian: оперативно-тактический ракетный комплекс (ОТР) «Точка»; English: Tactical Operational Missile Complex "Tochka", "tochka" is "point" in English) is a Soviet short-range tactical ballistic missile. Its GRAU designation is 9K79. And its NATO reporting name is SS-21 Scarab. It is transported on a 9P129 vehicle, then lifted vertically prior to launch. It was designed as a replacement for the earlier FROG series of unguided ballistic missiles.

Two versions have been reported to have been produced, with NATO reporting names Scarab A and Scarab B.

The base missile has a range of 70 km, but this was increased to 120 km with improved propellant. The warhead could be 482 kg of explosives, bomblets, mines, chemical weapons, or a tactical nuclear warhead. The missile began forward deployment to Germany in 1981, replacing the FROG-7.

Contents

[edit] Use in combat

One of suspected uses of the OTR-21 Tochka in combat came on October 21, 1999 during the Second Chechen War. On that date U.S. military surveillance systems tracked a launch of five to six short-range missiles from within Russia that landed in the city of Grozny. The missiles struck a marketplace and maternity ward, resulting in at least 143 fatalities. [1] A Russian spokesman said the busy market place was targeted because it was used by rebels as an arms bazaar. [2]

[edit] Operators

[edit] Former Operators

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Soviet and post-Soviet armoured fighting vehicles after World War II
List of armoured fighting vehicles by country