Need help identifying a BM-21 Grad variant.

adamb

New Member
I'm trying to check the legitimacy of a video allegedly showing Syrian soldiers firing what appears to be a BM-21 Grad. The problem is that a number of elements about the video seem off. First of all, I know very little about armaments of this type, but after doing a frame by frame analysis of the clip, I calculated that the vehicle in the video is firing rockets at a rate of between 4-5.5 rockets per second. I was wondering if anyone knows of any variants of the BM-21 Grad that fire faster than 2 rockets/second, or if I've misidentified the launcher. Keep in mind that the legitimacy of the video IS in question.

(on a side note, any additional information anyone can supply to either back up or detract from the legitimacy of the video would be greatly appreciated)

Video: youtu.be/874CXfCLwbE
 

wittmanace

Active Member
I'm trying to check the legitimacy of a video allegedly showing Syrian soldiers firing what appears to be a BM-21 Grad. The problem is that a number of elements about the video seem off. First of all, I know very little about armaments of this type, but after doing a frame by frame analysis of the clip, I calculated that the vehicle in the video is firing rockets at a rate of between 4-5.5 rockets per second. I was wondering if anyone knows of any variants of the BM-21 Grad that fire faster than 2 rockets/second, or if I've misidentified the launcher. Keep in mind that the legitimacy of the video IS in question.

(on a side note, any additional information anyone can supply to either back up or detract from the legitimacy of the video would be greatly appreciated)

Video: youtu.be/874CXfCLwbE

It may just be that the bm-21 can fire a faster volley/ripple when there are fewer rockets. The firing of a rocket would disrupt the launch of one in a tube next to it, so they fire from tubes further away. Given the compact square of tubes, when you fire fewer than a full load, you can fire them further apart and fire off all the loaded rockets without the need for a longer gap between.

I would be surprised if the grad doesn't have the ability to fire faster smaller ripples in this manner, given the reason for the pause between the rockets. If this is the case, then it would be a normal grad firing. I just don't know it to be the case as a matter of fact, so it is my first thoughts on looking at it.
 
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