"grass does not grow again, where a BM 21 Grad rocket strikes the Earth!" ~ Unnamed Soviet Defence Personnel
Five BM-21 Grad Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher [MBRL] systems giving a firepower demonstration during an Indian Army field exercise, at its Pokhran range, in Rajasthan.
Each Launcher, seen in this video, emptied its load of 40 rockets in 20 seconds, raining a total of 200 shells on the enemy located 40 km away. Fearsome, as fearsome can get!
These Soviet-era equipment first came under the public gaze during the 1999 Kargil War - the first War televised by the Indian media, beaming visuals straigth into people's living-room, its Desert Storm moment. The Army made effective use of these to "soften" the hilltops prior to the troops launching their assault, to evict the well-entrenched pakistani Army, that intruded into Indian territory.
A fine analysis of this Soviet weapon, including a study of its use in currrent conflicts.
Despite its vintage, the Army is keen to prolong its service. Thus, in 2013, the Government awarded a contract to a consortium of L&T and Ashok Leyland to upgrade the nearly 100 of these system. It would involve L&T refurbishing the Launchers & mounting them on a new Ashok Leyland-supplied vehicle platform. In addition, the Army has also issued a RFI, in 2015, for acquiring extended range rockets that can be fired off the BM-21.
It is reported that following the upgrades & acquisition, the Grad's range has been extended to 40 km, from its original 22 km. These would eventually be replaced with the indigenous Pinaka MBRL system, capable of hitting targets much further away, with guided projectiles, unlike the BM21.
Quote by the Soviet Defence personnel taken from "Pinaka: The Divine Bow".
Godspeed