Belarus tests upgraded Polonez, Uragan-M MLRS.

In 2019, Belarusian military test-fired the upgraded Polonez and Uragan-M multiple rocket launch (MRL) systems, according to the head of the Department of Artillery and Missile Troops (AMT) of the Belarusian Armed Forces General Staff Lieutenant General Gennadiy Kozlovskiy.

Polonez-M MRL  (Picture source: Army Recognition)

"The development of reconnaissance means, automated command-control systems, and support subsystems for the AMT and the modernization of the pivotal artillery and missile weapons are among our priorities. This year, we successfully tested the upgraded Uragan-M MRL system that was mounted on an indigenous [Belarusian-made] chassis. In conjunction with defense companies, we have developed a man-portable reconnaissance and artillery fire control system. The works on the development of a new meteo-ballistic moving target [detection] device, which is intended for artillery units and radar reconnaissance systems, are finishing," Kozlovskiy told a group of Belarusian defense media that included the newspaper To the Glory of the Motherland (Vo Slavu Rodiny) and the news agency Vayar.

According to the general, the Belarusian military test-fired the upgraded Polonez-M MRL system earlier this year. "Under the Polonez-M modernization program, the system’s munitions were launched at a distance of some 300 km," said Kozlovskiy, adding that the armed forces had also used the Tochka ‘SS-21 Scarab’ tactical missile system during an exercise held in May at Sary Shagan range in Kazakhstan.

In 2018-2019, the servicemen of the Belarusian AMT conducted approximately 1,000 indirect firing drills and more than 300 direct/antitank guided missile firing drills.

The military service is also enhancing international military cooperation. "The Russian-Belarusian exercise Union Shield 2019 (Shchit Soyuza-2019) was among pivotal exercises in the troops’ program for this year," said Kozlovskiy. The general listed the 310th Guards Artillery Group of the 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade, the 231st Artillery Brigade, and the 336th Rocket Artillery Brigade among the best Belarusian artillery units in 2019. "The 2S3 [Akatsiya] self-propelled howitzer [SPH] battalion listed the 310th Guards Artillery Group of the 120th Separate Guards Mechanized Brigade and the 383rd Separate Missile Battery of the 465th Missile Brigade have become this year’s best artillery battalion and missile battalion, respectively," said Kozlovskiy.

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