Russian Navy Artillery Units to Get Uragan-1M MLRS for Coastal Defence.

The Russian Navy began to rearm its artillery units in Crimea and Kaliningrad region. They will get long-range multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) Uragan and upgraded Uragan-1M, the Izvestia daily writes.

 The Russian Navy artillery units in Crimea and Kaliningrad region will get long-range multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) Uragan and upgraded Uragan-1M (pictured here). Russian MoD picture.

The Defense Ministry told the newspaper it decided to reinforce the artillery might of the Navy. The artillery regiment of the Black Sea fleet and artillery brigade of the Baltic fleet are rearmed with 200mm Uragan 9K57 MLRS. Baltic artillerymen have already received the first weapons. In September the brigade for the first time trained fire from them. In future upgraded Uragan-1M will replace the Uragan.

The range will increase to 70 km. Tornado-G and Grad MLRS currently operated by coastal artillerymen have a smaller range of 40 and 20 km respectively.

Little is known about Uragan-1M. It is distinguished by packet loading of the launchers with transport-launch containers which increase the rate of fire. New artillery munitions have been designed - cluster and air-fuel explosive with a bigger range. Uragan-1M will have guided missiles. The MLRS can fire 122mm projectiles of Grad. The automatic control systems and onboard computer allow MLRS to destroy targets in real time without the control of the operator.

The deployment of new MLRS will increase the capabilities of the Black Sea and Baltic fleets, expert Dmitry Boltenkov said. It is important as there are no major distances in the regions. "Uragan will make coastal troops long-range. It will be possible to destroy warships and armor at distant approaches. Thus, the coastal troops are reinforced in areas with complicated military international situation. The rearmament has matured long ago," he said.

The Black Sea fleet artillery regiment and the Baltic fleet artillery brigade are a part of the coastal forces. They have to destroy light warships, protect the coast from landing operations, and support friendly forces and formations.

The 244th separate Neman artillery brigade of the Red Banner Orders of Suvorov II degree and Kutuzov III degree is deployed in Kaliningrad. It is a permanent readiness unit to defend Kaliningrad region. It comprises two cannon and one missile artillery battalions. The brigade is armed with 152mm self-propelled Msta-S howitzers and Grad 9K51 BM-21 MLRS. The eighth separate artillery regiment is deployed in Simferopol. It is also a permanent readiness unit to defend Crimea and its coast. The regiment is armed with 152mm self-propelled Msta-S with an automatic aiming system, Tornado-G 9K51M MLRS, self-propelled antitank missile complexes Khrisantema 9P157, the Izvestia said.

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