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S-8 (rocket)

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The S-8 is a rocket weapon developed by the Soviet Air Force for use by military aircraft. It remains in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces and various export customers.

A S-8 KOM HEAT/FRAG rocket.
80mm Rocket Pods of a SLAF Mi-24.

Developed in the 1970s, the S-8 is an 80 mm (3.1 in) rocket used by fighter bombers and helicopters. The system entered service in 1984 and is produced in a variety of subtypes with different warheads, including HEAT anti-armor, high-explosive fragmentation, smoke, and incendiary, as well as the specialized S-8BM runway-destroying munition and the S-8DM fuel-air explosive variants. Each rocket is between 1.5 meters (4 ft 11 in) and 1.7 meters (5 ft 7 in) long and weighs between 11.3 kg (25 lb) and 15.2 kg (33.5 lb), depending on warhead and fuse. Range is 2 to 4 kilometers (1.3 to 2.6 mi).

The S-8 is generally carried in the B series of rocket pods, carrying either seven or 20 rockets.

In 2018, the Russian Aerospace Forces took delivery and completed state tests of several batches of the S-8OFP Broneboishchik, successor to the S-8. While both rockets are unguided, the S-8OFP has greater range, a heavier warhead, and a digital fuse. The rocket is intended for armament of Su-25 type aircraft and Mi-8 helicopters, depending on the settings of the fuse, is able to penetrate obstacles facing the set targets, it can also explode in front of the obstacle and behind the obstacle.[1][2][3] The S-8OFP entered service and put into serial production in May 2023.[4]

An armored self-propelled 80-tube MLRS vehicle using S-8 rockets has been developed by Belarusian industry. Relatively short range of the rocket (3 – 5 km cross-ground) compared to Grad rockets is compensated for by lower cost and greater beaten area from a high number of rockets.[5] Serbia has developed the helicopter pod L80-07.[6] The S-8 has been used in ground-to-ground mode against Ukrainian positions at Pavlopil by pro-Russian forces during the war in Donbas on 4 May[7] and 20 June 2020. Two unexploded rockets were defused by the Ukrainian army in the later incident.[8]

Rocket specifications

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Designation Type Length overall Launch weight Warhead weight Range Notes
S-8 HEAT 1.56 m 11.5 kg 3.6 kg
(0.9 kg of Hecphol-5/A-IX-10 explosive)		 1.3 to 4 km Basic variant. 350 mm versus RHA. Velocity 692 m/s. N-26A fuze. VIK-2D motor powder. During launch of this model may have black smoke.
S-8KO HEAT 1.57 m 11.3 kg 3.6 kg
(1.1 kg of Hecphol-5/A-IX-10 explosive)		 1.3 to 4 km 400 mm versus RHA. Velocity 610 m/s. Improved fuze V-5KP1. Low smoke motor with powder BN-K.
S-8KOM [9] HEAT 1.57 m 11.3 kg 3.6 kg
(1.1 kg of Hecphol-5/A-IX-10 explosive)		 1.3 to 4 km 400 mm versus RHA. Velocity 700 m/s. Used improved BNK-P low smoke motor powder with twice burn time.
S-8B Penetrating 1.5 m 15.2 kg 7.41 kg (0.6 kg of explosive) 1.2 to 2.2 km 800 mm versus reinforced concrete.
S-8BM[10] Penetrating 1.54 m 15.2 kg 7.41 kg (0.6 kg of explosive) 1.2 to 2.2 km 800 mm versus reinforced concrete. Velocity 450 m/s.
S-8D FAE 1.66 m 11.6 kg 3.8 kg (2.15 kg of explosive) 1.3 to 3 km
S-8DM FAE 1.7 m 11.6 kg 3.8 kg (2.15 kg of explosive) 1.3 to 3 km 5.5–6 kg TNT equivalent. Velocity 590 m/s
S-8DF[11] FAE 1.68 m 13.4 kg 5.5 kg (3.3 kg of explosive) 1.3 to 4 km 6 kg TNT equivalent. Velocity 500 m/s
S-8 O Illuminating 1.63 m 12.1 kg 4.3 kg 4 to 4.5 km 2 megacandela flare warhead
S-8 OM[12] Illuminating 1.63 m 12.1 kg 4.3 kg 4 to 4.5 km 2 megacandela flare warhead burns for 30 seconds. Velocity 545 m/s.
S-8T [13] Tandem-HEAT 1.68 m 15 kg 6.6 kg (1.6 kg of explosive) 1.3 to 4 km Tandem HEAT 360–400 mm versus RHA after ERA, 440 mm versus RHA. Velocity 470 m/s
S-8P Chaff 1.63 m 12.3 kg 4.5 kg of chaff 2 to 3 km
S-8PM[14] Chaff 1.63 m 12.3 kg 4.5 kg of chaff 2 to 3 km 545 m/s velocity.
S-8S Flechette 1.612 m 13 kg 4.3 kg 1.2 to 3.5 km 2,000 flechettes in 5 bundles
S-8TsM[15] Target marking 1.605 m 11.1 kg 3.6 kg 1.3 to 2 km (heli)
1.3 to 3 km (plane)		 target/route marking smoke visible 6 km away
S-8OFP1 HE-Frag-Penetrating 1.428 m 16.7 kg 9.2 kg
(2.8 kg of explosive)		 up to 6 km improved motor with twice energy; pre-fragmented body; dual-mode fuzes allow to detonate after penetration of concrete or light armor; nicknamed "Broneboyshchik"

S-8OFP was already deployed in mid-late 2018 and have been seen at operational launch with Mi-35M helicopter.[16][17][18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Ракета "Бронебойщик" прошла госиспытания". 17 February 2019.
  2. ^ New Air-ground Rocket For Russian Attack Aircraft. Aviation International News. 10 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Russia continues creating missiles".
  4. ^ "ЦАМТО / / В России начался серийный выпуск новейшей авиационной ракеты повышенного могущества "Бронебойщик"".
  5. ^ Unexpectedly, Syria might buy the Belarusian MLRS instead the Russian Grad. BulgarianMilitary.com. April 29, 2020
  6. ^ "Serbia unveils new equipment".
  7. ^ Tsymbaliuk, Yeuhenni (8 May 2020). "Statement on Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine and illegal occupation of Crimea" (PDF). OSCE Conference Service.
  8. ^ "Two unguided aircraft missile launched by Russian mercenaries destroyed near Pavlopil – Ukraine's military". Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  9. ^ "S-8KOM". Rosoboronexport.
  10. ^ "S-8BM". Rosoboronexport.
  11. ^ "S-8DF". Rosoboronexport.
  12. ^ "S-8OM". Rosoboronexport.
  13. ^ "S-8T". Rosoboronexport.
  14. ^ "S-8PM". Rosoboronexport.
  15. ^ "S-8TsM". Rosoboronexport.
  16. ^ "Огненный кулак ВКС России: на что способна новая ракета С-8ОФП". 25 June 2018.
  17. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Камера "Звезды" едва не сгорела при пуске ракет: эксклюзивные кадры "Военной приемки"". YouTube.
  18. ^ "Стрельбы тульской ракетой "Бронебойщик" попали на видео | Тульская Служба Новостей". www.tsn24.ru. Archived from the original on 2018-07-01.
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