OTR-21 Tochka
OTR-21 Tochka «Точка» is a Soviet tactical ballistic missile. Its GRAU designation is 9K79; its NATO reporting name is SS-21 Scarab. It is transported in a 9P129 vehicle and raised prior to launch. It uses an inertial guidance system.
The OTR-21 forward deployment to East Germany began in 1981, replacing the earlier Luna-M series of unguided artillery rockets.
Description
The OTR-21 is a mobile missile launch system, designed to be deployed along with other land combat units on the battlefield. While the 9K52 Luna-M is large and relatively inaccurate, the OTR-21 is much smaller. The missile itself can be used for precise strikes on enemy tactical targets, such as control posts, bridges, storage facilities, troop concentrations and airfields. The fragmentation warhead can be replaced with a nuclear, biological or chemical warhead. The solid propellant makes the missile easy to maintain and deploy.OTR-21 units are usually managed in a brigade structure. There are 18 launchers in a brigade; each launcher is provided with 2 or 3 missiles. The vehicle is completely amphibious, with a maximum road speed of and in water. It is NBC-protected. The system has been in development since 1968. Three variants were developed.
Scarab A
The initial Scarab A entered service with the Soviet Army in 1975. It carries one of three types of warhead:- of conventional HE
- fragmentation is estimated to be about.
Scarab B
The improved Scarab B passed state tests from 1986 to 1988 and introduced in 1989. Improved propellant increased the range to. CEP significantly improved, to less than.Scarab C
A third variant, Scarab C, was developed in the 1990s. Again, range increased, and CEP decreased to less than 70 m. Scarab C weighs.Configuration
- 9M79 missiles with various types of warheads.
- Launcher 9P129 or 9P129-1M ;
- Transport and loading machine 9T218 or 9T128-1 ;
- Transport vehicle 9T222 or 9T238 ;
- Automatic testing machine 9V819 or 9V819-1 ;
- Technical service vehicle 9V844 or 9V844M.
- Set of weapon equipment 9F370-1 ;
- Simulator 9F625M;
- Missile overall weight model.
- 9M79-UT training missile and 9N123F -UT, 9N39-UT warhead. 9H123F-R UT;
- 9M79-RM missile and 9N123K-RM missile split training model.
Use in combat
- In 1994 the Yemeni government used Tochka missiles against southern forces during the 1994 Yemen civil war.
- In 1999 Russia used the missiles in the Chechen Wars.
- At least 15 Tochka missiles were deployed by Russian forces from 8 to 11 August 2008 during the 2008 South Ossetia war.
- CNN reported that at least one has been used near Donetsk during the War in Donbass by either the Ukrainian army or the Russian-backed separatist forces. The Ukrainian army issued a statement in which they denied the use of the ballistic missile.
- In early December 2014, the Syrian Army fired at least one Tochka against Syrian rebels during the Siege of Wadi al-Deif .
- On 20 August 2015, during the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen, Republican Guard loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh fired a Tochka targeting a Saudi base.
- On 4 September 2015 Houthi forces fired a Tochka missile at Safir base in Marib killing over 100 Saudi-led coalition personnel.
- On 14 December 2015 Houthi forces fired another Tochka missile at Bab Al Mandab base killing over 150 Saudi-led coalition personnel stationed there.
- On 16 January 2016 Houthi forces fired a Tochka at Al Bairaq base in Marib killing dozens of Saudi-led coalition personnel
- On 31 January 2016 Houthi forces fired a Tochka at Al Anad base in Lahj killing and wounding over 200 Saudi-led coalition personnel
- On 26 April 2016 the Syrian Army fired a Tochka at Syrian rebels in the Syrian Civil Defense Center in west Aleppo
- On 14 June 2016 the Syrian Army fired a Tochka at Syrian rebel groups Al-Rahman Legion and Jaysh Al-Fustat in Eastern Ghouta, killing several fighters.
- On 20 March 2018 the Syrian Army fired a Tochka towards the Turkish Hatay province, which fell in the border district of Yayladağı without causing any casualties or damage.
- On 23 July 2018 Syrian Army fired two Tochka missiles near the Israeli border. Initially thought to be inbound to Israel near the Sea of Galilee, two David's Sling interceptors were fired by Israel. A few moments later it became clear they were going to strike within Syria, as such one interceptor was detonated over Israel while the other one fell inside Syria. One Tochka missile landed 1 kilometer inside Syria.
Operators
Current operators
;: At least 40 launchers Tochka;: 3 Tochka launchers with 4 missiles
;: 36
;: 18
;: unknown number
;: unknown number of variant Hwasong-11
;: 220 launchers. Missile systems have been upgraded since 2004 and are scheduled to be replaced by the 9K720 Iskander missiles by 2020.
;: 90
;: unknown number
;: large numbers
Former operators
;: Passed on to successor states.;: Inherited from Czechoslovakia, retired.
;: Passed on to Germany.
;: Retired.
;: 4 retired in 2005, because of lack of rockets and service parts
;: North Yemen Ordered a number of scarab missiles and launchers and used them during the 1994 civil war and were passed on to unified Yemen after. Have seen action during the ongoing civil war.
;: a small number, inherited from Czechoslovakia, all retired.
;: Passed on to successor states.
Comparable missiles
- 9K720 Iskander
- P-12
- Prahaar
- LORA
- MGM-140 ATACMS