OVERVIEW: The 9M22U is a 122mm unguided high-explosive fragmentation (HE-Frag) rocket designed for use with the BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system. It is intended for area saturation attacks against enemy troops, light vehicles, and field fortifications.

DETAILS: The 9M22U was developed by the Soviet Union as the standard artillery rocket for the BM-21 Grad system, entering service in the 1960s. It uses a solid-fueled rocket motor with spin stabilization and fin guidance, enabling a maximum range of approximately 20 km. The rocket is armed with a 20.5 kg HE-Frag warhead designed to disperse pre-formed steel rods upon detonation, enhancing anti-personnel and anti-materiel effectiveness. The warhead uses a point-detonating fuze that triggers upon ground impact, maximizing surface blast effect.

Compared to earlier 122mm projectiles, the 9M22U introduced improved accuracy and a more lethal fragmentation pattern. It became the standard for Soviet and allied forces and remains widely produced and used globally. The warhead casing is made of high-carbon steel to optimize fragmentation geometry, covering wide surface areas with lethal effect.

Rockets are loaded in 40-round launch canisters on the BM-21 and fired in salvos or individual shots. The Grad system uses manual or semi-automated fire control for target data input. The 9M22U is typically used in support of maneuver forces, pre-assault bombardment, or area denial fire missions.

NOTE:
IOC: 1964
Operators: Russia, Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, North Korea, Vietnam, Armenia, India, Ukraine, Angola, Ethiopia, and many others
Platforms: BM-21 Grad, RM-70, various towed and truck-mounted MLRS
Conflict used in: Vietnam War (1960s–70s), Yom Kippur War (1973), Iran–Iraq War (1980–88), Gulf War (1991), Syrian Civil War (2011–present), Russia–Ukraine War (2014–present)

SOURCE:
U.S. Air Force Armament Museum: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil ; Jane’s Weapons: Air-Launched ; Department of Defense: https://www.defense.gov, Historical Munition Fact Sheets ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS): https://fas.org ; U.S. Navy Weapon Systems Explosive Ordnance Disposal publication: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/What-We-Do/Undersea-Warfare-Systems/Weapon-Systems/