OVERVIEW: The 9M217 is a 122mm unguided cluster artillery rocket designed for use with the Tornado-G multiple launch rocket system. It carries anti-tank submunitions equipped with dual-purpose shaped charges and infrared sensors for top-attack engagement.

DETAILS: The 9M217 is a Russian-developed 122mm rocket fitted with high-precision anti-tank submunitions designed to attack armored targets from above. It is launched from the Tornado-G system, a modernized version of the BM-21 Grad, featuring advanced navigation and fire control. Each rocket contains multiple sensor-fuzed submunitions that deploy during flight and descend via parachute while scanning for targets. The submunitions use infrared seekers to detect vehicle heat signatures and trigger explosively formed penetrators (EFPs) against the thinner top armor of tanks and other vehicles.

Compared to standard HE-Frag rockets, the 9M217 provides enhanced lethality against armor by saturating target areas with guided submunitions. Its sensor-guided EFP warheads are designed to defeat main battle tanks, IFVs, and APCs within a wide engagement zone. This makes it highly effective for disrupting armored formations and ambushing mechanized columns.

The rocket is loaded and launched from standard Tornado-G launch pods, with fire missions programmed via digital control systems. The system calculates optimal dispersal patterns for the submunitions based on target type and range. It is typically used in preemptive or defensive roles to counter armored threats at distances up to 30 km.

NOTE:
IOC: Early 2000s
Operators: Russia
Platforms: Tornado-G
Conflict used in: Russia–Ukraine War (2022–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/