RPU-14

Also known as

RPU-14 8U38
8U38
lanzacohetes remolcado RPU-14
lanzacohetes remolcado de 140 mm RPU-14

El RPU-14 es un lanzador remolcado de 16 tubos y 140 mm desarrollado para unidades de artilleria aerotransportada sovieticas y cohetes de la familia M-14. Es un registro solo de relacion porque las fuentes citadas respaldan su relacion lanzador-cohete y sus especificaciones, no una fila separada de uso en conflicto.

RPU-14, Lanzacohetes remolcado de 140 mm y 16 tubos, Artilleria

Image source: Wikimedia Commons RPU-14 launcher image

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Union Sovietica
Built by: Produccion sovietica de armamento
Built in: Soviet Union
Type: Lanzacohetes remolcado de 140 mm y 16 tubos
Service note: Lanzacohetes de artilleria aerotransportada sovietica de la Guerra Fria
Designer: GSOCB-43
Designed: Desarrollo a mediados de la decada de 1950; pruebas de fabrica en 1956 y pruebas de poligono en 1957 segun los datos de Missilery
Produced: Producido por primera vez en 1964 segun los datos de FAS

Specifications

Calibre: 140,3 mm segun los datos de Missilery
Tubos de lanzamiento: 16 tubos dispuestos en cuatro filas de cuatro
Cohetes principales: Proyectiles M-14-OF de fragmentacion de alto explosivo y M-14D de humo
Otros cohetes documentados: Municiones quimicas en la descripcion de FAS de la municion compartida por BM-14-16, BM-14-17 y RPU-14
Alcance maximo: 9.810 m
Alcance minimo: 2.000 m segun los datos de Missilery
Salva completa: 8-10 segundos
Dotacion: 5
Peso del lanzador descargado: 925 kg segun los datos de Missilery
Peso del lanzador cargado: 1.560 kg segun los datos de Missilery
Movilidad: Remolcado por vehiculos o tractores, movido manualmente en distancias cortas y descrito por FAS como transportable y lanzable desde el aire

Cohetes lanzados

Las fuentes identifican al RPU-14 como una plataforma de lanzamiento remolcada para los mismos cohetes de 140 mm de la familia M-14 utilizados por los lanzadores BM-14.

Launched item

Item type

Launch evidence

140 mm M-14 rocket, 140 mm unguided artillery rocket, Munitions

140 mm M-14 rocket

Cohete de artilleria no guiado de 140 mm

FAS afirma que el RPU-14 dispara las mismas municiones de fragmentacion de alto explosivo, quimicas y de humo M-14D que los BM-14-16 y BM-14-17; Missilery identifica al RPU-14 como desarrollado para lanzar proyectiles turbojet M-14-OF y M-14D.

Sources: FAS RPU-14 launcher, Missilery RPU-14 launcher

Related Weapon Systems

140 mm M-14 rocket, 140 mm unguided artillery rocket, Munitions

Munitions140 mm M-14 rocket140 mm unguided artillery rocketThe 140 mm M-14 is a Soviet spin-stabilized artillery rocket family developed for BM-14 and RPU-14 multiple rocket launchers. Open references identify high-explosive fragmentation, smoke/incendiary, and chemical-warhead branches; conflict documentation places an M-14 rocket motor in the 2013 Western Ghouta attack during the Syrian Civil War, with attribution and payload evidence handled narrowly because public imagery and UN reporting identify the motor and attack context more clearly than a recovered intact M-14 warhead.

BM-14-16, 140 mm 16-tube multiple rocket launcher, Artillery

ArtilleryBM-14-16140 mm 16-tube multiple rocket launcherThe BM-14-16 is the 16-tube truck-mounted launcher in the Soviet M-14 140 mm rocket artillery family. It is included here as a relationship-only launch platform for the cataloged 140 mm M-14 rocket, without carrying conflict-use claims from the munition record onto the launcher page.

WP-8z, 140 mm eight-tube towed multiple rocket launcher, Artillery

ArtilleryWP-8z140 mm eight-tube towed multiple rocket launcherThe WP-8z is a Polish light towed 140 mm multiple rocket launcher developed for airborne forces as an eight-tube counterpart within the M-14 rocket ecosystem. This is a relationship-only record because the cited sources support its identity, specifications, production, and launcher-to-rocket context, not a separate conflict-use row.

BM-14-17, 140 mm 17-tube multiple rocket launcher, Artillery

ArtilleryBM-14-17140 mm 17-tube multiple rocket launcherThe BM-14-17 is the 17-tube Soviet launch vehicle in the M-14 rocket artillery family. This relationship-only record links the launcher to the cataloged 140 mm M-14 rocket and to the existing Project 1204 Shmel boat record where the launcher appears as carried armament.

RAK-SA-12, 128 mm towed multiple launch rocket system, Artillery

ArtilleryRAK-SA-12128 mm towed multiple launch rocket systemThe RAK-SA-12, also marketed as the RAK-12 cal. 128mm and VLR 128 M91A3 RAK 12, is a Croatian light 12-tube multiple launch rocket system for unguided 128 mm rockets. Its low carriage weight, rapid salvo, and Ukrainian border-guard and brigade use during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War make it a compact short-range fire-support launcher rather than a Grad-class long-range system.

Air-to-ground rocket, Unguided aerial rocket class, Munitions

MunitionsAir-to-ground rocketUnguided aerial rocket classAir-to-ground rockets are unguided aircraft rockets fired from underwing blocks, launch rails, or multi-tube pods by helicopters and fixed-wing attack aircraft. Representative families include Soviet 57 mm S-5 rockets, Soviet-origin 80 mm S-8 rockets, and U.S. 2.75-inch/70 mm Hydra-70 rockets, with conflict rows limited to sources that directly identify a specific representative family in use or transfer.

Sakr-6 multiple rocket launcher, Light 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, Artillery

ArtillerySakr-6 multiple rocket launcherLight 122 mm multiple rocket launcherThe Sakr-6 is a light six-tube 122 mm multiple rocket launcher associated with Egypt's Sakr/Grad-compatible rocket-artillery family. Oryx lists the type in both pre-war Yemeni Army inventories and later Houthi-held Yemen Civil War equipment, while technical sources support only family-level details for compatible Sakr and Russian-pattern Grad rockets rather than a complete Sakr-6 datasheet or a verified Sakr-6 firing incident.

ZPU-1 anti-aircraft gun, Single-barrel 14.5 mm towed anti-aircraft gun, Air Defense

Air DefenseZPU-1 anti-aircraft gunSingle-barrel 14.5 mm towed anti-aircraft gunThe ZPU-1 is the single-barrel member of the Soviet ZPU family, mounting a 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine gun on a light two-wheel carriage. Cataloged evidence documents pickup-mounted militant use in Afghanistan, captured Iraqi and Islamic State examples, and Islamic State-Yemen technical-mounted use during the 2014 Yemen Civil War.

Sources

Missilery RPU-14 launcherPublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports RPU-14 / 8U38 identity, GSOCB-43 development attribution, airborne artillery role, M-14-OF and M-14D launcher relationship, tube layout, specifications, and mobility context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 FAS RPU-14 launcherPublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports first-production and adoption context, 16-round towed construction, D-44 carriage context, GAZ-66 towing, shared ammunition with BM-14-16 and BM-14-17, spin-stabilized rockets, maximum range, five-man crew movement, and air-transportability. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 Wikimedia Commons RPU-14 launcher imagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY 4.0 licensing for the RPU-14 page image from the Wikimedia Commons RPU-14 media category. | Accessed: 2026-07-13