Profile
- Origin
- Russia
- Built by
- Splav
- Type
- Smoke rocket
- Service note
- Cold War-era rocket in continued service
- Designed
- 1963
- Produced
- 1963 IOC listed by Deagel; production total not publicly identified in cited sources
Munitions
122 mm 9M43 Grad rocket
Also known as
- 9M43
- 122 mm 9M43
- 9M43 Grad rocket
- 9M43 smoke rocket
- 9M43 smoke-screen rocket
- 9М43
The 122 mm 9M43 is a Russian Grad-family smoke rocket developed and produced by Splav for the BM-21 multiple launch rocket system. Splav's archived manufacturer page describes it as a 66 kg unguided rocket projectile with a 20.2 kg smoke-screen-laying warhead and five smoke submunitions, while Missilery describes a ten-round firing pattern intended to form a continuous 1,000 m by 800 m smoke screen.
Profile / Specs
Specifications
- Caliber
- 122 mm
- Role
- Smoke-screen-laying rocket
- Warhead
- 20.2 kg
- Submunitions
- 5 smoke-laying submunitions
- Smoke generator per submunition
- 0.8 kg
- Range
- Up to 20.2 km
- Minimum range
- 5 km in Missilery's projectile data
- Length
- 2,950 mm
- Weight
- 66 kg
- Smoke screen footprint
- 1,000 m front by 800 m depth for a ten-round firing pattern
- Smoke formation time
- 320 s
- Temperature
- -50 to +50 C
Variants
The 9M43 is one specialized 122 mm projectile within the wider Grad/M-21 ammunition family. Public Grad-family references distinguish it from incendiary, illumination, jamming, mine, and high-explosive fragmentation rounds by its smoke-screen mission.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | Incendiary Grad-family rocket | Missilery lists the 9M22S/MZ-21 incendiary projectile separately from the 9M43 smoke projectile in the M-21 ammunition family. |
 | Illumination Grad-family rocket | Missilery lists the 9M42 illumination projectile separately from the 9M43 smoke projectile in the M-21 ammunition family. |
 | Communications-jamming Grad-family rocket | Missilery lists the 9M519-1...7 radio-interference projectile set in the same M-21 ammunition family as the 9M43 smoke projectile. |
Launch Platforms
Splav's archived manufacturer page, CAT-UXO, and Deagel describe the 9M43 as a Grad-family smoke rocket for the BM-21 launcher.
| Launcher | Launcher type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 122 mm multiple rocket launcher | Splav listed the 9M43 among Grad rocket projectiles, CAT-UXO identifies it as a 122 mm Grad rocket with five smoke canisters, and Deagel says it was developed and produced for the Grad multiple launch rocket system. Sources: Splav 9M43 Rocket Projectile, CAT-UXO 122mm 9m43 Grad rocket, Deagel 9M43 |
Smoke-Screen Function
The 9M43 is a support munition rather than a blast or fragmentation rocket. Public technical references describe it as a cassette smoke round that opens in flight and releases smoke elements to mask movement or blind observation.
Payload
Five smoke-screen elements in a 20.2 kg warhead, with Splav listing a 0.8 kg smoke generator in each submunition.
Screen geometry
Missilery describes a ten-round firing pattern producing a smoke area about 1,000 m wide and 800 m deep.
Duration
The same projectile reference lists 320 s of smoke formation time.
Catalog boundary
The available sources support design, specifications, and launcher compatibility; they do not independently document 9M43 use in a named conflict.
Sources: Splav 9M43 Rocket Projectile; Deagel 9M43; Missilery 9M43 Projectile; Missilery 9K59 Prima System.
Timeline
122 mm 9M43 Grad rocket Key Events
9M43 Grad-family IOC listed
Deagel lists 1963 initial operational capability for the 9M43 and identifies Splav as the contractor for the Grad-family smoke rocket.
Sources: Deagel 9M43
Prima compatibility context documented
Missilery places its 9M43 projectile page under the 9K59 Prima system and identifies Prima as a 122 mm launcher accepted in 1988 or 1989 that could also launch M-21 field rocket system projectiles.
Sources: Missilery 9M43 Projectile, Missilery 9K59 Prima System
Media
122 mm 9M43 Grad rocket Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Splav 9M43 Rocket ProjectilePublisher: Splav State Research and Production Enterprise | Note: Archived official manufacturer page supporting the 9M43 designation, smoke-screen-laying role, Grad-family placement, and specifications including 122 mm caliber, 66 kg weight, 20.2 kg warhead, 2,950 mm length, up to 20.2 km range, five smoke-laying submunitions, 0.8 kg smoke generator per submunition, and -50 to +50 C combat-employment temperature range. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Deagel 9M43Publisher: Deagel | Note: Supports the 9M43 as a 122 mm unguided rocket projectile fitted with a smoke-screen-laying warhead, including its five smoke submunitions, 20.2 kg warhead, 20,200 m range, 3.0 m length, 66 kg mass, 1963 IOC, Splav contractor, and Grad launcher relationship. | Accessed: 2026-06-27M-21 Field Rocket System - Missilery.infoPublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports placement of the 9M43 smoke projectile among M-21/Grad-family ammunition and supports adjacent-family distinction from 9M22S, 9M42, and 9M519 projectile types. | Accessed: 2026-07-01CAT-UXO 122mm 9m43 Grad rocketPublisher: CAT-UXO | Note: Supports identification of the Russian 122 mm 9M43 as a carrier containing five smoke canisters and a Grad-family rocket designation. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Missilery 9M43 ProjectilePublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports the 9M43 as a 122 mm smoke rocket with a cassette head, five smoke elements, 66 kg projectile mass, 5-20.2 km range, 1,000 m by 800 m ten-round screen geometry, and 320 s smoke formation time. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Missilery 9K59 Prima SystemPublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports 9K59 Prima context, including Splav as main developer, 1988 or 1989 service acceptance, 50 launch tubes, and the statement that Prima can launch M-21 field rocket system projectiles. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Soviet 122 mm Artillery Rocket ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain 122 mm rocket photograph used as contextual gallery media. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Soviet 122 mm Rocket Tail Fins ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain photograph showing the tail fins of a Soviet 122 mm artillery rocket. | Accessed: 2026-06-27