122 mm 9M522 Grad rocket

Also known as

9M522
122 mm 9M522
9M522 Grad
9M522 HE-frag rocket
9M522 separable warhead rocket

The 122 mm 9M522 Grad rocket is a Russian high-explosive fragmentation artillery rocket for the BM-21/9K51 Grad family and later 122 mm Grad successors. Its distinguishing feature is a separable 25 kg shrapnel-array warhead that descends under a parachute, giving the 70 kg rocket a published maximum range of 37.5 km.

122 mm 9M522 Grad rocket, High-explosive fragmentation rocket, Munitions

Image source: Missilery 9M522 rocket

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Russia
Built by: Splav State Research and Production Association
Type: High-explosive fragmentation rocket

Specifications

Caliber: 122 mm
Projectile mass: 70 kg
Warhead mass: 25 kg
Length: 3,037 mm
Range: Up to 37.5 km
Warhead: Detachable shrapnel-array HE-fragmentation warhead
Stabilization: Fin and spin stabilized; parachute-retarded warhead descent
Preformed fragments: 1,800 fragments of 0.78 g and 690 fragments of 5.5 g
Body fragments: About 1,210 fragments averaging 7.5 g
Combat temperature range: -50 C to +50 C

Launch Platforms

CAT-UXO and Missilery place the 9M522 in the BM-21/M-21 Grad launcher family, while Rostec describes Tornado-G as a later 122 mm Grad replacement using 122 mm ammunition.

Launcher	Launcher type	Launch evidence
BM-21 Grad	122 mm multiple rocket launcher	CAT-UXO identifies the 9M522 as a Grad rocket, and Missilery places it in the M-21/9K51 Grad system family. Sources: CAT-UXO 122mm 9M522 Grad rocket, M-21 Field rocket system - Missilery.info
Tornado-G	122 mm multiple rocket launcher	Rostec describes Tornado-G as a Grad follow-on designed around 122 mm ammunition, and the 9M522-specific sources identify this rocket as a 122 mm Grad-family munition. Sources: Rostec Brings Tornado-G to the International Market, CAT-UXO 122mm 9M522 Grad rocket, M-21 Field rocket system - Missilery.info

Launcher

Launcher type

Launch evidence

BM-21 Grad

122 mm multiple rocket launcher

CAT-UXO identifies the 9M522 as a Grad rocket, and Missilery places it in the M-21/9K51 Grad system family.

Sources: CAT-UXO 122mm 9M522 Grad rocket, M-21 Field rocket system - Missilery.info

Tornado-G

122 mm multiple rocket launcher

Rostec describes Tornado-G as a Grad follow-on designed around 122 mm ammunition, and the 9M522-specific sources identify this rocket as a 122 mm Grad-family munition.

Sources: Rostec Brings Tornado-G to the International Market, CAT-UXO 122mm 9M522 Grad rocket, M-21 Field rocket system - Missilery.info

Warhead and Evidence Context

The 9M522 is useful as a separate catalog entry because public references identify a specific Grad-family projectile with a detachable high-explosive fragmentation head, not just a generic 122 mm rocket. The exact munition remains relationship-only because the available sources support design, specifications, and launcher compatibility rather than direct use in a named conflict.

Topic	Source-backed detail	Reader caution
Warhead effect	Missilery describes a 25 kg separable shrapnel-array high-explosive fragmentation head with multiple fragment weight classes.	This distinguishes the 9M522 from standard unitary Grad HE-fragmentation rockets and from cargo or mine-laying rounds.
Delivery profile	CAT-UXO describes the separated head descending under a parachute, and Missilery lists parachute-retarded warhead descent with a 37.5 km maximum range.	The parachute detail is part of the munition design; it does not by itself prove battlefield use in any specific war.
Launcher family	Missilery links the round to the M-21/9K51 Grad family, and Rostec describes Tornado-G as a 122 mm Grad successor using 122 mm ammunition.	The catalog links BM-21 Grad and Tornado-G as launcher context, while leaving conflict claims to direct munition-specific evidence.

Sources: CAT-UXO 122mm 9M522 Grad rocket; Missilery 9M522 rocket; M-21 Field rocket system - Missilery.info; Rostec Brings Tornado-G to the International Market.

Media