3F2 Gagara

Also known as

3F2
3VF2
3WF2
3VФ2
3Ф2
Gagara
ARM-0 Gagara
240 mm 3F2 rocket-assisted projectile

The 3F2 Gagara is the projectile in the Soviet 3VF2 240 mm rocket-assisted high-explosive mortar round for the M-240 and 2S4 Tyulpan heavy mortars. Technical references describe a 228 kg projectile with a large high-explosive filling and a 3M15 rocket motor, while Human Rights Watch identified 3F2 Gagara remnants from a November 2018 Syrian government attack in Idlib.

3F2 Gagara, Rocket-assisted 240 mm high-explosive mortar projectile, Munitions

Image source: File:240 mm artillery mine.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Side: Syrian government and allies

Human Rights Watch identified remnants of Russian-made 3F2 Gagara rocket-assisted 240 mm mortar projectiles from a November 24, 2018 Syrian government attack near al-Khansaa elementary school in Jarjanaz, Idlib.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Soviet Union
Built by: Soviet defense industry
Type: Rocket-assisted 240 mm high-explosive mortar projectile
Service note: Cold War Soviet 240 mm special-purpose ammunition
Designed: Late 1960s-1970

Specifications

Caliber: 240 mm
Projectile type: High-explosive rocket-assisted mortar projectile
Complete round: 3VF2 / 3WF2 with 3F2 projectile, M-17 / 3V23 fuze, 4BN56 propelling charge, and 3Ch20 brake device
Projectile length: About 2348 mm
Complete round length: About 2678 mm
Projectile weight: About 228 kg with fuze
Complete round weight: About 239 kg
Explosive filling: About 46 kg to 46.5 kg high explosive, depending on source wording
Propulsion: 3M15 rocket motor with about 42 kg rocket charge
Propelling charge: 4BN56
Compatible systems: M-240 towed mortar and 2S4 Tyulpan / 2B8 self-propelled heavy mortar family
Range: About 18-20 km, depending on source and firing configuration
Family context: High-explosive member of the 3M15-powered family also including 3O8 Nerpa, 3B11, and Sayda

Variants

ARES identifies 3F2 Gagara as the high-explosive member of a Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted projectile family for the M-240 and 2S4 Tyulpan. Linked rows point to existing public catalog records where available.

Variant	Configuration	Designation notes
3O8 Nerpa	Cargo rocket-assisted projectile	ARES identifies 3O8 Nerpa as the cargo member of the same 3M15-powered 240 mm rocket-assisted family and documents its O-10 submunition payload. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
3B11 nuclear projectile	Nuclear rocket-assisted projectile	ARES lists 3B11 as the nuclear member of the same Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted projectile family for the M-240 and 2S4 heavy mortars. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
Sayda incendiary round	Incendiary rocket-assisted projectile	ARES identifies Sayda as the incendiary member of the same Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted projectile family. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
53-F-864 / F-864 240 mm mortar bomb	Conventional high-explosive mortar bomb	The 53-F-864 / F-864 is the baseline non-rocket-assisted high-explosive mortar bomb in the same 240 mm M-240 / 2S4 ammunition ecosystem; ARES uses its shorter range as the comparison point for the rocket-assisted family. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria, Opisy Broni 2S4 Tulipan
3F5 Smelchak	Laser-guided 240 mm mortar round	Smelchak is related by caliber and firing system rather than by the 3M15 rocket-assisted family; Opisy Broni describes it as the guided 240 mm round adopted after the 3F2-era ammunition. Sources: Opisy Broni 2S4 Tulipan

Firing Weapons

The 3F2 Gagara is a 240 mm mortar projectile, not a stand-alone launch system. The firing relationship is documented for both the towed M-240 heavy mortar and the self-propelled 2S4 Tyulpan.

Firing weapon	Weapon type	Firing evidence
M-240 mortar	240 mm towed heavy mortar	ARES identifies the 3F2 Gagara as one of the Soviet rocket-assisted 240 mm mortar projectiles designed for use with the towed M-240 and the self-propelled 2S4 Tyulpan. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
2S4 Tyulpan	240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar	ARES says the 3F2 Gagara was designed for use with the 2S4 Tyulpan and the towed M-240, while Human Rights Watch describes the attack weapon in Jarjanaz as a Russian-made 240 mm mortar system firing 3F2 Gagara projectiles. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria, Human Rights Watch Jarjanaz 3F2

Firing weapon

Weapon type

Firing evidence

M-240 mortar

240 mm towed heavy mortar

ARES identifies the 3F2 Gagara as one of the Soviet rocket-assisted 240 mm mortar projectiles designed for use with the towed M-240 and the self-propelled 2S4 Tyulpan.

Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria

2S4 Tyulpan

240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar

ARES says the 3F2 Gagara was designed for use with the 2S4 Tyulpan and the towed M-240, while Human Rights Watch describes the attack weapon in Jarjanaz as a Russian-made 240 mm mortar system firing 3F2 Gagara projectiles.

Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria, Human Rights Watch Jarjanaz 3F2

Round Breakdown

The 3F2 Gagara page is best read as a munition record inside the M-240 / 2S4 heavy-mortar ammunition ecosystem. Opisy Broni describes the complete rocket-assisted round as ARM0-3VF2 / 3WF2 with a 3F2 projectile and 4BN56 propelling charge, while ARES identifies the shared 3M15 rocket motor used by the wider Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted family.

Projectile role

High-explosive rocket-assisted 240 mm mortar projectile.

Range logic

Rocket assistance extends reach beyond the standard F-864 bomb; sources place the round or family in the roughly 18 km to 20 km range band.

Conflict evidence

The direct conflict row uses HRW's Jarjanaz identification; broader Tyulpan combat reports are not treated as 3F2 use unless they name the munition.

Timeline

3F2 Gagara Key Events

Jul 4, 1967
Tyulpan program authorized
Opisy Broni says the Soviet Council of Ministers authorized work on the 240 mm self-propelled mortar program on 4 July 1967, after preliminary Uraltransmash work had begun in 1966.
Sources: Opisy Broni 2S4 Tulipan
Jan 1, 1970
3F2 rocket-assisted round enters service in one reference
Opisy Broni describes the ARM0-3VF2 / 3WF2 rocket-assisted mortar round with the 3F2 Gagara projectile as accepted into service in 1970; Soviet-ammo gives 1973, so the public record keeps the date as source-specific rather than definitive.
Sources: Opisy Broni 2S4 Tulipan, Soviet-ammo 240 3VF2
Dec 15, 2015
ARES summarizes the 3M15 family
ARES identified 3F2 Gagara, 3O8 Nerpa, 3B11, and Sayda as the Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted projectile family using the 3M15 rocket motor for the M-240 and 2S4 Tyulpan.
Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
Nov 24, 2018
Remnants identified after Jarjanaz school-area attack
Human Rights Watch reported that photos and videos from a Syrian government attack near al-Khansaa elementary school in Jarjanaz showed remnants of Russian-made 3F2 Gagara rocket-assisted 240 mm mortar projectiles.
Sources: Human Rights Watch Jarjanaz 3F2