ARES identified O-10 submunitions and 3M15 rocket-motor remnants from 3O8 cargo projectiles in Damascus in 2015, while Human Rights Watch documented a 13 December 2015 Douma attack involving a 3O8 projectile and attributed recent ground-fired cluster-munition attacks to Russian or Syrian government forces.
Role detailsMunitions
3O8 Nerpa
Also known as
- 3O8
- 3O8 cargo projectile
- 3-O-8
- 3VO11
- 3VO11 complete round
The 3O8 Nerpa is a Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectile for the 2S4 Tyulpan and M-240 heavy mortars. It carries 14 O-10 HE-FRAG submunitions and appears in public conflict documentation from Syria, where ARES identified 3O8 remnants around Damascus in 2015 and Human Rights Watch documented a 3O8/O-10 attack in Douma during the Syrian Civil War.
Role in Conflicts
Syria Identification
Public conflict documentation for 3O8 Nerpa is strongest in Syria. ARES identified O-10 submunitions and rocket-assisted 240 mm mortar-projectile remnants from Damascus-area imagery in 2015, and Human Rights Watch separately listed a 13 December 2015 Douma attack as involving a 3O8 projectile with O-10 submunitions.
Documented location
Damascus suburbs, including Douma, during late-2015 Syrian Civil War fighting.
Attribution limit
ARES assessed the munitions as most likely employed by Syrian Arab Army forces; HRW attributed recent ground-fired cluster-munition attacks to Russian or Syrian government forces rather than a specific firing unit.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Built by
- Soviet defense industry
- Type
- Rocket-assisted cargo projectile for 240 mm mortars
- Service note
- Designed in the late 1970s and introduced into Soviet service in 1983
- Designed
- Late 1970s
- Produced
- Late Soviet production reported through the 1980s
Specifications
- Caliber
- 240 mm
- Projectile weight
- 230 kg
- Warhead weight
- 112 kg
- Warhead
- Cargo projectile with 14 O-10 HE-FRAG submunitions
- Submunition weight
- 3.9 kg each
- Submunition explosive charge
- About 640 g of A-IX-2 explosive each
- Submunition parachute
- PS-69 series parachute system reported for O-10 submunitions
- Range
- 7.1 to 19.3 km; about 15 km with brake rings
- Propulsion
- Rocket-assisted with a 3M15 motor
- Propellant charge weight
- 3.7 kg
- Rocket motor charge weight
- 42 kg
- Complete round
- 3VO11 with V-120E fuze, 4BN56 propellant charge, and optional 3Ch20 brake ring
Variants
ARES treats 3O8 Nerpa as the cargo member of a Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted mortar projectile family that shared the 3M15 motor across different payload types.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3VO11 complete round | Loaded firing round | ARES says the complete 3VO11 round combines the 3O8 projectile with a V-120E fuze, 4BN56 propellant charge, and optional 3Ch20 brake ring. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria |
| 3F2 Gagara | High-explosive rocket-assisted family member | ARES identifies 3F2 Gagara as the high-explosive member of the same Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted projectile family. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria |
 | Nuclear rocket-assisted family member | ARES lists 3B11 as the nuclear member of the same 240 mm rocket-assisted family for M-240 and 2S4 mortars. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria |
 | Incendiary rocket-assisted family member | ARES lists Sayda as the incendiary member of the same Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted family. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria |
Launch Weapons
The 3O8 Nerpa is a cargo projectile in the Soviet 240 mm mortar family designed for use with the self-propelled 2S4 Tyulpan and towed M-240 heavy mortars. The current catalog has a public 2S4 entry; no separate public M-240 launcher record is linked here.
| Firing weapon | Weapon type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar | ARES explicitly lists the 2S4 Tyulpan as a launch system for the 3O8 Nerpa and documents the round as a 240 mm projectile designed for use with the Tyulpan. Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria |
Round Breakdown
ARES describes the 3O8 as the cargo projectile in the Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted mortar family. The complete round 3VO11 combines the projectile with a V-120E fuze, 4BN56 propellant charge, and optional 3Ch20 brake ring.
Payload
14 O-10 HE-FRAG submunitions.
This is the feature that separates Nerpa from single-burst 240 mm mortar bombs.
Rocket motor
3M15 rocket motor.
ARES describes the same motor across the Soviet 240 mm rocket-assisted mortar-projectile family.
Brake ring
Optional 3Ch20 braking device.
Used to reduce maximum range to about 15 km.
Timeline
3O8 Nerpa Key Events
Designed
ARES says the 3O8 was designed in the Soviet Union in the late 1970s.
Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
Entered service
ARES says the round entered Soviet military service in 1983.
Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
Production markings documented
ARES reported that markings on at least one documented example indicated 1989 production of both the rocket motor and the O-10 submunitions.
Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
Technical identification published
ARES published a technical identification note that measured the round and described the 3M15 motor, O-10 submunitions, and 3VO11 complete-round designation.
Sources: Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in Syria
HRW documents Douma attack
Human Rights Watch reported a 13 December 2015 Douma attack involving a ground-launched 240 mm 3O8 projectile with O-10 submunitions, citing ARES identification of the remnants.
Sources: Russia/Syria: Extensive Recent Use of Cluster Munitions
Media
3O8 Nerpa Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Soviet 3O8 240 mm rocket-assisted cargo projectiles in SyriaPublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: Supports the projectile's designation, relationship to the 2S4 Tyulpan and M-240, cargo role, submunitions, range, service introduction, and direct 2011 Syrian Civil War use context through documented Damascus remnants and likely Syrian Arab Army employment. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Russia/Syria: Extensive Recent Use of Cluster MunitionsPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Direct 2011 Syrian Civil War source: documents a 13 December 2015 Douma attack involving a ground-launched 240 mm 3O8 projectile with O-10 submunitions and attributes recent ground-fired cluster-munition attacks to Russian or Syrian government forces. | Accessed: 2026-07-05Cluster Munition Ban Policy: SyriaPublisher: The Monitor | Note: Corroborates 2011 Syrian Civil War context by listing 3-O-8 among cluster munitions used in Syria and noting that a ground-fired 240 mm 3-O-8 rocket-assisted mortar projectile was used after Russia began joint operations with Syrian government forces in September 2015. | Accessed: 2026-07-05File:2S4 Tyulpan ARMY-2022.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a contextual launcher image used on the 3O8 page; the file page identifies the subject, author, date, and CC BY-SA 3.0 license. | Accessed: 2026-06-23File:Soviet 240mm mortar shell.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for a related 240 mm Tyulpan shell photo used as ammunition context; the file page identifies the subject and reuse license. | Accessed: 2026-06-27