9K510 illumination system

Also known as

9K510
9K510 Illuminatsiya
9K510 Illumination
9K510 Illyuminatsiya
9K510 portable illumination system
9K510 portable jet system
Illuminatsiya

The 9K510 illumination system is a Soviet portable 122 mm battlefield-lighting rocket system built around the 9M42 unguided illumination projectile, a 2P132 launcher, and a 9P611 launch panel. Public references treat it as a Grad-P-derived support system for night operations rather than a vehicle-mounted salvo launcher, and Missilery attributes development to NPO Splav and related enterprises before Soviet Army adoption in December 1989.

9K510 illumination system, Portable 122 mm battlefield illumination rocket system, Artillery

Image source: File:122 mm raketti Hameenlinna 1.JPG

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Soviet Union
Built by: NPO Splavrelated enterprises
Built in: Soviet UnionRussia
Type: Portable 122 mm battlefield illumination rocket system
Service note: Late Cold War
Designer: NPO Splav and related enterprises
Designed: Development completed in 1989
Produced: Late Cold War service adoption

Specifications

Caliber: 122 mm
Projectile: 9M42 unguided illumination rocket
Launcher component: 2P132 launcher
Launch control: 9P611 launch panel
Launcher weight: 35 kg installation
Guide length: 1,400 mm
Elevation arc: 25-40 degrees
Horizontal traverse: +/-8 degrees
Range: 1,000-5,000 m
Illumination duration: 90 s
Illuminated area: 500 m radius at 2 lx

System Components

Missilery describes the 9K510 as a portable illumination system built around the 9M42 rocket, a 2P132 launcher, and a 9P611 launch panel.

Launched item

Item type

Launch evidence

122 mm 9M42 Grad rocket, Illumination rocket, Munitions

122 mm 9M42 Grad rocket

illumination projectile

The 9M42 is the 122 mm unguided rocket projectile listed as the ammunition component of the 9K510 system.

Sources: 9K510 Portable Jet System

System Role

Available public sources support the 9K510 identity, components, and lineage but do not directly document a specific conflict-use episode for the exact 9K510 system.

Lighting task

Missilery describes the 9M42 round fired from the 2P132 launcher as light support for night operations, border and important-object protection, accidents, and natural-disaster response.

Grad-P lineage

Defense Express describes 9K510 Illuminatsiya as a lighting system developed on the basis of Grad-P; Grad-P combat-use evidence is not treated as 9K510 evidence without a direct source bridge.

Timeline

9K510 illumination system Key Events

Jan 1, 1989
Development completed
Missilery reports that NPO Splav specialists and related enterprises completed development of the 9K510 portable illumination system in 1989.
Dec 29, 1989
Soviet Army adoption order
Missilery states that the system was adopted by an order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army dated December 29, 1989.

Media

9K510 illumination system Images

9K510 illumination system, Portable 122 mm battlefield illumination rocket system, Artillery - view 1 — Source: File:122 mm raketti Hameenlinna 2.JPG

Related Weapon Systems

122 mm 9M42 Grad rocket, Illumination rocket, Munitions

Munitions122 mm 9M42 Grad rocketIllumination rocketThe 122 mm 9M42 is a Soviet illumination rocket developed by NPO Splav and related enterprises for the 9K510 portable illumination system and the Grad rocket family. It is a base-ejecting, parachute-suspended round with a 1,000-5,000 m range, a 90-second illuminating burn, and a 500 m illuminated-radius specification.

Grad-P Light portable rocket system, Single-round man-portable 122 mm rocket launcher, Artillery

ArtilleryGrad-P Light portable rocket systemSingle-round man-portable 122 mm rocket launcherThe Grad-P Light portable rocket system, also known by the 9P132 launcher index, is a Soviet single-round man-portable 122 mm rocket launcher for 9M22M-class rockets. Missilery traces the system to a 1965 lightweight launcher program for special delivery abroad, while the Australian War Memorial documents DKZ-B/Grad-P use by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces during the Vietnam War.

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9P138 Grad-1, 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, Artillery

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122 mm Katyusha rocket, Unguided 122 mm artillery rocket, Munitions

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122 mm 9M28K Grad rocket, Cargo or mine-laying rocket, Munitions

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122 mm 9M22S Grad rocket, 122 mm incendiary rocket, Munitions

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Sources

9K510 Portable Jet SystemPublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports the 9K510 system composition, NPO Splav and related-enterprises development attribution, 1989 completion and adoption dates, 2P132 launcher data, and 9M42 performance figures. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 Ukraine's Military Using the Portable GradPublisher: Defense Express | Note: Supports background context that 9K510 Illuminatsiya was developed on the basis of Grad-P; the article does not directly document 9K510 conflict use. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 GRAU IndexPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the 2P132 index as a 122 mm portable launcher associated with the 9K510 system. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 CAT-UXO 122mm 9m42 grad rocketPublisher: CAT-UXO | Note: Supports the 9M42 as a 122 mm illuminating, base-ejecting, parachute-suspended Grad rocket used by the system. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 9P132 Russian 122mm One-Round Rocket LauncherPublisher: OE Data Integration Network | Note: Supports the U.S. Army ODIN description of the 9P132/9K510 portable one-round rocket-launcher context for the 9M42 illumination rocket. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 File:122 mm raketti Hameenlinna 1.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain photo of a Soviet 122 mm artillery rocket used to illustrate the 122 mm rocket family. | Accessed: 2026-07-13 File:122 mm raketti Hameenlinna 2.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain photo of a Soviet 122 mm artillery rocket tail section. | Accessed: 2026-07-13