- Side
- Syria
Syria fielded FROG-7 missiles in the October 1973 war; Wisconsin Project's missile chronology says Syria launched them at Israeli airbases during the conflict.
Munitions
9M21 rocket
Also known as
- FROG-7
- FROG-7A
- FROG-7B
- Luna-M rocket
- 9M21F
- 9M21F2
- 9M21K
- 9M21B
- 9M21B1
- 9M21G
- 9M21D
- R-65
- R-70
The 9M21 is the Soviet unguided, spin-stabilized artillery rocket fired by the 9K52 Luna-M/FROG-7 system. It paired a single-stage solid motor with interchangeable warhead sections, giving Luna-M batteries conventional high-explosive, cluster, chemical, nuclear, and leaflet-dispensing options. Direct conflict sources trace FROG-7 or 9M21 use by Syria, Iraq, and Houthi-aligned forces.
Role in Conflicts
- Side
- Iraq
Iraq began the war with FROG missiles and fired FROG-7 surface-to-surface rockets in the first weeks of the conflict, including attacks aimed at Iranian Army staging areas near Dezful and Ahwaz.
- Side
- Iraq
Iraq used Soviet-made FROG/FROG-7 rockets during the Gulf War; Human Rights Watch records two FROGs fired on February 21, 1991, one landing near Senegalese troops.
Role detailsHuman Rights Watch tied Syrian government ballistic-missile attacks to a Belioun strike identified from remnants as a Luna-M/FROG-7, and Brown Moses documented 9M21 and 9D19 markings from the debris.
Role details
The Washington Institute reports that Houthi-aligned forces fired at least 18 FROG-7 artillery rockets, called Zelzal by the Houthis, at targets in Yemen and Saudi border provinces.
Role detailsProfile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Built by
- Barrikada plant
- Type
- Unguided artillery rocket
- Service note
- Cold War era
- Designer
- Soviet NII-1 MITT and OKB-329 GKAT design organizations for the Luna-M system
- Designed
- 1960-1964
- Produced
- 1964-1970s
Specifications
- Guidance
- Unguided, spin-stabilized ballistic flight
- Propulsion
- Single-stage solid-fuel rocket motor with rotation motor section
- Range
- About 15-65 km for listed 9M21 family variants
- Length
- About 8.96-9.40 m depending on variant
- Diameter
- About 0.54 m
- Launch weight
- About 2,432-2,486 kg depending on variant
- Warhead
- HE-fragmentation, airburst HE-fragmentation, submunition, nuclear, chemical, and leaflet-dispensing variants
- Launch method
- Single-rail wheeled TEL with crane-assisted reloads
- Accuracy
- CEP roughly 400-700 m
Rocket Family Context
The 9M21 is best read as a munition family within the Luna-M complex: the same launcher relationship covered conventional, submunition, nuclear, chemical, leaflet, and training rockets. That makes the warhead section the main public distinction between 9M21 variants rather than the launch platform.
Launch interface
WeaponSystems.net identifies the 9P113 launch vehicle as carrying one 9M21-series rocket on a single rail, while the 9T29 transporter carried reload rockets but did not launch them.
Flight profile
The rocket used an unguided ballistic flight path with spin stabilization, leaving accuracy much lower than later guided tactical missiles.
Variants
Open references treat 9M21 as a rocket family for Luna-M rather than a single fixed warhead. Western reporting separates FROG-7A and FROG-7B forms, while Soviet-style suffixes identify payload or warhead fits.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| FROG-7A | Early Western-reported FROG-7 form | The Gurevich-hosted FAS-derived reference says FROG-7A was introduced in 1965 as a replacement for earlier FROG variants. |
| FROG-7B | Longer-warhead Western-reported form | The same reference identifies FROG-7B as a 1968 improvement with a longer warhead section. |
| 9M21F | Unitary HE-fragmentation rocket | WeaponSystems.net describes 9M21F as the conventional HE-fragmentation rocket, with R-65 as its export designation. Sources: 9M21 rocket |
| 9M21F2 | Airburst HE-fragmentation rocket | WeaponSystems.net separates 9M21F2 as an airburst HE-fragmentation version using a radar proximity fuze. Sources: 9M21 rocket |
| 9M21K | Submunition rocket | WeaponSystems.net lists 9M21K as an airburst submunition version with R-70 as the export designation. Sources: 9M21 rocket |
| 9M21B / 9M21B1 | Nuclear-warhead rockets | WeaponSystems.net distinguishes the 9M21B and 9M21B1 nuclear variants by their 9N32 and 9N32M warhead fits. Sources: 9M21 rocket |
| 9M21G | Chemical-warhead rocket | WeaponSystems.net identifies 9M21G as the chemical-warhead version with a VX aerosol payload. Sources: 9M21 rocket |
| 9M21D | Leaflet-dispensing rocket | WeaponSystems.net lists 9M21D with a 9N18A container warhead for leaflet dispersal. Sources: 9M21 rocket |
Launch Platforms
The 9M21 was created for the wheeled Luna-M complex and fired from its single-rail launcher.
| Launcher | Launcher type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Single-rail launcher | Missilery.info says the upgraded Luna-M complex was created for the 9M21 missile, and WeaponSystems.net identifies the Luna-M launch vehicle as carrying a single 9M21 rocket on its launch rail. |
Timeline
9M21 rocket Key Events
First 9M21 launch
Missilery.info places the first launch of the 9M21 missile in 1961 during Luna-M development.
Mass production and service entry
Missilery.info identifies 1964 as the year mass production and service entry began for the Luna-M complex and 9M21 missile.
Submunition variant introduced
WeaponSystems.net lists the 9M21K airburst submunition rocket as introduced in 1969.
Syrian October War launch
Wisconsin Project's Syria missile chronology says Syria launched FROG-7 missiles at Israeli airbases during the October 1973 war.
Early Iran-Iraq War firing
CSIS records Iraq firing FROG-7 rockets in the first weeks of the Iran-Iraq War, including attacks near Dezful and Ahwaz.
9M21 debris identified in Syria
Brown Moses identified 9M21 and 9D19 markings on debris photographed after a reported Belioun/Jabal Zawiyeh strike.
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
9M21 rocketPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports the 9M21 rocket family's unguided, spin-stabilized design, solid propellant motor, range envelope, dimensions, warhead variants, and relationship to the 9K52 Luna-M single-rail launcher. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Tactical Ballistic Missile System FROG-7BPublisher: Gurevich Publications | Note: Mirrors FAS-derived background on the FROG-7A/FROG-7B Western reporting split, FROG-7 range, warhead classes, and launcher handling context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Tactical missile system 9K52 Luna-MPublisher: Missilery.info | Note: Supports the 9M21 missile's creation for the Luna-M complex, first launch in 1961, mass production and service in 1964, and Barrikada plant series production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Syria Missile Milestones - Wisconsin ProjectPublisher: Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control | Note: Supports Syria obtaining FROG-7 missiles and launching FROG-7 missiles during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01CSIS Iran-Iraq War Air and Missile WarsPublisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies | Note: Supports Iraq firing FROG-7 surface-to-surface rockets during the first weeks of the 1980 Iran-Iraq War, including attacks near Dezful and Ahwaz. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Human Rights Watch Gulf War Chapter 7Publisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports Iraq using Soviet-made FROG/FROG-7 rockets during the 1990 Gulf War and firing two FROGs on February 21, 1991. | Accessed: 2026-07-01HRW Syria Unlawful Missile AttacksPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: Supports Syrian government ballistic-missile attacks in the 2011 Syrian Civil War and cites a Belioun strike identified as Luna-M/FROG-7 from remnants. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Brown Moses 9M21 Syria DebrisPublisher: Brown Moses Blog | Note: Supports 9M21 and 9D19 markings on debris from a reported Belioun/Jabal Zawiyeh strike during the 2011 Syrian Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Washington Institute Houthi Missile ImprovementsPublisher: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Note: Supports Houthi-aligned forces firing at least 18 FROG-7 artillery rockets, called Zelzal by the Houthis, during the 2014 Yemen Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01FROG-7 Rocket.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the public-domain U.S. Army photo of an Iraqi FROG-7 / 9M21 rocket being loaded. | Accessed: 2026-07-019T29 Transporter with 9M21 rocketPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the public-domain museum photo of a 9T29 transporter with a 9M21 rocket. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Luna m frog 7 hameenlinna 2.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the museum display photo of the FROG-7B / Luna-M missile system; Commons lists free-license terms rather than public-domain status. | Accessed: 2026-07-01