9M531 cumulative-fragmentation submunition rocket

Also known as

9M531
9М531
9M531 Smerch rocket
9M531 cluster rocket

The 9M531 is a Russian 300 mm Smerch-family rocket with a cassette warhead carrying cumulative-fragmentation submunitions. Rosoboronexport lists it among BM-30 / 9K58 ammunition, Missilery ties the 2004 export-era round to NPO Splav data, and a different rocket motor and longer listed maximum range distinguish it from the closely related 9M55K5.

9M531 cumulative-fragmentation submunition rocket, 300 mm rocket with cumulative-fragmentation submunitions, Munitions

Image source: File:Smerch rocket on a cemetery in Kharkiv, 2023-10-26 (01).jpg

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin: Russia
Built by: NPO Splav
Type: 300 mm rocket with cumulative-fragmentation submunitions
Service note: 2004-present
Produced: 2004-present

Specifications

Caliber: 300 mm
Weight: 815 kg
Length: 7,600 mm
Warhead weight: 243 kg
Payload: 616 cumulative-fragmentation submunitions; Missilery also gives bracketed data for a 588-item 3B30 load
Penetration: Up to 120 mm of armor; bracketed 3B30 data lists 160 mm
Range: 25-90 km
Self-destruction time: 130-260 s; bracketed 3B30 data lists 200 s
Container weight: 1,964 kg for a two-rocket container

Variants

The 9M531 sits beside the 9M55K5 in the 300 mm Smerch rocket family; both are cumulative-fragmentation submunition rounds, but published references distinguish the 9M531 by its different rocket motor and longer listed maximum range.

Variant	Configuration	Designation notes
9M55K5 cumulative-fragmentation submunition rocket	Earlier 70 km cumulative-fragmentation round	Missilery lists 9M531 at 815 kg and 25-90 km, while 9M55K5 is listed at 800 kg and 25-70 km; both use 243 kg cassette warheads with cumulative-fragmentation anti-armour/anti-personnel submunitions. Sources: 9M531 rocket, 9M55K5 rocket

Variant

Configuration

Designation notes

9M55K5 cumulative-fragmentation submunition rocket

Earlier 70 km cumulative-fragmentation round

Missilery lists 9M531 at 815 kg and 25-90 km, while 9M55K5 is listed at 800 kg and 25-70 km; both use 243 kg cassette warheads with cumulative-fragmentation anti-armour/anti-personnel submunitions.

Sources: 9M531 rocket, 9M55K5 rocket

Launch Platforms

The 9M531 is a 300 mm Smerch-family rocket intended for the original BM-30 / 9K58 launcher family and compatible with the later Tornado-S system through legacy Smerch projectile support.

Launcher	Launcher type	Launch evidence
BM-30 Smerch	300 mm multiple launch rocket system	Rosoboronexport lists the 9M531 among 300 mm ammunition for the BM-30 / 9K58 Smerch family, and Missilery describes it as designed for the Smerch multiple launch rocket system. Sources: Rosoboronexport 9M531, 9M531 rocket
Tornado-S	300 mm multiple launch rocket system	Rosoboronexport describes the 9K515 Tornado-S as developed from Smerch and able to fire all rocket projectiles used by the 9K58 Smerch family, making 9M531 part of the compatible legacy projectile set. Sources: 300mm 9K515 MLRS

Launcher

Launcher type

Launch evidence

BM-30 Smerch

300 mm multiple launch rocket system

Rosoboronexport lists the 9M531 among 300 mm ammunition for the BM-30 / 9K58 Smerch family, and Missilery describes it as designed for the Smerch multiple launch rocket system.

Sources: Rosoboronexport 9M531, 9M531 rocket

Tornado-S

300 mm multiple launch rocket system

Rosoboronexport describes the 9K515 Tornado-S as developed from Smerch and able to fire all rocket projectiles used by the 9K58 Smerch family, making 9M531 part of the compatible legacy projectile set.

Sources: 300mm 9K515 MLRS

Payload And Compatibility Notes

Public references identify 9M531 as a Smerch-family munition and define its payload and launcher compatibility, but they do not identify a specific conflict use for this designation.

Submunition load

Missilery lists 616 cumulative-fragmentation submunitions, with alternate bracketed data for a newer 3B30 anti-armour/anti-personnel submunition load.

This refines the payload count beyond the generic cumulative-fragmentation wording.

Launcher family

Rosoboronexport and Missilery place the 9M531 in the BM-30 / 9K58 Smerch 300 mm ammunition family.

The relationship section links the original Smerch launcher and Tornado-S legacy-projectile compatibility.

Conflict attribution

Cluster-rocket reporting often identifies Smerch-family rockets or 3B30 submunitions without naming 9M531 itself.

Conflict attribution should therefore stay at the exact designation level rather than moving from a broader Smerch-family report to this rocket.

Sources: Rosoboronexport 9M531; 9M531 rocket; 300mm 9K515 MLRS.

Timeline

9M531 cumulative-fragmentation submunition rocket Key Events

Sep 30, 2004
Export paperwork approved
Missilery cites 30 September 2004 export and advertising passport approvals for the 9M531 rocket and notes that work on the round was completed in 2004.
Sources: 9M531 rocket