The 9M55K5 is a Russian 300 mm Smerch-family rocket with a cassette warhead carrying 646 3B30 dual-purpose cumulative-fragmentation submunitions. Rosoboronexport and Missilery document the 800 kg, 25 to 70 km rocket, and LB.ua identified 9M55K5 among Russian cluster munitions used against Kharkiv neighborhoods in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
LB.ua identified 9M55K5 among the Russian cluster munitions used against Kharkiv neighborhoods during the full-scale invasion, while separate 3B30 submunition reporting is treated as payload context unless it directly identifies this carrier rocket.
Role detailsThe 9M55K5 sits inside the 300 mm Smerch rocket family, close to later and adjacent submunition rounds that use the same launcher family but different payloads or motors.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | Extended-range cumulative-fragmentation round | Missilery describes the 9M531 as nearly the same as the 9M55K5 except for the rocket motor, with the same 243 kg warhead class and a longer listed maximum range. Sources: 9M531 rocket |
 | Fragmentation submunition round | Rosoboronexport lists the 9M525 in the same 300 mm Smerch ammunition family, but its payload is a fragmentation bomblet load rather than the 9M55K5's cumulative-fragmentation 3B30 payload. |
The 9M55K5 is a Smerch-fired 300 mm rocket listed in Rosoboronexport's ammunition catalog.
| Launcher | Launcher type | Launch evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 300 mm multiple launch rocket system | Rosoboronexport lists the 9M55K5 as a 300 mm Smerch rocket, and Missilery says it is designed to use from the 9K58 Smerch multiple launch rocket system. |
 | 300 mm multiple launch rocket system | Rosoboronexport describes Tornado-S / 9K515 as compatible with older BM-30 Smerch rocket projectiles, which makes the 9M55K5 part of the compatible legacy Smerch ammunition set. Sources: 300mm 9K515 MLRS |
The 9M55K5 page is now conflict-backed only where a source identifies the rocket itself. Broader 3B30 submunition finds help explain the payload, but they are not treated as proof of this carrier unless the source names 9M55K5.
| Point | Sourced detail | Catalog treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Payload | Rosoboronexport and Missilery list a 646-submunition 3B30 cumulative-fragmentation cassette warhead for the 9M55K5. | The payload is part of the core identity and specifications for this munition. |
| Ukraine evidence | LB.ua specifically identified 9M55K5 among Russian cluster munitions used against Kharkiv neighborhoods. | That source supports the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War conflict-use row for this rocket. |
| 3B30 finds | ARES documented 3B30 submunitions in Ukraine and notes that 3B30 can be carried by 9M55K5 as well as other rocket carriers. | Those finds are retained as payload and attribution context, not as a separate blanket 9M55K5 conflict-use claim. |
| Launcher context | Missilery and Rosoboronexport place the rocket in the Smerch 300 mm family, and Rosoboronexport says Tornado-S can use legacy Smerch projectiles. | The relationship section links both the original BM-30 Smerch launcher and the compatible Tornado-S family. |
Sources: Rosoboronexport 9M55K5 catalog page; 9M55K5 rocket; Cluster munitions. Weapons for the offensive; Russian 3B30 submunitions documented in Ukraine (2022); 300mm 9K515 MLRS.
LB.ua identified 9M55K5 among Russian cluster munitions used against Kharkiv neighborhoods during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Sources: Cluster munitions. Weapons for the offensive
ARES documented 3B30 submunitions in Ukraine and noted 9M55K5 as one carrier type for the 3B30 payload, while the article did not identify every photographed 3B30 item as fired from this rocket.
Sources: Russian 3B30 submunitions documented in Ukraine (2022)
