S-5 rocket

The S-5 is a Soviet 57 mm-class unguided aircraft rocket family used from rocket pods on helicopters and strike aircraft. In Myanmar's civil war, investigators linked S-5 remnants to the 16 September 2022 Let Yet Kone school attack.

Myanmar Civil WarState Administration Council and allied forces

Conflict side: State Administration Council and allied forces
Built by: Soviet defense industry
Built in: Soviet Union

S-5 rocket, Unguided air-to-surface rocket, Munitions

Image source: Wikimedia Commons S-5M 57 mm rocket

Profile

Type: Unguided air-to-surface rocket
Origin: Soviet Union
Service note: Cold War-era rocket family still seen in post-Soviet and export service

UAV strike close air support

Service History

In service: Entered service in the Soviet period and remained in use on legacy aircraft and helicopters in export service.
Used by: Soviet and successor air arms, Myanmar Air Force
Wars: Myanmar Civil War

Production History

Designer: Soviet aviation rocket development organizations
Designed: 1950s
Built by: Soviet defense industry
Built in: Soviet Union
Unit cost: Not readily available
Produced: 1950s onward
Number built: Not readily available
Variants: S-5M, S-5K, S-5MO, S-5U

Specifications

Caliber: 55 mm rocket fired from 57 mm launch tubes
Length: About 1.4 m depending on variant
Weight: About 5 kg depending on warhead and variant
Stabilization: Spin-stabilized by folding fins
Launch platforms: Helicopters and fighter-bombers using pods such as UB-16 and UB-32

Conflict Usage

Myanmar Civil War: Side: State Administration Council and allied forcesRole: Helicopter-launched area attack rocketstrike close air support
In the Myanmar Civil War, Myanmar Witness verified S-5 rocket remnants at the Let Yet Kone school attack site after Mi-35 helicopter strikes.

S-5 rocket Images

S-5 rocket, Unguided air-to-surface rocket, Munitions - view 1 — Source: Wikimedia Commons S-5M 57 mm rocket

S-5 rocket, Unguided air-to-surface rocket, Munitions - view 2 — Source: Wikimedia Commons Mi-24 UB-32 pods

S-5 rocket, Unguided air-to-surface rocket, Munitions - view 3 — Source: Wikimedia Commons S-5M 57 mm rocket

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Sources

GlobalSecurity rockets manual extractPublisher: GlobalSecurity.org | Note: Supports the S-5 rocket family, its 57 mm launch-tube context, and variant designations. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 Myanmar Witness Tabayin School Attack reportPublisher: Myanmar Witness / Centre for Information Resilience | Note: Myanmar Civil War: S-5 rockets were verified at the Let Yet Kone school attack site after the 16 September 2022 attack. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 VOA report on Myanmar school strikePublisher: Voice of America | Note: Myanmar Civil War: VOA reported that Myanmar Witness said Russian-made S-5 rockets were used in the Let Yet Kone school airstrike. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 Wikimedia Commons S-5M 57 mm rocketPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary image and image provenance for the S-5 rocket family. | Accessed: 2026-06-22 Wikimedia Commons Mi-24 UB-32 podsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports a secondary image showing S-5 rocket pods on a Mi-24 helicopter. | Accessed: 2026-06-22