S-8 rockets are documented on both sides of the war: ARES described Ukrainian B-8 pod adaptation on a Strela-10 chassis and likely S-8KOM use in a June 2014 Ukrainian air strike, while OSCE-circulated Ukrainian statements and later reporting documented S-8 rockets found near Pavlopil after Russian or Russia-backed fire; 2022 reporting also documented Russian Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopters firing likely 80 mm S-8 rockets over Ukraine.
Role detailsMunitions
S-8 rocket family
Also known as
- S-8
- S8
- S-8KO
- S-8KOM
- S-8BM
- S-8DM
- S-8OM
- S-8OFP
- S-8OFP Broneboyshchik
- Broneboyshchik
- 80 mm unguided rocket
- B-8M1
- B-8V20A
The S-8 is a Soviet-origin 80 mm unguided air-to-surface rocket family fired from B-series pods on attack helicopters and ground-attack aircraft. The family uses warhead-specific designations for HEAT-fragmentation, concrete-piercing, thermobaric, illumination, smoke or marking, and later high-power or guided derivatives, with documented conflict use from Syria and Georgia to Darfur and Ukraine.
Role in Conflicts
Syrian Arab Air Force aircraft are documented using B-8 pods for 80 mm S-8 rockets during air-to-ground attacks, including MiG-23ML imagery from Jabal Azzawiyah, Idlib, and broader B-8 pod use by Mi-25, MiG-29, and Su-22 aircraft.
Role details- Side
- Russia and South Ossetian forces
Human Rights Watch documented Russian aircraft firing S-8 rockets at Tortiza and Akhaldaba on August 12, 2008, with civilian casualties and extensive unexploded-rocket clearance reported around Tortiza.
- Side
- Sudanese government and allied militias
The UN Panel of Experts found that S-8 Type 80 mm air-to-ground rockets were used in the Orschi attack in Darfur and assessed Sudanese Air Force Su-25 aircraft as the likely delivery mechanism.
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Soviet Union
- Built by
- Soviet defense industryNPO Splav
- Built in
- Soviet UnionRussiaSerbia
- Type
- 80 mm unguided air-to-surface rocket family
- Service note
- Early 1970s-present
- Designer
- OKB-16 / Soviet defense industry; later S-8OFP development by NPO Splav
- Designed
- Late 1960s-1971
- Produced
- Early 1970s-present
Specifications
- Caliber
- 80 mm
- Guidance
- Unguided free-flight rocket in baseline S-8 service; S-8L is a later laser-guided derivative rather than the family standard
- Warhead types
- HEAT-fragmentation, concrete-piercing, thermobaric/fuel-air explosive, illumination, chaff, smoke/marking, flechette, and later high-explosive penetrating or guided derivatives
- Range
- Common variants are documented from about 1.2 to 4.5 km; later S-8OFP/S-8L reporting gives up to about 6 km
- Launch pods
- B-series aircraft pods, including 7-round and 20-round configurations; B8V20 carries 20 rockets
- Launch platforms
- Attack helicopters and ground-attack aircraft, including Su-25, Mi-8/Mi-17, Mi-24/Mi-35, Mi-28, Ka-52, and other Soviet/Russian-origin aircraft families
- S-8KOM
- About 11.2-11.3 kg loaded mass, 3.6 kg warhead, 1.3-4.0 km launch range, and up to 400 mm armor penetration in Rosoboronexport and UK GENFORCE data
- S-8BM
- 15.2 kg rocket with 7.4 kg warhead and 1.2-2.2 km launch range; UK GENFORCE lists concrete penetration up to 800 mm of steel-reinforced concrete
- S-8DM
- 11.6 kg thermobaric/fuel-air explosive rocket with 3.6 kg warhead and 1.3-3.0 km launch range in the UK GENFORCE table
- S-8OM
- 12.1 kg illumination rocket with 4.3 kg warhead, 4.0-4.5 km launch range, and 2 megacandela light output in the UK GENFORCE table
Payload And Pod Logic
The S-8 family is best read by payload and launcher interface. The rocket diameter and B-series pod context stay broadly common, while variant suffixes distinguish anti-armor, penetrating, thermobaric, illumination, countermeasure, marking, high-power, and later guided roles.
Unguided baseline
Standard S-8 rockets are unguided free-flight weapons aimed by the launch aircraft rather than by onboard guidance.
Pod carriage
B-series pods are documented with 7 or 20 rockets; Yugoimport's B8V20 helicopter launcher carries 20 80 mm rockets.
Later offshoots
S-8OFP and S-8L are later family developments, so their extra range, penetrating warhead, or guidance claims should not be projected backward onto every S-8 variant.
Variants
S-8 suffixes mainly distinguish payload and fuze roles rather than a single airframe platform: anti-armor, penetrating, thermobaric, illumination, countermeasure, marking, and later high-power or guided derivatives all share the 80 mm rocket-family context.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| S-8KO | HEAT-fragmentation rocket | Weaponsystems.net identifies S-8KO as a common HEAT-fragmentation version for infantry, vehicles, and normal buildings. Sources: Weaponsystems.net S-8 overview |
| S-8KOM | Improved HEAT-fragmentation rocket | Rosoboronexport and EDePro describe S-8KOM as an 80 mm shaped-charge/fragmentation rocket for armored, lightly armored, unarmored materiel, and personnel targets, carried in aircraft and helicopter pods. Sources: Rosoboronexport S-8KOM product page, EDePro S8-KOM datasheet |
| S-8BM | Concrete-piercing rocket | The UK GENFORCE table lists S-8BM as an 80 mm rocket with a 15.2 kg rocket weight, 7.4 kg warhead, 1.2-2.2 km launch range, and concrete penetration up to 800 mm of steel-reinforced concrete. |
| S-8DM | Thermobaric/fuel-air explosive rocket | The UK GENFORCE table lists S-8DM as an 80 mm rocket with an 11.6 kg rocket weight, 3.6 kg warhead, 1.3-3.0 km launch range, and about 6 kg TNT equivalent effect. |
| S-8OM | Illumination rocket | The UK GENFORCE table lists S-8OM as an 80 mm illumination rocket with a 12.1 kg rocket weight, 4.3 kg warhead, 4.0-4.5 km launch range, and 2 megacandela light output. |
| S-8OFP Broneboyshchik | High-explosive penetrating derivative | Rostec identifies S-8OFP as an NPO Splav 80 mm unguided rocket developed from the S-8 for tactical and army aircraft, with compatible carrier aircraft including Su-25, Mi-8, Mi-28, Ka-50, and Ka-52 families. |
| S-8L | Laser-guided derivative | Later reporting described S-8L as an 80 mm laser-guided derivative for aircraft, helicopters, and UAV carriers; this page treats it as a guided offshoot rather than the baseline unguided S-8 standard. |
Carrier Aircraft
S-8 rockets are pod-launched aircraft rockets, with sources documenting both fixed-wing and rotary-wing carriage across Soviet/Russian and export aircraft families.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Ground-attack aircraft | Weaponsystems.net identifies the Su-25 as the main fixed-wing aircraft for S-8 use, and Rostec lists the Su-25 among S-8OFP airborne platforms. Sources: Weaponsystems.net S-8 overview, Rostec IDEX 2013 S-8OFP press release |
 | Utility and armed transport helicopter family | Yugoimport lists Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopters and modifications as carriers for B8V20 launchers firing 80 mm unguided airborne rockets. Sources: Yugoimport B8V20 rocket launcher |
 | Attack helicopter and armed assault transport | Yugoimport lists Mi-24/Mi-35 helicopters and modifications as carriers for B8V20 launchers firing 80 mm unguided airborne rockets. Sources: Yugoimport B8V20 rocket launcher |
 | Attack helicopter | Yugoimport lists Mi-28H helicopters and modifications as B8V20 launcher carriers, and TWZ described Russian Mi-28N helicopters in Ukraine firing likely 80 mm S-8 rockets. Sources: Yugoimport B8V20 rocket launcher, TWZ Russian Helicopters Lobbing Rockets Over Ukraine |
 | Attack and reconnaissance helicopter | Yugoimport lists Ka-52 helicopters and modifications as B8V20 launcher carriers, and TWZ described Russian Ka-52 helicopters in Ukraine firing likely 80 mm S-8 rockets. Sources: Yugoimport B8V20 rocket launcher, TWZ Russian Helicopters Lobbing Rockets Over Ukraine |
Timeline
S-8 rocket family Key Events
S-8 design and trials phase
Weaponsystems.net places the design project in the late 1960s and Soviet state trials in 1971.
Sources: Weaponsystems.net S-8 overview
Production and service era begins
Weaponsystems.net lists early-1970s service entry and early-1970s-to-present production for the Soviet/Russian 80 mm rocket family.
Sources: Weaponsystems.net S-8 overview
S-8OFP shown by NPO Splav at IDEX
Rostec reported that NPO Splav, a Techmash division, presented the 80 mm S-8OFP unguided rocket as an advanced development of the S-8 family.
Sources: Rostec IDEX 2013 S-8OFP press release
Syrian B-8 pod use expands
Bellingcat reported Syrian Arab Air Force Mi-25, MiG-29, and Su-22 use of B-8 pods for 80 mm S-8 rockets from October 2013, with earlier S-8 impacts reported at Arsal in June 2013.
Sources: Bellingcat Syrian Arab Air Force S-8
S-8 rocket found near Pavlopil
A Ukrainian statement circulated through the OSCE recorded the discovery of an S-8 unguided rocket near Pavlopil, likely launched from a makeshift ground launcher.
Sources: OSCE Ukraine FSC Statement Pavlopil S-8
Two S-8 rockets destroyed near Pavlopil
Interfax-Ukraine reported that Ukrainian forces found and destroyed two S-8 unguided aircraft rockets near residential buildings and Ukrainian military positions by Pavlopil.
Sources: Interfax-Ukraine Pavlopil S-8 report
S-8L guided derivative reported
Financial Express reported that Kalashnikov displayed the S-8L, an 80 mm guided derivative intended for aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs that can carry S-8 rockets.
Sources: Financial Express Kalashnikov Army-2021 report
Russian helicopter rocket-lobbing reported in Ukraine
TWZ reported Russian Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters firing likely unguided 80 mm S-8 rockets over Ukraine in a lofted firing profile shaped by Ukrainian air-defense threats.
Sources: TWZ Russian Helicopters Lobbing Rockets Over Ukraine
Media
S-8 rocket family Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Weaponsystems.net S-8 overviewPublisher: Weaponsystems.net | Note: Supports the S-8 family's Soviet origin, unguided 80 mm design, late-1960s/early-1970s development context, OKB-16 developer attribution, B-series pod use, platform families, variant roles, and basic specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-04EDePro S8-KOM product pagePublisher: EDePro | Note: Supports S8-KOM as an 80 mm air-to-surface rocket for ground-attack aircraft and helicopters, its shaped-charge/fragmentation warhead, and carriage in B-series pods with 7 or 20 rockets. | Accessed: 2026-07-04EDePro S8-KOM datasheetPublisher: EDePro | Note: Supports S8-KOM technical values including 80 mm caliber, up to 4 km range, 11 kg mass, 1540 mm length, 3.6 kg HEAT warhead, minimum 400 mm armor penetration, and B-series pod carriage. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Rosoboronexport S-8KOM product pagePublisher: Rosoboronexport | Note: Supports S-8KOM target set, aircraft/helicopter container launcher use, 11.2 kg loaded mass, 3.6 kg warhead, 1.3-4.0 km range, and up to 400 mm armor penetration. | Accessed: 2026-07-04UK GENFORCE Handbook S-8 rocket tablePublisher: UK Ministry of Defence | Note: Supports tabulated S-8KOM, S-8BM, S-8DM, and S-8OM technical values including rocket/warhead weights, caliber, rockets per pod, launch ranges, and warhead effects. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Rostec IDEX 2013 S-8OFP press releasePublisher: Rostec | Note: Supports NPO Splav's presentation of the 80 mm S-8OFP as an advanced S-8 development under Techmash and the listed aircraft/helicopter platform context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Yugoimport B8V20 rocket launcherPublisher: Yugoimport SDPR | Note: Supports the B8V20 launcher as a 20-round helicopter launcher for 80 mm unguided airborne rockets and lists Mi-8/Mi-17, Mi-24/Mi-35, Mi-28H, Ka-31, Ka-52, and modifications as carrier platforms. | Accessed: 2026-07-04OSCE Ukraine FSC Statement Pavlopil S-8Publisher: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Russia-backed forces: Ukrainian delegation statement circulated by the OSCE records an S-8 unguided rocket discovered near Pavlopil in May 2020 and says the likely launch method was a makeshift ground launcher. | Accessed: 2026-07-04ARES Improvised S-8 MLRS UkrainePublisher: Armament Research Services | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Ukraine: documents Ukrainian troops with B-8 rocket pods on a modified 9K35 Strela-10 vehicle firing S-8 series air-to-surface rockets in a surface-to-surface role, and notes likely S-8KOM use in a Ukrainian Air Force strike in Luhansk in June 2014. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Interfax-Ukraine Pavlopil S-8 reportPublisher: Interfax-Ukraine | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Russia-backed forces: reports Ukrainian military statements that two S-8 unguided aircraft rockets were found and destroyed near Pavlopil on June 20, 2020. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Bellingcat Syrian Arab Air Force S-8Publisher: Bellingcat | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War used by Syrian government forces: documents Syrian Arab Air Force Mi-25, MiG-29, and Su-22 use of B-8 rocket pods firing 80 mm S-8 rockets during the war. | Accessed: 2026-07-04The Aviationist Syrian MiG-23 S-8Publisher: The Aviationist | Note: 2011 Syrian Civil War used by Syrian government forces: identifies Syrian Arab Air Force MiG-23ML imagery from Jabal Azzawiyah, Idlib, as B-8 pods firing 80 mm S-8 unguided rockets at ground targets. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Human Rights Watch South Ossetia S-8 AttacksPublisher: Human Rights Watch | Note: 2008 Russo-Georgian War used by Russian forces: documents Russian aircraft firing S-8 rockets at Tortiza and Akhaldaba on August 12, 2008, including civilian casualties, damage, and unexploded-rocket clearance. | Accessed: 2026-07-04UN Panel Darfur S-8 RocketsPublisher: United Nations Security Council | Note: 2003 War in Darfur used by Sudanese government forces: Panel of Experts reporting found S-8 Type 80 mm air-to-ground rockets were used in the Orschi attack and assessed Sudanese Air Force Su-25 aircraft as the likely delivery system. | Accessed: 2026-07-04TWZ Russian Helicopters Lobbing Rockets Over UkrainePublisher: The War Zone | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War used by Russia: documents Russian Ka-52 and Mi-28N helicopters in Ukraine firing likely unguided 80 mm S-8 rockets and explains the lofted rocket-firing tactic under Ukrainian air-defense pressure. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Financial Express Kalashnikov Army-2021 reportPublisher: Financial Express | Note: Supports S-8L as a later 80 mm laser-guided derivative for aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs that can carry S-8 rockets. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Wikimedia Commons S-8 KOM filePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary image provenance and public-domain status for the S-8 KOM rocket image. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Wikimedia Commons B-8 pod filePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the gallery image provenance and attribution context for the B-8 rocket pod used with S-8 rockets. | Accessed: 2026-07-04