The Soviet 'Hurricane' that can carpet a landscape in 20 seconds

Countries & Cities · Published 13 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Imagine a vehicle capable of unleashing a full salvo of sixteen heavy rockets in just twenty seconds. The BM-27 Uragan was engineered for this kind of devastating speed, designed to saturate vast areas with explosives or mines while keeping its crew shielded from the fallout.

Entering service with the Soviet Army in the late 1970s, the BM-27 Uragan (GRAU index 9P140) was a pioneer in heavy multiple rocket systems. It was the first of its kind to feature spin and fin stabilization for its 220 mm rockets. Mounted on a ZIL-135 8x8 chassis, the 20-tonne vehicle uses two gasoline engines—one for each side of the truck—to reach speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour. While it shares a visual resemblance to the Luna-M free flight rocket system, its primary role is high-volume indirect fire.

The system's mechanical efficiency is notable: a six-man crew can emplace or displace the launcher in only three minutes. To ensure safety during operation, the cab is NBC protected and features a blast shield that must be raised before firing. Aiming is managed via a PG-1 panoramic telescope. Specialising in mine deployment, the Uragan launches 220 mm rockets capable of dispersing 312 PFM-1 anti-personnel mines; Soviet troops utilised this method during the Afghan conflict to surround units or block fleeing opponents.

Modern iterations have significantly expanded these capabilities. The Uragan-1M, commissioned in 2008 and delivered to the Russian Army starting in September 2016, features automated processes and can fire both 220 mm rockets and the larger 300 mm rockets of the BM-30 Smerch system. Furthermore, the successor 9A53 Uragan-U offers a modular assembly that allows it to fire rockets from three different systems (Smerch, Grad, and Uragan) using its 15 launch tubes. These advancements have extended the reach of guided versions to 70 kilometers.

The global footprint of the Uragan remains significant. As of 2024, Russia maintains a large inventory of over 200 units in service with hundreds more in storage. Other nations including Angola, Libya, and Ukraine also operate variants or prototypes like the Bureviy, which utilizes a digital fire control system for target sharing.

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