2K6 Luna
Encyclopedia
The 2K6 Luna is a Soviet short-range ballistic missile complex. Luna rockets are solid-fuel, unguided and spin-stabilized. "2K6" is its GRAU
designation. Its NATO reporting name
s are FROG-3 (with 3R9 missile) and FROG-5 (with 3R10 missile). From 1965, the 2K6 Luna was replaced by the far more successful 9K52 Luna-M.
and in 1959 in the Transbaikal Military District
. As a result of these evaluations, it was decided to abandon the TZM, to improve the SPU and to redesign the rocket. This led to the development of the 3R9 and 3R10 rockets. The decission to start series production was taken on 29 December 1959. The first 5 systems were ready in January 1960 after which the state acceptance trials were carried out until March of that same year. In 1960 the Luna system entered service with the Soviet Army
where it remained until 1982. From 1960 till 1964, a total of 432 SPU 2P16s was produced. In the first year alone, 80 launch vehicles and 365 rockets were finished.
There have been a couple of variants of the launch vehicle, for example the 2P21 a.k.a. Br-226-II on ZiL-134 8x8 truck, but these never entered service.
The FROG-6 is, according to Western sources the NATO designator for the truck-based training system PV-65. Russian sources however claim that this system is the prototype of the Br-226-I launch vehicle on KrAZ-214.
12 2K6 complexes were located in Cuba
.
Grau
Grau is a German word meaning "gray" and a Catalan word meaning "grade". It may refer to:* BAP Almirante Grau , a De Zeven Provinciën class cruiser in service with the Peruvian Navy* Grau Käse, Tyrolean grey cheese...
designation. Its NATO reporting name
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
s are FROG-3 (with 3R9 missile) and FROG-5 (with 3R10 missile). From 1965, the 2K6 Luna was replaced by the far more successful 9K52 Luna-M.
Design history
The Luna system was developed in NII-1 from 1953, under the supervision of N. P. Mazurov. Luna followed the earlier designs 2K1 Mars and 2K4 Filin. While NII-1 was responsible for the rocket, the launch and transporter-loader vehicles were designed by TsNII-58. The initial system name was S-125A "Pion". In 1957 the prototypes of the launch vehicle (SPU S-123A on Ob'yekt 160 chassis), the transloader (TZM S-124A on Ob'yekt 161 chassis) and the 3R5 rocket were ready for evaluations. These were carried out in 1958 in Kapustin YarKapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar is a Russian rocket launch and development site in Astrakhan Oblast, between Volgograd and Astrakhan. Known today as Znamensk , it was established 13 May 1946 and in the beginning used technology, material, and scientific support from defeated Germany...
and in 1959 in the Transbaikal Military District
Military district (Soviet Union)
In the Soviet Union, a military district was a territorial association of military units, formations, military schools, and various local military administrative establishments...
. As a result of these evaluations, it was decided to abandon the TZM, to improve the SPU and to redesign the rocket. This led to the development of the 3R9 and 3R10 rockets. The decission to start series production was taken on 29 December 1959. The first 5 systems were ready in January 1960 after which the state acceptance trials were carried out until March of that same year. In 1960 the Luna system entered service with the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
where it remained until 1982. From 1960 till 1964, a total of 432 SPU 2P16s was produced. In the first year alone, 80 launch vehicles and 365 rockets were finished.
System description
The missile complex consisted of- the launch vehicle SPU 2P16 (Ob'yekt 160), based on a modified PT-76BPT-76The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
chassis with return rollers and fitted with a launch rail, elevation mechanism, stabilizing jacks and a generator. Combat weight was 18 t; - the rocket 3R9 with conventional HE warhead 3N15 and with a range of 12 to 44.6 km,
- the rocket 3R10 with a 400 kg nuclear warhead 3N14 and with a range of 10 to 32.1 km;
- a missile transporter 2U663 based on the ZiL-157V with 2 missiles;
- a vehicle 2U662 to transport and store nuclear warheads;
- a mobile crane ADK K52 (on MAZ-502), ADK K61 (on MAZ-200) or 9T31 (on Ural-375);
- sets of maintenance vehicles PRTB-1, 2U659 etc.;
- control and command vehicle PU-2 and
- a training set with training rocket PV-65 or 3R11 with training warhead 3N16.
There have been a couple of variants of the launch vehicle, for example the 2P21 a.k.a. Br-226-II on ZiL-134 8x8 truck, but these never entered service.
The FROG-6 is, according to Western sources the NATO designator for the truck-based training system PV-65. Russian sources however claim that this system is the prototype of the Br-226-I launch vehicle on KrAZ-214.
Operational history
Luna has entered service in 1960 and remained in service with the Soviet Army until 1982. Each Motorised Rifle and Tank Division had one Rocket Battalion with two batteries, each with two 2P16s. During the Cuban missile crisisCuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
12 2K6 complexes were located in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.