OTR-21 Tochka

OTR-21 Tochka SS-21 Scarab
Missiles systems Tochka-U at a Russian Federation rehearsal for the parade in Yekaterinburg
Type	Tactical ballistic missile
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1976–present (Scarab A) 1989–present (Scarab B) 1990–present (Scarab C)
Used by	See Operators
Wars	Yemeni Civil War (1994) First Chechen War Second Chechen War Syrian Civil War War in Donbass Yemeni Civil War (2015-present) Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015-present)
Production history
Manufacturer	KBM (Kolomna)
Produced	1973
Specifications
Weight	2,000 kg (4,400 lb) Scarab A 2,010 kg (4,430 lb) Scarab B 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) Scarab C
Length	6.4 m (21 ft)
Diameter	0.65 m (2 ft 2 in)
Warhead	Chemical, 100 kt nuclear warhead, EMP, or fragmentation filling
Engine	Single-stage Solid-fuel rocket 96kN[1]
Operational range	70 km (43 mi) Scarab A 120 km (75 mi) Scarab B 185 km (115 mi) Scarab C
Speed	1.8 km/s (1.1 mi/s; Mach 5.3)
Guidance system	Inertial guidance, Tochka-P added passive radar against radar installations
Accuracy	150 m (Scarab A)
Launch platform	BAZ-5921 Mobile TEL

OTR-21 Tochka (Russian: оперативно-тактический ракетный комплекс (ОТР) «Точка» ("dot"); English: Tactical Operational Missile Complex "Tochka") is a Soviet tactical ballistic missile. Its GRAU designation is 9K79; its NATO reporting name is SS-21 Scarab. It is transported in a 9P129 vehicle and raised prior to launch. It uses an inertial guidance system.

The OTR-21 forward deployment to East Germany began in 1981, replacing the earlier Luna-M series of unguided artillery rockets.

Description

The OTR-21 is a mobile missile launch system, designed to be deployed along with other land combat units on the battlefield. While the 9K52 Luna-M is large and relatively inaccurate, the OTR-21 is much smaller. The missile itself can be used for precise strikes on enemy tactical targets, such as control posts, bridges, storage facilities, troop concentrations and airfields. The fragmentation warhead can be replaced with a nuclear, biological or chemical warhead. The solid propellant makes the missile easy to maintain and deploy.

OTR-21 units are usually managed in a brigade structure. There are 18 launchers in a brigade; each launcher is provided with 2 or 3 missiles. The vehicle is completely amphibious, with a maximum road speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) and 8 km/h (5.0 mph) in water. It is NBC-protected. The system has been in development since 1968. Three variants were developed.

Scarab A

The initial Scarab A entered service with the Soviet Army in 1975. It carries one of three types of warhead:

• 482 kg (1,063 lb) of conventional HE
• fragmentation (lethal radius more than 200 m (660 ft)
• nuclear

The minimal range is about 15 km (9.3 mi), maximum range is 70 km (43 mi); its circular error probable (CEP) is estimated to be about 150 m (490 ft).

9M79K missile for 9K79 Tochka missile system

Use in combat

• In 1994 the Yemeni government used Tochka missiles against southern forces during the 1994 Yemen civil war.^[2]
• In 1999 Russia used the missiles in the Chechen Wars.^[3]
• At least 15 Tochka missiles were deployed by Russian forces from 8 to 11 August 2008 during the 2008 South Ossetia war.^[4]
• CNN reported that at least one has been used near Donetsk during the War in Donbass by either the Ukrainian army or the separatist forces. Ukrainian army issued a statement in which they denied the use of the balistic missile. ^[5][6][7]
• The Syrian Army fired at least one Tochka against Syrian rebels during the battle of Wadi al-Deif (near Ma'rat al-Nu'man, in the province of Idlib) in December 2014.^[8]
• On 20 August 2015, during the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015-present), Republican Guard (Yemen) loyal to Ali Abdullah Saleh fired a Tochka targeting a Saudi base.^[9]
• On 4 September 2015 Houthi forces fired a Tochka missile at Safir base in Marib killing over 100 Saudi-led coalition personnel.^[10][11][12]
• On 14 December 2015 Houthi forces fired another Tochka missile at Bab Al Mandab base killing over 150 Saudi-led coalition personnel stationed there.^[13][14][15]
• On 16 January 2016 Houthi forces fired a Tochka at Al Bairaq base in Marib killing dozens of Saudi-led coalition personnel ^[16][17]
• On 31 January 2016 Houthi forces fired a Tochka at Al Anad base in Lahj killing over 140 Saudi-led coalition personnel ^{[18][19][20][21]}
• On 26 April 2016 the Syrian Army fired a Tochka at Syrian rebels in the Syrian Civil Defense Center in west Aleppo^[22][23]
• On 14 June 2016 the Syrian Army fired a Tochka at Syrian rebel groups Al-Rahman Legion and Jaysh Al-Fustat in Eastern Ghouta, killing several fighters.^[24]
• On 20 March 2018 Syrian Arab Army fired a Tochka missile towards the Turkish Hatay province.^[25]
• On 23 July 2018 Syrian Arab Army fired two Tochka missiles as part of the ongoing internal civil war. Initially thought to be inbound to Israel, two David's Sling interceptors were fired by Israel. Few moments later it became clear they were going to strike within Syria, as such one interceptor was detonated over Israel while the fate of the other is unknown.^[26]

Operators

Map of OTR-21 operators in blue with former operators in red

Ukrainian OTR-21 Tochka missiles during the Independence Day parade in Kiev

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to OTR-21 Tochka.

• CSIS Missile Threat SS-21
• CSIS Missile Defense Project - The Missile War in Yemen
• SS-21 Scarab article on Warfare.ru
• Tochka-U Video
• SS-21 Scarab (9K79 Tochka)
• (in Russian) OTR Tochka