Russian Arms Company Tecmash concern presented the newest S-13B increased effectiveness multipurpose unguided rocket at the MAKS-2021 expo for the first time. The S-13B increased effectiveness which combines the capabilities of two previously developed the S-13 122 mm calibre unguided rocket weapon family, the C-13T and the S-13OF. The S-13 rocket was developed in the 1970s to meet requirements for a penetrating weapon capable of cratering runways and penetrating hardened aircraft shelters, bunkers and pillboxes, to fill a gap between 80 mm and 240 mm rockets and fulfill a role similar to the 127 mm Zuni rocket.
The S-13B rocket is capable of piercing through and through up to six meters of soil or one meter of reinforced concrete, covered with soil to a thickness of two to three meters. The S-13B is capable of destroying up to 20 square meters of the runway. The family of 122mm S-13 rockets includes S-13B armour-piercing high-explosive (APHE), S-13-T with two-module concrete-piercing HE warhead, S-13-OF with HE fragmentation warhead, S-13 D and S-13DF with an enhanced FAE warhead. The S-13 is a conventional 122mm caliber unguided rocket with a solid-propellant motor and fitted with folding fins for ballistic stability. The 122mm S-13B unguided rocket is slightly longer (2.63m) and has an increased warhead weight (23kg/1.92kg).
Ammunition of 122 mm caliber strikes lightly vulnerable military equipment located in the folds of the terrain, placers of stones, caves, forests, and open fortifications. The air-to-ground rockets are meant for launching from either fixed- or rotary-wing aircraft fired from 5 barrel multiple rocket launchers. S-13 rockets are shot from 5-tube launchers B-13L, that can be carried by most of Soviet and Russian attack and new fighter aircraft, like Sukhoi Su-17/20/22, Sukhoi Su-24, Sukhoi Su-25, Sukhoi Su-27, MiG-23BN, MiG-27, MiG-29. B-13L1 launcher is used by helicopters such as Mil Mi-24, Mil Mi-28, Kamov Ka-29TB, Kamov Ka-50 and Kamov Ka-52.
NZIV (part of the Tekhmash concern under the management of the Technodinamika holding) is an enterprise specializing in the production of unguided aircraft missiles, ammunition for MLRS, as well as industrial explosives used in seismic exploration. Tecmash is a Russian arms industry company within the state-owned Rostec group producing and developing weapons, munitions, and ammunition for Armed Forces. The structure of the holding company JSC “SPC” Tecmash “currently includes 48 organizations of industry of munitions and special chemicals, 47 companies belong to the military-industrial complex and included in the consolidated register of organizations of military-industrial complex of the Russian Federation.
