RBU-1200
The RBU-1200 (Russian: Реактивно-Бомбовая Установка, Reaktivno-Bombovaja Ustanovka; reaction engine-bomb installation & Смерч; waterspout) is a Russian anti submarine rocket launcher. The weapon system is remotely similar to the British Hedgehog anti submarine rocket launcher from the Second World War.
![](../I/RBU-1200_Pauk.jpg.webp)
Description
![](../I/Kurki_51_RBU-1200.JPG.webp)
The system is very light and was developed in 1955 especially for smaller vessels. It can not be swiveled horizontally, it is targeted with the entire ship, which is a serious disadvantage of the weapon system.
The RBU-1200 has five launcher pipes in one system. Reloading is done manually.
The system is controlled by a PUS-B "Uragan" fire control system.
The system is designed to destroy submarines and torpedoes.
Ammunition RGB-12 uses contact fuzes. The launch is made of solid rocket fuel, the flight itself is ballistic arc with a long range from 400 to 1200 meters. The contact lighter K-3, K-3M, or combined contact-remote lighter KDV is used as a lighter. Lighter K-3 / K-3M activates the warhead in direct hit target (or impact on the bottom), KDV lighter outside impact on the target (bottom) in the range of 25-330 meters can also be set to activate when reaching the specified depths in the range 10-330 meters.[1]
Technical data[2]
Launcher
![](../I/RBU-1200_Balaklava.jpg.webp)
- Weight: 620 kg (empty)
- Length: 1.38 m
- Height: 1.1 m
- Width: 1,115 m
- Elevation: 0 to 51 °
- Traverse: 0°
RGB-12 projectile
- Weight: 73 kg
- Warhead: 30 kg
- Diameter: 251.7 mm
- Length: 1.24 m
- Range: 400 m to 1200 m
- Depth: up to 350 m
- Rate of descent: 6.25 m/s
Operators
Ship classes fitted with RBU-1200 (list not complete):
Albanian Naval Force
Bangladesh Navy
People's Liberation Army Navy
Bulgarian Navy
Cuban Revolutionary Navy
Finnish Navy
Indonesian Navy
Indian Navy
Libyan Navy
Myanmar Navy
Polish Navy
Romanian Naval Forces
Soviet Navy
Russian Navy
- Project 1241.2 (Pauk class)
- Project 266M (Natya class)
- Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser
Syrian Arab Navy
Vietnam People's Navy
Vietnam People's Ground Force
- Installed on Vietnam People's Navy's decommissioned Project 201 subchasers. Usable systems are transferred to the Vietnam People's Ground Force for ground-attacking roles.
Refurbishing, upgrading and resembling projects are reported.[3]
- Installed on Vietnam People's Navy's decommissioned Project 201 subchasers. Usable systems are transferred to the Vietnam People's Ground Force for ground-attacking roles.
Volksmarine
- Project 12 (Hai-class)
References
- "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- "Việt Nam dùng rocket chống ngầm RBU-1200 để tấn công mặt đất". datviet.trithuccuocsong.vn. 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
- The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Systems 1997-1998
- Warfare.ru Smerch system
- "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.