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252 results
OSMP898
Analyst Note:
The M712 ‘Copperhead’ is a laser-guided 155 mm artillery gun projectile carrying a high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead designed to engage armoured vehicles. The Copperhead was developed in the United States in the 1970s, and saw limited use during Operation Desert Storm. The M712 is is pictured here inside its shipping container, and the slots for the enclosed, deployable (‘pop-out’) wings and fins are visible. The M712 has two operational modes: a ballistic mode that follows a gun’s ballistic trajectory like a traditional artillery projectile, and a glide mode, which follows a longer and flatter trajectory. The preferred mode is set by the artillery crew before firing. (ARES)
OSMP883
Analyst Note:
The two North Korean 120 mm high explosive (HE) mortar projectiles in this image are each fitted with five cloth bags affixed above the tailfins. These are incremental propellant charges (sometimes known as augmenting, auxiliary, or supplemental charges), the number of which can be varied along with a mortar’s elevation to adjust the trajectory and range of the munition when fired. (ARES)
OSMP885
Analyst Note:
This image shows two Iranian 130 mm high explosive (HE) artillery gun projectiles. Calibre (“130MM”) and functional type (“HE - TNT”) markings are visible on the right-hand example, whilst a lot marking (“LOT:10/202[…]”) is partially obscured. The “TNT” marking indicates that this munition uses a trinitrotoluene composition as its explosive fill. (ARES)
OSMP884
Analyst Note:
This image shows an Iranian 122 mm high explosive (HE) artillery gun projectile. Like several other munitions, it is described in Iranian sources—and, in this case, on the munition itself—only by reference to the weapon with which it is most often associated: the Soviet-designed 122 mm D-30 howitzer (often rendered ‘D30’, without the hyphen, in Iranian service). This munition is also marked to indicate it was produced in 2023. Interpreting munitions markings in this way, especially where they indicate recent manufacture, may provide evidence of ongoing supply during a conflict. (ARES)
OSMP879
Analyst Note:
The munition indicated in this image as a 152 mm high explosive (HE) artillery gun projectile manufactured in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). (ARES)
OSMP984
Analyst Note:
This image shows part of the warhead section of an MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) series tactical ballistic missile. This is the base of the warhead section, which is connected to the rocket motor until the warhead separates. Once the warhead separates from the rocket motor, variants that contain submunitions see the outer shell of the warhead section explosively ruptured after imparting a spin to disperse the payload. A data plate is visible, giving information about the manufacturer (“Lockheed Martin Vought Systems”) and identifying this specific part (“WARHEAD, GUIDED MISSILE. HIGH EXPLOSIVE”. (ARES)
OSMP975
Analyst Note:
This image shows an SUU-30H/B, an air-delivered dispenser which can be configured to carry different submunition payloads. These can include 217 BLU-61 A/B, 650 BLU-63/B, or 650 BLU-86/B or BLU-86 A/B. The munition can also carry inert payloads. The specific combination of payload and dispenser determines the ‘Cluster Bomb Unit’ (CBU) designation, with SUU-30H/B dispensers being paired with different payloads to form the CBU-58 and CBU-71 series. Contextual information suggests that this dispenser was part of a CBU-58/B cluster munition, but this cannot be established from an assessment of this image alone. (ARES)
OSMP965
Analyst Note:
The internal components of large, complex munitions often feature markings to aid in assembly, supply chain oversight, and quality assurance. In this case, a data plate marked with the name of the manufacturer (“MBDA FRANCE”) has been affixed to one of the rear control fins (“EQ, VENTRAL, FIN TIP”) of the missile. The NATO Stock Number (NSN) is also visible. (ARES)
OSMP963
Analyst Note:
This image shows an actuator from a Storm Shadow-series missile. Actuators are components of guided munitions that are most often used to move control surfaces (e.g., fins and wings), enabling the munition to adjust its course in-flight in response to guidance commands. In this case, the component is fitted with a ‘data plate’ that indicates it was manufactured by MBDA France. (ARES)
OSMP960
Analyst Note:
This image shows the rear of the second stage of the penetrator warhead (also called a ‘follow-through’ warhead) of the Bomb Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge (BROACH) multi-stage warhead system present in the Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missile. The cylindrical object in the centre of the warhead (with a data plate marked “THALES”) is the fuze. (ARES)
OSMP958
Analyst Note:
This image shows part of a heavy-duty suspension lug associated with the Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missile. This is made clear from dot-peened markings which include “STORM SHADOW USE ONLY” and identifiers such as a NATO Stock Number (NSN). (ARES)
OSMP914
Analyst Note:
These R-122 ‘Grad’-type 122 mm surface-to-surface rockets were produced in North Korea. The example to the right is fitted with an F-122 impact fuze. Whilst a two-tone colour scheme is more common amongst those North Korean Grad rockets thus far identified in the context of the Ukraine conflict (these typically featuring a black forward section), uniformly coloured examples like this have also been identified previously. (ARES)
OSMP928
Analyst Note:
This remnant of an MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) surface-to-surface ballistic missile is marked to indicate it is the MGM-140A variant, a cluster munition which carries 950 M74 multi-purpose submunitions. Submunitions of this type are sometimes referred to by the acronym ‘anti-personnel and anti‑materiel (APAM)’. Additional markings indicate a manufacturing date (“10/96”; October 1996), a serial number (“411240”), and other information. (ARES)
OSMP118
Analyst Note:
The 9M27K3 surface-to-surface rocket is fitted with the 9N128K3 cargo warhead (seen here). This warhead carries a payload of 312 PFM-1 or PFM-1S scatterable anti-personnel landmines. (ARES)
OSMP859
Analyst Note:
The arming vane for a nose fuze (painted red) is visible on each of the two leftmost MAB-10B6 air-delivered bombs in this image. As the bomb falls, air passing over the arming vane causes it to spin, arming the fuze. (ARES)
OSMP865
Analyst Note:
This Iranian 60 mm mortar projectile is of the ‘Long Range’ type described without a specific model name in various Iranian export catalogues and other sources. The designation as marked on projectiles and packaging is variable, with observed formulations including “60mm H.E. L.R.”, “60mm H.E L.R”, and “60mm HE L.R”. Sometimes, as here, “60mm L.R” is followed by “HE / TNT”. (ARES)
OSMP864
Analyst Note:
This image shows what is probably just the body of an Israeli 155 mm smoke artillery projectile. Israel predominantly uses two varieties of 155 mm smoke munition: the M825 white phosphorous (WP) series of munitions, and the M150 hexachloroethane/zinc mixture (HC) munition. These munitions are externally near-identical, save for their markings. In this case, the markings are insufficient to determine whether the image shows an M825-series WP munition or an M150 HC munition. (ARES)
OSMP88
Analyst Note:
The 9M22S is essentially the ‘full-sized’ version of the shorter 9M28S surface-to-surface rocket previously recorded in the OSMP. Both rockets carry the same 9N510 incendiary warhead, but differ in the length of their rocket motor sections, and thus range. (ARES)
OSMP70
Analyst Note:
The 9Н123К (9N123K) cargo warhead is delivered by a 9М79К (9M79K) series surface-to-surface guided missile. This cluster munition carries fifty 9Н24 (9N24) high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) submunitions, and is launched from the 9К79 Tochka series of tactical ballistic missile launchers. (ARES)
OSMP68
Analyst Note:
A 9N24 submunition is visible to the left of the 9N123K warhead in this image. This high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) submunition is marked to indicate it was produced in 1989 and filled with A-IX-2 explosive composition. (ARES)
OSMP820
Analyst Note:
Labels on munition remnants can provide a host of useful data, including the model designation (in this case, “GBU-39/B”), part number (PN; (“70P998100-1003”), National Stock Number (NSN; “1325-01-526-8728”), serial number (SN; illegible), and Department of Defense Identification Code (DODIC; “EC53”). These codes, and others like them, can often be searched for in databases or provided to technical specialists for further interpretation. (ARES)
OSMP87
Analyst Note:
The 9M28S surface-to-surface unguided rocket carries the 9N510 warhead, which disperses burning thermite-type incendiary elements over a wide area upon functioning. This munition is designed to start fires in target areas vulnerable to incendiary attack, including forests, ammunition dumps, and fuel storage sites. (ARES)
OSMP12
Analyst Note:
This 9M27K-series surface-to-surface cargo rocket is carrying a payload of 9N210 or 9N235 high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) submunitions. These submunitions are difficult to distinguish unless their external markings are visible, or a close examination is made. (ARES)
OSMP590
Analyst Note:
The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) series includes variants with a variety of different payloads, including submunitions and unitary high explosive (HE) warheads. The number of submunitions carried and effective ranges also vary. Ukraine has reportedly received the MGM-140A and MGM-140B variants, which are externally visually identical and must usually be distinguished by markings. The MGM-140A carries 950 M74 submunitions, with an effective range of 165 km, while the MGM-140B carries only 300 M74 submunitions but has a longer effective range of 300 km. (ARES)
OSMP713
Analyst Note:
This is an Iranian 60 mm mortar projectile, marked to indicate it is of the ‘high explosive, long-range’ type (“H.E L.R”). Both the munition body and fuze are marked to with the year of production (“2008”). Whilst the tan colouring is often indicative of Iranian-made munitions (especially where the fins are also painted), this is not diagnostic, and a combination of physical features and markings should be assessed to reach a positive identification. (ARES)
OSMP710
Analyst Note:
Markings on this 106 mm recoilless gun projectile indicate it is a M344A1 high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round (“CH-106-M344-A1”) produced by Fábrica Nacional de Granada (“FNG”), Spain, in 1984 (“84”). The packing crate identifies the intended weapon as an M40A1 Cañón sin retroceso, or ‘recoilless rifle’ (“C.S.R. 106 M40 A1”). Other markings show that the round is fitted with an M509-type point-impact, base initiating (PIBD) fuze (“Espoleta PIBD M509”), and give additional details such as the expected muzzle velocity (“V₀”) of 503 m/s. (ARES)
OSMP714
Analyst Note:
This Iranian M91 81 mm mortar projectile is marked to indicate it was produced in 2009. The AZ111A2 fuze fitted to the projectile is also marked with the same year of manufacture. (ARES)
OSMP722
Analyst Note:
The 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided missile was designed and fielded by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It uses an outdated guidance principle known as manual command to line-of-sight (MCLOS), in which the operator must manually adjust the course of the missile in flight. Nonetheless, this munition has been seen in several 21st-century conflicts. (ARES)
OSMP739
Analyst Note:
Whilst the rear section of the AGM-179 JAGM (seen here, in part) is derived from the AGM-114 Hellfire series of air-to-surface missiles—and thus shares physical characteristics in terms of general construction, including rear fin placement—the warning label indicating a weight of 52.0 kg (115 lbs) suggests the remnant is from a JAGM. (ARES)
OSMP712
Analyst Note:
This Iranian M48 120 mm mortar projectile is marked to indicate it was manufactured in 2008. A plastic bag cable-tied to the tail of the munition protects the auxiliary, or supplemental, propellant charges fitted to the round. (ARES)
OSMP711
Analyst Note:
This Iranian copy of the Chinese Type 63 107 mm rocket is marked with a red stripe and text to indicate it is of the high explosive incendiary (“H.E.I”) type. Markings also show that it was produced in 2007. (ARES)
OSMP647
Analyst Note:
The remnants shown in these linked images have been falsely identified in Russian sources as chemical munitions. This image clearly exhibits the marking “NBK DM 1216”—the ‘NBK’ standing for the German Nebelkörper (‘smoke element’)—identifying this as one of four DM 1216 hexachloroethane/zinc (HC) smoke elements dispensed by the German DM 105 155 mm artillery gun projectile. Video of the incident shows all four elements being ejected from the base of the projectile in flight. (ARES)
OSMP625
Analyst Note:
The SPICE family of munitions, manufactured by Israeli aerospace and defence company Rafael, includes two models which use ‘bolt-on’ guidance kits. The SPICE 1000 and SPICE 2000 models convert 1,000- and 2,000-pound unguided aerial bombs, respectively, to precision guided munitions. (ARES)
OSMP507
Analyst Note:
Israeli illumination munitions—often finished in a distinctive yellow—are sometimes mistaken for high explosive munitions by observers more familiar with the NATO or U.S. marking systems. This image shows an M485-pattern illumination projectile, a base-eject type that uses a parachute-retarded canister containing a powerful candle to illuminate the battlefield.
OSMP512
Analyst Note:
This image shows a component believed to be part of the folding-blade assembly used in the AGM-114R-9X variant of the Hellfire missile. Blades are used in place of an explosive payload to create a kinetic weapon that achieves a practical level of lethality whilst minimising collateral harm. (ARES)
OSMP582
Analyst Note:
Little is known with certainty about the AGM-114-R9X variant of the Hellfire missile, although it has been associated with high-profile targeted killings including those of senior al-Qaeda figures. The weapon functions as a kinetic-impact munition, using pop-out blades—rather than an explosive warhead—to reduce the prospects of collateral harm. (ARES)
OSMP579
Analyst Note:
The M825A1 155 mm smoke projectile makes use of white phosphorus (WP) to generate a brilliant white smoke. Whilst WP does have incendiary effects, the method of dispersal in the case of the M825A1 is optimised for screening and marking purposes. (ARES)
OSMP533
Analyst Note:
This image depicts an M117-series unguided aerial bomb. Belonging to a class of weapons referred to as ‘demolition bombs’—which use Tritonal or similar explosive compounds to generate a more powerful blast effect than TNT or Composition B—the M117 is an American design which dates to the Korean War era and is rarely seen in service with modern armed forces. (ARES)
OSMP513
Analyst Note:
Some artillery projectiles, such as this M150 type, use a hexachloroethane-based composition (HC) to generate smoke for screening or marking purposes. In many armed forces, HC smoke munitions have partially replaced those relying on white phosphorus for similar effects. (ARES)
OSMP509
Analyst Note:
107mm spin-stabilized rockets of this design are often utilized by non-state actors in an indirect fire role. Like the original Chinese models that they are copied from, they do not require more than a simple electric power source and a rudimentary launch platform to achieve an acceptable level of accuracy. (ARES)
OSMP244
Analyst Note:
The various Iranian Qaem-series guided air-delivered bombs can be difficult to differentiate from one another. In this case, the wing (forward fin) assembly distinguishes this Qaem-5 from the visually similar Qaem-1. Note also that the name 'Qaem' has applied by Iran to other, unrelated munitions. (ARES)
OSMP335
Analyst Note:
Once fired, four canards will deploy from the forward (ogival) section of these M982 Excalibur guided artillery projectiles. The narrow-shaped ports through which the canards deploy are a good indicator of a guided or extended-range artillery projectile. (ARES)
OSMP338
Analyst Note:
Many guided (or otherwise complex) munitions like this one are marked with additional information on individual assemblies or components. This can include information on sub-contractors that produced or integrated specific parts of a munition. (ARES)
OSMP339
Analyst Note:
In this image, a Ukrainian soldier is using an M1155 Enhanced Portable Inductive Artillery Fuze Setter (EPIAFS) to input the target coordinates and set functioning parameters for an M982 Excalibur guided artillery projectile. (ARES)
OSMP505
Analyst Note:
The MK 84 series of unguided air-delivered bombs can be converted to precision guided munitions by being fitted with guidance kits such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), SPICE 2000, or Paveway series. This MK 84 is also marked with a variant designation “MOD 4”. (ARES)
OSMP483
Analyst Note:
Russian air-delivered cluster bombs, such as this one, are often named using a designation that is a compound of the names of the cargo (carrier) bomb and the submunition it carries. For example, this RBK-500 unguided, air-delivered cluster bomb carries 268 PTAB-1M HEAT submunitions, and is thus designated the 'RBK-500 PTAB-1M'. (ARES)
OSMP456
Analyst Note:
This component is one of four pneumatically controlled canards from the guidance section of a Paveway II precision guided munition (PGM) conversion kit. When a Paveway II conversion kit is fitted to a MK 82 series unguided air-delivered bomb (note markings), the munition receives a GBU-12 series designation. (ARES)
OSMP451
Analyst Note:
Although this munition started out life as a mortar projectile of the M492-pattern, it has been modified to be dropped from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and, in its present state, could not be fired from a conventional mortar. As such, it is correctly classified here as an air-delivered bomb. (ARES)
OSMP286
Analyst Note:
These S-25-O air-to-surface rockets are each loaded into a single-barrelled O-25 rocket launcher (sometimes called a 'launch tube' or 'rocket pod') that is affixed to an aircraft hardpoint. The over-calibre high explosive fragmentation warhead (of 420 mm in diameter) protrudes from the front of the tube. (ARES)
OSMP272
Analyst Note:
Whilst most mortars are smoothbore guns, some have a rifled bore. These M1101 120 mm mortar projectiles feature a 'pre-rifled' driving band—that is, a driving band with grooves cut at the factory to fit the mortar's rifling. (ARES)
OSMP250
2 Analyst Notes:
The plum-coloured plastic ring at the nose of this mortar projectile (placed over its fuze) and the black plastic propellant cover (placed over its tail) are both fitted for transport and storage, before the projectile is loaded into a cardboard tube, and then packed into an outer crate. The propellant cover obscures the perforated cylindrical tail assembly in this image. (ARES)
OSMP220
Analyst Note:
This image depicts a Ukrainian-made version of the Soviet-era OF-25 152 mm artillery projectile, the designation of which is not publicly known at this time (May 2024). The yellow base colour was commonly found in batches produced by Ukroboronprom in late 2022. Later batches returned to a grey base colour. (ARES)
OSMP208
Analyst Note:
The OF-NMR is a rocket-assisted mortar projectile, which uses a solid-fuel rocket motor located in the cylindrical portion of the body, below the ogive, to extend its range. Rocket-assisted mortar projectiles are rarely encountered. (ARES)
OSMP216
Analyst Note:
The “+” marking is a weight classification symbol which indicates standard deviation. One “+” sign indicates a deviation from 0.33% to 1.00% of the stated weight. (ARES)
OSMP163
Analyst Note:
Whereas many cartridges are of the 'fixed' type—with the propellant charge contained entirely within the cartridge, and the cartridge case crimped around the projectile—the OF-540 artillery gun projectile is a type of 'semi-fixed' ammunition. A round of semi-fixed ammunition is separated into two groups of components: the projectile and fuze; and the cartridge case, primer, and one or more propellant charges. These two component groups are typically combined at the time of loading the gun, or shortly beforehand. The majority of ammunition fired by artillery systems is either semi-fixed or 'separate loading' (see Glossary). (ARES)
OSMP169
Analyst Note:
The 120 mm 3-Z-2 incendiary mortar projectile contains 6 incendiary elements, four large and two small. These are hollow steel ‘cups’ filled with an incendiary mixture of an unknown type, but understood to be comparable in effect to thermite. (ARES)
OSMP150
Analyst Note:
The AGM-88 High-Speed-Anti-Radiation-Missile (HARM) is an air-to-surface anti-radiation guided missile that seeks and destroys radar-based air-defence systems by detecting radar emissions, locking on to these, and using them to home in on a target. (ARES)
OSMP120
Analyst Note:
This image shows a 9M27K2 cargo rocket as well as several partially ejected PTM-1 anti-vehicle landmines. This 9M27K variant is fitted with the 9N128K2 payload section which carries and dispenses 24 PTM-1 mines. Other variants carry different mines or submunitions. (ARES)
OSMP2
Analyst Note:
In the Ukraine conflict, several groups have offered a service whereby financial supporters can have a message of their choice marked on a munition. Such messages are often references to memes or popular media. The middle artillery projectile shown here is marked with “omae wa mou shindeiru”—an English transliteration of the Japanese phrase お前はもう死んでいる (“you are already dead”), which appears in the popular Fist of the North Star manga and anime series. (ARES)