On August 31, 2024, Russian forces launched a missile attack on Kharkiv, marking the first use of the Grom-E1 hybrid missile against the city. The attack, which occurred during the evening, was reported by Kharkiv’s Mayor Ihor Terekhov. This missile is based on the Soviet Kh-38 missile, with a maximum range of up to 120 km.
Tactical and Technical Specifications:
- Launch Weight: 594 kg
- Warhead: High-explosive fragmentation warhead, 315 kg
- Launch Range: 10 km – 120 km
- Launch Altitude: 500 m – 12,000 m
- Carrier Aircraft Speed: 140 – 445 m/s
- Average Flight Speed: 300 m/s (at launch altitude 12,000 m and carrier speed 445 m/s, with a distance to target of 120 km)
- Linear Overloads: Up to 4g
- Propulsion System: Weighs 161 kg, includes both a starting and a propulsion engine, with the possibility of using a rocket engine from the Kh-38 missile.
Warhead and Propulsion System:
The Grom-E1 features a high-explosive modular warhead (MW) of the 9-Zh1-7759 type, weighing 315 kg, and is equipped with a contact fuze. After the missile is dropped, the launch rocket engine activates, followed by the main rocket engine. The missile is designed to descend on the target at a steep angle.
Comparison to Other Weapons:
The Grom-E1 is approximately 1.8 times more effective than the OFAB-250-270 free-fall aircraft bomb, showcasing its destructive capability.
Variants of the Grom Missile
- Grom-E1: The standard version with a rocket engine and a maximum range of 120 km.
- Grom-E2: A modified version without a rocket engine module, which increases the warhead weight to 480 kg but reduces the flight range to 65 km.
Both versions share a unified cylindrical body with an animated nose, a normal aerodynamic design, and a folding boom wing. They can be deployed from internal compartments or external suspension units of carrier aircraft like the MiG-35, Su-34, Su-35, Su-57, and helicopters.
Previous Deployments in the War Against Ukraine
The Grom-E1 missile has been used in several attacks prior to the Kharkiv strike:
- March 2023: Fragments similar to the Grom system were found in the Kuibyshev district of Donetsk.
- February 1, 2024: A school in Myrnohrad was attacked with a Grom-E1 missile.
- February 2024: Kherson was shelled using these hybrid missiles.
- March 2024: A five-story building in Myrnohrad was destroyed, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to five others.
The August 31, 2024 Attack on Kharkiv
On the night of August 31, at approximately 10:45 p.m., Russia launched a Grom-E1 missile at Kharkiv, targeting a roadway near a high-rise building in the Sloboda district. The attack resulted in the following:
- A 13-year-old girl and two women, aged 24 and 20, suffered acute stress reactions.
- A 26-year-old man sustained injuries.
- Damage was inflicted on buildings of a civilian enterprise and over 25 cars.
Subsequent analysis of the wreckage revealed that the missile was launched from the village of Berezove in Russia’s Belgorod region.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What type of missile was used in the August 31, 2024, attack on Kharkiv?
a) Kh-38
b) OFAB-250-270
c) Grom-E1
d) Grom-E2
Answer: c) Grom-E1 - What is the maximum range of the Grom-E1 hybrid missile?
a) 65 km
b) 120 km
c) 200 km
d) 90 km
Answer: b) 120 km - Which aircraft can deploy the Grom-E1 missile?
a) MiG-35
b) Su-34
c) Su-57
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above - What was the weight of the warhead used in the Grom-E1 missile?
a) 480 kg
b) 315 kg
c) 200 kg
d) 400 kg
Answer: b) 315 kg - Which feature of the Grom-E2 variant differentiates it from the Grom-E1?
a) Higher flight range
b) Increased warhead weight
c) Rocket engine module
d) Improved speed
Answer: b) Increased warhead weight