M28 (Ukraine)

M28 (Ukraine)
Name	M28 (Ukraine)
Type	Rocket artillery
Origin	Ukraine
Used by	Armed Forces of Ukraine, National Guard of Ukraine
Manufacturer	UkrOboronProm, Luch Design Bureau, Artem
Service	2023–present
Wars	Russo-Ukrainian War, Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022)

M28 (Ukraine) is a Ukrainian unguided multiple-launch rocket system developed during the Russo-Ukrainian War and fielded by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and National Guard of Ukraine. The system was developed by Luch Design Bureau with production support from UkrOboronProm and Artem, and has been deployed in frontline campaigns including operations around Bakhmut, Kherson, and Donetsk Oblast. The M28 complements legacy systems such as the BM-21 Grad, 9K58 Smerch, and Western-supplied systems like the M270 MLRS.

Design and Development

The M28 program began as a collaboration between Luch Design Bureau, Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau, and private firms including Fort, aiming to replace aging BM-21 Grad stocks and integrate lessons from the Donbas campaign and the Battle of Ilovaisk. Early design choices referenced work by Soviet Union era engineers and contemporary systems like the ASTROS II and HIMARS, and prototypes were tested at ranges near Yavoriv and Oleshky Sands under oversight from the Ministry of Defence (Ukraine). Emphasis was placed on mobility using chassis from KrAZ or Tatra, modular launcher pods influenced by Ukrainian Ground Forces modernization programs, and warhead compatibility with stockpiles from Soviet Union and captured Russian Armed Forces munitions. Development milestones were publicly acknowledged during defense exhibitions such as Arms and Security (Kyiv) and by officials from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's administration.

Specifications

The launcher mounts modular pods of 122 mm and 300 mm rockets compatible with munitions from BM-21 Grad and 9A52-2 Smerch programs, with a salvo capacity ranging from 20 to 12 rockets depending on pod configuration. The fire-control suite incorporates avionics-style inertial navigation referencing systems like GLONASS and GPS and battlefield networking compatible with Joint Forces Operation command posts and tactical data links used by Ukrainian Navy coastal batteries. Mobility is provided by a KrAZ-63221 or Tatra T815 chassis with a top road speed similar to contemporary self-propelled artillery and a crew compartment interoperable with NATO-standard communications. Range varies by rocket type from short-range 20–40 km 122 mm munitions to extended-range 70–120 km 300 mm rockets, and warhead types include high-explosive, fragmentation, thermobaric, and training munitions compatible with legacy inventories such as those used in the Donetsk People's Republic conflicts.

Operational History

The M28 entered limited service in late 2023 and saw initial combat deployment during counteroffensive operations in Kherson Oblast and around Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Units from Ukrainian Ground Forces artillery brigades and formations reassigned from Zaporizhzhia sectors conducted coordinated strikes with Ukrainian Air Force reconnaissance from Bayraktar TB2 drones and electronic warfare support from units equipped with systems like the Kolchuga. The platform has been used in combined-arms actions involving formations tied to Operational Command South and Operational Command East, and has been cited in after-action reports alongside systems such as the BM-27 Uragan, Gvozdika, and Western donations including HIMARS and M142 HIMARS. Field employment emphasized shoot-and-scoot tactics to mitigate threats from Russian Aerospace Forces artillery counter-battery fire and anti-radiation missiles like the Kh-31P.

Variants and Modifications

Production variants include a 122 mm pod variant optimized for saturated-area effect similar to the BM-21 Grad concept and a 300 mm extended-range variant designed to field larger warheads comparable to the Smerch family. Specialized modifications incorporate improved fire-control modules linked to Ukrainian Defence Industry command networks, autonomous reload systems influenced by designs tested at Yavoriv ranges, and decoy-launcher suites to complicate targeting by Russian Armed Forces reconnaissance satellites and drones. Experimental versions have tested loitering munitions integration inspired by Lancet and Geran-2 operations and guidance kits analogous to the Kitolov series.

Operators

- Armed Forces of Ukraine — main operator with deployment to artillery brigades, mechanized brigades, and reserves. - National Guard of Ukraine — secondary operator for internal defense and rear-area fire support. - Ukrainian defense-industrial consortiums such as UkrOboronProm and Luch Design Bureau operate prototype and test units.

Incidents and Losses

M28 units have suffered combat losses and capture during engagements in Donetsk Oblast and Zaporizhzhia Oblast, frequently due to combined artillery duels and precision strikes by Russian Armed Forces aviation and missile assets including Iskander launches and loitering munitions. Several documented incidents involved loss during logistic movements on routes near Kharkiv and ambushes associated with roadside IED attacks attributed to irregular formations operating in contested corridors. Recovery and salvage operations have been carried out by Ukrainian military intelligence elements and repair teams supported by Ukrainian State Concern facilities.

Category:Rocket artillery of Ukraine Category:Weapons introduced in the 2020s