The RBU-1200 (Russian: Реактивно-Бомбовая Установка, Reaktivno-Bombovaja Ustanovka; reaction engine-bomb installation & Смерч; waterspout) is an anti-submarine rocket launcher. The weapon system is remotely similar to the British Hedgehog anti submarine mortar launcher from the Second World War.
Description
The RBU-1200 system was developed in 1955 to provide anti-submarine capability against submarines and torpedoes by surface vessels. In order to allow installation on small warships the design was made very lightweight. The RBU-1200 system has five tubes with rocket-propelled depth bombs per each launcher. Reloading is performed manually. The launcher cannot be swiveled horizontally, but rather has to be aimed by turning the entire warship, which is a serious disadvantage of the weapon system and limits its flexibility. The system is controlled by a PUS-B "Uragan" fire control system. The system uses RGB-12 rocket-propelled depth bombs,which are fitted with contact fuzes. The projectile is propelled by a solid rocket fuel motor initially, and for the rest of the flight it follows a ballistic arc. The effective range of the system extends from 400 to 1200 meters. The contact fuze K-3 / K-3M, or combined contact-delay fuze KDV are used as a detonators. K-3 / K-3M fuze detonates the warhead if a target is hit directly or if the projectile sinks to the bottom. The KDV fuze besides activating on impact on the target (or bottom) at the depths of 25-330 meters can also be set to activate upon reaching a specified depth in the range of 10-330 meters.
== Technical data == Source:
Launcher
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 Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Bangladesh Navy Haizhui-class submarine chaser Type 037 submarine chaser Type 053H1 frigate Type 053H2 frigate People's Liberation Army Navy Type 051 destroyer Type 052 destroyer Type 053H1 frigate Bulgarian Navy Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Pauk-class corvette Cuban Revolutionary Navy Pauk-class corvette Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Egyptian Navy Finnish Navy Hämeenmaa-class minelayer Kiisla-class patrol boat Turunmaa-class gunboat Indonesian Navy Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Indian Navy Abhay-class corvette Libyan Navy Natya-class minesweeper Myanmar Navy Aung Zeya-class frigate Kyan Sittha-class frigate Type 053H1 frigate Anawrahta-class corvette Yan Nyein Aung-class submarine chaser Hainan-class submarine chaser Polish Navy Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Romanian Naval Forces Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Soviet Navy Russian Navy Project 1241.2 (Pauk class) Project 266M (Natya class) Kronshtadt-class submarine chaser Syrian Navy Natya-class minesweeper 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. Volksmarine Project 12 (Hai-class)
== See also == RBU-1000 RBU-2500 RBU-6000 RBU-12000
References
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.
== External links == Реактивная бомбометная установка РБУ-1200 of milrus.com (russian) World-Wide Ahead Throwing ASW Weapons of alternatewars.com