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The Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (), commonly referred to by its transliterated acronym GRAU (), is a department of the
Russian Ministry of Defense The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (; MOD) is the governing body of the Russian Armed Forces. The President of Russia is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Commander-in-Chief of the forces ...
. It is subordinate to the Chief of Armament and Munition of the
Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...
, a vice-minister of defense. The organization dates back to 1862 when it was established under the name Main Artillery Directorate (, GAU). The "R" from "rockets" was added to the title from 19 November 1960. The GRAU is responsible for assigning GRAU indices to
Russian army The Russian Ground Forces (), also known as the Russian Army in English, are the Army, land forces of the Russian Armed Forces. The primary responsibilities of the Russian Ground Forces are the protection of the state borders, combat on land, ...
ammunition Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of oth ...
s and
equipment Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by ...
. As of April 2025, the Chief of the GRAU was Major General Aleksey Volkov.


Arsenals

Arsenals of the GRAU, according to
Kommersant (, , ''The Businessman'' or Commerce Man, often shortened to Ъ) is a nationally distributed daily newspaper published in Russia mostly devoted to politics and business. The TNS Media and NRS Russia certified July 2013 circulation of the daily ...
-Vlast in 2005, included the 53rd at Dzerzhinsk, Nizhniy Novogorod Oblast, the 55th in the Sklad-40 microraion at
Rzhev Rzhev ( rus, Ржев, p=ˈrʐɛf) is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population: Hist ...
, the 60th at
Kaluga Kaluga (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Kaluga Oblast, Russia. It stands on the Oka River southwest of Moscow. Its population was 337,058 at the 2021 census. Kaluga's most famous residen ...
, the 63rd at
Lipetsk Lipetsk (, ), also Romanization of Russian, romanized as Lipeck, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, located on the banks of the Voronezh (river), Voronezh River in the Do ...
, the 75th at
Serpukhov Serpukhov ( rus, Серпухов, p=ˈsʲerpʊxəf) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Oka River, Oka and the Nara (Oka), Nara Rivers, 99 kilometers (62 miles) south fro ...
south of Moscow, and the 97th at Skolin (all five in the
Moscow Military District The Order of Lenin Moscow Military District () is a Military districts of Russia, military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Originally it was a district of the Imperial Russian Army until the Russian Empire's collapse in 191 ...
). An additional possibly disused arsenal in the Moscow Military District is the 107th at
Toropets Toropets () is a town and the administrative center of Toropetsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, located where the Toropa River enters Lake Solomennoye. Population: History In 1074, when the town was first mentioned in chronicles, Torop ...
. The 5th at Alatyr, Chuvash Republic, the 80th Arsenal at Gagarskiy, the 103rd Arsenal at
Saransk Saransk (, ); ; is the capital city of Mordovia, Russia, as well as its financial and economic centre. It is located in the Volga River, Volga drainage basin, basin at the confluence of the Saranka and Insar Rivers, about east of Moscow. Sar ...
, Mordovia, and the 116th at Krasno-Oktyabrskiy were all in the Volga–Urals Military District.


Fires and explosions

Since 2009, there have been a number of fires and explosions at GRAU ammunition storage depots. * A major series of explosions occurred at an arms depot of the 31st Arsenal of the
Caspian Flotilla The Caspian Flotilla () is the flotilla of the Russian Navy in the Caspian Sea. Established in November 1722 by the order of Tsar Peter the Great as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Caspian Flotilla is the oldest flotilla in the Russian ...
near
Ulyanovsk Ulyanovsk,, , known as Simbirsk until 1924, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Ulyanovsk has been the only Russian UNESCO Ci ...
on 13 November 2009. At least two people were killed in the explosion and 43 were rescued from a bomb shelter where they had taken refuge. * There were fires and explosions at the 102nd Arsenal GRAU at Pugachevo ( Malaya Purga) in
Udmurtia Udmurtia, officially the Udmurt Republic, is a republics of Russia, republic of Russia located in Eastern Europe. It is administratively part of the Volga Federal District. Its capital city, capital is the types of inhabited localities in Russi ...
(Volga-Urals Military District) in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2018, and two other incidents in 2011 at the 99th Arsenal in Bashkiria and at Ashuluk. There were three more fires in 2012. * On December 26, 2013, an
Antonov An-12 The Antonov An-12 ( Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than thr ...
B transport aircraft of the Irkut company was flying along the route Novosibirsk - Irkutsk, but when landing, it crashed onto a warehouse of the 109th Arsenal GRAU located near the Irkutsk Northwest Airport ( Siberian Military District). All nine people on board were killed - six crew members and three passengers. * On 7 October 2020, a grass fire reached ammunition in open storage at
Military Unit Number A Military Unit Number (Russian: войсковая часть, в/ ч; Ukrainian: військова частина, в/ ч) is a numeric alternate designation for military units in the armed forces and internal troops of post-Soviet ...
55443 (once maybe the GRAU's 97th Arsenal) near Zheltukhino ( :ru:Желтухино (деревня, Рязанская область)) in Skopinsky District,
Ryazan Oblast Ryazan Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Ryazan, which is also the oblast's largest city. Geography Ryazan Oblast ...
, igniting munitions. Whether GRAU or the
Western Military District The Western Military District () was a Military districts of Russia, military district of Russia, in existence from 2010 until its abolishment as a unitary military command on February 26, 2024, succeeded by the newly reconstituted Moscow Mil ...
was responsible for the depot was unclear. Interfaks-AVN wrote that there were 113 warehouses and bunkers with 75,000 tons of missiles, rockets, and artillery shells (including 152-mm) at the site. A woman died from injuries and there were at least another 15 victims in stable condition; the fire and explosions "damaged 430 structures, public facilities, apartment buildings, and private homes." * On 28 June 2022 the cell " BOAK-Vladimir" published a
press release A press release (also known as a media release) is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing new information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public releas ...
claiming sabotage action on railway of
Military Unit Number A Military Unit Number (Russian: войсковая часть, в/ ч; Ukrainian: військова частина, в/ ч) is a numeric alternate designation for military units in the armed forces and internal troops of post-Soviet ...
55443 VD Barsovo (51st Arsenal of the GRAU) near
Kirzhach Kirzhach () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Kirzhachsky District in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, located on the Kirzhach River in the west of the oblast, west of Vladimir, Russia, Vladimir and ...
in
Vladimir Oblast Vladimir Oblast () is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located east of Moscow. As of the 2010 Census, the oblast's population was 1,443,693. The UNESCO World Heritage L ...
. The rails were damaged. BOAK's press release stated, "Every stopped train helps to get rid of missiles and rockets, which could hit peaceful Ukrainian cities!" * On 4 September 2024 the railroad tracks at the entrance to the 93rd GRAU arsenal of military unit 55443-TD near Kuzhenkino and 7 km West-northwest of Borisovsky Khotilovo air base saw an extensive fire detected by
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
's FIRMS. * Toropets depot explosions – On the night of 17–18 September 2024, during the
Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...
,
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
launched a drone attack on the GRAU ammunition depot in
Toropets Toropets () is a town and the administrative center of Toropetsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, located where the Toropa River enters Lake Solomennoye. Population: History In 1074, when the town was first mentioned in chronicles, Torop ...
, causing a massive series of explosions and fires while damaging much of the town. The attack resulted in an earthquake-magnitude blast, and NASA satellites detected the resulting fires over an area of approximately . The blast wave spread up to and was estimated to be consistent with of high-explosives detonating. The Security Service of Ukraine claimed that " Iskander, Tochka and KAB missiles" were stored at the facility. Russian officials reported that 13 people had been injured and that an evacuation of the area had been ordered. * On 21 September 2024 both the 719th GRAU arsenal near
Tikhoretsk Tikhoretsk () is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is the administrative center of the Tikhoretsky urban settlement and the Tikhoretsky District of the Krasnodar Territory. Population: Administrative and municipal status Within the framew ...
and the 23rd GRAU arsenal near Oktyabrsky burned due to drone attacks. The 23rd arsenal is located 16 km south of Toropets, where the GRAU arsenal was still on fire from the attack three days prior. *On 9 October 2024 the Karachev ammunition storage depot was attacked by Ukrainian drones. The depot is controlled by the 67th GRAU near
Karachev Karachev () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Karachevsky District in Bryansk Oblast, Russia. Population: History First chronicled in 1146, it was the capital of one of the Upper Oka Principal ...
, located in
Bryansk Bryansk (, ) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Desna (river), Desna River, southwest of Moscow. It has a population of 379,152 at the 2021 census. Bryans ...
region, approximately 114 km from the Ukrainian border. Fires, explosions and continuous detonations for hours resulted, but initial battle damage assessment has not yet been made by independent military analysts. Two ammunition depot storage warehouses were destroyed. *On 20 November 2024 the 13th arsenal located at Kotovo,
Novgorod Oblast Novgorod Oblast () is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Veliky Novgorod. Some of the oldest Russian cities, including Veliky Novgorod and Staraya Russa, are located in the oblast. The historic m ...
was attacked by Ukrainian drones and Kotovo residents were evacuated to nearby Okulovka as a precaution. *On 22nd April 2025, the 51st arsenal located at Barsovo,
Vladimir Oblast Vladimir Oblast () is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Vladimir, which is located east of Moscow. As of the 2010 Census, the oblast's population was 1,443,693. The UNESCO World Heritage L ...
suffered an explosion followed by fires and 450 residents were evacuated from nearby towns.
File:NASA FIRMS 2018-05-16 Pugachevo.png, Extensive fire in and near the 102nd GRAU Arsenal at Pugachevo on 16 May 2018 File:NASA FIRMS 2020-10-07 Zheltukhino.png,
Wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, or a bushfire is an unplanned and uncontrolled fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identified as a ...
enveloping open storage at
Military Unit Number A Military Unit Number (Russian: войсковая часть, в/ ч; Ukrainian: військова частина, в/ ч) is a numeric alternate designation for military units in the armed forces and internal troops of post-Soviet ...
55443 near Zheltukhino on 7 October 2020 File:NASA FIRMS 2024-09-04 Kuzhenkino.png, Fire around the railroad tracks at the entrance to the 93rd GRAU arsenal near Kuzhenkino on 4 September 2024 File:NASA FIRMS 2024-09-21 Toropets dual.png, Extensive fire in 23rd arsenal south of
Toropets Toropets () is a town and the administrative center of Toropetsky District in Tver Oblast, Russia, located where the Toropa River enters Lake Solomennoye. Population: History In 1074, when the town was first mentioned in chronicles, Torop ...
with still ongoing fire at 107th arsenal on 21 September 2024 File:NASA FIRMS 2024-09-21 Tikhoretsk.png, Extensive fire in 719th arsenal northwest of
Tikhoretsk Tikhoretsk () is a town in Krasnodar Krai, Russia. It is the administrative center of the Tikhoretsky urban settlement and the Tikhoretsky District of the Krasnodar Territory. Population: Administrative and municipal status Within the framew ...
, along with fires at the Tikhoretsk air base and rail yard on 21 September 2024 File:NASA FIRMS 2025-04-22 Barsovo.png, Extensive fire in the 51st arsenal near Barsovo on 22 April 2025


Current GRAU indices

GRAU indices are of the form '' '', sometimes with a further suffix '' ''. They may be followed by a specially assigned codename. For example "2 S 19  ''Msta-S''", the 2S19 Msta self-propelled howitzer, has the index ''2S19'', without suffix; ''Msta-S'' is the codename.


Misconceptions

Several common misconceptions surround the scope and originating body of these indices. The GRAU designation is not an industrial designation, nor is it assigned by the design bureau. In addition to its GRAU designation, a given piece of equipment could have a design name, an industrial name and a service designation. For example, one of the
surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...
s in the
S-25 Berkut The S-25, initially designated as Berkut (; "Berkut" means golden eagle in English) is a surface-to-air guided missile, the first operational SAM system in the Soviet Union. In the early 1950s it was tested at Kapustin Yar. It was deployed in se ...
air defense system had at least four domestic designations: * design name: La-205 * GRAU index: 5V7 * industry name: Product 205 () * Soviet military designation: V-300 Some Soviet general-purpose bombs bore a designation that looked confusingly similar to GRAU.For example, the FAB-250sch entered service in 1944 with the designation ''7-F-334'', which was not assigned by GRAU.


Designation scheme

The first part of a GRAU index is a number indicating which of the several main categories of equipment a given item belongs to. The second part, a
Cyrillic The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...
character, indicates the subcategory. The third part, a number, indicates the specific model. The optional suffix can be used to differentiate variants of the same model.


1 (Radio and electronics equipment)

* 1K: '' Buran'' (the first ''Buran''-class orbiter; see also " #11 (Rocketry and associated equipment)") * 1L: 1L14, the
IFF In logic and related fields such as mathematics and philosophy, "if and only if" (often shortened as "iff") is paraphrased by the biconditional, a logical connective between statements. The biconditional is true in two cases, where either both ...
detector for the 9K310 ( Igla)
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
system * 1S:
Radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
(1S11, target detecting
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
of 1S91 command and control
vehicle A vehicle () is a machine designed for self-propulsion, usually to transport people, cargo, or both. The term "vehicle" typically refers to land vehicles such as human-powered land vehicle, human-powered vehicles (e.g. bicycles, tricycles, velo ...
of
2K12 Kub The 2K12 ''"Kub"'' (; English: 'cube') (NATO reporting name: SA-6 "Gainful") mobile surface-to-air missile system is a Soviet Union, Soviet low to medium-level air defence system designed to protect ground forces from air attack. ''2К12'' is ...
air defense Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
system) * 1V: Artillery command vehicles (1V18/19 on
BTR-60 The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet Union, Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers (APCs). It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen in public for the first time in 1961. BTR (vehi ...
chassis, 1V13/16 on
MT-LBu The MT-LBu is a Soviet Union, Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious vehicle, amphibious armoured carrier which was developed under the factory index Ob'yekt 10 in the late 1960s, based on the MT-LB. It has a more powerful engine, a 40 cm high ...
chassis) * 1P: Firearms optic (1P87 optic on AK-12, 1P70 optic on
SVDK SVDK (, GRAU index 6V9), the "''Dragunov sniper rifle, large-calibre''" (Снайперская винтовка Драгунова крупнокалиберная), is a Russian precision rifle from the SVD rifle family chambered for the 9.3� ...
). 1PN designates the firearms optic as a
night vision device A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD) or night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The ...
, e.g.
1PN51 1PN51 () is the GRAU index for a Soviet designed passive night scope for a range of Soviet designed small arms and grenade launchers. ''1PN'' is the GRAU index of night vision devices, where PN stands for ''Nochnoy Pritsel'' () meaning night sig ...
.


2 (Artillery systems)

* 2A: Towed artillery systems ( 2A65 Msta-B) * 2B: Mortar Systems ( 2B9 Vasilek, 2B14 Podnos) * 2K: Air Defence Systems (2K11, Krug surface-to-air missile system; 2К12, Kub surface-to-air missile system, 2K22, Tunguska surface-to-air gun-missile system) * 2S: Self-propelled
artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
systems (
2S1 Gvozdika The 2S1 ''Gvozdika'' (, "Dianthus caryophyllus, Carnation") is a Soviet Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled howitzer introduced in 1972 and is in service in Russia and other countries . It is based on the MT-LBu multi-purpose chassis, mount ...
, 2S19 Msta-S) * 2U: Training equipment


3 (Army and naval missiles)

* 3M: Various missiles ( 3M80 Moskit, 3M45 Granit)


4 (Naval missiles and army equipment (munitions, reactive armour, etc.))

* 4G:
Warhead A warhead is the section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket (weapon), rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: *E ...
s (4G15, the
high explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...
/
HEAT In thermodynamics, heat is energy in transfer between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings by such mechanisms as thermal conduction, electromagnetic radiation, and friction, which are microscopic in nature, involving sub-atomic, ato ...
warhead for the
P-15 Termit The P-15 ''Termit'' (; ) is an anti-ship missile developed by the Soviet Union's Raduga design bureau in the 1950s. Its GRAU designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name was ''Styx'' or SS-N-2. China acquired the design in 1958 and created at ...
anti-ship missile An anti-ship missile (AShM or ASM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. ...
) * 4K: Naval missiles (4K10, the
submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from Ballistic missile submarine, submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which ...
R-27 (RSM-25) for D-5 "Zyb" system; 4K40,
P-15 Termit The P-15 ''Termit'' (; ) is an anti-ship missile developed by the Soviet Union's Raduga design bureau in the 1950s. Its GRAU designation was 4K40, its NATO reporting name was ''Styx'' or SS-N-2. China acquired the design in 1958 and created at ...
missile) * 4P: Launchers * 4S: Launchers (4S95, the launcher of "Kinzhal/Klinok" ( SA-15 Gauntlet) air defense complex)


5 (Air defense equipment)

* 5Ae:
Computer A computer is a machine that can be Computer programming, programmed to automatically Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (''computation''). Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic set ...
s (5Ae26, a specialized multi- CPU computer with a performance of 1.5 MIPS) * 5B:
Surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...
warheads (5B18, the warhead for the S-125's V-601 missile) * 5P: Surface-to-air missile launchers (5P75, the four-missile launcher for the S-125 air defense system) * 5V:
Surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...
s (5V55, SAM for S-300 air defense system) * 5Ya: Surface-to-air missiles (5Ya23, a SAM for the S-75 air defense system) * 5# : * 51T6 (SH-11/ ABM-4 Gorgone), an exoatmospheric
anti-ballistic missile An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a surface-to-air missile designed to Missile defense, destroy in-flight ballistic missiles. They achieve this explosively (chemical or nuclear), or via hit-to-kill Kinetic projectile, kinetic vehicles, which ma ...
interceptor for the A-135 air defense system : * 53T6 (SH-08/ ABM-3 Gazelle), an endoatmospheric interceptor for A-135 air defense system


6 (Firearms, air defense equipment)

* 6B:
Body armor Body armour, personal armour (also spelled ''armor''), armoured suit (''armored'') or coat of armour, among others, is armour for human body, a person's body: protective clothing or close-fitting hands-free shields designed to absorb or deflect ...
( 6B1; 6B13, for mountain troops; 6B23, MOLLE; 6B43, MOLLE for airborne, naval and special troops),
helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...
s ( 6B6) * 6Ch: Firearm equipment ( 6Ch12, the PBS-1
flash suppressor A flash suppressor, also known as a flash guard, flash eliminator, flash hider, or flash cone, is a device attached to the muzzle (firearms), muzzle of a rifle that reduces its Muzzle flash, visible signature while firing by cooling or dispersin ...
and silencer; 6Ch63, AK modernize kit; 6Ch64, front grip) * 6E: Firearm equipment (6E7, flashlight) * 6G: Grenade or rocket launchers (6G3, the
RPG-7 The RPG-7 is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket launcher. The RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and are now manufactured by the Russian company Bazalt. The weapon has t ...
man-portable,
rocket-propelled grenade A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), also known colloquially as a rocket launcher, is a Shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon that launches rockets equipped with a Shaped charge, shaped-charge explosive warhead. Most RPGs can ...
launcher; 6G17, the VOG-25 40 mm grenade cartridge) * 6Kh:
Knives A knife (: knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...
and
bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...
s (6Kh3, a sword-bayonet for the AKM) * 6P: Firearms (6P1, the 7.62 mm AKM, and 6P41/6P41M, PKP) * 6Sh: Firearm equipment (6Sh5, a rifle sling; 6Sh92, tactical vest; 6Sh104, SVD/ VSS vest for sniper and backpack with rain cover and 2 side MOLLE pouches; 6Sh105, normal or digital tactical vest; 6Sh112, MOLLE tactical vest for PKM/ PKP machine-gunner) * 6T: Firearm equipment (6T2, Samozhenkov's carriage for PKS machine gun) * 6Ts:
Sights A sight or sighting device is any device used to assist in precise visual alignment (i.e. ''aiming'') of weapons, surveying instruments, aircraft equipment, optical illumination equipment or larger optical instruments with the intended target. ...
(6Ts1, the PSO-1 sight for the Dragunov sniper rifle) * 6U: Firearm equipment (6U1, personnel carrier vehicle carriage for PKB/PKBM machine gun) * 6V:
Firearm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...
s (6V1, the Dragunov sniper rifle) * 6Yu: Firearm accessories kit (6Yu4, accessories kit for the AKM) * 6Zh: Firearm equipment (6Zh1M, a 100-round belt-box for the PKM machine gun) * 6L: Magazine (6L20, bakelite plastic 5.45×39mm
magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
for the
AK-74 The AK-74 ( Russian: , tr. ''Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1974 goda'', lit. 'Kalashnikov assault rifle model 1974') is an assault rifle designed by small arms designer Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1974 as a successor to the AKM. While primarily ...
)


7 (Firearm munitions)

* 7B: Ammunition (7B33, the 7.62×54mmR
armour-piercing Armour-piercing ammunition (AP) is a type of projectile designed to penetrate armour protection, most often including naval armour, body armour, and vehicle armour. The first, major application of armour-piercing projectiles was to defeat the t ...
/ incendiary round) * 7G:
Grenades A grenade is a small explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade g ...
(7G1, the RKG-3 handheld
HEAT In thermodynamics, heat is energy in transfer between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings by such mechanisms as thermal conduction, electromagnetic radiation, and friction, which are microscopic in nature, involving sub-atomic, ato ...
grenade) * 7Kh: Training ammunition (7Kh1, the 12.7×108mm blank cartridge) * 7N: Ammunition (7N1, the 7.62×54mmR round for
sniper rifle A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long range shooting, long-range rifle. Requirements include high accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment, and optics, for anti-personnel weapon, anti-personnel, anti-materiel rifle, anti-materiel and sur ...
s) * 7P:
Rocket-propelled grenade A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), also known colloquially as a rocket launcher, is a Shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-fired anti-tank weapon that launches rockets equipped with a Shaped charge, shaped-charge explosive warhead. Most RPGs can ...
s (7P1, a 40 mm
RPG-7 The RPG-7 is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket launcher. The RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and are now manufactured by the Russian company Bazalt. The weapon has t ...
round) * 7S: Misc. ammunition (7S1, a signal false-fire of orange smoke) * 7T: Ammunition (7T2, the 7.62×54mmR tracer round) * 7U: Ammunition (7U1, the 5.45×39mm low speed ( subsonic) US (Umenshennoy Skorosti; "Reduced Speed") cartridge) * 7Z: Ammunition (7Z1, the 14.5×115mm incendiary round)


=Exceptions

= * 71Kh6: the US-KMO Prognoz-2 early warning system
satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...
* 73N6 ''Baikal-1'': an automated air defense command and control system * 75E6 ''Parol-3'': the IFF interrogator for the S-75M and S-125 * 76N6: a low-altitude target detector
radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...


8 (Army missiles and rocketry)

* 8A:
Ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...
s * 8D:
Rocket engine A rocket engine is a reaction engine, producing thrust in accordance with Newton's third law by ejecting reaction mass rearward, usually a high-speed Jet (fluid), jet of high-temperature gas produced by the combustion of rocket propellants stor ...
s (mostly) * 8F: Warheads * 8K:
Missile A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor. Historically, 'missile' referred to any projectile that is thrown, shot or propelled towards a target; this ...
s ( 8K51, 8K63 Dvina, 8K64, 8K67, 8K71, 8K81, 8K84) * 8P:
Expendable launch system An expendable launch system (or expendable launch vehicle/ELV) is a launch vehicle that can be launched only once, after which its components are destroyed during reentry or impact with Earth, or discarded in space. ELVs typically consist of s ...
s * 8S: Missile propulsion stages


9 (Army missiles, UAVs)

* 9A: Launchers (9A52, the chassis of the
BM-30 Smerch The BM-30 ''Smerch'' (, 'whirlwind'), 9K58 Smerch or 9A52-2 Smerch-M is a heavy Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled 300 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union to fire a full load of 12 solid-fuelled projectiles. The ...
MLRS) * 9F: Training and equipment systems (9F827 of the
BM-30 Smerch The BM-30 ''Smerch'' (, 'whirlwind'), 9K58 Smerch or 9A52-2 Smerch-M is a heavy Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled 300 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union to fire a full load of 12 solid-fuelled projectiles. The ...
system) * 9K: Systems ( 9К33 Osa surface-to-air missile system; 9K115-2 Metis-M anti-tank missile system; 9K310 Igla air defense system) * 9M:
Missile A missile is an airborne ranged weapon capable of self-propelled flight aided usually by a propellant, jet engine or rocket motor. Historically, 'missile' referred to any projectile that is thrown, shot or propelled towards a target; this ...
s ( 9M133 Kornet, 9M123 Khrizantema, 9M120 Ataka ATGM) * 9P: Launchers (9P140, the chassis of the BM-27 Uragan MLRS) * 9S: 9S737, Ranzhir mobile command center * 9T: Transporter-loaders and re-supply vehicles (9T234 of the
BM-30 Smerch The BM-30 ''Smerch'' (, 'whirlwind'), 9K58 Smerch or 9A52-2 Smerch-M is a heavy Self-propelled artillery, self-propelled 300 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union to fire a full load of 12 solid-fuelled projectiles. The ...
system, 9T244 of the 9K331 Tor system)


10 (Equipment)

* 10P:
Sights A sight or sighting device is any device used to assist in precise visual alignment (i.e. ''aiming'') of weapons, surveying instruments, aircraft equipment, optical illumination equipment or larger optical instruments with the intended target. ...
(10P19, the PGO-7V sight for RPG-7V grenade launcher) * 10R: Radios (10R30 ''Karat-2'', a radio transmitter)


11 (Rocketry and associated equipment)

* 11A: Rocketry (11A51, the Korolev N1 heavy-lift launcher, 11A511, the
Soyuz Soyuz is a transliteration of the Cyrillic text Союз (Russian language, Russian and Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, 'Union'). It can refer to any union, such as a trade union (''profsoyuz'') or the Soviet Union, Union of Soviet Socialist Republi ...
launcher) * 11B: Nuclear thermal rocket engines ( 11B91 (RD0410); 11B97) * 11D:
Rocket engine A rocket engine is a reaction engine, producing thrust in accordance with Newton's third law by ejecting reaction mass rearward, usually a high-speed Jet (fluid), jet of high-temperature gas produced by the combustion of rocket propellants stor ...
s (11D43, the RD-253 liquid fuel rocket engine (First stage of Proton space launcher)) * 11F:
Satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...
s (11F67 ''Molniya-1'', a telecom satellite; 11F35 K1 ''Buran'' (the first ''Buran''-class shuttle; see also " #1 (Radio and electronics equipment)"); 11F654
GLONASS GLONASS (, ; ) is a Russian satellite navigation system operating as part of a radionavigation-satellite service. It provides an alternative to Global Positioning System (GPS) and is the second navigational system in operation with global cove ...
satellites A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scientif ...
; 11F94 LK, a lunar lander; 11F732
Soyuz Soyuz is a transliteration of the Cyrillic text Союз (Russian language, Russian and Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, 'Union'). It can refer to any union, such as a trade union (''profsoyuz'') or the Soviet Union, Union of Soviet Socialist Republi ...
spacecraft ) * 11G: Equipment (11G12, a refuelling station) * 11K: Rocketry (11K25 '' Energia'', a heavy-lift rocket for the '' Buran''–class shuttle) * 11M: Onboard equipment (11M243, solar array actuators for the 11F624 ''Yantar-2K'' satellite) * 11P: Ground equipment (11P825, the launch complex for the 11K25) * 11S: Rocket stages (11S59, the 1st and 2nd stages ("unit A") of the Soyuz rocket)


14 (Rocketry and associated equipment)

* 14A: Rockets (14A15, is the " Soyuz-2-1v") * 14D:
Rocket engine A rocket engine is a reaction engine, producing thrust in accordance with Newton's third law by ejecting reaction mass rearward, usually a high-speed Jet (fluid), jet of high-temperature gas produced by the combustion of rocket propellants stor ...
s (14D30, the "Briz" booster's S5.98M liquid fuel engine) * 14F:
Satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...
s (14F10, the IS-MU ''Naryad''
anti-satellite weapon Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) are space weapons designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for Military strategy, strategic or Military tactics, tactical purposes. Although no ASAT system has been utilized in warfare, a few countries (China, ...
) * 14I: Ground equipment (14I02, the ground equipment for the "Briz" booster's 8P882 system) * 14P: Ground equipment (14P72, the service system for the "Briz" booster) * 14S: Boosters (14S12, the "Briz" booster) * 14T: Ground equipment (14T81, the storage equipment for the "Briz" booster)


15 (Strategic Missile Forces equipment)

* 15A:
Intercontinental ballistic missile An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...
s (15A14 and 15A18, the R-36M (SS-18 Satan) ICBM; 15A15, the UR-100MR (SS-17 Spanker) ICBM) * 15B: Warheads * 15D: Rocket engines (mostly) * 15F: Warheads * 15N: Command and control vehicles * 15P: Silo-based launchers (mostly) * 15U:
ICBM An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...
ground equipment * 15Zh:
ICBM An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...
s and
tactical ballistic missile A tactical ballistic missile (TBM), or battlefield range ballistic missile (BRBM), is a ballistic missile designed for short-range battlefield use. Typically, range (aeronautics), range is less than . Tactical ballistic missiles are usually mo ...
s (15Zh45, the RT-21M Pioneer (SS-20 Saber) TBM)


17 (Rocketry and associated equipment)

* 17D: Misc.
rocket engine A rocket engine is a reaction engine, producing thrust in accordance with Newton's third law by ejecting reaction mass rearward, usually a high-speed Jet (fluid), jet of high-temperature gas produced by the combustion of rocket propellants stor ...
s (17D58Ae, the stabilization and orientation engine of the "Briz-M" booster) * 17F:
Satellite A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scient ...
s (17F15 ''Raduga-1'', a telecommunications satellite) * 17K: Space-based systems (17K114, a space-based reconnaissance and targeting system) * 17P: Ground equipment (17P31, the start system for 11K25) * 17S: Rocket stages (17S40, Unit D of the Proton launcher) * 17U: Ground equipment (17U551, the "Briz-M" booster testing system)


See also

*
Designations of Russian towed artillery The official designations of Russian and Soviet Union, Soviet artillery consists of three sequential parts – weapon caliber, weapon type, and finally a unique identifier for each variant. This system is descended from the later Russian Empire, bu ...
*
NATO Reporting Name NATO uses a system of code names, called reporting names, to denote military aircraft and other equipment used by post-Soviet states, former Warsaw Pact countries, China, and other countries. The system assists military communications by providi ...


Notes


References

*
Dictionary of GRAU designations at
*


Further reading

* Lennox, Duncan (March 1993). "Russian Missile Designators". ''
Jane's Intelligence Review ''Jane's Intelligence Review'' was a monthly journal on global security and stability issues published by Jane's Information Group. Its coverage includes international security issues, state stability, terrorism and insurgency, ongoing conflicts, ...
'', p. 120. * Zaloga, Steven (August 1994). "Russian Missile Designations". ''
Jane's Intelligence Review ''Jane's Intelligence Review'' was a monthly journal on global security and stability issues published by Jane's Information Group. Its coverage includes international security issues, state stability, terrorism and insurgency, ongoing conflicts, ...
'', p. 342–349.


External links


History of the GRAU
* https://russiandefpolicy.com/2020/10/13/the-latest-arsenal-fire/ - arsenal fires, 2020 {{DEFAULTSORT:Grau Defence agencies of Russia Ministry of Defense (Soviet Union) Military units and formations established in 1960 Departments of the Ministry of Defence (Russia)