vilkha/vilkha-m (40+)

The Vilkha is a Ukrainian heavy multiple launch rocket system developed as an upgrade to the Soviet BM-30 Smerch, utilizing new guided rockets for enhanced precision. The Vilkha-M is an advanced variant that significantly extends the range and improves accuracy, making it a potent long-range artillery system.

Initiated by the Luch Design Bureau following the 2014 outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine, the Vilkha project aimed to establish a domestic precision-strike capability and eliminate reliance on Russian-supplied components. The base system completed state trials and officially entered service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2018, with initial serial production deliveries commencing the following year. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vilkha and its extended-range Vilkha-M variant were successfully deployed in combat, executing high-precision strikes against critical Russian infrastructure, air defense nodes, and command posts. Today, the system remains in active service as a vital domestic counterpart to Western-supplied precision rocket artillery, with ongoing efforts to expand production of its long-range guided munitions.