Syria: details on the M14 140 mm rocket

(Illustrations and data taken from ORDATA, a open-source database on landmines, artillery shells & rockets)

1. The M14 140mm rocket is a vintage Soviet MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System, BM-14/ RPU-14). It has been succeeded by the BM-21 GRAD (122mm).  Besides the 140 mm version, a 130 mm variant has also been reported. Known warheads: High Explosive (HE), smoke (WP), chemical. The latter was used to disperse Sarin (GB), a non-persistent chemical warfare agent.

During their visit to Moadamyeh (a southern suburb of Damascus), UN inspectors found an engine of the M14 rocket, but no warhead. Also, no traces of Sarin were found. The chemical warhead looks like this:

The description of this warhead in the ORDATA database:

U.S.S.R. ROCKET, WARHEAD, 140-MM, CHEMICAL, (NON-PERSISTANT), MODEL UNKNOWN

THIS ITEM CONTAINS A 2.2 KG (4.8 LB) SARIN (GB) FILLER. THE FILLER PLUG IS LOCATED JUST ABOVE THE JUNCTION OF THE WARHEAD AND ROCKET MOTOR AND HAS A BROAD WRENCH SLOT.

The warhead is gray with green markings, The markings shown are not believed to be the markings used on standard soviet chemical munitions but those used for display purposes.

2) Two types of fuzes are associated with this chemical warhead. Both are proximity fuzes: they ignite at a preset altitude above the target.

The first fuze is unique to the 140mm rocket; the second one was used in the chemical warheads of both 140 and 240mm rockets of the former Soviet Union.

a) U.S.S.R. ROCKET FUZE, NOSE, PD, V-24

Ordnance used with:
F-961, 240 MM, SPIN STABILIZED, HE, SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
F-961U, 240 MM, SPIN STABILIZED, HE, SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
MDL UNK, WARHEAD, 140 MM, CHEMICAL, NON-PERSISTANT
MODEL UNKNOWN, 240 MM, CHEMICAL, NON-PERSISTANT
 

It looks like this:

b)  U.S.S.R. ROCKET FUZE, NOSE, PD, V-25

Ordnance used with:
F-961, 240 MM, SPIN STABILIZED, HE, SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
F-961U, 240 MM, SPIN STABILIZED, HE, SURFACE-TO-SURFACE
M-14-OF, 140 MM, HE-FRAG
MODEL UNKNOWN, WARHEAD, 140 MM, CHEMICAL, NON-PERSISTANT

It looks like this:

(Hans de Vreij, Defensie weblog, The Netherlands, 20 September 2013)