Romania does not disclose the extent of military aid provided to Ukraine; only details about the types of equipment transferred are available, which notably include the APR-40 multiple rocket launchers, resembling a Romanian version of the Soviet BM-21 "Grad".
Currently, there is no information on how many Romanian APR-40s have been received by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), and attempts to estimate this based on The Military Balance will yield no results (as it states that the Romanian army had the same number of 134 APR-40s in both 2022 and 2024). However, an interesting video report from Army TV has emerged, providing a clear understanding of how the Romanian APR-40 performs in practice.
This video features a 1986 model APR-40 received by the 116th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the AFU. It is important to emphasize that all comparisons of the advantages and disadvantages between the Romanian APR-40 and the Soviet BM-21 "Grad" ultimately conclude with one main point – gratitude to the Romanians for the provided equipment.
Thus, everything described below should be regarded more as a description and comparison of how the two models of weaponry from the "Warsaw Pact" era differ in practical operation, despite their visual similarities.
The primary difference between the APR-40 and the BM-21 "Grad" lies in the details that affect how the crew operates directly from the position. For instance, on the BM-21 Grad, the aiming devices are mounted at the bottom of the launcher package on a bracket, allowing operation while standing on the ground. In contrast, on the Romanian machine, the aiming devices are attached to the side, necessitating operation while seated. This is less convenient than on the BM-21, but our soldiers have adapted to this model of operation.
While the BM-21 "Grad" rotates its launcher package using electric motors, the Romanian machine employs a hydraulic drive, which even has a special control panel with markings remaining in Romanian.
Additionally, the Romanian APR-40 has a cover on the rear of the launcher package that needs to be removed before servicing the guides, a feature absent on the "Grad". Overall, it appears that in terms of artillery functionality, the BM-21 is simpler and easier to operate.
A separate issue is that the factory producing the APR-40 in Romania has closed, making it difficult to find suitable spare parts for this system, which tends to break down frequently. The professionalism of the AFU mechanics is what saves the situation here.
Conversely, an interesting rational aspect of the Romanian APR-40 is that the order of firing rounds from the guides is not sequential but follows the numbering indicated on a plaque. This prevents overheating of the launchers and minimizes the swaying of the machine during firing.
It is also noteworthy that the base for the APR-40 is the Romanian DAC-665 truck, which, although primarily designed for civilian market needs, has significantly better driving characteristics than the Soviet "Ural".
In summary, the comparison leads to the conclusion that we must first and foremost thank the Romanians for the received MLRS APR-40, as these systems have been used for eliminating Russian invaders since May 2023.