A unique rocket launcher – RPU-14 - was put on display at the Chisinau Military Museum of the Agency for Military Science and Memory. The given type of armament was produced in a small number in the former USSR and was conceived first of all for equipping the airport troops (landing crafts) that are considered elite troops, the Museum’s director Sergiu Catagara stated for IPN. Even if it hasn’t been produced since the Soviet period, owing to its special technical characteristics, some of the examples of the installation are used in contemporary wars, like the one in Syria and in other regions that bought armament from the Soviet Union during the cold war.
“Such installations haven’t formed part of the equipment of the National Army as they represent a stage of the evolution of installations of rocket launchers. In 1941, there were made the Katyushas (BM 13). Since the middle of the 1940s until the start of the 1950s, these were replaced by BM 14 rocket launchers that were intended for land troops. These launchers were installed on military vehicles as the Katyushas. For the airport troops, there were produced РПУ-14 launchers. In the 1970s, the RPU-14 launchers were replaced with more modern systems – the Grad,” stated Sergiu Cataraga.
Not many other museums have such a rare piece. “As a museographer, I can say that each item is valuable as they represent a particular historical period and the imprint of time. There are much larger museums that do not have a piece like RPU-14 among their exhibits. The other pieces of the exhibition of military equipment of the Chisinau Military Museum also have special historical value,” stated Sergiu Cataraga.
The RPU-14 installation, together with the other pieces of the exhibition of military equipment at the Military Museum can be seen in the head office at the Army House situated at 47 Tighina St. The museum was opened in 1995.
