Reference card

OTR-21 Tochka

Short-range ballistic missile. This card repeats the CSIS Missile Threat at-a-glance table for the OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21).

These cards are encyclopedic. They are not targeting, manufacturing, or acquisition guidance. A field says unknown/disputed when the cited open source does not state it. ARC Warning is not an emergency service.

Catalog revised 2026-10-11. Also known as Scarab.

Published description

Names, aliases, and NATO designation: OTR-21 Tochka. CSIS lists the alternate names Scarab, Tochka, OTR-21, and 9M79, and the reporting name SS-21.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Type and role: Short-range ballistic missile.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Manufacturer and country: Not stated on the cited CSIS page.; Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.; The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Operators: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, North Korea (KN-02), Syria, Ukraine, Yemen.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Launch platform: Road-mobile.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Guidance: Not stated on the cited CSIS page.; Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.; The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Propulsion: Single-stage solid propellant.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Published speed: Not stated on the cited CSIS page.; Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.; The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Range: 70 km (A), 120 km (B).; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Warhead type and weight: Single warhead, 482 kg. HE, chemical, or nuclear on the A variant. HE, chemical, nuclear, or submunitions on the B variant.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Blast and fragmentation radius: unknown/disputed; Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.; The sources cited here give a warhead class or mass where they give one. They do not state a blast or fragmentation radius, and none is inferred.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Interceptability and countermeasures: Not stated on the cited CSIS page.; Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.; The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Reported unit cost: Not stated on the cited CSIS page.; Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.; The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)
Service history: Operational. In service 1975.; Confidence: high. The cited page states this.; This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.; CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Media

No official or public-domain embed is attached. Combat footage is not embedded on this card.

Seen in ARC Warning

No approved ARC Warning record currently names this system.

Sources

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21) · Primary
Wikipedia: OTR-21 Tochka · Secondary pointer

All reference cards · Methodology

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OTR-21 Tochka

Short-range ballistic missile. This card repeats the CSIS Missile Threat at-a-glance table for the OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21).

Catalog revised 2026-10-11. Also known as Scarab.

Published description

Names, aliases, and NATO designation

OTR-21 Tochka. CSIS lists the alternate names Scarab, Tochka, OTR-21, and 9M79, and the reporting name SS-21.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Type and role

Short-range ballistic missile.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Manufacturer and country

Not stated on the cited CSIS page.

Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.

The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Operators

Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, North Korea (KN-02), Syria, Ukraine, Yemen.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Launch platform

Road-mobile.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Guidance

Not stated on the cited CSIS page.

Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.

The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Propulsion

Single-stage solid propellant.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Published speed

Not stated on the cited CSIS page.

Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.

The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Range

70 km (A), 120 km (B).

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Warhead type and weight

Single warhead, 482 kg. HE, chemical, or nuclear on the A variant. HE, chemical, nuclear, or submunitions on the B variant.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Blast and fragmentation radius

unknown/disputed

Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.

The sources cited here give a warhead class or mass where they give one. They do not state a blast or fragmentation radius, and none is inferred.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Interceptability and countermeasures

Not stated on the cited CSIS page.

Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.

The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Reported unit cost

Not stated on the cited CSIS page.

Confidence: unknown. The cited page does not state this, so the card does not guess.

The CSIS at-a-glance table does not give this figure, so none is added.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)

Service history

Operational. In service 1975.

Confidence: high. The cited page states this.

This repeats the CSIS at-a-glance table. It is not remeasured here.

CSIS Missile Threat: OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21)