Abstract: Limited by the confined spaces and complex coal and rock conditions in underground mines, hydraulic jet drilling requires smaller nozzles to create larger hole diameters. This study focused on optimizing the key layout parameters for the forward nozzles, considering the offset layout of forward and backward nozzles on a multi-hole rotating nozzle and the characteristics of the jet action. A numerical simulation and analysis of the flow field characteristics of the forward nozzles was conducted using the RNG k-ε turbulence model. The results indicated that the jets from the inner and middle ring nozzles exhibited higher axial velocities, whereas the jets from the outer ring nozzle had a higher radial velocity. As the angle and distance of the nozzles increased relative to the axis of the multi-hole rotating nozzle, the overlapping area of the crushing rings formed by the jets from the inner and middle ring nozzles on their respective rotating trajectories progressively decreased, suggesting a weakening of the mutual interference between these jets. Laboratory high-pressure water jet experiments were conducted on sandstone and raw coal specimens to break coal and rock. The experimental results demonstrated that when the angles of the inner, middle, and outer ring nozzles relative to the axis of the rotating nozzle were 20°, 30°, and 50°, respectively, and the distances of the middle and outer ring nozzles from the axis were 2 mm and 5 mm, respectively, the multi-hole rotating nozzle achieved a hole diameter of 24 mm with a regular circular cross-section in sandstone specimens and a diameter of 38 mm in raw coal specimens. These outcomes substantially satisfy the performance requirements for hole formation in hydraulic jet drilling.