Just an article that I found:
During the Second World War, the Russians deployed hundreds of
rocket launchers in lines, firing off thousands of unguided rockets
which came crashing down on German positions. The simultaneous
launching of the rockets must been an awesome sight but the
accuracy and effectiveness of such area weapons were
questionable. Nevertheless, in the past few decades, military
technology has greatly improved the accuracy of such rockets and
has developed deadlier warheads filled with special munitions,
mines or bomblets. During the 1991 Gulf War, the American-developed
Multiple Launch Rocket System made its operational debut and
appeared to have made a satisfactory appearance. However, the MLRS
hefty price tag and technological complexity put it out of the
reach of many armed forces in the world. The solution: the
Brazilian AVIBRAS ASTROS (Artillery SaTuration ROcket
System).
Shoot and scoot
AVIBRAS has much experience in developing multiple rocket launchers
since the 1960s. In the early 1980s, a Middle Eastern country,
believed to be Iraq, requested AVIBRAS to design a mobile MRL
system. This resulted in the ASTROS II modular system which is
mounted on a Tectran 6 x 6 truck chassis. When in a firing
position, the truck deploys 4 outrigger legs to ensure stability.
On the road, the truck is able to travel at a speed up to 90 km/h
while in off-road conditions, it drops to 40 km/h. Utilising its
high speed, the ASTROS can quickly enter into position, fire its
rockets and flee before enemy counter-battery action can destroy
it. The truck itself has no protection against enemy fire, is not
protected against nuclear/biological/chemical warfare but is
equipped with 6 smoke grenade launchers. On the roof of the cab,
there is a M2H heavy machine gun for self-protection. The whole
system is air-portable where it can be ferried by a C-130 Hercules
transport aircraft.
Putting it all together
A typical firing battery would consist of 6 ASTROS launchers, 6
ammunition supply vehicles and 1 fire control vehicle. Each
ammunition supply vehicle is able to carry 2 complete reloads. As
for the fire control vehicle it is based on the well-respected
Contraves Fieldguard radar system. At the battalion level, there
would be a command and control vehicle which can coordinate and
direct the fire missions for 3 ASTROS batteries. All the vehicles
utilise the same chassis which provides for
inter-changeability.
Devastating warheads for all purpose destruction
The ASTROS multiple rocket launcher is an ideal offensive weapon
systems due to its many different warheads. There are 4 warhead
variants for the ASTROS launchers; the 32-round SS-30, 16-round
SS-40, 4-round SS-60 and the 4-round SS-80. The difference in the
variants is dependent on the weight and size of the rockets they
fire. The numbers used in the variants indicates the range of the
rockets; an example would be the SS-80 which has an impressive
range of 80 km. All the warheads are high explosive-fragmentation
ones. Prior to an attack, it can be used to shatter enemy defences
which enables the infantry and armour to punch through. It is able
to swamp a target area with more high explosive than several
batteries of conventional artillery. Alternative munitions have
also been developed. There is a high explosive white phosphorous
incendiary warhead which can be used against enemy personnel and
material. It can also deploy smoke to conceal an impending attack.
There is also a mine deploying warhead which can be used against
soldiers and armoured vehicles. More ominously, the ASTROS system
can be used to develop chemical agents which are far more lethal
when delivered at one go rather than being steadily built up by a
conventional artillery barrage. The most unique application for the
ASTROS rocket would be its runway denial warhead which is able to
penetrate into reinforced concrete runways up to a depth of 0.5
metres. Armed with a delayed action fuse designed to hinder repair
work to the runway, it is intended to crater runways so as to
prevent enemy aircraft from operating.
International success
Iraq took possession of 66 ASTROS II batteries which they used
against Iran during the long-drawn Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
Impressed with the weapons in their hands, they obtained the
licence to build copies called the Sajil-60. Other Middle Eastern
countries like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar too chalked up
impressive sales that between 1982 and 1987, sales reached US$1
billion for AVIBRAS. Both the Iraqi and Saudi ASTROS saw action
during the 1991 Gulf War.
However, with the end of the war between Iran and Iraq and the
decline in the Brazilian governments support, AVIBRAS fell into
bankruptcy. Nevertheless, ABIBRAS worked off its debts slowly over
the 1990s. In 1999, the Brazilian Army signed a contract to acquire
the ASTROS system. As a signal of the revived fortunes for the
company, the Malaysian Army also announced in November 2000, it was
purchasing 18 ASTROS systems which was valued at over 185 million
ringgit. Significantly, with the purchase, Malaysia would only the
second ASEAN country operating an MLRS system; the other being
Thailand.
