Home Entertainment The ‘Formidable’ M270 MLRS Rocket Artillery Boosts US Army’s Strength

The ‘Formidable’ M270 MLRS Rocket Artillery Boosts US Army’s Strength

Entertainment — 03/20/2024

Formerly referred to as the General Support Rocket System (GSRS), the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is an auxiliary weapon system intended to augment the cannons that division and corps commanders of the United States Army possess. Its primary function is to rapidly deliver a substantial quantity of firepower to targets that are critical and time-sensitive. A high-mobility autonomous system, the MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) is constructed upon an M270 weapons platform. All freeflight basic and extended-range (ER-MLRS) rockets, as well as Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Block I missiles, can be supported and delivered by the MLRS.

The MLRS launcher unit is comprised of two six-rocket pods containing twelve missiles, which are loaded onto an M270 launcher. A stretched Bradley chassis supports the launcher, which is a highly automated self-loading and self-aiming mechanism. It is equipped with a fire control computer that facilitates the integration of missile and vehicle launching operations. In less than sixty seconds, the crew of three (driver, gunner, and section chief) can fire twelve MLRS rockets without exiting the cab.

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The “shoot and scoot” principle is implemented by MLRS in order to reduce susceptibility to counter-battery fire. The M77 dual purpose conventional submunition, which is outfitted with 644 high explosive munitions for engagements against light vehicles and anti-personnel targets, is capable of transporting the AT2 scatterable mine warhead, which was developed by West Germany. Furthermore, the system possesses the capability to deliver additional warheads.

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Image of Army Reserve Royal Artillery Regiment firing one of the Army’s most sophisticated weapons platforms, in the south west of Scotland this week. Reserve soldiers from 101 Regiment Royal Artillery, based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, fired the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) at Kirkcudbright Ranges on the Solway coast, in Dumfries and Galloway. This is the first time in the last 15 years, that the GMLRS has been fired in Scotland.The GMLRS is a self-propelled, armoured missile and rocket launcher, which can fire 12 rounds per minute to a distance of up to 180 miles. It is one of the Royal Artillery’s most powerful weapons. The reservists, who only get to fire live MLRS very rarely, were doing so as part of their Annual Deployment Exercise, which sees them practice all of their basic soldier and specialist Artillery skills for two weeks. This is in addition to the training they get on Drill Nights at their Army Reserve Centres, and on weekend exercises and deployments.

An ongoing expansion initiative aims to incorporate the extended range MLRS (ER-MLRS), an upgrade that will augment the existing range of the basic rocket by around 50 kilometers (km). An supplementary combat support munition, the Guided MLRS (GMLRS) is a modification to the ER-MLRS that increases its range and precision. The MLRS Family of Munitions (MFOM), which includes the Army Tactical Missile System (Army TACMS), is compatible with the M270 launcher. The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy collaborate in the co-production of MLRS.