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BM-13 Katyusha

LAROM firing 160mm rockets during exercise

Launcher 9P140 of 220-mm multiple rocket launching system 9K57 Uragan in Saint-Petersburg Artillery museum

Launcher 9A52 of 300-mm multiple rocket launching system 9K58 Smerch in Saint-Petersburg Artillery museum

A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, MRLs are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns. However, they have the capability of simultaneously dropping many hundreds of kilograms of explosive, with devastating effect.

History

First developed in 1409, Korean Hwacha is the most possible case to be the first weapon system with resemblance to the modern day MRLS. Though some Chinese argue that Hwacha took its que from the Chinese Huo Che, there is no clear evidence present that provides the exact year of Huo Che's development. Also, unlike in Hwacha's case, historical references to Huo Che are very hard to find. There are some rough drawings of its design in Huolongjing, yet they have little resemblance with the Korean Hwacha. Therefore, though the concept of rocket launcher did spread from China to Korea, there is little relevence in stating that the development of Hwacha was inspired by Huo Che, or the Chinese fire cart.^{citation needed}

One of the first modern multiple rocket launchers was the German Nebelwerfer of the 1930s, a small towed artillery piece. Only later in World War II did the Allies deploy similar weapons in the form of the Land Mattress.

The first self-propelled multiple rocket launchers — and arguably the most famous — were the Soviet Katyushas, known also as Stalin's organs, first used during World War II and exported to Soviet allies afterwards. They were simple systems in which a rack of launch rails was mounted on the back of a truck. This set the template for modern multiple rocket launchers.

Further developments followed the same design pattern, although larger systems with more sophisticated projectiles are seen. The Russian BM-30 Smerch MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) is one example of a modern system, in service with several countries, the U.S. M270 and Russian TOS-1 Buratino are others . Many modern multiple rocket launchers have regular, extended-range, and guided ammunition available with antipersonnel, cluster, antitank, incendiary, and biological or chemical warheads.

See also

• Artillery rockets, in the list of artillery by type
• Jiao Yu - 14th century Chinese writer

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