The ASTROS II is one section of a complete MLRS system that makes up an artillery battery. A radar-equipped truck features a radar-controlled Fire Control System (FCS) while several other trucks in the arrangement serve as rocket reload vehicles. A massed formation of ASTROS II trucks can provide a devastating effect on target areas, very useful in dislodging entrenched enemy forces. Beyond their obvious destructive element, the rocket-projecting vehicles can also have a detrimental psychological effect on the enemy.
The ASTROS II series entered service with the Brazilian Army in 1983 and has been modestly exported since, becoming Avibras' most successful product to date. Operators became Angola, Bahrain, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iraq, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Brazil has taken on both a land-based army variant and a "navy" variant for its Marine service. Some of the largest operators outside of Brazil are Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Iraq locally-produced the vehicle under license as the "Sajil-60" while also purchasing a stock directly from Brazil. Its global exposure has ensured it participation in modern conflicts like the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Gulf War (1991), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002).
There are several variants associated with the ASTROS II line. The SS-30 is a version featuring a launcher pack that supports 32 x 127 rockets and the SS-40 varies in its support of 16 x 180mm rockets. The SS-60, SS-80, and SS-150 marks support 4 x 300mm rockets. The MTC-300 is variant supporting cruise missiles which, if formally adopted, should broadly increase the battlefield value of the ASTROS II system as a whole.
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