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Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System)


6x6 Wheeled Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)


Brazil | 1983



"Introduced in 1983, the ASTROS II series MLRS has found homes in the inventories of several military powers worldwide."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Avibras ASTROS II 6x6 Wheeled Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
1 x Mercedes OM422 8-cylinder diesel-fueled engine developing 280 horsepower.
Installed Power
56 mph
90 kph
Road Speed
298 miles
480 km
Range
Structure
The physical qualities of the Avibras ASTROS II 6x6 Wheeled Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
3
(MANNED)
Crew
23.0 ft
7 meters
O/A Length
9.5 ft
2.9 meters
O/A Width
8.5 ft
2.6 meters
O/A Height
22,046 lb
10,000 kg | 11.0 tons
Weight
Armament & Ammunition
Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System) 6x6 Wheeled Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
VARIABLE:
1 x 127mm, 180mm, or 300mm Rocket Launcher Pack
AMMUNITION:
Dependent upon launcher unit's supported rocket caliber - 32-, 16-, or 4-shot launchers used.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System) family line.
ASTROS II - Base Series Designation.
ASTROS II SS-30 - 127mm launcher unit with 32 rockets.
ASTROS II SS-40 - 180mm launcher unit with 16 rockets.
ASTROS II SS-60 - 300mm launcher unit with 4 rockets.
ASTROS II SS-80 - 300mm launcher unit with 4 rockets.
ASTROS II SS-150 - 300mm launcher unit with 4 rockets.
ASTROS II MTC-300 - Proposed battlefield cruise missile launcher.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/22/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Many modern fighting forces have adopted some form of Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) for area saturation of the battlefield. Such systems proved their worth in the fighting of World War 2 (1939-1945), particularly where Soviet trucks ("Katyusha" systems) and tracked vehicles were used to soften German positions prior to an amassed ground assault involving Red Army tanks and troops. Since the global conflict, simple conversions as well as more advanced developments have emerged around the globe to fulfill the MLRS role. Even the Brazilian Army, long content with adoption of foreign-originated military products, elected for a local solution in the Avibras ASTROS II MLRS system (ASTROS = "Artillery SaTuration ROcket System").

The ASTROS II product features a variable rocket load allowing it to be somewhat modular to suit customer requirements. The launcher pack can consist of anywhere between four and thirty-two High-Explosive (HE) rockets for in-direct fire out to 16,000 meters (depending on rocket). The launcher pack (AV-LMU series) is mounted atop a traversing support assembly fitted over the rear section of a Techtran Enginharia 6x6 wheeled truck chassis from a 10-ton class. Drive power is through a Mercedes OM422 8-cylinder diesel-fueled engine developing 280 horsepower and supplying the vehicle with a maximum road speed of 56 miles per hour and an operational range of 300 miles. A typical operating crew is three and local defense is through a 12.7mm Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) (or similar class weapon) fitted on the cab roof. Armor protection is against small arms fire and artillery spray. Vehicle dimensions include a running length of 20 feet, a width of 9.5 feet, and a height of 8.5 feet.

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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.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.

Total Production: 164 Units

Contractor(s): Avibras Industria Aeroespcial - Brazil
National flag of Angola National flag of Bahrain National flag of Brazil National flag of Indonesia National flag of Iraq National flag of Malaysia National flag of Qatar National flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

[ Angola; Bahrain; Brazil; Indonesia; Iraq; Malaysia; Qatar; Saudi Arabia ]
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Image of the Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System)
Image from the U.S. DoD DVIDS imagery database; Public Release.
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Image of the Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System)
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.

Going Further...
The Avibras ASTROS II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System) 6x6 Wheeled Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) appears in the following collections:
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