The multiple launch rocket system, or MLRS, is a revolutionary rocket artillery weapons system that found its modern origins in World War II. Tanks dominated the battlefield in the first half of the 20th century as a result of their hard-hitting attacks and maneuverability. However, after WWII, many national militaries adopted these MLRS vehicles because they further improved upon maneuverability and range for artillery strikes. Today, the MLRS has become a staple of many militaries around the world, also playing an important role throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (These are revolutionary Army vehicles that transformed warfare.)
Although the United States is not directly involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, it has provided a series of MLRS systems to Ukraine that have proved disruptive to Russian efforts in the region. The M270 and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) are two examples of U.S. military aid provided to Ukraine.
The M142 HIMARS only entered U.S. military service within the last two decades as a product of BAE Systems and Oshkosh Corporation. It can carry a series of 227mm M270 rockets, which have a range of roughly 70 km. At this range, the HIMARS is well out of range of basic artillery and it allows for unprecedented reach into enemy-controlled territory without the need for air superiority.
Improved artillery capabilities alone make the modern MLRS a staple of any military. To identify every major MLRS since World War II, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of missile systems from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We ordered these MLRS chronologically. We excluded MLRSs that did not make it out of the prototype phase and that had less than 100 units produced in total. We included supplemental information from Military Factory regarding country of origin, manufacturer, total units produced, top speed, and armament.
Militaries around the world have adopted this technology, and many have built their own models. In addition to these MLRS vehicles, rockets are a necessary component, and these rockets come with varying sizes and ranges accordingly. (These are the U.S. Military’s oldest and newest tanks, trucks, and armored vehicles.)
Here is every major MLRS since World War II:
BM-24 (Katyusha)
- Year entered service: 1949
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Automotive Factory ZiS / ZiL
- Total units produced: 6,000
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 240mm M-24FUD rockets
BM-14
Source: 101561334@N08 / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1952
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 10,000
- Top speed: Dependent on implementation, some models towed mph
- Armament: 130mm or 140mm rocket launcher tubes
BMD-20 (Storm-1)
- Year entered service: 1952
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 4,000
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 200mm MD-20F rockets
M21
- Year entered service: 1953
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Rock Island Arsenal
- Total units produced: 1,200
- Top speed: Towed mph
- Armament: 114mm rocket launcher tubes
BM-21 (Grad)
Source: jacobsroom / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1964
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 4,000
- Top speed: 47 mph
- Armament: 122mm rocket launcher tubes
MAR-290
- Year entered service: 1968
- Country of origin: Israel
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 100
- Top speed: 22 mph
- Armament: 290mm rocket launcher tubes
LARS-1
- Year entered service: 1969
- Country of origin: Germany
- Manufacturer: Wegmann
- Total units produced: 150
- Top speed: 57 mph
- Armament: 110mm rocket launcher tubes
Type 70 (WZ303)
- Year entered service: 1970
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 400
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 130mm rocket launcher tubes
RM-70
- Year entered service: 1972
- Country of origin: Czech Republic
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 1,200
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 122mm rocket launcher tubes
BM-27 (Uragan)
- Year entered service: 1975
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Splav State Research and Production Enterprise
- Total units produced: 1,500
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 220mm rocket launcher tubes
M-77 Oganj
- Year entered service: 1977
- Country of origin: Yugoslavia
- Manufacturer: Bratstvo Novi Travnik
- Total units produced: 200
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 128mm rocket launcher tubes
LARS-2
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 1980
- Country of origin: Germany
- Manufacturer: Wegmann
- Total units produced: 209
- Top speed: 62 mph
- Armament: 110mm rocket launcher tubes
DHI K136 (Kooryong)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 1981
- Country of origin: South Korea
- Manufacturer: Daewoo Heavy Industries
- Total units produced: 150
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 130mm rocket launcher tubes
Type 81
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 1982
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 200
- Top speed: 34 mph
- Armament: 122mm rocket launcher tubes
Astros II
- Year entered service: 1983
- Country of origin: Brazil
- Manufacturer: Avibras Industria Aeroespcial
- Total units produced: 164
- Top speed: 56 mph
- Armament: 127mm, 180mm, or 300mm rocket launcher pack
LAR-160
- Year entered service: 1983
- Country of origin: Israel
- Manufacturer: Israeli Military Industries
- Total units produced: 185
- Top speed: 34 mph
- Armament: 160mm rocket packs
M270
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 1983
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin
- Total units produced: 1,730
- Top speed: 40 mph
- Armament: 227mm solid-fuel rockets and missiles
M1991
- Year entered service: 1987
- Country of origin: North Korea
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 2,500
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 240mm rocket launcher tubes
TOS-1
Source: Kirill Borisenko / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 1988
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Omsk Transmash Design Bureau
- Total units produced: 650
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 220mm rocket launcher pack
BM-30 (Smerch)
Source: 39955793@N07 / Flickr
- Year entered service: 1989
- Country of origin: Soviet Union
- Manufacturer: Splav State Research and Production Enterprise
- Total units produced: 550
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 300mm rocket launcher tubes
PZH-89
- Year entered service: 1999
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 250
- Top speed: 34 mph
- Armament: 122mm rocket launcher tubes, 12.7mm heavy machine gun
PHL-03
Source: Gokhan Sahin / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Year entered service: 2003
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 100
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 300mm rocket launcher tubes
M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)
- Year entered service: 2005
- Country of origin: United States
- Manufacturer: BAe Systems / Oshkosh
- Total units produced: 550
- Top speed: 53 mph
- Armament: 227mm M270 rockets or MGM-140 ATACMS missiles
AR-1
Source: Wathiq Khuzaie / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Year entered service: 2009
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 200
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 300mm rocket launcher tubes
SR-5
Source: Paula Bronstein / Getty Images News via Getty Images
- Year entered service: 2013
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 500
- Top speed: 53 mph
- Armament: 122mm, 220mm rocket launcher tubes
Tornado-G
- Year entered service: 2014
- Country of origin: Russia
- Manufacturer: KAMAZ
- Total units produced: 151
- Top speed: 62 mph
- Armament: 122mm rocket launcher tubes
Hanwha Defense K239 (Chunmoo)
- Year entered service: 2015
- Country of origin: South Korea
- Manufacturer: Hanwha Defense / Doosan DST
- Total units produced: 225
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Armament: 131mm, up to 239mm rocket launcher tubes
KN-09 MLRS
Source: Friemann / iStock via Getty Images
- Year entered service: 2016
- Country of origin: North Korea
- Manufacturer: State Factories
- Total units produced: 500
- Top speed: 37 mph
- Armament: 300mm rocket pods
PHZ-11
Source: Presidential Press and Information Office / Wikimedia Commons
- Year entered service: 2020
- Country of origin: China
- Manufacturer: North Industries Corporation
- Total units produced: 100
- Top speed: 34 mph
- Armament: 122mm rocket launcher pods
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