Long-range rocket launcher as accurate as American sniper rifles

A series of upgrade packages allow the M270 rocket artillery to maintain its power and increase its accuracy after 35 years of service with the US military.

US Army M270 rocket artillery system. Photo: WATM.

The M270 MLRS is one of the weapons deployed by the US in South Korea to deter North Korea. Although it has been in service for more than 34 years, its firepower and destructive power have increased thanks to a series of upgrade packages, leading many experts to call it the "70 km range sniper rifle" of the US Army, according to WATM.

When it was put into service in 1983, the sole mission of each M270 battery was to destroy a 100-hectare area with 12 M26 shells, each carrying 644 M77 submunitions, from a distance of 30 km. The US Army described this as a bombing option without the assistance of air force aircraft.

During Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991), the MLRS systems proved their power even though they only used basic M26 ammunition. At that time, the US began developing rockets with a range of up to 45 km, but still used the M77 warhead. This warhead was soon replaced by the newer M85 variant, which had the same destructive power but a technical failure rate of only 1% compared to 5% for the M77.

However, the weakness of the M270 is that the shells do not have a guidance system, making them very inaccurate, easily causing unintended damage on the battlefield. The US later launched the M30 rocket version equipped with a homing head and 404 M85 sub-bombs, reducing the damage but significantly increasing the accuracy against small targets.

The latest M31 variant of the M270 is considered an effective solution for destroying targets in mountainous and urban areas with maximum accuracy. The M85 cluster warhead is replaced by a 100 kg high explosive, allowing the destruction of single targets without causing collateral damage to the surrounding area.

The missile is equipped with an inertial guidance system and satellite positioning, allowing it to hit within a 10-meter radius of the intended target. The firing range is increased to about 70-80 km, beyond the counter-battery capabilities of most conventional rocket artillery systems, ensuring the survivability of the M270 launcher.

According to VNE