Rain of Fire

Atul Chandra

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has highlighted the utility of Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher Systems/Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MBRLS/MLRS) on the battlefield. Both Russia and the Ukraine have extensively used MBRLS on the battlefield to degrade each other’s logistics and command and control centres, in addition to softening up targets prior to a major advance. These wheeled rocket systems are also able to redeploy at short notice, enhancing their battlefield survivability.

The Indian Army presently operates three MBRLS types in the indigenously developed Pinaka and Russian BM-30 SMERCH and legacy BM-21 GRAD. The first two regiments of the Pinaka MBRLS were inducted and became fully operational in 2010. User trials of Pinaka Mk-I were successfully completed in July 2002 and bulk production of the rocket system began in 2006. The ministry of defence (MoD) entered into two contracts with Rosoboronexport, Russia in December 2005 and March 2007 for the import of a total of 42 Smerch MBRLS.

Ukraine M142 HIMARS

Combat Update

The United States, which has been supplying Ukraine with sophisticated defence equipment, had announced in July 2022 that the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) being used by the Ukrainian armed forces were making an impact on the battlefield. The M142 HIMARS system allows for the launching of multiple, precision-guided rockets. During a background briefing in July 2022 at the Pentagon, a senior US military official said the department of defence (DoD) believed the HIMARS systems were having an indirect, but significant impact on front line operations.

“I think there has been significant impact on what’s going on, on the front lines,” the official said. “If you think about the fact that the Ukrainians have been talk