The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS) is an armored, self-propelled, multiple rocket launcher (a type of rocket artillery).
Since the first M270s were delivered to the U.S. Army in 1983, the MLRS has been adopted by several NATO countries.
MLRS was developed jointly by the United Kingdom, United States, West Germany, France and Italy, developed from the older General Support Rocket System (GSRS). The M270 MLRS weapons system is collectively known as the M270 MLRS Self-Propelled Loader/Launcher (SPLL).
The M109 is an American 155 mm turreted self-propelledhowitzer, first introduced in the early 1960s. It has been upgraded a number of times, most recently to the M109A7.
The M109 has a crew of four: the section chief/commander, the driver, the gunner, and the ammunition handler/loader. The chief or gunner aims the cannon left or right (deflection) and up and down (quadrant).
With the cancellation of the U.S. Crusader and Non-Line-of-Sight Cannon, the M109A6 ("Paladin") will remain the principal self-propelled howitzer for the U.S. for the foreseeable future until the new M1299 will enter service.
Maneuvering Fires S-300V4, S-400, Tunguska-M, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2
Battlefield air defense troops conducted missile launches from S-300V4, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile systems during massive drills in the southern Astrakhan Region, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.
"Tactical drills of five anti-aircraft missile formations with the launches of S-300V4, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 air defense systems were held in the Astrakhan Region," the statement says.
According to the Defense Ministry’s data, large-scale drills with the launches of long-, medium and short-range anti-aircraft missile systems were held at the battlefield air defense combat training center in the Astrakhan Region with anti-aircraft missile troops undergoing training (re-training) to learn to operate the most advanced weapons. The troops created multi-layered air defenses to thwart a massive strike by aerospace attack weapons.
In the course of the drills, anti-aircraft missile formations of the Southern, Western and Eastern Military Districts repelled strikes by ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft and an attack by a swarm of drones of a hypothetical enemy. At the Kapustin Yar training ground, a battlefield air defense combined force of five surface-to-air missile formations armed with S-300V4, Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 launchers was set up, the statement says.
At the first frontier of the layered defense, the battalions of S-300V3 long-range air defense systems thwarted a strike by aeroballistic missiles, conducting missile launches against the targets that attacked from an altitude of over 150 km, the press office said.
At the second frontier, the combat teams of Buk-M3 medium-range battlefield air defense systems and battalions of Tor-M2 short-range launchers repelled an attack by the notional enemy’s cruise missiles flying at extremely low altitudes. The combat squads of Buk-M3 and Tor-M2 weapons also struck fast-speed multiple targets that simulated an air raid at a range of 10 km to 40 km, the ministry specified.
The battalions of Tor-M2 short-range missile systems also conducted launches against multiple air targets that simulated an attack by a swarm of the mock enemy’s drones at ranges of up to 15 km. Overall, the anti-aircraft gunners destroyed over 40 aerial sole and multiple targets at altitudes of 7 meters to 35 km, launching missiles to ranges of 3 km to 50 km. The drills involved over 1,000 personnel and 300 items of armament and military hardware. All the designated targets were wiped out in the course of the drills, the Defense Ministry reported.
The Most Fearsome Self-Propelled Howitzer (Msta-S - 152.4 Mm) in the World
The 152mm 2S19 MSTA-S self-propelled howitzer is designed to defeat unsheltered and covered manpower, weapons and materiel to division level.
MSTA-S comprises a turret mounted on a tracked armoured 6×6 chassis, which has been based on elements of the T-72 and T-80 main battle tanks.
It is manufactured by Uraltransmash of Ekaterinberg, Russia, which also produced a towed version, called MSTA-B, and has developed two new variants, 2S19M with a computerised fire control system and 2S19M1 with a Nato standard 155mm gun.
