PULS (multiple rocket launcher)
PULS (formerly known as Lynx MRL) is a multiple rocket launcher developed and manufactured by ELBIT Systems (formerly Israel Military Industries) and used by Israel Defense Forces and other countries.[1]
Lynx | |
---|---|
Type | Rocket artillery |
Place of origin | Israel |
Service history | |
Wars | Second Nagorno-Karabakh War |
Production history | |
Designer | Israel Military Industries |
Manufacturer | Israel Military Industries (Now Elbit Systems) |
Specifications | |
Caliber | 122 mm 160 mm 306 mm 330 mm 370 mm |
Maximum firing range | 300 km |
Guidance system | GPS |
It can be configured to carry a variety of rockets in two sealed pod containers: 40 (2 pods x 20 rockets each) 122mm Grad rockets; or 26 (2x13) 160mm LAR-160 or ACCULAR rockets; or eight (2x4) 306mm EXTRA rockets; two (2x1) 330mm Delilah missiles or four (2x2) 370mm Predator Hawk tactical ballistic missiles.[1]
After the acquisition of Israel Military Industries by Elbit Systems in 2018, an upgraded and modernized version of the Lynx was developed, called the PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System).[2] The Defense Technology Institute (DTI) of Thailand is partnering with Elbit Systems to develop a Thai version of the PULS called D-11A.[3]
In January 2023 Denmark announced it is negotiating the acquisition of 8 PULS systems for Royal Danish Army.[4]
In March 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced that it would acquire 20 PULS systems for the Royal Netherlands Army with the first systems to be delivered in the same year.[5][6]The contract worth 305 million dollars was signed on May 18.[7]
On 10 October 2023, the government of Spain decided to order the locally manufactured version of the PULS systems for SILAM programme (es:SILAM).[8]
Missile options of the PULS
Rocket / missile | Diameter | Weight | Quantity | Guidance | Max. range | Accuracy | Warhead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GRAD | 122 mm | 66 kg | 18 pcs / pod
32 pcs / vehicle |
none | 40 km | n.a. | 20 kg |
LAR160 | 160 mm | 110 kg | 13 pcs / pod
26 pcs / vehicle |
none | 45 km | n.a. | 46 kg |
Accular 122 | 122 mm | 72 kg | 18 pcs / pod
32 pcs / vehicle |
GPS/INS | 35 km | 10 m CEP | 20 kg |
Accular 160 | 160 mm | n.a. | 13 pcs / pod
26 pcs / vehicle |
GPS/INS | 40 km | 10 m CEP | 35 kg |
EXTRA | 306 mm | 570 kg | 4 pcs / pod
8 pcs / vehicle |
GPS/INS | 150 km | 10 m CEP | 120 kg |
Delilah | 330 mm | 187 kg | 2 pcs / pod
4 pcs / vehicle |
CCD/IR and GPS/INS | 250 km | 1 m CEP | 30 kg |
Predator Hawk | 370 mm | 800 kg | 2 pcs / pod
4 pcs / vehicle |
GPS/INS | 300 km | 10 m CEP | 160 kg |
Operators
- Israeli Ground Forces - Under the name of "Lahav".
- Azerbaijani Land Forces – 6 Lynx and 50 EXTRA missiles were acquired and then used in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.[11]
- Royal Danish Army – 2 PULS delivered (total of 8 on order, contract signed on March 2, 2023) for USD133 million. The PULS is based on a Tatra T815 6×6.[12]
- Kazakh Ground Forces – 18 Lynx and 50 EXTRA rockets ordered in 2007, delivered in 2008-09.[13]The Naiza (a derivative of the Lynx) is a derivative of the Lynx developed in collaboration, based on the KamAZ-6350 8×8 chassis [14].
- Rwandan Army – 5 Lynx ordered in 2007, in service since 2008.[13]
Future operators
- Royal Netherlands Army – 20 PULS on order on Scania Gryphus chassis with armoured cabins. Contract worth US$305 million was signed on May 18, 2023, four vehicles to be delivered in 2023.[15]
- Spanish Army – 16 PULS were ordered in October 2023 for the program SILAM MLRS ("Sistema Lanzador de Alta Movilidad") for approximately €576.5 million. Elbit Systems is collaborating with a consortium made of Expal, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, GMV and Iveco Defense Vehicle[8][16]. Details of the contract:
- Truck 8×8, Iveco M320 (ASTRA SM 88.45)
- Accular 122: 16 pods, 288 missiles (18 missiles per pod)
- EXTRA: 28 pods, 122 missiles (4 missiles per pod)
- Predator Hawk: 32 launching pods, 64 missiles (2 missiles per pod)
- Training rockets: 216 rockets
- German Army – The German government decided to buy 5 PULS systems in collaboration with the Netherlands to replace the 5 MARS II (M270 MLRS) sent to Ukraine.[17] It is likely to be installed on an armoured Iveco Trakker FSA 8×8 (GTF ZLK 15t)
Unknown customer
- Elbit Systems announced on the 18th of July, 2023 that it was awarded a $150 million contract to supply PULS (Precise and Universal Launching Systems) rocket launchers and a package of precision-guided long-range rockets to an international customer. The contract will be performed over a period of three years.[18][19]
Potential operators
- German Army – Elbit & KMW announced a joint development of EURO-PULS to answer to the German procurement program ZukSysIndF (Zukünftiges System Indirektes Feuer großer Reichweite) to replace the fleet of MARS II (M270 MLRS). At the moment the EURO-PULS is the favorite as the PULS was purchased as a temporary complement, but no decision has been made in this program, the Rheinmetall "double HIMARS" is still competing. [20]
- Royal Thai Army – The RTA is testing a localized version of the PULS.[21]
See also
References
- "Lynx : Autonomous multi-purpose multiple rocket launcher" (PDF). IMI systems. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- "Elbit Systems PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System)". Military Leak. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
- https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/defense-security-2022-thailand-elbit-partner-on-d11a-multiple-rocket-launcher
- "Denmark negotiates the purchase of ATMOS and PULS systems from Elbit". 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
- "Defensie versterkt vuurkracht met raketartillerie en langeafstandswapens" [Army strengthens firepower with rocket artillery and long range weapons] (Press release) (in Dutch). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
- "Kamerbrief over D-fase project Raketartillerie" [House of Representatives letter about D-phase project Rocket artillery] (Press release) (in Dutch). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- "Elbit Systems Awarded $305 Million Contract to Supply PULS Rocket Artillery Systems to the Royal Netherlands Army". Elbit systems.
- "zona-militar.com - España aprobó el contrato para la compra del Sistema Lanzacohetes de Alta Movilidad destinado al Ejército de Tierra".
- "Land Rocket Artillery Catalog" (PDF). Elbit Systems. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
- "PULS". Elbit. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
- "Azerbaijan Lynx Multiple Launch Rocket System". www.military-today.com.
- "Denmark orders ATMOS SPHs and PULS MRLs". Janes.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- "Naiza Multiple Launch Rocket System | MilitaryToday.com". www.militarytoday.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- Manuel, Rojoef (2023-05-20). "Elbit Systems to Supply 20 PULS Rocket Systems to Dutch Army". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- "Spain orders Israeli PULS rocket launcher for SILAM army program".
- "soldat-und-technik.de - Nun offiziell – Bundeswehr soll israelisches Raketenartilleriesystem PULS erhalten".
- "Elbit Systems Awarded $150 Million Contract to Supply PULS Rocket Artillery Systems to an International Customer".
- Manuel, Rojoef (2023-05-20). "Elbit Systems to Supply 20 PULS Rocket Systems to Dutch Army". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
- "KMW and Elbit Systems intensify Rocket Artillery Cooperation". elbitsystems.com.
- "Thai Army tests 300 km-range D11A based on Israeli PULS MLRS". October 1, 2022.