Tools of War: The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

Field Artillery is known as the "King of Battle", due to it being the single highest casualty-producing weapons system on any battlefield during WW1 and WW2. The Soviets/Russians fully embraced that theory and have an ongoing reputation for never seeing an artillery piece that they didn't like, and never throwing away an artillery piece once they had it...ever.

Sure, this causes a few logistical issues, but you have to admit, it's hard to argue the logic. High volume of fire goes a long way in any battle, and high volume of really big, explosive rounds goes a looong, looong way. But that strategy is easiest to employ when you are in either a defensive scenario, or in a "known-route-of-advance" scenario (ie. the Fulda Gap).

Since US forces haven't fought substantially on our own soil against a foreign force since 1812, and since we have the benefit of a couple of oceans between us and most unfriendly nations, we have adopted a different tactic. Highly mobile, highly accurate, highly lethal, and highly deployable....and much fewer of them.

The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is the poster-child for that concept.

• Very mobile - Able to cross most any terrain, due to it's tracked-chassis, and capable of 40mph. In addition, it can fire its entire load-out of 12 rockets in less than a minute, and then move out prior to a counter-battery fire response.
  
• Highly accurate - Missile dependent, but with GPS-guided packages, it'll hit within 10 meters...and accuracy beyond that is kinda moot.
• Incredible lethality - They don't call it the "Grid-Square Removal Service" for nothing. With its primary loadout of submunition-equipped rockets, they can blanket an entire square kilometer. {Pause for effect....} Seriously, just stop and think about that for a minute. A. Whole. Grid. Square. "And just like that....poof. It's gone." Yeah, you fear being on the wrong side of this thing more than you fear being on the wrong side of Keyser Soze. Let's hear it for the wonder that is DPICM.

The MLRS, now being partnered with its smaller and more nimble sibling, HIMARS, is able to provide punishing, accurate fire in support of maneuver elements that are 60km away...further with ATACMS. As the saying goes, "The King puts it where the Queen wants it."

I know you've been missing having an annoying ex-SEAL around here, whispering away...so here he is. And subtitled for our German friends!



By: Steve