JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU (Larry W. Jewell) (02/11/91)
From: "Larry W. Jewell" <JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU>
Astros II MRL (Brazil)
(Brazil is said to have developed the Astros at Iraq's request from their
FGT and SBAT series of long range rockets. Iraq was reported to have had
60 batteries of these MRL's in the war with IRAN. How many survived would
be nice to know. Note max. range for the SS-60.)
The Astros II modular mobile MRL system is mounted on identical 10000-kg
(22,046 lb) Tectran 6X6 truck chassis. The three variants are the 32-round
SS-30, the 16-round SS-40, and the four-round SS-60, which differ only in
the size and weight of the rockets they fire. A typical battery is belie-
ved to comprise four to eight launchers with optional radar fire-control
vehicles. The crew consists of three men, with reloading under-taken from
other trucks usisng module rocket pods.
A compatible fire-control vehicle is the Swiss Contraves Fieldguard J-band
radar, with a 300-m (328-yd) to 20000-m (21,870-yd) range. It is used to
plot rocket trajectories and hence calculate the impact point.
Data common to all three models:
Crew: - - - - - - - 3
Chassis: - - - - - - 10000-kg (22,046-lb) Tectran 6X6 truck
Warhead:
SS-30 - - - - HE
SS-40 - - - - HE, submuniton
SS-60 - - - - HE, submuniton
Calibre:
SS-30 - - - - 127 mm(5 in)
SS-40 - - - - 180 mm(7.09 in)
SS-60 - - - - 300 mm(11.81 in)
No. of launch tubes:
SS-30 - - - - 32
SS-40 - - - - 16
SS-60 - - - - 4
Rocket length:
SS-30 - - - - 3.9 m (12.8 ft)
SS-40 - - - - 4.2 m (13.78 ft)
SS-60 - - - - 5.6 m (18.37 ft)
Rocket weight:
SS-30 - - - - 68 kg (149.9 lb)
SS-40 - - - - 152 kg (335.1 lb)
SS-60 - - - - 595 kg (1,311.7 lb)
Maximum range:
SS-30 - - - - 30 km (18.64 mi.)
SS-40 - - - - 35 km (21.75 mi.)
SS-60 - - - - 60 km (37.28 mi.)
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We flattened cities in Germany and Japan in World War II. I don't know
what's so sacred about Hanoi...Let world opinion go fly a kite.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Mendel Rivers %%%%%%%
Larry W. Jewell JEWELLLW@VM.CC.PURDUE.EDU