LAROM

LAROM
LAROM
	LAROMs during a military exercise
Type	Multiple Rocket Launcher
Place of origin	Romania, Israel
Specifications
Mass	13.7 tonnes
Length	7.35 m
Width	2.40 m
Height	3.10 m
Crew	5
Main; armament	LAR Mk.4 160mm rockets
Secondary; armament	122mm rockets

The LAROM is a Romanian native-made, highly mobile, multiple rocket launcher, attached to a DAC-25.360 6x6 truck, in service with the Romanian Land Forces, built in collaboration with Israel. Currently^[when?] there are 54 systems in service, all operated by the 8th Mixed Artillery Brigade. Most likely it was influenced by the BM-21 Grad 122 mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL) system which entered service with the Soviet Army in 1963 also utilizing a six-by-six truck chassis fitted with a bank of 40 122mm launch tubes arranged in a rectangular shape that can be turned away from the unprotected cabin.

Armament[]

The LAROM standard launch pod containers hold 13 LAR Mk IV rockets or 20 GRAD rockets, with two pods on a launcher.

The LAROM can operate with the standard 122 mm rockets, as well as with the more advanced 160 mm rocket, with a strike range between 20 and 45 km. The GRAD 122 mm rocket is utilised to suppress and annihilate concentrated targets. It has an 18 kg high-explosive warhead, a range of approximately 20 km and can be fired in salvos of up to 2 rounds per second.

The LAR-160 160mm rockets employ composite solid propellants. The rocket is spin-stabilizing in flight via wraparound stabilizing fins deployed upon rocket exiting launcher. The Mk IV rocket is capable of taking various warheads and commonly fitted with either a HE-COFRAM type or a Cluster munition warhead. The cluster warhead operates by a remotely set electronic time-fuse which opens the bomblet canister at the calculated height to give area coverage of about 31,400 m² for each cluster warhead. The LAR Mk IV has a minimum range of 10 km and maximum range of 45 km and can be fired in salvos of up to 1 round every 1.8 seconds.