Brazilian Avibras unveils new missile and rocket-launching system

Avibras has designed the ASTROS III AV-LMU missile and rocket launcher to offer significant artillery saturation firepower. (Avibras)

Avibras Indústria Aeroespacial is considering building a prototype of its newly designed Artillery Saturation Rocket System (ASTROS) III self-propelled missile- and rocket-launching system.

The development of the ASTROS III was fuelled by the lessons learned from the military conflict in Ukraine, where artillery saturation systems have been in demand and effective, João Brasil Carvalho Leite, the company's president, told Janes .

The ASTROS III Avibras Universal Multiple Rocket Launchers (AV-LMU) unit is based on a Tatra Truck's T 815 - 7T3B41 8×8 high-mobility heavy-duty chassis and will offer increased firepower compared with the 6×6 ASTROS II Mk6 generation supplied to Brazil and Indonesia, Leite added.

Avibras could use an T 815 - 7T3B41 8×8 chassis it has in its inventory to potentially produce the 8×8 ASTROS III AV-LMU launching unit, Leite said.

The ASTROS III also will be available in the ammunition resupply vehicle configuration, AV-RMD, Leite said.

The ASTROS III launching unit comes with an AV-PLM multicalibre multiple launching platform for four AV-MTC tactical cruise missiles per launcher (two for the ASTROS II), 72 AV-SS 30 rockets per launcher (32 for the ASTROS II), 40 180 mm AV-SS 40 rockets per launcher (16 for the ASTROS II), 12 AV-SS 60 rockets per launcher (four for the ASTROS II), 12 AV-SS 80 rockets per launcher (four for the ASTROS II), and 12 AV-SS 150 rockets per launcher (two for the ASTROS II).