LARS 110mm

     Notes: This is a German artillery rocket launcher, first fielded in 1969.  With the acquisition of some MLRS systems from the United States in the early 1990s, many of these systems were taken out of service or sold to other members of NATO, but some 55 of these launchers remained in service with Germany by 2003, and these had been updated to the LARS SF2 standard.. 

 

LARS SF1

     The LARS (Leichtes Artillerie Raketen System) launcher is mounted on a modified Magirus or MAN 6x6 (we will use a MAN 630 Jupiter chassis for this entry) truck chassis, consisting of dual pack of 18 rounds.  Fire control equipment is carried on a separate modified MAN 630 chassis, though the MRL is capable of inaccurate fire without this vehicle.  The second truck contains a large armored rear and acts as an FDC.  If the LARS conducts a fire mission without FDC input, triple scatter distances.  The launcher truck itself has an extended (though still cramped) cab which, though it is not armored, is sealed against NBC hazards and protected by overpressure, Though there are two rows of bench seats, there is a small space in the rear for radios and fire control equipment, and to a lesser extent, personal equipment and extra machinegun ammunition, small arms, and suchlike. The windows are normally covered by roll down curtains on the outside (but which are operated from the inside) when conducting a fire mission. 

     The cab has a hatch over commander’s side of the cab; there is a pintle mount, but the roof is not strong enough for a heavy weapon, and the pintle mount is designed for a medium or light machinegun (specifically, an MG3 in German service).  When firing, the crew must lower bracing legs at each rear corner of the vehicle. The SF1 fires the standard artillery rockets designed for it, or updated versions designed in the mid-1980s to extend the SF1’s range.  Reloading is manual, and takes 15-20 minutes.  Firing may be done in singles, or in groups of 6, 12, 18 (one half pod), and 36 (the entire load. When fired in ripples, there is a half-second delay between the launch of each rocket, and a complete load of 36 rockets may be fired in 17.5 seconds.  The launcher may be depressed to zero degrees or elevated to 50 degrees.

     The MAN 630 Jupiter base chassis is 6x6, and has 130-horsepower diesel engine, with a manual transmission, power brakes, and power steering.  The engine is multifuel, and can basically burn any sort of alcohol or hydrocarbon-based fuel, except jet fuel.

 

LARS SF2

     The SF2 is an updated version of the SF1, on a new chassis but with the same launcher (though armored, along with the cab).  The upgrades began in 1980, and by 1983 were mostly complete, with the last of the SF1s going out of service by 1986.  However, with the arrival of the M270 MLRS appearing in the German Army, the LARS SF1 and SF2 were taken completely out of service by 1998.

     The SF2 uses the chassis of a MAN KAT 1 6x6 truck.  This chassis has automatic transmission, power brakes, power steering, and oil and fuel preheaters. It has a cabover design, making extending the cab much easier.  The windows also have armored shutters instead of roll-down curtains; the curtains had a nasty tendency to munge up when rolling up or down, requiring a crewmember to go outside and untangle the mess.  The KAT 1 chassis has a 320-horsepower diesel engine, and has locking differentials, making stabilizing legs less necessary (though they are still normally lowered when firing). A self-recovery winch is mounted in the front bumper.

     The LARS is a bit more accurate without an FDC, as it has inertial navigation, and fire without an FDC produces only double normal scatter ranges. The SF2 can fire older LARS rockets, but normally are armed with more up-to-date rockets with greater range and an expanded selection of warheads.  The SF2 has an improved fire control system, and the hits downrange are seen by the launching crew or a FIST, the SF2 can correct its own fire, and reduce scatter ranges to normal after at least one ranging shot.  Though normally fired from within the cab, the SF2’s rockets may also be fired from a control box connected to the launcher via a 30-meter cable.

     As with the original LARS, the driver, commander, and radio operator sit in the front seats, while the gunner and AG are in the rear seats.  Compared to the original, there is an expanded amount of room for gear behind the rear seat, and the radios and computers are also installed there, along with an air conditioner. As with the SF1, the roof of the SF2’s cab is not reinforced enough to allow the firing of weapons heavier than a light or medium machinegun from it’s pintle.

 

Vehicles

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

LARS SF1

$158,420

D,G, AvG, A

875 kg

14.79 tons

5

15

Headlights

Shielded

LARS SF2

$176,611

D, A

970 kg

17.48 tons

5

23

Headlights

Shielded

 

Vehicles

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

LARS SF1

88/44

24/12

110

38

Trtd

W(3)

TF1  TS1  TR1  HF1  HS1  HR1

LARS SF2

148/74

41/31

400

95

Trtd

W(3)

TF2  TS2  TR2  HS2  HS2  HR2*

 

Vehicles

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

LARS SF1

None

None

36-round 110mm Rocket Launcher, MG-3 (C)

36x110mm Rockets, 700x7.62mm

LARS SF2

None

None

36-round 110mm Rocket Launcher, MG-3 (C)

36x110mm Rockets, 1500x7.62mm