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 |