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Astros II (Artillery SaTuration ROcket System) |
The Avibrás SS-30 Artillery Saturation Rocket System (Astros) was developed to Iraqi specifications in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The primary weapons were 127mm rockets with a range of 30km, 32 of which were carried by each launcher. The launchers were 7m long, 2.9m high and 2.9m wide, lightly armoured against small arms fire, and weighed 10,000kg. Iraq acquired a total of 11 batteries with 66 Astros II Mk 3 launchers. Other vehicles in a battery included a command/mobile weather station vehicle, one fire-control vehicle, six launchers, six vehicles carrying reloads, and one mobile workshop, with all vehicles painted in a cardboard-like colour overall. They were deployed extensively during the war with Iran, from 1982 until 1988. (Artwork by David Bocquelet)