Pakistan imports Chinese rocket launchers
Pakistan is in the process of purchasing A-100 multi-rocket launch systems from China. According to a Pakistani military industry source,the contract was signed last year with the arms export company, China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation.
The initial procurement is a battalion-level system primarily for testing purposes. According to the needs of the Pakistani military, additional imports are also likely.
This is the first time for China to export the A-100 MLRS to a foreign country. South Asian military industry analysts believe that Pakistan’s procurement of the A-100 is in response to India’s acquisition of the Russian Smerch, or Tornado, MLRS. Both the Smerch and the A-100 are 300-mm calibre rocket launch systems.
In 2001, India signed a contract with Russia to purchase US$450 million worth of Smerch MLRS, which made their first appearance at India’s 2008 National Day military parade. A source from the Chinese military industry claims that the Smerch’s maximum range is 90 kilometers, while the A-100 can fire its latest submunitions as far as 120 kilometers. After being fitted with a simplified strike correction system, the A-100’s strike accuracy is increased to 33 percent.
The Pakistani military is considering a possible transfer of production site for the A-100 out of China.However, at the current stage, Pakistan will continue to import the system, according to the military industry source.
Some international analysts are of the opinion that the A-100 and the AR-2 300-mm MLRS produced by Chinese manufacturer Norinco are both imitation versions of the Russian Smerch MLRS. But the manufacturers of the A-100 and the AR-2 insist that these three types of MLRS are completely different. Neither the A-100 nor the AR-2 can fire Smerch rocket munitions, nor do they use the same propellant rocket motors or components.
Pakistan is in the process of purchasing A-100 multi-rocket launch systems from China. According to a Pakistani military industry source,the contract was signed last year with the arms export company, China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation.
The initial procurement is a battalion-level system primarily for testing purposes. According to the needs of the Pakistani military, additional imports are also likely.
This is the first time for China to export the A-100 MLRS to a foreign country. South Asian military industry analysts believe that Pakistan’s procurement of the A-100 is in response to India’s acquisition of the Russian Smerch, or Tornado, MLRS. Both the Smerch and the A-100 are 300-mm calibre rocket launch systems.
In 2001, India signed a contract with Russia to purchase US$450 million worth of Smerch MLRS, which made their first appearance at India’s 2008 National Day military parade. A source from the Chinese military industry claims that the Smerch’s maximum range is 90 kilometers, while the A-100 can fire its latest submunitions as far as 120 kilometers. After being fitted with a simplified strike correction system, the A-100’s strike accuracy is increased to 33 percent.
The Pakistani military is considering a possible transfer of production site for the A-100 out of China.However, at the current stage, Pakistan will continue to import the system, according to the military industry source.
Some international analysts are of the opinion that the A-100 and the AR-2 300-mm MLRS produced by Chinese manufacturer Norinco are both imitation versions of the Russian Smerch MLRS. But the manufacturers of the A-100 and the AR-2 insist that these three types of MLRS are completely different. Neither the A-100 nor the AR-2 can fire Smerch rocket munitions, nor do they use the same propellant rocket motors or components.
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