Evgenia Sokolenko08:10, 07/09/24

It is capable of launching twice as many missiles as the American system.

Europe is developing its own rocket launcher system, which resembles the American HIMARS .

As  Business Insider writes , the EuroPULS air defense system is the result of cooperation between the Franco-German defense firm KNDS and the Israeli Elbit Systems. It is based on the Elbit universal launch system, which is used by the Israel Defense Forces and several European countries.

Comparison of EuroPULS with HIMARS 

EuroPULS is mounted on an eight-wheeled truck chassis, while HIMARS uses a six-wheeled vehicle. The length of the European system is 10.3 meters, and the weight is 38 tons. At the same time, it can accelerate up to 88 km/h.

Such characteristics make EuroPULS significantly heavier than HIMARS, which has a combat weight of 18 tons. However, this allows her to carry more missiles. The European MLRS has two pods that can fire 12 missiles in 60 seconds, depending on the ammunition. At the same time, HIMARS has a single capsule that can launch six GMLRS missiles or one long-range ATACMS missile.

The cost of EuroPULS is currently undisclosed, while the HIMARS launcher costs nearly $5 million apiece. The GMLRS missile costs him more than $100,000 each.

European armies are armed with various rocket launcher systems – the French LRU and the German MARS 2, which are based on the American M270 tracked mobile missile launcher and its missiles of the guided rocket system.

EuroPULS can fire “a combination of traditional European missiles and PULS missiles.” The pod selection includes 18 122 mm Accular missiles with a range of 35 km, 10 160 mm Accular missiles with a range of 40 km, four EXTRA extended-range missiles that can reach 150 km, and two Predator Hawk weapons with a range of up to 300 km. At the same time, different containers can be installed on one car.

KNDS claims that their system is “adapted to future missiles”. According to Elbit, EuroPULS “will form the basis for a modularly scalable and flexible artillery system that can be integrated to fire from any mobile platform with high precision and safety. The open concept of EuroPULS does not exclude any supplier of the corresponding missiles from cooperation, allowing EuroPULS users hire those.”

It follows that the European MLRS can launch the American GMLRS used by HIMARS. Although the manufacturer of the American system Lockheed Martin believes that this is not an option.

“Our family of MLRS ammunition cannot be integrated into the PULS system. If Germany chose PULS, it would not be able to gain access to our missiles,” the company emphasizes.

Can EuroPULS compete with HIMARS?

As you know, the American system gained popularity thanks to its use during the war in Ukraine. HIMARS missiles destroyed Russian ammunition depots and control points, disrupting logistics and forcing the occupying forces to stretch logistics. However, GPS-guided weapons have recently lost their edge as Russia’s massive jamming of signals has degraded the accuracy of the guidance systems. 

For its part, KNDS can use economic incentives to attract European customers. Lockheed Martin manufactures its guided missiles at factories in the US, while KNDS plans to use a European production base.

Although HIMARS is used or ordered by more than a dozen countries, PULS has some success in Europe. It has been purchased by the Netherlands and Denmark, and Germany plans to purchase five MARS 2 launch vehicles. The American MLRS may become a victim of its own popularity, as questions arise as to whether Lockheed Martin can meet the growing demand.

“Demand for such a military capability risks outstripping supply, given the limitations on how quickly industrial production capacity can be built up, and given the need to also provide systems for Ukraine. There are also issues of industrial policy and security of supply, with many countries hoping to secure access to production lines and munitions in times of crisis or war, and many countries hope to win lucrative domestic or export contracts. Combined, these trends are prompting some militaries to consider possible alternatives to the American HIMARS system, although of course it remains a major player in this contract competition,” he explained. James Black, Assistant Director for Defense Affairs at the RAND Europe think tank.

Use of HIMARS in Ukraine

Western munitions for HIMARS and other howitzers have become less effective and accurate due to  Russian electronic warfare  (EW) equipment. One of the options for solving the problem is the destruction or long-term disabling of the EW systems of the aggressor.

Recently, the defense companies Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall developed and presented a new mobile artillery missile system GMARS , which was created to significantly increase NATO’s firepower.

(c)UNIAN 2024