Projectiles of long-range systems reach from the continent to the island of TaiwanTowards the end of the XX century, Chinese military leaders rethought the accumulated experience and gave local designers a new direction of activity – the creation of long-range multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) of increased power.
By now, China is considered a trendsetter in this direction.
The first motive was the appearance of new models in the world in the caliber of 220-227 mm.
So, in 1975, the 9K57 "Hurricane" was adopted by the Soviet Army, equipped with 220 mm rockets with a maximum launch range of almost 36 km. A few years later, the United States is creating its own M270 MLRS system, firing 227 mm projectiles at a distance of 32 km (M26 projectile) and 45 km (M26A1).
After evaluating the capabilities of the Hurricane and MLRS, the Chinese military leaders came to the conclusion that this direction is promising in terms of the potential to increase the range to values that allow the island of Taiwan to be fired from the continental coast. Then the PLA gets an additional opportunity to exert a powerful fire impact on the rebel army in the event of an armed conflict. For the government in Beijing, the theme of "unification of the motherland" is of particular importance. Therefore, all areas contributing to the implementation of the relevant plan of "unification" receive the necessary resources for the practical implementation of the plan.
The first practical step in the chosen direction was the creation of the WM-80 and WM-120 MLRS with 273 mm rockets. Several types of projectiles have been developed for them, including those with an increased content of mixed fuel due to a reduction in the mass of the warhead. In this case, the range increases to 80 and 120 km, respectively, which is reflected in the digital indexes of the aforementioned systems.
The Chinese industry was thoroughly preparing for the launch of the WM-80 and WM-120 into mass production. However, it came down to only a small series for foreign customers – Jordan and Armenia. But the main customer refused to purchase such equipment, because an alternative in the face of the Smerch system opened up to him through military-technical cooperation with Russia. It fires 300 mm rockets.
It is not known for certain whether China has purchased from Russia or not a certain number of BM-30 launchers and shells for them? Both sides officially confirmed only the fact of "mutually beneficial cooperation" between Chinese gunsmiths and specialists of the NGO "Alloy". One way or another, this allowed us to bring specialized local enterprises to a qualitatively new level.
Based on the technologies of the Smerch MLRS, the Chinese industry began to produce several models of its own design. The closest in design to the Russian analogue is the Tour 03 system (factory index PHL-03, export version AR-2). It has the same number of tubular guides in the amount of 12 pieces as the "Tornado". Externally, the Chinese version differs from the Russian one only in the type of chassis: instead of the MAZ brand product, its Chinese counterpart is used. About 200 units were produced, including 40 on orders from Ethiopia and Morocco.
Interestingly, a different version of the combat vehicle was offered specifically for export – the A100 with a reduced number of guides to ten. The customer was Pakistan. According to the official report of 2019, the local company SUPARCO is launching the production of the A100 variant, specially created to meet the requirements of the Pakistani military. The development of this line was reflected in the development of improved A200 and A300 systems. They are distinguished by a fire control system and missiles of increased accuracy (due to the use of satellite navigation) and a range (according to media reports, up to 290 km).
In 2016, Belarus launched the production on its territory of the A200 variant under its own name "Polonaise" with a launcher for eight 300 mm shells. The peculiarity of this system is the use of the MZKT chassis of the Minsk Automobile Plant. In addition, the Belarusian industry has mastered the production of missiles of several modifications, including those designed for a maximum launch range of 300 km. In 2018, a batch of MLRS "Polonaise" arrived in Azerbaijan.
Note that initially, the A100 developer's brochures indicated a firing range of 100 km. At the same time, for a largely similar Tour 03 model, it was given equal to 130 km . Since then, the figures have been repeatedly adjusted and have now reached 290-300 km. It should be noted that the former head of the NGO "Alloy" Nikolai Makarovets questioned the achievability of such high performance for 300 mm rockets created at the technology level of the beginning of the XXI century. At the same time, a number of experts believe that it is possible to reach the 300 km indicator only when using an additional power plant in the projectile design, which is put into operation after the rocket reaches high altitudes, where the atmosphere is discharged.
It is possible to achieve acceptable shooting accuracy at the maximum range only through the use of a guidance system on the final section of the trajectory. This is possible, in particular, due to correction by satellite signals of the Beidou space group or its Russian counterpart GLONASS. In this case, we are talking about hitting stationary targets with previously known coordinates.
Several Chinese companies are engaged in the development of promising MLRS and ammunition for them, and the work can be carried out independently.
In parallel with the Toure 03/A100/A200/A300 family, another "WS" brand is developing. Developed at the beginning of the XXI century, the WS-1B variant with four tubular guides with a diameter of about 12 inches had a maximum firing range of 180 km. Turkey liked it, where licensed production under the designation T-300 "Kasigra" has been established. The WS-64 variant is offered for export, the launcher of which can be used not only for launching 12-inch rockets, but also anti-ship missiles.
The WS-2 MLRS launcher has six barrels for 400 mm rockets. The advertising data contains the statement that the maximum firing range is 200 km for the WS-2B variant and 400 km for the WS-2D model. It is said about the ability of the system to launch guided missiles, barrage ammunition and even anti-submarine guided missiles (true for the WS-3 variant).
No matter how fantastic the Chinese developers gave their systems, only some of them went into the series and found customers in the face of the PLA and foreign countries. Perhaps, calling frankly inflated figures, manufacturing firms use them as bait, trying to attract the attention of a potential buyer.
At the same time, it is impossible to deny the fact that in the new century China has decisively parted with the role of "catching up" in the development of MLRS of increased power. By now, China has firmly entered the number of countries producing the most advanced systems of this kind.
The most modern development of Chinese specialists is the Toure 16 system (PHL-16) with a modular principle launcher. It can carry a choice of either ten guides for rockets of 300 mm caliber, or eight for those of 370 mm caliber. An alternative "payload" is a set of a pair of operational-tactical class ballistic missiles with a flight range of half a thousand kilometers.
According to foreign sources, fifty serial products of the Toure 16 family have been produced to date. Talking about the prospects of such systems, it should be understood that their appearance and development in China is connected with the desire of local military leaders to get a tool to influence the rebels in the event of a landing on Taiwan.
In this case, long-range MLRS will be able to hit targets on the island from the depths of the territory of the PRC. This observation is confirmed by the fact that the 1st MLRS brigade operating under the control of the Eastern Combat Command Zone, as well as the 2nd MLRS brigade stationed on the territory of the Southern Combat Command Zone, is equipped with long-range rocket systems.
Vyacheslav IvanovVyacheslav Viktorovich Ivanov is a military expert and historian.
