Friday, July 06, 2018

Inland Reach for The AFRICOM Queen

Strategypage notes a new Israeli rocket. It demonstrates the ability to containerize weapons.

Good to know:

In 2017 Israel announced a successful test of a new version of its LORA system that can be mounted and fired from standard shipping containers. The test involved a truck hauling a shipping container parked on a ship deck. The containerized LORA uses a minimum of two containers; one containing four missiles each in the standard sealed container, and the standard electric (not hydraulic) system to point the missile skyward so it will be fired without the rocket blast damaging the ship. Another container contains the control center and some maintenance and test equipment. In the original ship launched version the launch center electronics were installed in the ship CIC (Combat Information Center) like other fire control equipment. A ship could carry four or more containers with launchers and the container version could also be used on land with the containers mounted on any heavy truck or tractor trailer designed to carry those containers. The new container system also makes it easier to add more firepower to existing warships or even unarmed naval support vessels. LORA also has a ground (and bunker) penetrating conventional warhead for LORA.

The rocket has a range of 300 to 400 kilometers (with a lighter warhead for the longer range).

So again, we see how systems in standard shipping containers can equip The AFRICOM Queen.