Rocket artillery is artillery that uses rockets as the projectile. The use of rocket artillery dates back to medieval China where devices such as fire arrows were used (albeit mostly as a psychological weapon ). Fire arrows were also used in multiple launch systems and transported via carts. The first true rocket artillery was developed in South Asia by Tipu Sultan , the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore . In the late nineteenth century, due to improvements in the power and range of conventional artillery, the use of early military rockets declined; they were finally used on a small scale by both sides during the American Civil War . Modern rocket artillery was first employed during World War II , in the form of the German Nebelwerfer family of rocket ordnance designs, Soviet Katyusha -series and numerous other systems employed on a smaller scale by the Western allies and Japan. In modern use, the rockets are often guided by an internal guiding system or GPS in order to maintain accuracy.
57-481: Counter rocket, artillery, and mortar , abbreviated C-RAM or counter-RAM , is a set of systems used to detect and/or destroy incoming rockets , artillery , and mortars before they hit their targets, or provide early warning. The 20mm Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System (also called Centurion C-RAM ) is a land-based variant of the U.S. Navy's Phalanx close-in weapon system , a radar-controlled rapid-fire gun for close-in protection of vessels from missiles. Both use
114-566: A forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera to allow their operators to visually identify incoming fire before opening fire. But while naval Phalanx systems fire tungsten armor-piercing rounds, the C-RAM uses the 20mm HEIT-SD (high-explosive incendiary tracer, self-destruct) ammunition, originally developed for the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System . These rounds explode on impact with the target, or on tracer burnout, thereby greatly reducing
171-410: A "cylindro-conoidal" warhead and was launched in pairs from half troughs on simple metal A-frames . The original rocket design had the guide pole side-mounted on the warhead, this was improved in 1815 with a base plate with a threaded hole. They could be fired up to two miles, the range being set by the degree of elevation of the launching frame, although at any range they were fairly inaccurate and had
228-465: A 3D radar system "track while scan type" for surveillance and target tracking. Each remote firing unit consists of a 20 mm M61A1 Gatling cannon, its ammunition handling system and a stabilised optronic infrared (IR) tracking system. The DRACO is a multipurpose weapon station prototype designed for use against air, R.A.M. and surface targets. It was designed for the Italian Army by OTO-Melara using
285-458: A MiG-21–sized aerial target 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) away, while torpedo boat–sized surface targets can be detected at a range of up to 70 kilometres (43 mi). Features include surveillance and tracking modes, high jamming immunity, laser range finder and TV optical sight. It is in operation on almost all Russian navy ships from fast attack boats to the Kirov -class battlecruiser . The gun mount
342-405: A blast crater approximately the size of an American 1,000 lb bomb. In effect, this made the 447mm projectile a type of surface-to-surface barrel bomb . While these latter weapons were captured at Luzon and proved effective in subsequent testing, it is not clear that they were ever used against American troops, in contrast to the more common 20 and 40 cm types, which clearly contributed to
399-409: A church musical organ and alluding to the sound of the weapon's rockets, were mounted on trucks or light tanks, while the early German Nebelwerfer ordnance pieces were mounted on a small wheeled carriage which was light enough to be moved by several men and could easily be deployed nearly anywhere, while also being towed by most vehicles. The Germans also had self-propelled rocket artillery in the form of
456-476: A modernized version of the AK-630M1-2 called AK-630M2 with two AO-18KD rotary cannons was showcased by OAO AK Tulamashzavod under the new name "Duet". Visually "Duet" differs from "Roy" in having a new mount with a stealthy low RCS design compared with the more traditional rounded AK-630 mounts. In 2012 it was announced that the new Ivan Gren-class landing ship would be armed with the modified AK-630M2 system. It
513-556: A pronounced psychological effect on opposing troops, who called them "Screaming Mimis", a nickname originally applied to the German Nebelwerfer tube-launched rocket mortar series in the European Theater of Operations . They were often used at night to conceal their launching sites and increase their disruptiveness and psychological effectiveness. The Japanese 20 cm rockets were launched from tubes or launching troughs, while
570-688: A special facility near the Waltham Abbey Royal Gunpowder Mills beside the River Lea in Essex . These rockets were used during the Napoleonic Wars against the city of Boulogne , and during the naval bombardment of Copenhagen , where over 25,000 rockets were launched, causing severe incendiary damage to the city. The rockets were also adapted for the purpose of flares for signalling and battlefield illumination. Henry Trengrouse utilized
627-512: A surface-to-surface weapon, and the designation of the overall system is consequently changed from A-213-Vympel-A to A-219 . The design started in 1974 and the system was accepted into service in 1980. When production was completed in 1986, 125 systems were in service. In 1983, a decision was made to update the design and modify the AK-630 system to include a second gun mounted above the first, which provides 10,000 rpm in total. The AK-630M1-2 "Roy"
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#1732859419087684-401: A target by the emission of highly focused energy, including laser , microwaves and particle beams . The US Army awarded a $ 29m contract in 2016 to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for prototyping of such systems. The U.S. defense contractor Raytheon is developing a laser-based variation where low cost focused lasers will provide increased range and decreased time-to-intercept over
741-476: A tendency for premature explosion. They were as much a psychological weapon as a physical one, and they were rarely or never used except alongside other types of artillery. Congreve designed several different warhead sizes from 3 to 24 pounds (1.4 to 10.9 kg). The 24 pounds (11 kg) type with a 15 foot (4.6 m) guide pole was the most widely used variant. Different warheads were used, including explosive, shrapnel and incendiary. They were manufactured at
798-486: Is also a stand-alone system. Rocket artillery The use of rockets as some form of artillery dates back to medieval China where devices such as fire arrows were used (albeit mostly as a psychological weapon). Fire arrows were also used in multiple launch systems and transported via carts. Devices such as the Korean hwacha were able to fire hundreds of fire arrows simultaneously. The use of medieval rocket artillery
855-482: Is also replaced by domestic Chinese system ZGJ-1B, and the fire control system is replaced by domestic Chinese ZFJ-1A fire control system. To improve its anti-missile capability, Chinese have also developed APDS round for H/PJ-13 to supplement/replace the original high explosive round of the AK-630M. The Kamand is an Iranian CIWS based on AK-630 to counter anti-ship missiles and low flying aircraft. The Kamand gun system
912-547: Is also used by the Buyan-M -class missile corvette . H/PJ-13 is the Chinese upgraded version of AK-630M. The most obvious visual difference between AK-630 and its Chinese cousin H/PJ-13 is that the latter has a stealth turret. Instead of MP-123-02 fire-control radar originally used on AK-630M, a modified version of Type 347 radar is used. The original electro-optical system of AK-630M
969-503: Is associated with the Kingdom of Mysore , South India . Tipu Sultan successfully established the powerful Sultanate of Mysore and introduced the first iron -cased metal - cylinder rocket. The Mysorean rockets of this period were innovative, chiefly because of the use of iron tubes that tightly packed the gunpowder propellant; this enabled higher thrust and longer range for the missile (up to 2 km range). Tipu Sultan used them against
1026-465: Is based on the Chinese Navy's Type 730 CIWS . In operation, it pairs with a Counter Battery Radar. Goalkeeper CIWS is a Dutch close-in weapon system (CIWS) introduced in 1979. It is an autonomous and completely automatic weapon system for short-range defence of ships against highly manoeuvrable missiles, aircraft and fast-manoeuvering surface vessels. Once activated the system automatically undertakes
1083-530: Is called A-213-Vympel-A , which comprises the AK-630M Gun Mount, MR-123-02 Fire-Control Radar System, and SP-521 Electrical-Optical Tracker. A single MR-123 radar system can simultaneously control two guns, either two 30 mm gun mounts, or two 57 mm gun mounts, or one 30 mm gun and one 57 mm gun. The radar system can engage aerial and surface targets at 4 and 5 kilometres (2.5 and 3.1 mi) respectively. The electro-optical system can detect
1140-608: Is defense against aircraft and helicopters. As one of the tried-and-true CIWS systems available, effectiveness against anti-ship missiles has been demonstrated over the years in exercises, making it the staple anti-air weapon of most Soviet naval vessels. The AK-630 can also be employed against ships and other small craft, coastal targets, and floating mines. Once operational, the system was rapidly adopted and installed in every new Soviet warship (from mine-hunters to aircraft carriers) with up to eight units on larger vessels; hundreds have been produced in total. The complete weapon system
1197-413: Is defense against anti-ship missiles and other precision guided weapons. However it can also be employed against fixed or rotary wing aircraft, ships and other small craft, coastal targets, and floating mines. The United States has been enhancing its directed-energy weapon capabilities aimed at countering threats posed by missiles. A directed-energy weapon is a ranged weapon system that inflicts damage at
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#17328594190871254-509: Is fully automated, and can also be remotely controlled by an operator from either the control console or via a remotely mounted gunsight. It has a higher firing rate than both the Goalkeeper and Phalanx (Block 1 and older) CIWS models. They are often mounted in pairs, with as many as four pairs mounted on the larger ships, providing an effective point defence (last) layer. However, like all gun-based CIWS, they suffer from short engagement times and
1311-651: The Battle of Waterloo , various countries were quick to adopt the weapon and establish special rocket brigades. The British created the British Army Rocket Brigade in 1818, followed by the Austrian Army and the Russian Army . One persistent problem with the rockets was their lack of aerodynamic stability. The British engineer William Hale designed a rocket with a combination of tail fins and directed nozzles for
1368-482: The Iron Dome system to intercept effectively. In addition, the system could also intercept unmanned aerial vehicles . Iron Beam will use a "directed high energy laser beam" to destroy hostile targets with ranges of up to 7 kilometres (4.3 mi). Iron Beam will constitute the fifth element of Israel's integrated air defense system, in addition to Arrow 2 , Arrow 3 , David's Sling , and Iron Dome . However, Iron Beam
1425-627: The Land Mattress , a towed rocket launcher. The United States Army built and deployed a small number of turret-mounted T34 Calliope and T40 Whizbang rocket artillery tanks (converted from M4 Sherman medium tanks) in France and Italy. In 1945, the British Army also fitted some M4 Shermans with two 60 lb RP3 rockets , the same as used on ground attack aircraft and known as " Tulip ". In the Pacific, however,
1482-507: The Luftwaffe from 2011. Skynex is a short-range air defense and C-RAM system produced by Rheinmetall . It integrates Oerlikon Skyshield guns, radar, and control unit on Rheinmetall HX trucks . It has been used by Ukraine since 2023. A typical Porcupine configuration for the Italian Army consists of four firing units, one central control post for target designation and weapon control and
1539-581: The Panzerwerfer and Wurfrahmen 40 which equipped half-track armoured fighting vehicles . An oddity in the subject of rocket artillery during this time was the German " Sturmtiger ", a vehicle based on the Tiger I heavy tank chassis that was armed with a 380 mm rocket mortar . The Western Allies of World War II employed little rocket artillery. During later periods of the war, British and Canadian troops used
1596-727: The US Navy made heavy use of rocket artillery on their LSM(R) transports , adding to the already intense bombardment by the guns of heavy warships to soften up Japanese-held islands before the US Marines would land. On Iwo Jima , the Marines made use of rocket artillery trucks in a similar fashion as the Soviet Katyusha, but on a smaller scale. The Japanese Imperial Army deployed the naval Type 4 20 cm (8 in) Rocket Launcher and army Type 4 40 cm (16 in) Rocket Launcher against
1653-538: The United States Marines and Army troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa , and United States Army troops during the Battle of Luzon , as well Soviet Red Army troops during Manchuria Campaign , South Sakhalin and Kuril Island Campaign . Their deployment was limited relative to other mortar types and the projectiles on the 40 cm launcher were so large and heavy that they had to be loaded using small hand-operated cranes , but they were extremely accurate and had
1710-571: The larger forces of the East India Company during the Anglo-Mysore Wars , especially during the Battle of Pollilur . Another battle where these missiles were deployed was the Battle of Sultanpet Tope , where Colonel Arthur Wellesley , later famous as the First Duke of Wellington , was almost defeated by Tipu's Diwan Purnaiah . The rockets had a demoralizing effect on the enemy due to
1767-455: The 16th century, Mughal artillery rockets began to use metal casing, which made them more weatherproof and allowed a larger amount of gunpowder, increasing their destructive power. Mughal ban iron rockets were described by European visitors, including François Bernier who witnessed the 1658 Battle of Samugarh fought between brothers Aurangzeb and Dara Shikoh . The earliest successful utilization of metal-cylinder rocket artillery
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1824-519: The 37,870 American casualties sustained at Luzon. Israel fitted some of their Sherman tanks with different rocket artillery. An unconventional Sherman conversion was the turretless Kilshon ("Trident") that launched an AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile . The Soviet Union continued its development of the Katyusha during the Cold War , and also exported them widely. Modern rocket artillery such as
1881-526: The Centauro 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle chassis. The main armament consists of a 76mm, 62 caliber gun with an automatic ammunition loading system and a firing rate of 80-100 rounds per minute. The 76mm gun is electrically controlled for elevation and traversing, and is stabilized in elevation. DRACO can be installed on 8x8 wheeled platforms, for combat support operations or convoy defence, as well as on tracked vehicles or on shelters for point defence. The main gun and
1938-509: The Indian Army showed interest in inducting the system into service. AK-630 The AK-630 is a Soviet and Russian fully automatic naval, rotary cannon , close-in weapon system . The "630" designation refers to the weapon's six gun barrels and their 30 mm caliber . The system is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by MR-123 fire-control radar and television detection and tracking. The weapon's primary purpose
1995-670: The US M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System is highly mobile and are used in similar fashion to other self-propelled artillery . Global Positioning and Inertial Navigation terminal guidance systems have been introduced. During the Kargil war of 1999, the Indian army pressed into service the Pinaka MBRL against Pakistani forces. Despite the system still being under development, it was still able to perform successfully, after which
2052-503: The air-cooled AK-306 can be distinguished from the AK-630 by the absence of the water cooling system (a cylindrical jacket that surrounds the barrel cluster of the AK-630). Internally, the AK-306 (A-219) used electricity to power the automatics, instead of using the exhaust. This version also lacked radar control, being only optically guided, hence making it less of an anti-missile weapon and more of
2109-531: The automatic loading system are fully compatible with all in service 76mm rounds and also with 76mm DART guided ammunition. DRACO can be completely controlled by two Operators (the Commander and the Gunner) from a remote position, located inside the hull for mobile installation or inside a protected command shelter for fixed installation. The LD-2000 SPAAGM is a Chinese developed land-based close-in weapon system. LD-2000
2166-408: The entire air defence process from surveillance and detection to destruction, including the selection of the next priority target. The AK-630 is a Soviet and Russian fully automatic naval close-in weapon system based on a six-barreled 30 mm rotary cannon. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by MR-123 radar and television detection and tracking. The system's primary purpose
2223-559: The exhaust. This imparted a spin to the rocket during flight, which stabilized its trajectory and greatly improved its accuracy, although it did sacrifice somewhat of the maximum range. Hale rockets were enthusiastically adopted by the United States , and during the Mexican War in 1846 a volunteer brigade of rocketeers was pivotal in the surrender of Mexican forces at the Siege of Veracruz . By
2280-540: The fact that the British had been exposed to Indian rockets since 1780 at the latest, and that a vast quantity of unused rockets and their construction equipment fell into British hands at the end of the Anglo-Mysore Wars in 1799, at least 4 years before Emmet's rockets. Congreve introduced a standardised formula for the making of gunpowder at Woolwich and introduced mechanical grinding mills to produce powder of uniform size and consistency. Machines were also employed to ensure
2337-402: The gun. A proof of concept was demonstrated on a 60 mm mortar round in 2006. Iron Beam is an air defense system in development by Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems . Unveiled at the 2014 Singapore Air Show on 11 February, the system is designed to destroy short-range rockets, artillery, and mortars with a range of up to 7 km (4.3 mi), too small for
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2394-409: The larger rockets were launched from steel ramps reinforced with wooden monopods . The Japanese also deployed a limited number of 447mm rocket launchers, termed 45 cm Rocket Mortars by United States personnel who test-fired them at the close of the war. Their projectiles consisted of a 1,500 lb cylinder filled with propellant and ballistite sticks detonated by black powder , which produced
2451-563: The late nineteenth century, due to improvements in the power and range of conventional artillery , the use of military rockets declined; they were finally used on a small scale by both sides during the American Civil War . Modern rocket artillery was first employed during World War II , in the form of the German Nebelwerfer family of rocket ordnance designs, and Soviet Katyusha -series. The Soviet Katyushas, nicknamed by German troops Stalin's Organ because of their visual resemblance to
2508-510: The need for multiple volleys to effectively eradicate a threat. The AK-630 CIWS has several versions and sometimes the Kashtan CIWS 's sub-systems and its derivatives are also included. The design of the AK-630 CIWS was initiated in 1963, with the first operational prototype completed in 1964. Trials of the complete system, including radar and controls went on until 1976 when the system
2565-713: The noise and bursting light. The rockets could be of various sizes but usually consisted of a tube of soft hammered iron about 8 inches (20 cm) long and 1.5 to 3 inches (3.8 to 7.6 cm) in diameter, closed at one end and strapped to a shaft of bamboo about 4 ft (1 m) long. The iron tube acted as a combustion chamber and contained well-packed black powder propellant. A rocket carrying about one pound (~500 gm) of powder could travel almost 1,000 yards (~900 m). According to Stephen Oliver Fought and John F. Guilmartin, Jr. in Encyclopædia Britannica (2008): Hyder Ali, prince of Mysore, developed war rockets with an important change:
2622-476: The packing of the powder was perfectly uniform. His rockets were more elongated, had a much larger payload, and were mounted on sticks; this allowed them to be launched from the sea at a greater range. He also introduced shot into the payload, which added shrapnel damage to the incendiary capability of the rocket. By 1805 he was able to introduce a comprehensive weapons system to the British Army . The rocket had
2679-407: The risk of collateral damage from rounds that fail to hit their target. Iron Dome is an Israeli missile system featuring multiple-target tracking and self-guided missile interceptors. Due to the ongoing increase of its engagement range and new missile and interception improvements, plus surface-to-air missile capability, it has developed into a fully-fledged air defense system . By November 2012,
2736-507: The rocket in his life-saving apparatus, in which the rocket was launched at a shipwreck with an attached line to help rescue the victims. The Congreve rockets are also famous for inspiring the lawyer Francis Scott Key to pen the words the "rockets' red glare" in what became the US National Anthem during the War of 1812 . After the rockets were successfully used during Napoleon's defeat at
2793-500: The rockets than from the shells or any other weapon used by the enemy". "In at least one instance", an eyewitness told Congreve, "a single rocket had killed three men and badly wounded others". It has been suggested that Congreve may have adapted iron -cased gunpowder rockets for use by the British military from prototypes created by the Irish nationalist Robert Emmet during Emmet's Rebellion in 1803. But this seems far less likely given
2850-400: The system had intercepted over 400 rockets fired into Israel by Gaza Strip militants. Based on operational success, defense reporter Mark Thompson estimates that Iron Dome is currently the most effective counter-missile system in existence. The MANTIS Air Defence System is a 35mm fully automated C-RAM system, produced by Rheinmetall based on Oerlikon's Skyshield . It has been in use by
2907-402: The use of metal cylinders to contain the combustion powder. Although the hammered soft iron he used was crude, the bursting strength of the container of black powder was much higher than the earlier paper construction. Thus a greater internal pressure was possible, with a resultant greater thrust of the propulsive jet. The rocket body was lashed with leather thongs to a long bamboo stick. The range
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#17328594190872964-551: The use of rocket weapons, reportedly increasing the number of rocket troops from 1,200 to a corps of 5,000. In battles at Seringapatam in 1792 and 1799 these rockets were used with minimal effect against the British. The Indian Tipu Sultan 's rocket experiences, including Munro's book of 1789, eventually led to the Royal Arsenal beginning a military rocket R&D program in 1801. Several rocket cases were collected from Mysore and sent to Britain for analysis. The development
3021-414: Was accepted for service. During the deployment of the system, numerous problems that did not appear in trials were exposed in its application, and some modification of the original AK-630 was made to correct these problems, and in 1979, the new system was named as AK-630M and was accepted into service. A derivative of AK-630M was developed for light craft and this system was named as AK-306. Externally,
3078-509: Was chiefly the work of Col. (later Sir) William Congreve , son of the Comptroller of the Royal Arsenal , Woolwich , London, who set on a vigorous research and development programme at the Arsenal's laboratory; after development work was complete, the rockets were manufactured in quantity further north, near Waltham Abbey, Essex . He was told that "the British at Seringapatam had suffered more from
3135-411: Was perhaps up to three-quarters of a mile (more than a kilometre). Although individually these rockets were not accurate, dispersion error became less important when large numbers were fired rapidly in mass attacks. They were particularly effective against cavalry and were hurled into the air, after lighting, or skimmed along the hard dry ground. Hyder Ali's son, Tipu Sultan, continued to develop and expand
3192-686: Was picked up by the invading Mongols and spread to the Ottoman Turks who in turn used them on the European battlefield. The use of war-rockets is well documented in Medieval Europe. In 1408 Duke John the Fearless of Burgundy used 300 incendiary rockets in the Battle of Othée . The city dwellers coped with this tactic by covering their roofs with dirt. In the Mughal Empire under Akbar 's reign during
3249-539: Was roughly the same size and weight allowing installation in existing AK-630 mounts. Though the system proved to be successful, the AK-630M1-2 Roy was not accepted for production due to the maturity of a combined missile and gun system, then designated the 3M87 Kortik, but later called Kashtan . The single example of AK-630M1-2 Roy remains installed on the Project 206.6 class missile boat # P-44. In July 2007 at IMDS-2007,
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