Valkiri
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The Valkiri (Valkyrie) is a South African self-propelled multiple rocket launcher developed in the 1980s by Somchem, a division of the Denel corporation.[1][2]
Development of the system was completed in 1981. It was fielded in 1987 and 1988 by the South African Defense Force (SADF) in southern Angola against Cuban supported FAPLA forces, specifically during operations Hooper and Modular.
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[edit] Description
It is closely based on, but not a copy of, the Soviet BM-21 (Grad). The most significant differences are:
- Different rockets (127 mm versus 122 mm).
- Improved range and accuracy of rockets.
- Smaller, lighter more mobile 4x4 2-ton truck chassis (the SAMIL).
- Could easily be disguised as small canvas covered truck.
It was designed to be a self contained system that could be easily transportable in a C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft.
The standard 127 mm rocket is 2.68 m long and designed for use against personnel or soft skinned targets. The pre-fragmented warhead is designed with a proximity fuze for detonation at a certain height above ground.
[edit] Variants
- Valkiri-22 (original version): 24 launch tubes
- Bateleur (current version): 40 launch tubes
[edit] References
- ^ Rockets and Missiles. Retrieved on October 25, 2006.
- ^ Valkiri Multiple Artillery Rocket. Retrieved on October 25, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Army Recognition.com
- FAS.org
- Photos at SA Bush War—half way down the page
