The Bateleur is a South African self-propelled

multiple rocket launcher A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) or multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a type of rocket artillery system that contains multiple launchers which are fixed to a single platform, and shoots its rocket ordnance in a fashion similar to a volle ...

. It is a 127mm system with a wheeled launcher vehicle, disposable pods, and fire control equipment developed by

Denel Land Systems It was formerly Lyttelton Engineering Works (LIW - from af, Lyttelton Ingenieurswerke), a subsidiary part of the commercial network from Armscor. It then became the ''Systems'' division of the ''Land Systems Group'' of Denel. They are responsib ...

. Based on a mine protected Kwêvoël 100 10 ton 6x6 carrier. Its mission is to engage in counter-battery strikes against hostile artillery and air defences as far as 36 km (22 mi) away. Other potential warheads include cluster and an anti-tank mine dispenser. The weapon can fire up to 40 127mm pre-fragmented high explosive warheads to ranges of 7.5km to 36km at sea level singly or using ripple fire, firing up to 1 rocket per second. Reload can take less than 10 minutes and in/out-of-action time is one and two minutes respectively. The system is supported by a Kwêvoël 100 ammunition truck carrying 96 rockets and crew who help with the reloading. The system was previously called the Valkiri MkII as it was developed from the

Valkiri The Valkiri is a South African self-propelled multiple rocket launcher. It is a 127mm system with a wheeled launcher vehicle, and fire control equipment developed by Armscor. Contemporary models consist of a single launch module with five eight-c ...

MRLS which is itself based on the

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" (russian: БМ-21 "Град", lit= hail) is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first com ...

Variants

* Bateleur FV2 (current version): 40 launch tubes mounted on an armoured Samil 100 6x6 truck. * Modified version to fire 122mm rockets File:SANDF Armed Forces Day 2017 - South African Army Samil 100 MPV Valkiri MkII rocket launcher (32203261424).jpg, Bateleur 40 tube Multiple Rocket Launcher on SAMIL 100 armoured four door cab truck File:Bateleur Multiple Rocket Launcher.jpg

Operators

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South African National Defence Force The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister ...

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References

{{South African AFV Wheeled self-propelled rocket launchers Rocket artillery Military equipment introduced in the 1970s Cold War artillery of South Africa Field artillery of the Cold War 127 mm artillery Denel Multiple rocket launchers