Indonesian Army continues to taking delivery of new military platforms. Images of new Multiple Rocket Launcher System arrived to the country were published on social media. The Indonesian Army took delivery of a new batch ASTROS II multiple rocket launcher system. ASTROS II includes 27 unit of ASTROS II and it’s ammunition just arrived in Port of Tanjung Priok, Jakarta. The ASTROS II artillery system entered service with the Indonesian Army in 2015. Under the agreement Indonesia received 36 launchers and a similar number of transport-charging machines, fire control, mobile repair shops, mobile weather stations, control vehicle battery commander. Avibras provided training facilities, simulators and a package of spare parts.
ASTROS II (Artillery Saturation Rocket System) is a self-propelled multiple rocket launcher produced in Brazil by the Avibras company. It features modular design and employs rockets with calibers ranging from 127 mm to 450 mm ( 5-17.72 inches). It was developed on the basis of a Tectran VBT-2028 6×6 all-terrain vehicle for enhanced mobility. The Astros II are normally grouped in artillery batteries consisting on average of about 13 vehicles: 6 of them are Astros II launchers, 6 are rocket resupply trucks and one a special radar-equipped vehicle controlling the fire control system. The launcher is capable of firing rockets of different calibers armed with a range of warheads.
The Astros II artillery system entered service with the Brazilian Army in 1983. The system is battle proven, having been used in action by the Iraqi Army in the Gulf Wars. In the 1980s, Avibrás sold an estimated sixty-six Astros II artillery systems to Iraq. Iraq also built the Sajil-60 which is a license-built version of the Brazilian SS-60. Sixty Astros II were sold to Saudi Arabia and an unspecified number sold to Bahrain and Qatar. Total sales of the Astros II between 1982 and 1987 reached one billion dollars. Exported to many countries the Astros is considered a market-leader among the small and highly competitive group of manufacturers of such systems.
