On January 4, 2023, the German MoD (Ministry of Defense) updated the list of military and weapons that will be supplied to Ukraine including 20 70mm rocket launchers mounted on pick-up trucks.
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Hawkei light tactical vehicle fitted with Thales 70mm rocket launcher weapon station. (Picture source Thales)
In January 2022, German defense procurement agency BAAINBw ordered 2.75-inch (70mm) high-explosive rockets from Rheinmetall Waffe Munition (RWM) for an amount €19.92 million.
Thales and Rheinmetall have developed together a 70mm rocket launcher for Germany's Tiger Mk III helicopters. The FZ606 modular launcher can deliver six types of FZ275 guided rockets or a combination of guided and unguided rockets.
In April 2022, Rheinmetall has demonstrated the laser-guided rocket firing capabilities of its Mission Master SP Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle (A-UGV) during a live-fire demonstration in Sweden. The UGV was equipped with a Rheinmetall Fieldranger Multi remotely controlled weapon station armed with two seven-tube 70mm rocket launchers from Thales Belgium.
The rocket weapon station was armed with Thales FZ275 70mm laser-guided rockets able to engage stationary and mobile targets at ranges of up to 7 km with minimal collateral damage.
The Rheinmetall weapon station armed with the 70mm rocket launcher can be easily integrated into other platforms such as pickup trucks or armored vehicles.
The FZ275 LGR Laser Guided Rocket closes the gap between the long-range high-value missiles and the short-range guns/cannon and unguided rockets, thus affording a full range of precision effects from a platform to defeat soft and light armored targets.
The FZ275 LGR rocket has a length of 1,800 mm and a weight of 12.7 kg with a HE (High Explosive) warhead. The rocket has a range from 1.5 to up to 7 km. It can be used to destroy light tactical and armored vehicles.
