Multiple Rocket Launcher
Overview
A multiple rocket launcher (放射砲, Multiple Rocket Launcher, MRL) is a multiple launch rocket system in which several rockets are loaded into launch tubes and then fired in rapid succession or in a single salvo within a short time. Unlike conventional howitzers, which use a single barrel to fire precisely aimed shots, multiple rocket launchers specialize in 'area suppression'—concentrating firepower instantaneously over a wide area. They were once disadvantaged by long reload times after firing and relatively low accuracy, but in recent years, with the development of guided rockets and fire control systems, they have acquired precision strike capability and established themselves as a core element of modern artillery forces.
Key Details
Definition and Nomenclature
'방사포' is a compound of the Sino-Korean characters 放射 ('to shoot out') and 砲 ('cannon'), and is a general term for guns that fire projectiles by rocket propulsion. In the English-speaking world it is called MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) or MRL, and the rockets themselves are sometimes distinguished as 'multiple launch rockets.' Unlike conventional artillery, which pushes a shell out using pressure inside the barrel, rocket projectiles fly by their own propellant, so the launch tube serves only to set the direction and initial angle.
Operating Principle and Structure
A multiple rocket launcher consists largely of launch tubes (launcher), a vehicle-mounted or towed carrier, a fire control system, and a reloading device. When the tubes are bundled into a cluster, raised to a certain angle, and then ignited by an electrical signal, each rocket is fired sequentially or simultaneously. The rocket gains thrust by burning propellant, and its warhead may be fitted with high-explosive, cluster, incendiary, smoke, or guided warheads. If multiple launch tubes are configured as replaceable pods, the entire pod can be swapped out after firing, greatly shortening reload time—a design that has become standard for modern MLRS.
History
The prototype of the modern multiple rocket launcher dates back to the Soviet Katyusha during World War II. This weapon, which mounted launch rails on a truck and fired numerous rockets in a single salvo, threatened the German army with its low cost and overwhelming density of firepower, and afterward countries such as Germany (with the Nebelwerfer) and the United States (with the Calliope) developed similar systems. During the Cold War, systems such as the Soviet BM-21 'Grad,' BM-30 'Smerch,' and the U.S. M270 MLRS appeared, improving range and precision, and in the 1990s Gulf War the M270 was operated in large numbers, establishing its status in modern warfare.
South Korea's Multiple Rocket Launcher Forces
The South Korean military has continuously developed multiple launch rocket systems to counter the threat of North Korea's long-range artillery. Representative examples include the 130mm multiple launch rocket 'Kuryong' (구룡) and the 227mm multiple launch rocket 'Chunmoo' (천무), and the Chunmoo is equipped with precision strike capability by operating an 80km-class guided rocket and a 290km-class tactical surface-to-surface guided missile (KTSSM). Meanwhile, North Korea has deployed 122mm and 240mm multiple rocket launchers in large numbers, and in the 2010 shelling of Yeonpyeong Island it used 122mm multiple rocket launchers, inflicting enormous damage on civilian areas. Since then, North Korea has been test-firing new systems such as a 300mm-class super-large multiple rocket launcher and the KN-09, strengthening range and guidance capability.
Tactical Characteristics and Limitations
The greatest strength of multiple rocket launchers is the density of firepower that strikes a wide area in a short time. Because dozens of rockets pour down simultaneously in a single salvo, they saturate enemy defense networks and inflict psychological shock. Also, because many are vehicle-mounted, they are advantageous for the 'Shoot and Scoot' tactic of quickly withdrawing after firing. On the other hand, conventional multiple rocket launchers have a wide dispersion that makes it difficult to strike precise targets, are prone to having their positions exposed by the smoke and heat generated when firing, and take time to reload. In recent years, these weaknesses have been largely compensated for by combining satellite navigation (GPS) and inertial navigation (INS) guidance kits.
Latest Trends
Entering the 2020s, multiple rocket launchers are evolving along two axes: precision guidance and range extension. Since 2022, in the war in Ukraine, the U.S. HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) and the multiple launch rockets of Russia and North Korea have been used on a large scale, once again proving that multiple rocket launchers are a 'game changer' in modern warfare. HIMARS changed the course of the battlefield by precisely striking high-value targets such as ammunition depots and command posts with GPS-guided rockets, and in response, countries are accelerating the development of long-range precision rockets and interception systems.
In 2024–2025, the number of systems in which the range of guided rockets exceeds 100km has increased, and South Korea's Chunmoo-II, the U.S. ER GMLRS, and new systems from Israel and China are drawing attention. In addition, cooperation with unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), AI-based fire control and target acquisition, and real-time linkage with satellite reconnaissance assets have emerged as key trends. North Korea, too, has continued since 2024 to mention improvements to the guidance function of its 240mm multiple rocket launchers and the deployment of new 300mm multiple rocket launchers, emphasizing them as a means of threatening the South Korean capital region. Along with this, discussions on international export controls to prevent the proliferation of multiple rocket launchers are also becoming more active.
Related Topics
- [[Multiple Launch Rocket]]
- [[Chunmoo]]
- [[HIMARS]]
- [[Artillery]]
- [[Shelling of Yeonpyeong Island]]
- [[Missile Defense System]]