Light artillery missile system

Lars 1: Multiple rocket launcher 110 SF on Magirus-Deutz 178 D 15 A

Lars 1: Multiple rocket launcher 110 SF on Magirus-Deutz 178 D 15 A on the Nürburgring, 1969

Lars 2: multiple rocket launcher 110 SF, on MAN 6x6, 7 to, gl

The Light Artillery Rocket System (short LARS ) was a multiple rocket launcher from the German manufacturer Wegmann & Co. The weapon system has been from 1969 to early 1990 when rocket artillery of the army of the Bundeswehr used. LARS consisted of two tube packages each with 18 drawn tubes of the caliber 110 mm. The weapon system was mounted on a three-axle truck chassis made by Magirus-Deutz 178 D 15 A (LARS 1), with the driver's cab being lightly armored against handgun fire.

Each rocket launcher was able to fire 36 spin-stabilized rockets within 18 seconds .

In use, four LARS rocket launchers , that is, one launch train , would have been fired. This enabled mine barriers 1500 m wide and 500 m deep to be created at a distance of up to 14 km. Other targets were fought with fragmentation ammunition. In addition, smoke ammunition was available.

Operational principles

The RakWerfer 110 SF has been modernized with the FERA trajectory measuring device. A RakArtBtl with 2 RakWBtl 110 SF was the division's main weapon for the surprising combat against large-area targets. The combustion chamber of a RakW roughly corresponded to the scattering pattern of a series of launchers measuring 300 x 300 meters. A firing unit was formed by a train of 4 missile launchers that could fire at a rate of 144 missiles in 18 seconds. This gave them a fragmentation effect of 864,000 steel balls, 1,152 AT1 stick mines or 720 AT2 shaped charge mines . They were able to attack targets at a distance of nine to nine kilometers. The hit pattern of a series of launchers is relatively narrow and narrow at 6,000 to 9,000 meters, which indicates that too much ammunition is being used. The firepower of the rocket launchers should act immediately in front of their own combat troops. All fire strikes were to be carried out in coordination with the combat troops. It was assumed that an enemy tank formation that ran into an AT1 bar mine barrier would have to deal with failures of at least 30% with a 90% probability. The effect was chain damage from detonating stick mines. Fragmentation ammunition were z. B. ARTRAK 110 mm, fragment head 110 m DM 21 with rocket detonator DM 54.

The firing positions of the rocket launchers were explored and prepared. With the help of the FERA trajectory measuring device, the rocket fire became much more precise and effective. Fragmentation missiles with proximity fuses were generally detonated 20 meters above the ground in order to achieve maximum fragmentation over treetops and roof ridges. This had to be taken into account when firing on enemy positions in towns and forests.

LARS 2

From around 1980, an improved version was converted to the type MAN 7t (LARS 2). In order to improve the position of the series of launchers to the target, the "fire control radar artillery" (FERA) (1 × per launching train) was introduced.

Last but not least, the comparatively short range of 14 km and the relatively complex and labor-intensive execution of the order led to the conversion of the LARS units. They were supplied with the MARS rocket launcher (medium artillery rocket system ). In the mid-1990s, the second batteries of the rocket artillery battalions were still equipped with LARS.

The last launchers of this type were decommissioned on April 19, 2000 with the 2. / Raketenartilleriebataillon 150 . The last sharp shots had been fired at the Munster training area the previous winter . Remaining stocks of 110 mm ammunition are fired with the MARS multiple rocket launcher, for which appropriate storage, transport and launch containers ("launch equipment 110 mm") have been developed. Exceptions are two LARS 2, which are still used as test vehicles at the Wehrtechnischen Dienststelle 91 in Meppen .

Web links

Commons : Light Artillery Missile System  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Article about "LARS 1" on Panzerbaer.de
• Article about LARS 2 on Panzerbaer.de
• Anti tank mine AT-1 and AT-2
• The ammunition of the LARS
• Light artillery missile system LARS rocket launcher in action in Munster 1989 (film footage)
• Light artillery missile system (LARS 110 mm). Final report of the Federal Ministry of Defense. Army headquarters. BH 1 Command Staff of the Army. Army technology and ammunition (development, production, acceptance and maintenance) Federal Archives

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.bits.de/public/researchreport/rr95-1-2.htm#AT1 anti-tank mine AT-1 and AT-2
2. ^ Archive link ( Memento from November 1, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Function and use of FERA