PULS (multiple rocket launcher)

PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System, formerly known as Lynx MRL) is a multiple rocket launcher developed and manufactured by ELBIT Systems (formerly Israel Military Industries) and used by Israel Defense Forces and other countries.^[1]

Lynx
Lynx firing ACCULAR rockets
Type	Multiple Rocket Launcher Tactical ballistic missile launcher
Place of origin	Israel
Service history
Wars	Second Nagorno-Karabakh War Israel–Hamas war
Production history
Designer	Israel Military Industries
Manufacturer	Israel Military Industries (now Elbit Systems)
Specifications
Caliber	122 mm 160 mm 306 mm 330 mm 370 mm
Maximum firing range	300 km
Guidance system	GPS and INS

History

After the acquisition of Israel Military Industries by Elbit Systems in 2018, an upgraded and modernized version of the Lynx was developed, called the PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System).^[2] The Defense Technology Institute (DTI) of Thailand is partnering with Elbit Systems to develop a Thai version of the PULS called D-11A.^[3]

The EURO-PULS is being developed in cooperation between the German KNDS and ELBIT targeting the European market by integration of, additional missile types. As part of the project, the US made GMLRS and other HIMARS missiles would have been integrated with the EURO-PULS launchers, however, the management of Lockheed Martin, the US missile manufacturer, refused to do so.^[4]

In January 2023, Denmark announced it is negotiating the acquisition of 8 PULS systems for the Royal Danish Army.^[5]

In March 2023, the Dutch Ministry of Defence announced that it would acquire 20 PULS systems for the Royal Netherlands Army with the first systems to be delivered in the same year.^[6][7] The contract worth 305 million dollars was signed on May 18.^[8]

On 10 October 2023, the government of Spain decided to order the locally manufactured version of the PULS systems for SILAM programme (es:SILAM).^[9]

Israel introduced the PULS into IDF service in 2020 under the name Lahav, which is a PULS rocket module mounted on a HEMTT truck chassis. It was first used operationally in February 2024 during the Israel–Hamas War.^[10]

Design

It can be configured to carry a variety of rockets in two sealed pod containers: 36 (2 pods × 18 rockets each) 122mm Grad rockets; or 26 (2×13) 160mm LAR-160 or ACCULAR rockets; or eight (2×4) 306mm EXTRA rockets; two (2×1) 330mm Delilah missiles or four (2×2) 370mm Predator Hawk tactical ballistic missiles.^[1]

The PULS also able to carry and launch SkyStriker loitering munitions, which is a unique feature among MLRS systems. The SkyStriker drones have a range over 100 km and 6 drones are packed into a single container according to a video published by Elbit Systems. The drone can engage moving targets unlike the other missiles of the PULS system, but it can also return and land after doing reconnaissance and can be relaunched again.^{[11] [12]}

Missile options

^[13][14]

Rocket / missile	Diameter	Weight	Max. quantity	Guidance	Max. range	Accuracy CEP	Warhead
GRAD	122 mm	66 kg	18 pcs / pod 32 pcs / vehicle	none	40 km	n.a.	20 kg
LAR160	160 mm	110 kg	13 pcs / pod 26 pcs / vehicle	none	45 km	n.a.	46 kg
Accular 122	122 mm	72 kg	18 pcs / pod 32 pcs / vehicle	GPS/INS	35 km	10 m	20 kg
Accular 160	160 mm	n.a.	13 pcs / pod 26 pcs / vehicle	GPS/INS	40 km	10 m	35 kg
SkyStriker UAV	n.a.	n.a.	6 pcs / pod 12 pcs / vehicle	CCD/IR and GPS/INS	100+ km	1 m	5-10 kg
EXTRA	306 mm	570 kg	4 pcs / pod 8 pcs / vehicle	GPS/INS	150 km	10 m	120 kg
Delilah	330 mm	187 kg	2 pcs / pod 4 pcs / vehicle	CCD/IR and GPS/INS	250 km	1 m	30 kg
Predator Hawk	370 mm	800 kg	2 pcs / pod 4 pcs / vehicle	GPS/INS	300 km	10 m	160 kg

Practice missiles with a range between 7-15 km are also available for the PULS system.^[15]

Lynx launcher of the Azerbaijani Land Forces with EXTRA rocket pods

D-11A MLRS of the Royal Thai Army on a Tatra 815-7 chassis

Operators

 Israel

• Israeli Ground Forces – Under the name of "Lahav" [he].

 Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijani Land Forces – 6 Lynx and 50 EXTRA missiles were acquired and then used in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.^[16]

 Denmark

• Royal Danish Army – 8 PULS delivered (contract signed on March 2, 2023) for USD133 million. The PULS is based on a Tatra T815 6×6.^[17] All the launchers and missiles were handed over by the end first quarter of 2024.^[18]

 Netherlands

• Royal Netherlands Army – 20 PULS on order on Scania Gryphus [nl] chassis with armoured cabins. Contract worth US$305 million was signed on May 18, 2023, four vehicles to be delivered in 2023.^[19]
• The first TATRA truck based PULS launcher was delivered in February of 2024. The rest will be built locally on armoured Scania Gryphus 8×8 trucks in 2025 and 2026.^[20]

 Kazakhstan

• Kazakh Ground Forces – 18 Lynx and 50 EXTRA rockets ordered in 2007, delivered in 2008-09.^[21] The Naiza (a derivative of the Lynx) is a derivative of the Lynx developed in collaboration, based on the KamAZ-6350 8×8 chassis.^[22]

 Rwanda

• Rwandan Army – 5 Lynx ordered in 2007, in service since 2008.^[21]

Future operators

 Germany

Mock-up of a EURO-PULS for the German Army

• German Army – The German government decided to buy 5 PULS systems in collaboration with the Netherlands to replace the 5 MARS II (M270 MLRS) sent to Ukraine.^[23] It is likely to be installed on an armoured Iveco Trakker FSA 8×8 (GTF ZLK 15t).

 Spain

• Spanish Army – 16 PULS were ordered in October 2023 for the program SILAM MLRS [es] ("Sistema Lanzador de Alta Movilidad") for approximately €576.5 million. Elbit Systems is collaborating with a consortium made of Expal, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, GMV and Iveco Defense Vehicle.^[9][24] Details of the contract:
  • Truck 8×8, Iveco M320 [fr] (ASTRA SM 88.45)
  • Accular 122: 16 pods, 288 missiles (18 missiles per pod)
  • EXTRA: 28 pods, 122 missiles (4 missiles per pod)
  • Predator Hawk: 32 launching pods, 64 missiles (2 missiles per pod)
  • Training rockets: 216 rockets

Unknown customers

• Elbit Systems announced on the 18th of July, 2023 that it was awarded a $150 million contract to supply PULS rocket launchers and a package of precision-guided long-range rockets to an international customer. The contract will be performed over a period of three years.^[25][19]
• Elbit Systems announced on the 6th of August, 2024 that it was awarded a contract worth approximately $270 million to supply rocket artillery to an international customer. The contract will be performed over a period of 4 years.^[26]

Potential operators

 Thailand

• Royal Thai Army – The RTA is testing a localized version of the PULS.^[27]

 Philippines

• Philippine Army – Actively competing against the American HIMARS^[28] and South Korean K239 Chunmoo^[29] systems for the MLRS Acquisition Project.^[30][31]

 Norway

• Norway intends to procure modern long-range capabilities for the land forces (missile artillery). According to reports, the intention is to introduce 16 Euro-PULS or HIMARS missile artillery systems, including an ammunition package and associated equipment.^[32]

See also

• ACCULAR – (Israel)

Vehicle of similar era & design

• Astros II – (Brazil)
• BM-21 Grad – (Soviet Union)
• Fajr-5 – (Iran)
• M142 HIMARS – (United States)
• K239 Chunmoo – (South Korea)
• M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System – (United States)
• LRSVM Morava – (Serbia)
• T-122 Sakarya – (Turkey)
• TOS-1 – (Soviet Union, Russia)

References

1. "Lynx : Autonomous multi-purpose multiple rocket launcher" (PDF). IMI systems. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
2. "Elbit Systems PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System)". Military Leak. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
3. "Defense & Security 2022: Thailand, Elbit partner on D11A multiple rocket launcher". 30 August 2022.
4. "Citing missile mismatch, Lockheed snarls at HIMARS challenge in Europe". 18 June 2024.
5. "Denmark negotiates the purchase of ATMOS and PULS systems from Elbit". 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
6. "Defensie versterkt vuurkracht met raketartillerie en langeafstandswapens" [Army strengthens firepower with rocket artillery and long range weapons] (Press release) (in Dutch). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
7. "Kamerbrief over D-fase project Raketartillerie" [House of Representatives letter about D-phase project Rocket artillery] (Press release) (in Dutch). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
8. "Elbit Systems Awarded $305 Million Contract to Supply PULS Rocket Artillery Systems to the Royal Netherlands Army". Elbit systems.
9. "zona-militar.com – España aprobó el contrato para la compra del Sistema Lanzacohetes de Alta Movilidad destinado al Ejército de Tierra". 11 October 2023.
10. Israeli Army deploys new Lahav multi-caliber MLRS against Hamas militants in Gaza Strip. Army Recognition. 19 February 2024.
11. "elbitsystems.com - Elbit Systems Awarded a $95 Million Contract to Supply Canister Configuration SkyStriker Loitering Munitions to a European Country".
12. "youtube.com - Elbit Systems / SkyStriker Tactical Loitering Munition (video)". YouTube. 20 May 2024.
13. "Land Rocket Artillery Catalog" (PDF). Elbit Systems. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
14. "PULS". Elbit. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
15. "España aprobó el contrato para la compra del Sistema Lanzacohetes de Alta Movilidad destinado al Ejército de Tierra".
16. "Azerbaijan Lynx Multiple Launch Rocket System". www.military-today.com.
17. "Denmark orders ATMOS SPHs and PULS MRLs". Janes.com. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
18. "Future Artillery 2024: Danish PULS MRL deliveries completed".
19. Manuel, Rojoef (2023-05-20). "Elbit Systems to Supply 20 PULS Rocket Systems to Dutch Army". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
20. "JANE'S - First PULS MRL arrives in Netherlands". 19 February 2024.
21. "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
22. "Naiza Multiple Launch Rocket System | MilitaryToday.com". www.militarytoday.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
23. "soldat-und-technik.de – Nun offiziell – Bundeswehr soll israelisches Raketenartilleriesystem PULS erhalten". 19 October 2023.
24. "Spain orders Israeli PULS rocket launcher for SILAM army program". 12 October 2023.
25. "Elbit Systems Awarded $150 Million Contract to Supply PULS Rocket Artillery Systems to an International Customer".
26. "Elbit Systems Awarded Approximately $270 Million Contract to Supply Rocket Artillery for an International Customer".
27. "Thai Army tests 300 km-range D11A based on Israeli PULS MLRS". October 1, 2022.
28. Orpiano, Pitz. "The Philippine Army and the M142 HIMARS MLRS Acquisition Plan". Retrieved 2024-01-23.
29. "K239 Chunmoo – A Potential and Cheaper HIMARS Alternative for the Philippine Army". Pitz Defense Analysis. 21 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
30. Lariosa, Aaron-Matthew (2023-07-01). "Philippines to Acquire HIMARS, More BrahMos Missiles in Coming Years". Naval News. Archived from the original on 2023-07-03. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
31. "Philippine Army's PULS MLRS Offer from Elbit Systems". Pitz Defense Analysis. 17 March 2024. Archived from the original on 25 March 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
32. Waldemar Geiger (10 August 2024). "Raketenartillerie – Norwegen bekundet offiziell Interesse am HIMARS". www.hartpunkt.de (in German). Retrieved 11 August 2024.