The Spanish companies Escribano Mechanical & Engineering and Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, which are developing a Spanish Rocket Launcher based on Israeli Elbit Systems’ PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System), known as Silam in Spain, will manufacture and supply the systems.
In 2024, launchers and training rockets will be delivered, and starting in 2025, live ammunition will be supplied to the Spanish Army. By 2028, the army is expected to receive the last batch of rockets. In addition to the twelve launchers, the package comes with a number of support vehicles and systems, ten different kinds of command post vehicles, two recovery vehicles, six high mobility reconnaissance vehicles, twelve munition vehicles with cranes, and a rocket launcher platform for ammunition testing and validation.
The PULS is a launcher carried by a heavy truck and capable of launching different types of rockets, to ranges of up to 300 km. According to the official Elbit brochure, ‘The multi-purpose launcher features two PODS; each POD is designed for a specific rocket type: the Accular 122mm (18 rockets) with a range of up to 35km, the Accular 160mm (10 rockets) with a range of up to 40km, the EXTRA (4 rockets) with a range of up to 150km, and the Predator Hawk (2 rockets) with a range of up to 300km.’ The PULS creates interest in many countries, and recently it was reported that the Royal Army of the Netherlands decided to purchase it.
Elbit has taken this system some steps forward and recently unveiled the Light PULS. This, according to the company, is a ‘lightweight airborne’ version rocket launcher system developed to meet the battlefield challenges of Special Forces operating in remote, high-risk locations that are beyond the range of traditional artillery fire support. According to the Israeli company, this light version can be transported by a C-130 or similar aircraft.
