FIROS-6

     Notes:  Also known as the FIROS-51, this is a light Italian multiple rocket launcher on a Land Rover LWB chassis.  (It can generally be mounted on any vehicle with a ¾ ton load capacity.) Though devised in the 1970s, the Italians have kept them in service as they are quite useful for area saturation fire and they do have the ability of direct fire. The rockets are small-caliber and electrically controlled, either directly on the launcher, or as is more often the case, via a 30-meter cable with a control box.  The launcher may be depressed to -5 degrees or elevated to +45 degrees; the low elevation capability does somewhat limit maximum range.  The launcher may be traversed through 360 degrees.  Operation is done through the cab, though reloading is done from outside the vehicle. Ripple fire may be done at the rate of 10 rockets per second; rockets may be fired singly or in ripples of 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, or all 48 rockets at once. Rockets are reloaded manually.

     The rockets are the same as the 51mm SNEB Italian air-to-ground rockets.  The Italian Army not only uses them themselves, but have supplied them to many African countries, including to some questionable guerilla groups.  In addition, the FIROS 6 is employed by Mexico and UAE (and they are actually the largest user of the FIROS 6).

     The standard chassis used with the FIROS 6 is the Land Rover Series III, with a gasoline-powered engine developing 91 horsepower and a 4-Speed manual transmission and selectable 4-wheel drive.

FIROS-25/30

     Notes: The original position of this MRL, the FIROS-25 entered service with the Italian Army in 1981, and served until 1987 The FIROS-30 entered service in 1987 and served until 2002, when it was replaced by the more capable US M270 MLRS system.  The two are essentially identical, but the FIROS-30 has longer launch tubes designed to accommodate improved rockets. In addition, some attention was paid to the fire control system, navigation, and in the cab in general. The FIROS 30 also uses upgraded rockets and an upgraded launcher unit, and have greatly-increased range.  FIROS-30 rockets will not work with the FIROS-25 launcher, though the FIROS 30 can fire FIROS-25 rockets.

     It should be noted that while these launchers use 122mm rockets, these are NOT Grad rockets, and are longer, launch with a higher velocity, and have a large amount of warheads to choose from.  In addition, the caliber of the Italian 122mm rockets are actually slightly smaller than 122mm – just enough that a 122mm GRAD could not be slid into a FIROS launch tube. In general, however, the FIRIS is not reloaded by sliding new rockets into the launcher (though it may be reloaded that way); instead, the rockets are separated into two 20-round pods which are replaced as a unit by the resupplying truck.  The FIROS 25 generally needs an FDC to operate efficiently, and without an FDC, scatter distances are double. The FIROS 30 version of this vehicle also exists that does not need an FDC; this vehicle has inertial navigation, a computer, and GPS and can operate directly off information provided by a FIST.. The cab of the FIROS 30 has NBC Overpressure and an air conditioner; the FIROS 25 has only overpressure protection.

     The FIROS 25 and 30 are mounted on a modified IVECO 200-23 ANWM 6x6 chassis.  The truck is modified to carry the MRL and the fire control equipment, and has an armored cab.  The cab has NBC Overpressure and an air conditioner.  The truck had a 6x6 chassis with a LWB configuration, able to handle the length of the FIROS-25 and FIROS-30 launchers. The tuck is an off-road chassis, but ground clearance is a bit low compared to other off-road trucks.  The chassis is also wide, contributing to the ability to carry the launchers.  The engine is a turbocharged 232-horsepower engine, but the transmission is manual.  The brakes and steering, however power-boosted.