Russia has revealed it will upgrade its rocket artillery brigades by 2020 as tensions with NATO increase. The announcement was made by Russian Missile Troops and Artillery commander General Mikhail Matveyevsky who said Moscow’s Tornado-S multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) will be replaced with the Smerch systems.
He said: “The rearmament of all missile brigades to modern Iskander-M missile systems and rocket artillery brigades to large-calibre Tornado-S multiple launch rocket systems will be completed.” The new Tornado-S system is a lighter version of Smerch and easier to mobilise but there is a slight reduction of firepower. The new system also uses the same GLONASS satellite navigation system. READ MORE