M270 MLRS

NOTE: This article is about the M270 MLRS used by BLUFOR factions in ArmA 2. For its U.S. military counterpart in ArmA 3's CSLA Iron Curtain Creator DLC, see M270 MLRS (CSLA).

M270 MLRS
Faction	USMC U.S. Army
Type	Self-Propelled Rocket Artillery
Seats	3 seats: 1× Driver 1× Gunner 1× Passenger
Item capacity	Max: 8× Weapons 50× Magazines
Top speed	Normal: 62 km/h Turbo: 83 km/h Reverse: 62 km/h
Fuel capacity	700 fuel units
Primary armament	Main: 1× 227 mm MLRS Rocket Pod
Secondary armament	None
Variants	None
Games

The M270 MLRS (full name: Multiple Launch Rocket System) is a tracked self-propelled multiple rocket launcher vehicle used exclusively by the U.S. Marines and U.S. Army forces in ArmA 2.

Overview

• Role:
  • Indirect fire support

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The M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (M270 MLRS) is an unguided rocket artillery system. It is a very mobile unit well suited for the 'shoot-and-scoot' tactic. The system is capable of firing guided or unguided projectiles to distances of 42 km; or ballistic missiles to distances of 300 km. Armoury Description

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Design

Based on a stretched Bradley IFV chassis, the M270 MLRS is a highly mobile, all-terrain multiple rocket launcher vehicle that is designed to complement lighter mortars and howitzer-based artillery systems.

Armament
Armed with a 227 mm rocket pod mounted onto the rear of the chassis, the M270 can carry up to 12 high-explosive (HE) rockets at a time. The pod is connected to a fire control system with an artillery computer, which can automatically adjust and lay down precision rocket fire at any location from a maximum distance of up to 20 km.

Features
The most powerful rocket artillery vehicle in ArmA 2, one rocket from the M270 is more than enough to wipe out an entire platoon of infantry or light vehicles. Even Main Battle Tanks like the T-90 are not safe, with a direct impact on the turret being able to cause severe, if not critical damage to it. Likewise, indirect hits are more than capable of destroying the tank's external components and tracks, which makes the M270 a deadly anti-personnel and anti-vehicle threat.

Unlike its Russian counterpart, the M270's cab is well-protected against small arms fire as even the windows are protected by armoured shutters. The chassis itself is also quite durable and can withstand a limited amount of punishment from light anti-tank weapons (though it won't survive hits from heavy AT).

Drawbacks
However, other than its launcher pod the M270 doesn't retain any armament for self-defence (unlike the Czech RM-70). Whilst its rocket pod can depress low enough to be fired directly at hostiles as an improvised direct fire weapon, it's extremely inaccurate at close ranges and is a waste of its munitions.

Because its rockets are almost twice as large, the M270 is also restricted to carrying only twelve rockets at a time. This is twenty-eight less in total compared to the BM-21/RM-70 and overall, less than static self-propelled howitzers such as the M119A1. Nonetheless, the high damage output of each rocket more than compensates for its smaller munition pool, though a supply truck will be necessary to resupply from on extended missions.

Crew Capacity
The M270 has enough seats to transport a crew of three: the driver, a gunner (who doubles as the commander), and a single passenger. All riders sit side-by-side in the armoured cab.

Camouflage

• Desert
• Woodland

1/2

• Desert: Flat desert sand/desert tan paint scheme. Only used on U.S. Army M270s.
• Woodland: Three-colour woodland paint scheme. Used by USMC M270s.

Protection

The M270 has a base armour value of 160.

Hull

The M270's hull can withstand up to 160 points of damage.

Engine

The M270's engine is able to take a maximum of 56 points of damage before it fails. At least 20% of incoming damage will be shared with its main "health" pool.

A damaged engine will severely diminish power output and prevent the M270 from attaining its top speed. Disabling it completely will immobilise the vehicle and result in a mobility kill.

Treads

The M270's treads are only capable of withstanding a mere 24 points of damage before they break.

Turret

The rocket pod itself can take a maximum of 160 points of damage before its mechanisms fail. Disabling the rocket pod will prevent the M270's gunner from being able to adjust the pod's elevation, depression and rotation, essentially rendering the M270 useless for non-line of sight artillery purposes.

Armament

The gunner exclusively controls the 227 mm MLRS rocket launcher pod:

227 mm MLRS

Base damage value	Damage type	Initial velocity (m/s)
400	High-Explosive	445

Multiple rocket launcher. Fires unguided 227 mm rockets fitted with high-explosive (HE) warheads.

Rockets are always fired with an initial launch velocity of 445 m/s and can reach a maximum in-flight speed of 700 m/s. Without a firing solution selected, the gunner can launch one rocket every 0.8 seconds, averaging 75 rockets per minute assuming a logistics truck is constantly resupplying it. The warheads have a blast radius of 15 metres.

Capabilities

The overall range arcs of the M270 vary from:

• Semi (close): 2,039 to 4,652 metres (ETA 42-31 seconds)
• Semi (medium): 4,214 to 9,613 metres (ETA 60-43 seconds)
• Semi (far): 8,852 to 20,193 metres (ETA 80-68 seconds)

The M270 is capable of launching all 12 of its rockets in less than 15 seconds.

Trivia

• Unlike its counterpart in reality, ArmA 2's M270 is limited to firing basic HE rockets and cannot make use of the "MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System" (ATACMS) missile nor any other rockets fitted with cluster warheads.
  • The in-game British Army faction also does not have access to the M270 despite the fact that they (pre-"B1" standard) were being used by the Army in 2009-2013.
• Before the release of the latest Steam version patches (as part of the Community Configuration Project), both the driver and gunner of the M270 had slightly glitched views in first person.
  • The CCP also lowered the number of particle effects emitted by fired rockets, helping to alleviate some of the lag that it would cause if multiple rockets were fired in quick succession.
• When ArmA 2 was initially launched (pre-Operation Arrowhead), the M270's HE rockets were significantly more powerful and could inflict up to 1,000 points of damage to targets that were struck directly. They also had an almost ~ 90% larger blast radius of 40 metres rather than 15 metres. Its 227 mm rockets were nerfed significantly after CorePatch's release to their current (and final) values.
• Prior to the addition of the M5 Sandstorm in ArmA 3, the M270 MLRS was the only tracked rocket artillery vehicle of its class in the entire series.

Gallery

External links

• Wikipedia: M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

See also

Vehicles of comparable role and configuration

• RM-70 (ACR counterpart, ArmA 2: ACR)
• BM-21 Grad (Russian Armed Forces/Takistani Army counterpart)
• M5 Sandstorm (NATO successor, ArmA 3 only)