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Sudanese Army Uses Modified Land Cruiser Pick-ups Fitted with 80mm S-8 Rocket Launchers.
The Sudanese Army has recently been reported using a modified Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up equipped with 80mm S-8 rocket launchers. These rocket launchers are typically associated with Soviet-made attack aircraft and helicopters, marking a significant shift in the operational capabilities of the Sudanese Army.
The S-8 rocket is a widely used 80mm air-to-ground weapon, often mounted on various aircraft, including MiG and Sukhoi jets, as well as helicopters like the Mi-24. (Picture source: Social media)
The S-8 rocket is a widely used 80mm air-to-ground weapon, often mounted on various aircraft, including MiG and Sukhoi jets, as well as helicopters like the Mi-24. This weapon system is known for its versatility, capable of delivering devastating firepower against enemy positions with great accuracy. However, the recent adaptation of the S-8 rockets for ground operations on a pick-up vehicle represents a unique modification that significantly alters the tactical application of the weapon system.
In Sudan’s case, this modification allows for mobile and rapid response capabilities, providing greater maneuverability and flexibility for troops operating on the ground. The Land Cruiser, a versatile and widely used vehicle in military operations, offers the off-road mobility necessary for effective use in Sudan's challenging terrain. The ability to carry such firepower while maintaining a mobile platform allows the Sudanese Army to strike quickly and effectively at targets without the need for fixed artillery or airstrikes.
This modification also reflects broader trends in irregular warfare, where non-traditional vehicles are often repurposed with heavy weapons to maximize operational range. While S-8 rocket launchers have typically been used on aircraft, their ground use could enable Sudanese forces to target both fixed and mobile targets from a greater distance, adding an element of surprise.
The S-8 is a family of unguided rockets of Soviet origin, developed in the 1970s as a response to the poor performance of the S-5 rockets used by the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. More powerful and accurate than the S-5, the S-8 is compact enough to allow the launch aircraft to carry a considerable number of rockets.
The design of the S-8 can be considered an enlarged version of the S-5. It consists of a warhead and fuse at the front, while the short-burning rocket motor constitutes most of the body of the rocket. Each rocket is equipped with six folding fins that deploy in flight to ensure trajectory stability. The length and weight of the rockets vary depending on the type of warhead used. S-8 rockets are unguided free-flight rockets, with targeting achieved simply by pointing the launch aircraft toward the target.
The effectiveness of the S-8 is considerably superior to that of the S-5 rocket, thanks to its better accuracy and more powerful warheads. The S-8 offers a wide range of warheads, including HEAT-frag (high-explosive anti-tank and fragmentation), anti-runway, thermobaric, illumination, and others. Depending on the warhead, the maximum range of the rocket varies from 2 to 4.5 km. A launch pod can carry 20 rockets, which can be fired in a burst in just a few seconds. A laser guidance kit for the S-8 rocket has been developed, but it has not yet been used in the field.
S-8 rockets are primarily used on attack helicopters and ground-attack aircraft. On helicopters, they are frequently mounted on the Mi-24 Hind attack helicopter but can also be found on armed versions of the Mi-8 Hip and on newer Mi-28 and Ka-50 attack helicopters. Regarding fixed-wing aircraft, the Su-25 Frogfoot is the main user, although the S-8 is also used on the Su-17 Fitter, MiG-29 Fulcrum, MiG-27 Flogger, Su-27 Flanker, and Su-24 Fencer.
Launched in the later years of the Cold War, the S-8 replaced most of the S-5 missiles in service with Soviet forces. It remains in widespread use and has been exported to various Warsaw Pact members and Soviet allies. Today, the S-8 continues to be used on modern platforms and remains a commonly used weapon in many countries' arsenals.
The deployment of modified Land Cruiser pick-ups equipped with 80mm S-8 rocket launchers by the Sudanese Army highlights the growing trend of adapting existing equipment to meet operational needs. This underscores an increasing reliance on non-traditional weapon platforms, which offer flexibility and enhance combat effectiveness for forces operating in complex and unpredictable environments. However, while this modification likely addresses a need within the Sudanese forces, it is clear that the operational capacity of the equipment in question is not being fully utilized, and such modifications reflect more of a whimsical adaptation than a true innovation.