Exclusive: China delivers first SR-5 multiple rocket launcher to Mali to reinforce military influence in Africa.

According to the Facebook account Burkinabe de Barcelone on September 5, 2025, Mali received at least one Norinco SR-5 modular self-propelled rocket launcher from China, with the first confirmed deliveries reported in Bamako during the night of September 3 to 4, 2025. This development marks a significant expansion of the Malian Armed Forces’ artillery capabilities, adding a modern guided multiple launch rocket system to their inventory.
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Based on the Taian TA5310 6x6 truck chassis, the Norinco SR-5 uses two modular pods capable of employing guided and unguided rockets, ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as loitering drones. (Picture source: Facebook/burkinesesbarcelona)

The SR-5 was developed by China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) and is designed as a flexible system capable of launching a wide range of guided and unguided rockets, missiles, and loitering munitions. The acquisition places Mali among the users of the SR-5, a group that already includes Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Laos, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and China. Sources also reference Burkina Faso as an operator, situating Mali within a regional pattern of Chinese artillery exports to Africa. The SR-5 is based on the Taian TA5310 6x6 truck chassis and uses two modular pods mounted on a powered launcher platform.

Each pod can be configured to carry 20 rockets of 122 mm caliber, six 220 mm rockets, or larger munitions such as the 610 mm Fire Dragon 300 guided rocket, the 300 mm King Dragon GRS7, or the C-705 anti-ship missile. This modularity allows the same launcher to support multiple mission profiles without requiring changes to the vehicle or fire control system. The launcher is fully computerized and digitized, incorporating a fire control computer, automated loading, and a satellite navigation system to manage different types of munitions. In design terms, it is often compared to the U.S. HIMARS, though the SR-5’s twin-pod arrangement effectively doubles the available firepower per vehicle. The SR-5 has a maximum range of 70 kilometers with 220 mm rockets and around 40 to 50 kilometers with 122 mm rockets, depending on the ammunition type.

More specifically, the Fire Dragon 40 BRE7 guided 122 mm rocket employs GPS and INS guidance to achieve a claimed circular error of probability of about 25 meters, while the King Dragon 60 GR1 220 mm terminal-guided rocket combines INS, GPS, and laser homing for an accuracy claim of roughly 3 meters at up to 70 kilometers. Ammunition costs vary widely: the 122 mm unguided rocket is priced at less than $200 each, the guided 122 mm BRE7 is more than double that cost, placing it in the low hundreds of dollars, the unguided 220 mm rockets are more expensive still and generally estimated in the thousands of dollars per unit, while the guided 220 mm GR1 is assessed at several hundred thousand dollars, often cited between $300,000 and $400,000. At the upper tier, the 610 mm King Dragon 300 ballistic missile and the C-705 anti-ship missile are priced at around $500,000 each. These munitions carry warheads that include high-explosive fragmentation, smoke, incendiary, illumination, and submunition options. At AirShow China 2022, the SR-5 was also displayed with new payloads, including the Dragon 60A and 60B loitering munitions, confirming its capability to function as a modular system able to launch guided and unguided rockets, ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as loitering drones for extended battlefield roles.

Based on the Taian TA5310 6×6 high-mobility chassis, the SR-5 could measure about 9 m long, 2.8 m wide, and 3.2 m high, which is comparable to other military assets based on the same chassis. It can be prepared to fire in less than five minutes and redeployed in about one minute after completing a salvo to minimize exposure to counter-battery fire. The launcher platform has an elevation range of 0 to 60 degrees and a traverse of 70 degrees on either side, enabling flexible engagement angles. Pods are factory-sealed units that double as transport and launch containers. They can be replaced using the onboard mechanical handling system in about five minutes, and a dedicated reloading truck carrying four spare pods can conduct a full reload in under ten minutes. These features allow batteries of SR-5s to sustain fire support with reduced vulnerability to enemy artillery response.

According to available information, the Norinco SR-5 weighs approximately 25 tons, has a crew of three to five, and a Deutz diesel engine producing around 517 horsepower. The launcher can reach speeds of up to 85 km/h on roads with a cruising range of about 600 kilometers. The crew cabin is a double cab configuration and includes CBRN protection, while firing operations can be conducted entirely from inside the vehicle. The launcher is equipped with a computerized fire control system, digital communications including a TBR-142 VHF transceiver, and thermal sights for both the commander and gunner. Crew drills emphasize short setup, salvo firing, and immediate displacement to preplanned positions to complicate enemy targeting. Additional features noted in technical references include central tire pressure regulation, off-road mobility at gradients of 60 percent and side slopes of 30 percent, and fording ability to 1.2 meters.

The SR-5 entered Chinese service in 2013 following its first public appearance as a model at Eurosatory 2012. Since then, it has been marketed widely and exported to multiple countries, with Algeria and the United Arab Emirates among the earliest foreign customers. By 2022, displays in China highlighted the system’s ability to integrate loitering munitions, extending its role beyond conventional artillery into unmanned systems employment. Each SR-5 can operate independently or as part of larger batteries, and reloading vehicles are designed to conduct resupply away from firing positions to reduce counter-battery risk. For Mali, the acquisition of SR-5 launchers provides a significant enhancement in fire support, offering both area suppression with unguided rockets and precision strike with guided munitions. The timing of the delivery indicates prioritization of artillery modernization as part of a wider diversification of suppliers that includes recent acquisitions from China, Russia, and Turkey.

China has significantly expanded its military equipment deliveries across Africa in recent years, supplying a wide range of platforms to numerous countries. Between 2019 and 2023, at least 21 nations in Sub-Saharan Africa received major arms from Chinese manufacturers, reflecting Beijing’s deepening defense ties across the continent. In 2025, Burkina Faso received a substantial shipment of Chinese military assets that included Norinco VN22B wheeled fire-support vehicles, PLL-05 gun-mortar systems, and SR-5 rocket artillery units, deliveries noted for their operational relevance to Sahel security challenges. Burkina Faso had also acquired around 100 armoured vehicles, Norinco VP11, CS/VP14 models, and Caterpillar excavators, in mid-2024, adding to China's growing visibility in the country’s defense inventory. Other African states increasingly field Chinese armored platforms as well. For example, Gabon introduced the VN-1 infantry fighting vehicle and the WMA-301 105 mm wheeled assault gun in its armed forces, demonstrating a trend of Beijing’s equipment gaining acceptance for its versatility and comparatively accessible financing. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, China has emerged as the top arms supplier by share of imports, accounting for approximately 19 percent of major arms procured between 2019 and 2023, surpassing traditional suppliers like Russia and the US.