Peru selects Israeli PULS rocket launcher to modernize artillery with tech transfer and joint production.

On July 8, 2025, Fábrica de Armas y Municiones del Ejército S.A.C. (FAME SAC), a state-owned company under Peru’s Ministry of Defense, awarded Israeli company Elbit Systems Ltd. the Buena Pro in the Concurso Privado Internacional CP05-2025 for the supply and integration of a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) for the Peruvian Army.
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Each pod on the PULS can house different payload configurations: 36 122 mm GRAD rockets (18 per pod), 26 160 mm LAR160 or Accular rockets, 8 EXTRA missiles, 4 Delilah missiles, or 4 Predator Hawk missiles. (Picture source: Elbit Systems)

The competition was launched to establish a strategic partnership with a foreign defense manufacturer capable of transferring technology and making investments in Peru’s defense sector, including the commercialization, fabrication, co-fabrication, assembly, and modernization of artillery systems and associated military vehicles. The objective was to support national production of medium- and long-range artillery, fire-control systems, C4I platforms, short- and long-range rockets, and technical and post-sale support infrastructure. The selection of Elbit Systems and its PULS launcher concludes a second round of the competition, after a first attempt in March 2025 failed to produce a compliant offer.

The competition began on June 18, 2025, under the framework of a public investment project titled “Mejoramiento de la capacidad del Sistema de Artillería de Campaña del Componente Terrestre del Comando Operacional del Sur – JUCRAM,” declared of national interest by Supreme Decree No. 016-2013-DE. The project was organized by FAME SAC under a legal framework defined by Laws No. 29314, 29441, and 31684, which grant FAME financial and administrative autonomy in the defense sector, allowing it to operate outside the scope of the general public procurement law (Law No. 30225) through an “encargo” mechanism. The competition was limited to original equipment manufacturers, explicitly excluding intermediaries, and required diplomatic validation by their respective embassies in Peru. The contract includes the signing of a six-year renewable Framework Association and Technology Transfer Agreement (Contrato Marco Asociativo y de Transferencia Tecnológica) to formalize the industrial cooperation and ensure the delivery of systems compatible with the national command and control system “WIRACOCHA.”

The scope of the procurement consists of twelve acquisition items, which had to be quoted and evaluated independently to ensure transparency and prevent cross-conditional pricing. The acquisition includes three PULS launcher vehicles, two ammunition loading crane vehicles, one intelligence and reconnaissance vehicle with a 100-kilometer range, four observation and reconnaissance vehicles, four battery command post vehicles, three group command post vehicles, one electromechanical maintenance workshop vehicle, and one meteorological station. In addition to the platforms, the contract includes 90 rockets with an approximate range of 50 kilometers, 12 guided missiles with a range of 140 kilometers (±10 km), and three guided missiles with a range of 290 kilometers (±10 km). Although the 27 existing LM90B launchers operated by the Peruvian Army are not part of the current acquisition, the selected partner is required to ensure full interoperability with them and with the WIRACOCHA C4I system, including the delivery of open protocols and sworn declarations confirming compatibility.

The evaluation was conducted by a Selection Committee formed through Resolution No. 040-2025/FAME-1.a, composed of Colonel (r) Miguel Ángel Yoplac Bazalar, Marco Antonio Zárate Paz, Colonel (r) Fernando Leopoldo Peña Murillo, and Wilmer Alexander Delgado Peralta. The selection process took place over three phases. In the first phase, the committee reviewed the submission of all required documents, including sworn statements related to technical capacity, financial solvency, previous contracts, C4I integration, patents, and certifications. Roketsan’s offer was excluded at this stage for not including substantiating documentation regarding technological transfer and manufacturer status, as required in Annexes 13, 14, and 16. In the second phase, both Elbit Systems and NORINCO met the minimum criteria. In the final phase, Elbit obtained the highest total score with 100 points, compared to NORINCO’s 92. Elbit received full points in all categories: 20 for technology transfer experience, 10 for manufacturing capacity, 10 for revenue, 10 for client states, 20 for certifications, and 40 for offering a 10% profit rate. NORINCO was marked down in the client states criterion and obtained a lower economic score for its 9% profitability.

The competition imposed a maximum contract value of $60 million. All proposals had to be submitted in sealed paper format at FAME SAC’s headquarters in Lima. Submissions had to be in Spanish or accompanied by certified translations and include a $50,000 bid guarantee. After award, the selected company must submit an additional $50,000 performance bond. Appeals are permitted within two business days and require an additional $50,000 guarantee. Decisions by the General Manager of FAME SAC are final. Bidders sanctioned or disqualified in Peru or their home countries, or originating from states under United Nations arms embargoes such as Syria, North Korea, or Iran, were not eligible. Disputes must be resolved under Peruvian law, first through negotiation or conciliation, and then, if necessary, through institutional arbitration at the Lima Chamber of Commerce, in Spanish, with a three-arbitrator tribunal. FAME SAC does not assume any financial liability for the costs of participation and makes no commitment for future production beyond the current agreement.

The PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) is a multi-caliber MLRS platform developed by Israel Military Industries and modernized by Elbit Systems after its acquisition of the company in 2018. It is designed to accommodate a wide variety of munitions through interchangeable sealed pods, which can include 36 122 mm GRAD rockets, 26 160 mm LAR160 or Accular rockets, eight 306 mm EXTRA rockets, four 330 mm Delilah cruise missiles, or four 370 mm Predator Hawk tactical ballistic missiles. In addition to conventional projectiles, the PULS is also capable of launching SkyStriker loitering munitions, with six UAVs per container and up to 12 per vehicle. These drones can carry payloads of 5–10 kilograms and have a range exceeding 100 kilometers. They are capable of returning and landing if not deployed, enabling reuse.

The system's guidance is based on GPS and inertial navigation systems. The Accular 122 and 160 munitions, EXTRA, and Predator Hawk rockets feature circular error probable (CEP) values ranging from 1 to 10 meters. The PULS can perform indirect fire missions with short- and long-range precision across varied calibers. The Delilah missile integrates electro-optical and infrared sensors in addition to GPS/INS, offering terminal guidance and target recognition capabilities. The sealed pods support quick reload operations, and the system can be integrated onto different truck platforms, including Tatra, Iveco, and HEMTT chassis, allowing flexibility for deployment. PULS units can be delivered with or without armored cabs, depending on the operational requirement of the purchasing country. Practice missiles with a range of 7 to 15 kilometers are also available for training purposes.

The system entered operational service with the Israel Defense Forces in 2020 under the name “Lahav” and was first used during the 2024 conflict in Gaza. It has since been acquired by Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, Kazakhstan, and Rwanda. Orders have also been confirmed for Germany and Serbia, and procurement processes are underway in Greece, Norway, the Philippines, Austria, and Bulgaria. In several of these countries, including Spain and the Netherlands, the system is being integrated with locally produced components through industrial cooperation agreements. The EURO-PULS version is being developed in partnership with KNDS for the European market, although integration with U.S. GMLRS rockets was rejected by Lockheed Martin. In Latin America, Peru is the first country to select the PULS system and establish a joint production venture, positioning FAME SAC as a potential local integrator of precision-guided rocket systems for the region.