SITDEF 2019: Chinese-made Type 90B rocket launcher fully operational in Peruvian army.

The Chinese-made Type 90B 122mm MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) is fully operational with the Peruvian army. In 2013, Peru has ordered 27 Type 90B MLRS artillery systems to China that were delivered in 2015.

Peruvian army Type 90B 122mm MLRS Multiple Launch Rocket System at SITDEF 2019 defense exhibition in Lima, Peru. May 16, 2019. (Picture source Army Recognition)

According to information provided by officers of the Peruvian Army artillery unit, the Type 90B will not replace the Russian-made BM-21 which is in service with the Peruvian armed forces since many years, they will both stay in service.

The Type 90B is the second generation of Type 90 series MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) of 122mm caliber fully designed and manufactured by the Chinese Company NORINCO. It can fire the same rockets as the original BM-21. The Type 90B used by the Peruvian army is fitted with a rocket launcher pod mounted at the rear of Chinese 6x6 military truck chassis Beiben 2628. The Type 90B is operated by a crew of five.

The electrically powered rocket launcher pod has four rows of 10 tubes of 122mm mounted above each other on a rotating cradle assembly at the rear of a 6x6 truck chassis. The launch tubes have an elevation range of 0° to 55° and azimuth range of -102° to +102°. Mounted at the back of the crew cabin, there is an automatic reloading system with 40 rockets ready to be loaded that includes an elevator, a rack and feeder with three modes of control. The 40 rockets can be loaded in less than 3 minutes.

The Type 90B MLRS fires 122mm fin-stabilized rockets and use a composite solid propellant. The rockets can reach a range from 20 to 40 km depending on the rocket type. These rockets can be equipped with the following warhead types: standard High Explosive (HE), High-efficiency HE containing steel balls for greater fragmentation effect, High-efficiency HE Incendiary (HEI), Cargo containing anti-personnel/anti-tank sub-munitions, Mine containing anti-tank mines. The rockets can also be launched by other 122 mm multiple rocket systems. All the firing operations can be performed from inside of the crew cabin.