The Medium Artillery Rocket System (MARS) is state-of-the-art. It can fire missiles of different modes of action while guided by GPS. Three MARS II multiple rocket launchers are now arriving in Ukraine from Germany.
Ukraine has received additional heavy weapons from Germany for defense against the Russian war of aggression. "The promised multiple rocket launchers of the type MARS II and another three self-propelled howitzers 2000 have been delivered. We keep our word", explained Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht. Her Ukrainian counterpart reported on Monday that the first three Gepard anti-aircraft tanks had arrived from Germany. Several tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition were also handed over.
Lambrecht spoke of five Gepard anti-aircraft gun tanks that had been delivered. Overall, the Ukraine will get 30 Gepard systems from the industry with around 60,000 rounds of ammunition, mainly from the Bundeswehr. The three multiple rocket launchers MARS II and then a total of ten self-propelled howitzers 2000 also came from Bundeswehr stocks.
The Medium Artillery Rocket System (MARS) can fire missiles with different modes of action - such as guided missiles with a GPS system or mine-ejecting missiles to block sections of terrain. The launch batteries with a combat load of twelve rockets are mounted on tracked vehicles that can travel at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour.
As a supplement to these weapon systems, industry will also be supplying a Cobra-type artillery detection radar in September, Lambrecht explained. "The contract has already been signed, and now the training of the Ukrainian soldiers on this highly complex system will begin." It still has to be finally prepared for delivery by the industry. "This will allow our artillery systems to work even faster and more precisely," promised the minister.
Training on the promised Iris-T SLM anti-aircraft missile system should also begin in a few days. The manufacturing company will be able to deliver "factory new" to Ukraine in the fall. The Gepard tanks were the second delivery of heavy weapons from Germany to the war zone a good five months after the Russian attack on Ukraine. In June, seven self-propelled howitzers arrived there, heavy artillery pieces capable of hitting targets 40 kilometers away. In addition to the delivery of three multiple rocket launchers, three self-propelled howitzers and the Iris-T air defense system, three armored recovery vehicles had been announced.
