The IDF recently successfully tested an updated rocket system that has the capability to be fired from a truck. The new rocket, dubbed “Lance”, is a highly innovative and much cheaper alternative to the Israeli Air Force’s pinpoint strikes. The Lance is currently undergoing combat readiness.
As opposed to most of the pin-point targeting rockets used by the IAF, the new rocket can fire up to ten rockets per minute at multiple targets. The Lance is mobile and can accompany ground troops during combat. The rocket can strike a target up to 40 kilometers away, giving it a longer range while maintaining accuracy far higher than regular artillery cannons.
In an interview with Ynet, Major General Yitchak Turgeman explained: “Today, artillery no longer stays behind; it’s a part of front-line ground maneuvers. No forward units move without fire support.”
During Operation Protective Edge, troops used a variety of rocket delivery methods to fire more than 1,000 rounds at targets in Gaza. Methods included drones, artillery fire and other less advanced and less accurate missile systems.
The Lance system is a far cheaper alternative to using the air force to deliver missiles. In future operations it is expected to drastically cut down the overall operational budget.
The Lance delivers a payload of up to 20 kilograms of explosives to a target specified by advanced GPS technology. The rationale behind the new delivery system is to cut down civilian casualties and minimize collateral damage to nearby structures.
