Faster and more powerful: IDF unveils new artillery launcher

The IDF unveiled the new addition to the artillery forces – the Lahav launcher, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced earlier this week.

The new launcher offers a variety of game changing qualities. It has greater fire power; it is faster and moves on wheels.

According to Lt. Col. Ran Kotek, the commander responsible for the assimilation of the new vehicle in the corps, this allows the vehicle “to travel at a speed of up to 100 km per hour even on a road, so there is no need for transport.” In this respect, he added, “the battalion can move independently and quickly to wherever it is required.”

With the outbreak of the war the new launcher immediately became operational, the IDF said.

The IDF’s new Lahav launcher. February 6, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

The IDF’s new Lahav launcher. February 6, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

Operational in Gaza

Following the October 7 massacre, on October 8, St.-Sgt.-Maj Adi headed south with her company. “We didn’t have an official shooting permit yet, we just went into a frenzy of learning and preparation,” she recounted.

Two days later, the Lahav fired for the first time, launching the guided rocket ‘Romach’ able to destroy precise targets.

“The strike was precise, everyone was really excited,” Adi added.

From that point in the war, the troops fired for a month and a half numerous rockets against terror targets in the Gaza Strip. “The capabilities of the launcher allow almost complete freedom of movement – therefore, wherever we were needed, we arrived quickly,” she noted.

According to the military, the launcher is compatible with various precision rockets and can launch dozens of rockets at once.

The ‘Romach’ is the smallest of the weapons and has an impact range of some 35 km.

In addition, Lahav has the ability to launch advanced rockets with a longer range of 300 km.