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NCSIST Thunderbolt 2000

2010 MODERN

NCSIT Thunderbolt 2000 History

The island nation of Taiwan has finally shifted its focus from retaking mainland China to defending its territory from Chinese amphibious invasion. This decision influenced the direction (and budget) of the Army in the new millennium and resulted in several notable homegrown projects, including fourth-generation fighter jets, various small arms and armored vehicles.

Thunderbolt-2000 represents another product of this rethink, the Taiwan Army's Multiple Launch Self-propelled Missile System (MLRS). The design (by the Zhongshan Institute of Science and Technology) was introduced at the Hanguang exercise in 1997 and ordered in batches, and it entered service in 2010.

Bazooka has played an important role in modern land warfare since World War II (1939-1945), when the Soviets tended to use the weapon against entrenched German enemies on the Eastern Front. Today, MLRS represents this type of mobile weapon, which is used by all major military powers (even smaller ones) as a measure of economic repression, which also provides some level of psychological warfare against the enemy.

The Thunderbolt 2000 prototype was built on an American Oshkosh M977 Heavy Extended Mobility Tactical Truck production vehicle, and when this design proved reliable, the final product was restored by a German MAN HX81 8x8 wheeled truck. The Army secured a production order for 57 vehicles delivered in the late 2000s.

The fuselage and chassis have a forward cabin and a rear bed on which the launcher assembly is located. The launcher has full 360-degree traversal and built-in elevation capability, allowing the unit to be aimed in the firing direction without rotating the vehicle. The 8x8 wheel assembly is split into two parts, each with two axles to transfer weight, and the support legs are lowered to stabilize the vehicle before firing. Ground clearance is excellent, plus the full suspension makes for off-road cruising and holding with the workhorse. The launch unit is modular and can support different warhead types depending on mission needs.

These include the standard 60-round 117mm Mk 15 fit, 27-round 180mm Mk 30 fit and 12-round 227mm Mk 45 fit. The target ranges are 15 km, 30 km and 45 km respectively. Reloading is performed by the supplied supply vehicle.

Currently (2016) every Army company sees a battalion of these vehicles providing considerable firepower at range against approaching enemy forces. The system's quick set-up and fire capabilities ensure a degree of self-survival, as the crew can fire, reload, and fire another salvo at short notice before moving to a new location.

Missiles can be launched individually or as a unit.