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The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) has begun using the SR-5 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) it received from China earlier in the year against the military.
Video footage showing one MRLS firing surfaced online on May 24. It is unclear when or where the footage was filmed, but the target of the rocket attack was likely militants from the separatist Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) or al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
The two groups launched a large-scale offensive across the Sahel country on April 25, and managed to make some notable gains. Since then, the FAMa has been working to push back the militants, with direct support from Russia’s Africa Corps.
The SR-5 is the export version of the PHL-11 MRLS produced by Chinese defense giant Norinco. In February, FAMa received several launchers of this type among other weapons.
The MLRS features two modular rocket pods using 6×6 Taian TA5310 truck chassis. Each pod is able to carry either 20 x 122 mm, 6 x 220 mm rockets, 1 x 610 mm King Dragon 300 ballistic missile, 1 x C-705 anti-ship missile, or various loitering munitions and drones.
The footage shows the Malian SR-5 fires what appears to be 220 mm rockets, reported to have a range up to 70 kilometers. It is unclear, however, if it is the precision guided version of the rocket, which features a satellite-aided inertial navigation system.
The SR-5 was a major addition to the FAMa, providing rapid, and accurate fire power with a decent range at a relatively low cost.
Chinese support for the FAMa complemented that by offering Russia, and even Turkey, which also sold weapons, including combat drones, to the Sahel country.
While the FAMa last month failed to hold its grounds in several regions, it has managed to absurd the offensive by FLA and JNIM. A counteroffensive could begin soon, and the alliance between the two groups will not likely to hold up for long in the face of such a development.
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