LARS is a vehicle mounted multi-barrel rocket system designed to produce a high concentration of fire very rapidly. A trailer mounted system 15-tube version was also
developed but never entered service.
The launchers consist of two banks; each with eighteen tubes in rows of five, six, six and one. Each tube is 3.9m long. The weapon is laid from a seat set between the two sets
of launch tubes. The sights consist of a Type 39 conventional persiscopic dial sight and an elevation scale. Traverse and elevation/depression is mechanical. Fire control allows
single rounds, part or whole salvos to be fired. A full salvo takes 18 seconds to fire and reloading takes an additional 15 minutes. The rocket has an effective range of 6 to 14 km.
The standard warhead is a high explosive fragmentation type with pre-formed fragments. There are also training and smoke warheads, and a cargo warhead which carries
eight anti-tank mines and releases them over the target area.
The fire control system for each battery utilises a radar which provides corrections to the launchers after a single rocket has been fired at the target which is set to
explode 3/4 way down the trajectory. It is tracked by the radar and the computer extrapoltes from it the neccessary data to be applied to all the launchers nominated to
engage the target. As there has been no adjustment of fire onto the target the first salvo comes as a complete surprise.
