Russian Tornado-S and Sarma multiple launch rocket systems can now be programmed with individual flight assignments for targeted missile strikes.
State defense corporation Rostec announced the operational capability in a message published on Telegram, highlighting software and guidance upgrades to Russian heavy artillery units.
According to the state manufacturer, individual targeting is provided by an onboard automated guidance and fire control system, known by its Russian acronym ASUNO.
Automated Guidance and Precision Munitions
Rostec said the combination of warhead destructive power and automated precision allows artillery units to destroy well-protected and hardened underground targets at long ranges. The corporation added that accurate guidance minimizes the expenditure of costly ammunition during strike missions.
Automated fire control systems like ASUNO integrate digital mapping, ballistic computers, and satellite positioning to align launcher tubes automatically. By uploading individual flight paths into each missile's onboard system prior to launch, artillery crews can direct separate rockets within a single salvo toward distinct target coordinates across a wider engagement area.
State Corporation Rostec is Russia's primary defense conglomerate, headquartered in Moscow. Established to consolidate the nation's strategic manufacturing industries, the state-owned enterprise oversees hundreds of technology firms, research institutes, and arms factories that design and manufacture military equipment for the Russian Armed Forces.
The 300mm Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system was developed as a modern successor to Soviet-era heavy rocket platforms such as the BM-30 Smerch, introducing long-range precision munitions. In contrast, the Sarma is designed as a lighter, highly mobile rocket artillery platform mounted on a flexible truck chassis to facilitate rapid operational movement.
Artillery Tactics and Rapid Firing Capabilities
In May, Rostec Chief Executive Officer Sergey Chemezov said the Sarma rocket launcher, which began entering service with military forces in 2025, is capable of firing a complete salvo of rockets in 18 seconds.
The announcement follows reports from Russian newspaper Izvestia, which cited sources in the Russian Ministry of Defence stating that BM-21 Grad rocket launcher crews had mastered a fire carousel tactic.
The Soviet-designed BM-21 Grad is a truck-mounted 122mm multiple launch rocket system fielded extensively in artillery operations. Under the fire carousel maneuver, multiple launcher crews rotate systematically between firing, reloading, and retreating to new concealed positions. This tactical pattern maintains relentless firing pressure on enemy ground positions while denying counter-battery artillery time to locate and target the firing units.
