Dump truck rocket artillery is a term used to refer rocket artillery, generally in the form of an MLRS, built inside of a civilian dump truck. This type of vehicle has been used in many conflicts around the Middle East, such as the Iraq War and Syrian Civil War, along with ongoing conflicts between Israel and various militant groups.
Operational history
editOn February 3, 2022, a Turkish military base near Bashiqa, Iraq, came under fire from rocket artillery. It was later revealed that the rockets were launched by a Kurdish militant group known as Ahrar Sinjar using rocket artillery hidden inside civilian dump trucks.[1] In 2010, the Israeli army captured a rocket truck disguised as a garbage dump truck in the Gaza Strip area. The specific vehicle in use was a 4x2 Toyota Dyna model 150. It had nine rocket tubes. The rockets were rotation-stabilized, likely Chinese Type 63 rockets.[2]
ISIS militants in Syria are known to operate at least one Hyundai Mighty dump truck converted to an MLRS.[3][4] During a military parade on September 8, 2023, the North Korean military showcased a number of rocket and missile systems disguised as civilian vehicles. Among those shown were Sinotruk HOWO 371 dump trucks with 12 hidden rocket launch tubes, each capable of firing 122mm rockets.[5][6][7] Their official North Korean military designations are unknown.
References
edit- ^ office_zzam (2022-02-04). "Turkish base in Iraq under fire from MLRS hidden in civilian dump truc". armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ "Palestinian self-propelled rocket launcher disguised as garbage truck : Multiple Rocket Launchers and Tactical Missile Systems". Armedconflicts.com. 2013-04-05. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ Wilson, Jeremy Bender, Armin Rosen, Jeremy. "These are the weapons Islamic State fighters are using to terrify the Middle East". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "ISIS turns Korean trucks into 'war rigs'". koreatimes. 2017-01-20. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ Davis, Charles R. "North Korea celebrated its founding with a military parade featuring dump trucks modified to work as rocket launchers". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ admin (2023-09-14). "What's That In Your Dump Truck, Mr. KPA Soldier?". The DMZ War. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
- ^ Rogoway, Stetson Payne, Tyler (2023-09-09). "North Korea Debuts Rocket Launchers That Appear As Civilian Trucks". The War Zone. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)