IDF tests new rocket system in exercise
'Lance' rocket system designed for precision strikes while offering greater mobility and cheaper costs than Air Force alternatives.
The new weapons system delivers a total weight of 20 kilograms of explosives to a target specified by advanced GPS technology meant to minimize the chances of collateral damage to nearby civilians and structures. The GPS system installed in the Lance rockets is unique from other rockets used by various units in the IDF which lock onto targets from afar using an electro-optical head.
The Lance is capable of firing as many as 10 rockets per minute and can reach targets as far as 40 kilometers away. Additionally, the system is cheaper and more mobile that most rockets used by the Air Force. The rocket is launched from a specialized truck equipped with a launching pad similar to those used by the IDF's Artillery Corps.
"Today, artillery no longer stays behind; it's a part of front-line ground maneuvers," Major General Yitzik Turgeman told Ynet. "No forward units move without fire support. During Operation Protective Edge, Turgeman and his troops used different rocket system to fire more than 1,000 rounds at targets in Gaza.
Lance was dubbed a success after marking a direct hit on a target at a range of 20 kilometers during the exercise. Several drones filmed the strike from various angles.
