Ukrainian Army to Receive Vilkha Multiple Rocket System

The Vilkha multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), a clone of the Smerch MLRS from the Soviet era has been accepted into the Ukrainian army and its industrial production will start soon.

The new system was developed by Luch, the state design bureau in Kyiv. Experts say that supplies for the troops will start in mid-2019, according to UAWire.

Development the Vilkha multiple-launch rocket system RS began in January 2016 and it was completed in May 2018. The system is based on the old Soviet Smerch MLRS.

The Vilkha was successfully tested in April and December 2017. In February 2018, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksandr Turchynov announced that industrial production of cruise missiles for Vilkha would start at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019.

In April 2018, during the regular military exercises, Turchynov stated that the Vilkha outperformed the Russian Smerch in every way.