Russia has unveiled its newest multiple launch rocket system, the Sarma, a 300mm heavy launcher mounted on the KamAZ-63501 armored chassis.
The system was displayed by the Motovilikha Plants during a recent visit by Vladimir Putin.
According to information released at the event, the Sarma MLRS was developed as an evolution of the earlier KAMA project. It is equipped with six launch tubes for guided 300mm rockets, designed to reach ranges between 20 and 90 kilometers with an accuracy margin of about 0.21 percent. Developers said the launcher can deliver a full salvo in under 19 seconds.
The new system is essentially a reworked successor to the Soviet-era Smerch launcher. Unlike its predecessor, the Sarma is designed to be mounted on a KamAZ truck chassis, offering greater mobility on varied terrain. The adaptation reduces the overall ammunition load compared to the Smerch but provides improved maneuverability and faster redeployment.
The Motovilikha Plants, a long-standing Russian manufacturer of artillery and rocket systems, presented the Sarma during a defense industry exhibition attended by the Russian president. The system reflects Moscow’s emphasis on refining and modernizing existing Soviet designs rather than entirely replacing them, an approach aimed at maintaining production efficiency while adding updated features such as guided munitions and mobile platforms.
Russian officials described the Sarma as part of a broader modernization of the country’s artillery forces, with a focus on survivability, accuracy, and rapid fire delivery.
The Sarma MLRS, with its six-launch tube design, smaller ammunition load, and enhanced mobility, represents the next phase of Russian heavy rocket artillery. Its developers argue that the system’s balance of firepower and mobility makes it more adaptable to modern battlefield needs.