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Russia Claims Their HIMARS Copy “Sarma” MLRS Is Already Battlefield Tested in Ukraine
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Russian state media claims its new “Sarma” multiple launch rocket system is already undergoing combat trials on the frontlines in Ukraine, Ukrainian outlet RBC-Ukraine reported on February 16.
Positioned as Moscow’s answer to the US-made HIMARS—which has proven devastatingly effective for the Ukrainian army—the Sarma is reportedly executing “shoot-and-scoot” strikes to avoid retaliation. However, RBC-Ukraine reported that no visual evidence has emerged to confirm the system’s presence in the combat zone.
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Russian outlets also claim the system’s trials have begun directly in the combat zone. Moscow has drawn comparisons between “Sarma” and HIMARS, highlighting a similar rapid-deployment concept and the launcher’s six-tube configuration.
Reports also emphasize the use of 300-mm rockets with a stated range of up to 120 kilometers, compared with standard HIMARS-guided GMLRS munitions, which typically reach 70 to 80 kilometers.
RBC-Ukraine noted, however, that extended-range ER-GMLRS rockets for HIMARS have been produced since 2024, with a range of up to 150 kilometers, exceeding the figures claimed for “Sarma.”
The report added that Russia has previously floated plans to expand the system’s reach to 200 kilometers, though no evidence has emerged to confirm such capabilities.
The “Sarma” project is described as a continuation of the experimental 9A52-4 “Kama” rocket system, first unveiled in 2007 on a KamAZ chassis. While an updated version was reported in development in 2023, there is still no public information indicating that the system has entered mass production.
Earlier, Ukrainian artillery units, operating in coordination with reconnaissance assets, have destroyed a Russian Buk-series surface-to-air missile system.
The missile system was reportedly hit by a guided projectile—likely an M30A1 unitary warhead fired from a US-supplied HIMARS launcher. The munition, equipped with a proximity fuse and approximately 182,000 tungsten steel spheres, is designed to neutralize lightly armored vehicles and personnel across a broad impact zone.
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