BM-14 vs M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

ARockets & launchers

BM-14

Multiple rocket launcher

BRockets & launchers

M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

Multiple rocket launcher

Reference photo · Configuration may differ

Credit

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Hunter Carpenter · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

BM-14Length

5.4 m

Length source ↗

M270 Multiple Launch Rocket SystemLength

6.97 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

BM-14larger figure on 3 of 5

Crew+100%
Speed+1%
Range+35%

M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systemlarger figure on 2 of 5

Length+29%
Width+58%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

17 of 62 rows sourced on both sides

5.4m

6.97m

Length+29%

All recorded figures & sources

5.4 m

Length

Single source

5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)^[source]

6.97 m

Length

Single source

274.5 in (6.97 m)^[source]

1.9m

Width+58%

All recorded figures & sources

1.9 m

Width

Single source

1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)^[source]

3 m

Width

Single source

117 in (3.0 m)^[source]

2.24m

2.59mlauncher stowed

Height

All recorded figures & sources

2.24 m

Height

Single source

2.24 m (7 ft 4 in)^[source]

2.59 m

launcher stowed

Single source

102 in (2.59 m) (launcher stowed)^[source]

5.3t

24tcombat loaded w/ 12 rockets

Mass

All recorded figures & sources

5,323 kg

Mass

Single source

5,323 kg (11,735 lb)^[source]

24,040 kg

combat loaded w/ 12 rockets

Single source

52,990 lb (24,040 kg) (combat loaded w/ 12 rockets)^[source]

Crew+100%

All recorded figures & sources

6 people

Crew

Single source

6^[source]

3 people

Crew

Single source

3^[source]

65km/hMaximum; Maximum speed

64km/hMaximum; Maximum speed

Speed+1%

All recorded figures & sources

65 km/h

Maximum; Maximum speed

Single source

65 km/h (40 mph)^[source]

64.4 km/h

Maximum; Maximum speed

Single source

40 mph (64.4 km/h)^[source]

650kmOperational; Operational range

483kmOperational; Operational range

Range+35%

All recorded figures & sources

9.8 km

Maximum; Maximum firing range

Single source

650 km

Operational; Operational range

Single source

9.8 km (6.1 mi)^[source]

650 km (400 mi)^[source]

300 km

Maximum; Maximum firing range

Single source

483 km

Operational; Operational range

Single source

52kWGAZ-51 6-cylinder petrol

447kWM270A1

PowerScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

52.198991 kW

GAZ-51 6-cylinder petrol

Single source

GAZ-51 70 HP 6-cylinder petrol^[source]

373 kW

Cummins VTA-903 diesel engine at 2600 rpm

Single source

447 kW

M270A1

Single source

Cummins VTA-903 diesel engine 500 hp (373 kW) at 2600 rpm 600 hp (447 kW) (M270A1)^[source]

1,000mmLength Weight: 39.6 kg (87 lb)

227mmCaliber

CalibreScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

140 mm

Diameter

Single source

1,000 mm

Length Weight: 39.6 kg (87 lb)

Single source

Diameter: 140 mm (5.5 in) Length: 1 m (3 ft 3 in) Weight: 39.6 kg (87 lb)^[source]

227 mm

Caliber

Single source

8.9 in (227 mm)^[source]

400m/s

—

Muzzle velocity

All recorded figures & sources

400 m/s

Muzzle velocity

Single source

400 m/s (1,300 ft/s)^[source]

Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.

Configuration

Details

BM-14 and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System configuration
Specification	BM-14	M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
Type	Multiple rocket launcher^[source]	Multiple rocket launcher^[source]
Place of origin	Soviet Union^[source]	United States^[source]
In service	1952–present^[source]	1983–present^[source]
Wars	Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Dhofar War Indonesian invasion of East Timor South African Border War Angolan Civil War Lebanese Civil War Soviet–Afghan War Algerian Civil War Somali Civil War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Syrian civil war^[source]	Persian Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Gaza war^[source]
Designer	NII 303^[source]	Ling-Temco-Vought^[source]
Designed	1950^[source]	1977^[source]
Barrels	16 in two rows^[source]	—
Elevation	+50°/0°^[source]	—
Traverse	180°^[source]	—
Suspension	Wheeled GAZ-63 4x4 chassis^[source]	Torsion bar^[source]
Used by	—	See Operators^[source]
Manufacturer	—	Lockheed Martin Diehl BGT Defence Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Aérospatiale - Matra^[source]
Unit cost	—	Domestic cost: $2.3 million per one launcher (FY 1990) $4.9 million (in 2024) per one launcher $168,000 per one M31 GMLRS (FY 2023) Export cost: $434,000 per one M31ER GMLRS (FY 2022)^[source]
Produced	—	1980–present^[source]
Variants	—	M270, M270A1, M270A2, MARS II , LRU, MLRS-I^[source]
Rate of fire	—	M26 : ~3s per round ATACMS : ~30s per round^[source]
Armor	—	5083 aluminum hull, 7039 aluminum cab^[source]
Main armament	—	12 × MLRS or 4 x PrSM or 2 × MGM-140 ATACMS^[source]
Power/weight	—	18.9 hp/ST (15.5 kW/t) (M270)^[source]
Transmission	—	Cross-drive turbo transmission, fully electronically controlled^[source]
Entered service	—	1982, US Army^[source]
First use in action	—	1991, Gulf War^[source]
Weight loaded	—	54,578 pounds (24,756 kg)^[source]
Height (stowed)	—	8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)^[source]
Height (max. elevation)	—	not available^[source]
Maximum road speed	—	40 mph (64 km/h)^[source]
Cruise range	—	300 miles (480 km)^[source]
Reload time	—	4 minutes (M270) 3 minutes (M270A1)^[source]
Average unit cost	—	$2.3 million per launcher (FY 1990), $168,000 per M31 GMLRS rocket (FY 2023)^[source]
Reported operators	Reported operator · Algeria Reported operator · Cambodia Reported operator · Congo-Brazzaville Reported operator · Cuba Reported operator · Egypt Reported operator · Russia Reported operator · Vietnam	Reported operator · Egypt Reported operator · Greece Reported operator · Japan Reported operator · Saudi Arabia Reported operator · Turkey Reported operator · Bahrain Reported operator · Finland Reported operator · France Reported operator · Germany Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Italy Reported operator · South Korea Reported operator · United Kingdom Reported operator · US Army Reported operator · Ukraine Reported operator · United States Army

FORCETALLY

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BM-14

M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

Type

Multiple rocket launcher^[source]

Place of origin

Soviet Union^[source]

United States^[source]

In service

1952–present^[source]

1983–present^[source]

Wars

Vietnam War Cambodian Civil War Cambodian–Vietnamese War Dhofar War Indonesian invasion of East Timor South African Border War Angolan Civil War Lebanese Civil War Soviet–Afghan War Algerian Civil War Somali Civil War War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Syrian civil war^[source]

Persian Gulf War War in Afghanistan Iraq War Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Gaza war^[source]

Designer

NII 303^[source]

Ling-Temco-Vought^[source]

Designed

1950^[source]

1977^[source]

Barrels

16 in two rows^[source]

—

Elevation

+50°/0°^[source]

—

Traverse

180°^[source]

—

Suspension

Wheeled GAZ-63 4x4 chassis^[source]

Torsion bar^[source]

Used by

—

See Operators^[source]

Manufacturer

—

Lockheed Martin Diehl BGT Defence Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Aérospatiale - Matra^[source]

Unit cost

—

Domestic cost: $2.3 million per one launcher (FY 1990) $4.9 million (in 2024) per one launcher $168,000 per one M31 GMLRS (FY 2023) Export cost: $434,000 per one M31ER GMLRS (FY 2022)^[source]

Produced

—

1980–present^[source]

Variants

—

M270, M270A1, M270A2, MARS II , LRU, MLRS-I^[source]

Rate of fire

—

M26 : ~3s per round ATACMS : ~30s per round^[source]

Armor

—

5083 aluminum hull, 7039 aluminum cab^[source]

Main armament

—

12 × MLRS or 4 x PrSM or 2 × MGM-140 ATACMS^[source]

Power/weight

—

18.9 hp/ST (15.5 kW/t) (M270)^[source]

Transmission

—

Cross-drive turbo transmission, fully electronically controlled^[source]

Entered service

—

1982, US Army^[source]

First use in action

—

1991, Gulf War^[source]

Weight loaded

—

54,578 pounds (24,756 kg)^[source]

Height (stowed)

—

8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)^[source]

Height (max. elevation)

—

not available^[source]

Maximum road speed

—

40 mph (64 km/h)^[source]

Cruise range

—

300 miles (480 km)^[source]

Reload time

—

4 minutes (M270) 3 minutes (M270A1)^[source]

Average unit cost

—

$2.3 million per launcher (FY 1990), $168,000 per M31 GMLRS rocket (FY 2023)^[source]

Reported operators

Reported operator · Algeria
Reported operator · Cambodia
Reported operator · Congo-Brazzaville
Reported operator · Cuba
Reported operator · Egypt
Reported operator · Russia
Reported operator · Vietnam

Reported operator · Egypt
Reported operator · Greece
Reported operator · Japan
Reported operator · Saudi Arabia
Reported operator · Turkey
Reported operator · Bahrain
Reported operator · Finland
Reported operator · France
Reported operator · Germany
Reported operator · Israel
Reported operator · Italy
Reported operator · South Korea
Reported operator · United Kingdom
Reported operator · US Army
Reported operator · Ukraine
Reported operator · United States Army