Russian defense industry specialists presented a new wheeled variant of the 9A52-4 Sarma 300mm multiple launch rocket system at the Motovilikhinskiye Zavody plant in Perm, showcasing the vehicle to senior domestic officials. The displayed launcher sits on an 8×8 KamAZ-63501 truck chassis with armored cabin protection and carries a combat module of six 300mm launch tubes. Developers emphasized that this configuration incorporates an upgraded automated fire-control suite fully integrated with reconnaissance and target acquisition inputs, enabling fast cueing from sensors and rapid, networked strikes. The new Sarma iteration draws on an evolution of Russian long-range rocket artillery concepts dating back to the Kama research work in the 2000s, which prioritized road mobility by putting 300mm launchers onto KamAZ-class wheeled chassis rather than heavier tracked carriers. That early engineering established approaches to modular transport-launch containers and rapid reloading that informed later programs. In subsequent modernization cycles, lessons from Tornado-S upgrades, Uragan-1M container experiments, and the Vozrozhdeniye bi-caliber effort added satellite guidance, unified container logistics, and enhanced automated command chains to Russian doctrine. The Sarma variant as presented combines these threads: a protected, high-mobility truck that uses modular launch packaging, guided munitions potential, and an automated fire control architecture to shorten reaction times and simplify logistics across calibers. Emphasis by developers on containerization and truck mobility reflects an industry push to increase operational tempo, shift to units that can quickly displace after firing, and reduce the logistical footprint of long-range rocket artillery. The public display in Perm also signals Moscow’s intent to proliferate such modular, wheeled long-range assets across formations that previously relied on heavier tracked launchers, aligning with broader trends in Russian artillery modernization that prioritize mobility, precision, and integrated sensor-to-shooter chains.
