Gunners of the 118th Mechanized Brigade shared their experience operating Romanian APR-40 multiple launch rocket systems against the invaders.

5 kanal TV released a video report featuring vehicle crew discussions on the issue.

APR-40 is a Romanian rocket launcher that uses 122mm Soviet-type shells. The use of the APR-40 on the front lines first became known in May 2023.

As it became known later, they entered service with newly formed brigades, in particular, with the 118th Mechanized Brigade, which also began to form last year.

APR-40 is a licensed Romanian copy of the BM-21 Grad MRL, which was produced by Aerostar in the 1970s and 1980s. It has the same artillery unit, but received a new DAC 665T three-axle chassis.

The gunner with the call sign “Bolya” said that his MRL is about 40 years old, so it is now quite worn out, often breaks or refuses.

“I drove this car 550 kilometers and stopped every 10 hours and poured 10-15 liters of water into it because it “boiled,” says the gunner.

According to “Bolya,” the crew received the MRL in an inoperative condition, but they repaired it. He also mentioned that the artillery part of the installation was hardly used, so it was in good condition.

The gunner said that it takes only 1.5 minutes for his already well-coordinated crew to make the first shot. The volley of 40 missiles can be fired in 30 seconds.

Like the Soviet Grad MRL, the Romanian APR-40 can fire Soviet-type ammunition within a radius of 20.5 kilometers.

However, more modern long-range ammunition also exists in this caliber, in particular, the Serbian 122mm ER Grad 2000, which can be launched at a distance of up to 40 km. It is known that a certain number of them are in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It is worth noting that the Russian invaders also widely use no less archaic Grad-1 rocket launchers of the 1970s, one of which was destroyed in March by the 100th Territorial Defense Brigade (now a Mechanized Brigade).