Houthi-aligned forces fielded 122 mm Sakr-40 multiple rocket launchers inherited from pre-war Yemeni Army stocks, adding a Grad-compatible salvo system to their unguided rocket-artillery inventory.
Role detailsArtillery
Sakr-40 multiple rocket launcher
Also known as
- Sakr 40
- Sakr-40
- 122 mm Sakr 40
- SAKR 40-round launcher
- Egyptian Sakr 40
The Sakr-40 is the 40-tube member of Egypt's Sakr 122 mm multiple-rocket-launcher family, developed after licensed BM-21 Grad production and built for Sakr or Russian-pattern Grad rockets. Oryx identifies 122 mm Sakr-40 launchers among Houthi-held systems inherited from pre-war Yemeni Army stocks in the 2014 Yemen Civil War.
Role in Conflicts
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- Egypt; Yemeni examples inherited from pre-war Yemeni Army stocks
- Built in
- Egypt
- Type
- 122 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher
- Service note
- Cold War-derived Egyptian 122 mm system documented in Yemeni stocks during the 2014 Yemen Civil War
- Designer
- SAKR Factory for Developed Industries
- Designed
- Developed after Egyptian BM-21 license production began in 1978
- Unit cost
- Forecast International listed a fully loaded truck-mounted Sakr-40 at about $331,000 in 2002 dollars
- Produced
- Serial production on an as-needed basis reported in 2002
- Number built
- Forecast International reported 402 Sakr 21-, 30-, and 40-round mobile launchers produced by January 1, 2002
- Developed from
- Egyptian licensed BM-21 Grad production and the Sakr 122.4 mm rocket-launcher development program
Specifications
- Caliber
- 122.4 mm rockets
- Launcher
- 40 launch tubes in the Sakr-40 configuration
- Compatible rockets
- Sakr 10, Sakr 18, Sakr 30, and Russian-pattern Grad rockets
- Maximum range
- Up to 36 km with Sakr 30 rockets; about 20 km with Sakr 18 rockets
- Launch vehicle
- Truck-mounted on ZIL-131, Ural-4320, Mercedes-Benz 1222A/36, or similar vehicles; related launchers were also mounted on ATS-59G tracked carriers
- Crew
- Three to five depending on platform
- Aiming
- Electrohydraulic training and elevation mechanism with manual backup
- Launcher movement
- Elevation from 0 to +55 degrees and traverse of 102 degrees left / 72 degrees right in Forecast International's latest-production-standard data
- Rocket warheads
- Sakr 18 and Sakr 30 rocket options included high-explosive and submunition-dispensing warheads, depending on rocket model
Variants
Forecast International treats the 21-, 30-, and 40-round Sakr launchers as a common 122.4 mm family, with tube count, launch platform, and compatible rockets driving the designation split.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sakr 21 / RL-21 | 21-round 122 mm launcher | Forecast International lists the Sakr 21/RL-21 as one of the vehicle-mounted launchers for Sakr 18 and Sakr 30 rockets, with similar dimensions to the 30-round launcher but fewer tubes. Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems |
| Sakr 30 / RC-30 | 30-round 122 mm launcher | The Sakr 30/RC-30 is the baseline 30-tube launcher in Forecast International's technical table, mounted on ZIL-131, Ural-4320, Mercedes-Benz, ATS-59G, or similar platforms. Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems |
| PRL-111 / PRL-113 | Lightweight ground launchers | The PRL-111 single-round and PRL-113 four-round launchers are ground-emplaced Sakr-family launchers for the same 122.4 mm rocket class rather than self-propelled Sakr-40 variants. Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems |
Ammunition Fired
The Sakr-40 is part of a 122.4 mm launcher family built around Sakr rockets while remaining compatible with Russian-pattern Grad rockets.
| Ammunition | Ammunition type | Firing evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Grad-compatible 122 mm rocket family | Forecast International states that the 21-, 30-, and 40-round Sakr launchers are compatible with Sakr 10, Sakr 18, Sakr 30, and Russian-pattern Grad rockets used in the BM-21 system. Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, 122mm SAKR Rocket |
Launcher And Rocket Compatibility
The Sakr-40 is best read as a 40-tube launcher inside a wider Egyptian 122.4 mm system family. Forecast International describes the same launcher architecture in 21-, 30-, and 40-round forms, while FAS identifies the Sakr-36/Sakr-40 class as field-saturation artillery using conventional or dispersive warheads.
| Element | Documented detail | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Launcher family | Vehicle-mounted 21-, 30-, and 40-round launchers on ZIL-131 or similar trucks, with some 30- and 40-round launchers integrated on ATS-59G tracked carriers. | Places the Sakr-40 in a modular launcher family rather than a single fixed chassis configuration. |
| Rocket compatibility | Sakr 10, Sakr 18, Sakr 30, and Russian-pattern Grad rockets used by BM-21 launchers. | Explains why the Yemeni Sakr-40 examples belong in the same battlefield inventory as Grad-compatible 122 mm rockets. |
| Fire-control limits | Forecast International describes rudimentary fire control with orders from a central command vehicle and electrical firing. | Helps distinguish the system from later precision or digitally networked rocket artillery. |
Timeline
Sakr-40 multiple rocket launcher Key Events
Sakr 122 mm development begins
Forecast International traces the Sakr 122.4 mm launcher and rocket program to Egypt's licensed BM-21 Grad production and the start of a new 122.4 mm development effort in 1978.
Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
Manufacture of Sakr 122 mm systems starts
The Forecast International timetable lists manufacture of Sakr 122.4 mm systems beginning in 1983, followed by first deliveries in July 1984.
Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
Production totals reported
Forecast International reported 402 Sakr 21-, 30-, and 40-round wheeled and tracked mobile launchers produced for Sakr 18 and Sakr 30 rockets by January 1, 2002.
Sources: SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket Systems
Pre-war Yemeni Sakr-40 inventory documented
Oryx listed 122 mm Sakr-40 launchers in the pre-war Yemeni Army multiple-rocket-launcher inventory, helping identify the source of later Houthi-held examples.
Sources: Handbook Of Pre-War Yemeni Fighting Vehicles
Houthi-held Sakr-40 launchers listed
Oryx later listed 122 mm Sakr-40 launchers among Houthi-held rockets and missiles, marking them as inherited from pre-war Yemeni Army stocks.
Sources: Houthi Drone And Missile Handbook
Media
Sakr-40 multiple rocket launcher Images
Related Weapon Systems
Sources
Houthi Drone And Missile HandbookPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct conflict-use context: 122 mm Sakr-40 multiple rocket launchers fielded by Houthi-aligned forces from inherited pre-war Yemeni Army stocks. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Handbook Of Pre-War Yemeni Fighting VehiclesPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports background and image context for 122 mm Sakr-40 launchers in pre-war Yemeni Army stocks before they were fielded by Houthi-aligned forces in the 2014 Yemen Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SAKR Series 122 and 325 mm Multiple Launch Rocket SystemsPublisher: Forecast International | Note: Supports Sakr-40 manufacturer, production status, production totals, unit-cost estimate, compatible rockets, launch platforms, crew, range, and launcher-family specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Sakr Factory for Development IndustriesPublisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports manufacturer background for the AOI-affiliated Sakr factory and its production of Egyptian 122 mm multiple rocket launcher families. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Sakr-36 / Sakr-40Publisher: Federation of American Scientists | Note: Supports Sakr-36/Sakr-40 family background, 122 mm caliber, launcher-family context, and 36 km range figure. | Accessed: 2026-07-01122mm SAKR RocketPublisher: CAT-UXO | Note: Supports background on the Egyptian 122 mm Sakr rocket family and compatibility with BM-21 Grad-series and locally produced launch systems. | Accessed: 2026-07-01