After the success of the Valkiri, development started shortly after a new vehicle that could offer greater mobility, lethality and protection of the crew.

The South African Bateleur MLRS uses the highly successful 6×6 SAMIL 100 truck chassis, which is of a high strength steel, enables the vehicle to cope with severe off-road conditions. It uses a Deutz F10L 413F diesel, generating 315hp, which gives a top road speed of 90km/h and range of 1000km.

The 5 man crew are located in an armoured cab, which offers protection against small arms fire and utilises a V-shape hull bottom, a trait of South African Defence Force’s vehicles, to give increased protection against land mines.

The launcher mounts two packs of 127mm launching tubes, which total 40. They fire HE-FRAG and cluster rockets. The cluster warhead uses HE-FRAG sub-munitions, anti-tank or anti-personnel mines. These rockets were developed for this vehicle, but since it uses the same calibre rockets as the older  Valkiri, it can fire rockets for that vehicle too.

The vehicles development was completed in 1986 and it entered service with the South African National Defence Forces in 1989.