How to get and use the Airburst Rocket Launcher in Helldivers 2

Knock aerial enemies down to the ground with well-timed democracy.

A Helldivers 2 soldier fires uselessly at a heavily armored robot in Helldivers 2.
Image via Arrowhead Studios

You want to add any trick available to you when playing Helldivers 2, and the Airburst Rocket Launcher is a helpful asset. It’s capable of taking down multiple aerial units simultaneously, and it can be available against enemies of Super Earth.

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The Airburst Rocket Launcher was one of the two Stratagems you could unlock in Helldivers 2. You may only want to use it against some enemies, but you can strategically have it ready if you’re looking to avoid specific foes.

Where to get the Airburst Rocket Launcher in Helldivers 2

How to get and use the Airburst Rocket Launcher in Helldivers 2
You can buy it from the Stratagems page on your Super Destroyer. Screenshot by Dot Esports

You can buy the Airburst Rocket Launcher from the Stratagems page on your Super Destroyer in Helldivers 2. It appears underneath the Patriotic Administration Center, and you can buy it for 8,000 Requisition Slips.

It’s a Support weapon, meaning you must call it down from your Super Destroyer. You can expect it to arrive three seconds after calling it, so long as no weather effects are disrupting your hellpod. Once you’ve called it down, it takes 480 seconds to call down another one. 

How to use the Airburst Rocket Launcher in Helldivers 2

Using the Airburst Rocket Launcher in Helldivers 2
Make sure to fire it far away from you and your allies. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Airburst Rocket Launcher explodes into multiple smaller rockets when it is near another object. This means if it gets too close to a building, a fence, a tree, a bush, your friends, or the ground, it’s going to explode and send out those small, tiny rockets to blow up anything close to it. These rockets do not do a large amount of damage in Helldivers 2, but if you aim it at a specific target and hit it with all the rockets, the combined firepower adds up.

This weapon is exceptionally good at accidentally damaging your allies and an expert at taking down aerial units. You primarily want to take it with you when working with friends to take down specific targets, and when you know you’re going to fight things in the air. It’s excellent to use against the Automaton gunships or the Terminid Shriekers.

You want to avoid using it against heavily armored units such as TanksHulksChargers, or Automaton turrets. These are large units with thick armor that take multiple attacks to penetrate, and the Airburst Rocket Launcher won’t cut it. Stick to using this Support weapon against smaller enemies or those that cluster together. Also, if you don’t have the backpack full of Airburst Rockets with you, or your teammate doesn’t, you won’t be able to reload it.

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Zack Palm
Zack Palm has been writing about video games for the past five years. He spends his free time trying to learn about a new board, reading high-fantasy series, or working on his latest DnD character.