U.S. Army Spends $160M to Expand HIMARS Rocket Launchers

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $160 million to expand the service's fleet of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).

On July 15, the company confirmed the deal on its official Twitter account, "The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $160 million contract to expand the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launcher fleet."

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is the newest member of the MLRS launcher family. HIMARS is a lightweight mobile launcher, transportable via C-130 and larger aircraft for rapid deployment, that fires Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets, Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, the next-generation Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), and Extended-Range GMLRS rockets. The HIMARS carries six rockets or one MGM-140 ATACMS missile on the U.S. Army's new Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) five-ton truck and can launch the entire Multiple Launch Rocket System Family of Munitions (MFOM). HIMARS ammunition is interchangeable with the MLRS M270A1, however, it is only able to carry one pod rather than the standard two for the M270 and A1 variants.