Lockheed Martin has drawn a new, $331.8-million contract from the U.S. Army to produce Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets. The contract – which represents Lot 11 in a long-term production program — includes GMLRS Unitary rockets, GMLRS “Alternative Warhead” rockets, and Reduced-Range Practice rockets (RRPRs), to be supplied to the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and for foreign military sales to Israel, Finland, Jordan and Singapore.
The contractor did not indicate how many rockets would be supplied in this order. It noted it has manufactured over 30,000 GMLRS rockets at its plant in Camden, Ark.
The GMLRS is an all-weather rocket designed for fast deployment and precision-strike capability, beyond the reach of most conventional weapons. It is designed to project the MLRS family of munitions, which includes three rockets and four missiles, as well as six missile variants in development. The weapons in the contract meets the Army’s complete requirement for tactical and operational support, according to Lockheed.
In combat, each GMLRS rocket is packaged in an MLRS launch pod and fired from Lockheed Martin HIMARS or M270 launchers.
The Unitary rockets are the standard munitions option for the GMLR system, with higher-than-required combat reliability rate and affordability. The “Alternative Warhead” is designed to engage the same target set and achieve the same area-effects requirement as the former MLRS sub-munition warheads, but without the danger of unexploded ordnance.
“Our domestic and international customers continue to display their confidence in this combat-proven system by placing orders for the family of MLRS munitions, including the new GMLRS Alternative Warhead round,” stated Ken Musculus, vice president of Tactical Missiles. “