Report: US Army Seeks to Expand GMLRS Rocket Production to 19,000 Annually
The US Army seeks to produce 19,000 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds annually, with initial delivery in 2030.
Responses are sought for the production of all GMLRS variants: unitary, alternative warhead, and extended range.
The potential contract includes efficient and cost-effective production techniques, tooling, engineering change proposals, and supporting activities.
A total of 95,010 GMLRS rounds are intended for production by 2032.
High Demand
The primary munition of the MLRS family of launchers (M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, and M270), the GMLRS has been in high demand since the Ukraine war.
Lockheed Martin increased annual GMLRS production in 2023 to 10,000 from 6,000, and plans to further ramp it up to 14,000 in a few years.
Apart from Ukraine, ramped-up production is intended to address the needs of allies and to maintain the high operational readiness of the US Army.
Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System
The unitary warhead features a 200-pound (91 kilogram) high-explosive warhead, with a range of 70 kilometers (43 miles).
The alternative warhead features a 200-pound (91 kilogram) fragmentation warhead. It is designed to strike area targets, without the effects of unexploded ordnance.
Meanwhile, the extended range variant features more than twice the range at 150 kilometers (93 miles) thanks to an improved rocket motor and redesigned airframe.
