According to information published on the Facebook account of the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army awarded multiple contract options worth $520.814 million on October 21 and November 2, 2022, to Lockheed Martin for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems in order to replenish GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) provided from U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) inventory to Ukraine.
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U.S. Army Sgt. Justin Billings, Battery K, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, prepares to hoist a pod of six rockets to load into a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System. (Picture source U.S. DoD)
"These awards demonstrate the significant impact GMLRS are having on the battlefield as a vital combat capability for our international partners,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William A. LaPlante said. “They are great examples of contracting approaches we are using to more rapidly accelerate award timelines and ultimately deliver capability.”
The GMLRS procurement is part of the Ukraine Supplemental appropriation.
“This award enables us to replenish our own inventory while providing critical capabilities for our allies and international partners,” said Douglas R. Bush, the Army's Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology. “We remain committed to getting things on contract as quickly as possible to ensure our stocks are rapidly replenished.”
The MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) Family of Munitions (MFOM) includes a variety of precision-strike rockets and missiles, with ongoing evolutionary development to meet the needs of the warfighter. These combat-proven low-cost, low-risk rounds greatly reduce collateral damage and provide tremendous capability and flexibility in addressing today’s threats.
Current Guided MLRS variants consist of three types of rockets including the Guided MLRS Unitary, Guided MLRS Alternative Warhead (AW) and Extended-Range (ER) Guided MLRS.
The combat-proven Guided MLRS Unitary round integrates a 200-pound unitary warhead, providing precision strikes for point targets. The Unitary variant has a range exceeding 70 kilometers.
The Guided MLRS AW round was the first munition developed to service area targets without the effects of unexploded ordnance, complying with the U.S. Department of Defense cluster munitions policy and international policies. The AW variant has a range exceeding 70 kilometers and delivers a 200-pound class fragmenting warhead.
A new developmental variation of the Guided MLRS family, ER GMLRS offers an extended range of out to 150 kilometers in all weather conditions. ER GMLRS shares significant commonality with legacy Guided MLRS and is deployable by HIMARS and the MLRS M270 family of launchers. The rounds incorporate a larger motor and have enhanced maneuverability due to tail-driven control.
Defense News November 2022
