Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $16,714,168 modification to contract for the U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems Guided Missile and Launching Assembly Service Life Extension Program. The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a surface-to-surface missile (SSM) manufactured by the U.S. defense company Lockheed Martin. The ATACMS can be fired from multiple rocket launchers, including the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
The U.S. State Department has cleared a $1.25 billion High Mobility Artillery Rocket System sale to Romania. Romania has requested 54 HIMARS launchers and 81 unitary Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) and 81 alternative warhead GMLRS. The request also includes 54 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) and 24 Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems (AFATDS), which is the fire-control system for HIMARS. Also included in the package would be 15 M1151A1 armored utility Humvees and 15 M1151A1 armor-ready, two-man Humvees along with spares and a wealth of other supporting equipment.
The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) has a range of over 100 miles (160 km), with solid propellant, and is 13 feet (4.0 m) high and 24 inches (610 mm) in diameter. An ATACMS launch container has a lid patterned with six circles like a standard MLRS rocket lid. The first use of the ATACMS in a combat capability was during the Persian Gulf War’s Operation Desert Storm, where a total of 32 were fired from the M270 MLRS. During the Iraq War’s Operation Iraqi Freedom more than 450 missiles were fired. More than 540 ATACMS have been fired, and the system has demonstrated extremely high rates of combat accuracy and reliability.
The ATACMS Block IA Unitary configuration employs an upgraded guidance and control system, new software and an improved fuze. These upgrades provide a vertical impact capability that increases the reliability, accuracy and lethality of the missile while reducing collateral damage. This configuration is fielded by the U.S. Army and several allied countries. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control produces the Army Tactical Missile System for the U.S. Army and allied armies. Each ATACMS missile is packaged in a Multiple Launch Rocket System look-alike
launch pod, and is fired from the MLRS family of launchers.
