Lockheed tests HIMARS GMLRS missiles with doubled range
Lockheed Martin performed a successful demonstration of its next generation extended range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) in a test flight at White Sands Missile Range , New Mexico, firing from the US Army's HIMARS launcher.
“This test demonstrates nearly double the range while maintaining the accuracy the GMLRS is known for,” said Jay Price, vice president of Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Lockheed Martin is committed to advancing this critical capability rapidly for our Army customer, and this test brings ER GMLRS closer to fielding."
The ER GMLRS met the success criteria in the first 150 kilometer test with regards to flight trajectory, extended range and accuracy from launch to impact. The product also successfully integrated with HIMARS and achieved overall missile performance.
Prior to launch, the rocket pod underwent the Stockpile to Target Sequence (STS) test. This effort simulates the cumulative effects the ER GMLRS will encounter in the field between factory and launch over the life of the system and demonstrates the durability of the missile and launch capsule container.
Normally the GMLRS projectile has a range of 15 to 92 km, depending on the charge and the distance it has to hit. The test at 150 km makes it possible to significantly extend the range of the missile launcher. In order to achieve this goal Lockheed had to make various changes to components such as the engine and the hull, to make them more performing. Production has already started, but will peak in 2025.
There are already pending orders from Finland, Lithuania and Poland for the new missile. The manufacturing unit for the new missiles will be at the Camden facility.
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The article Lockheed tests the HIMARS GMLRS missiles with doubled range comes from Scenari Economics .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/lockheed-testa-i-missili-gmlrs-degli-himars-con-gittata-raddoppiata/ on Wed, 06 Sep 2023 06:00:19 +0000.