White Sands Missile Range – Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall, partners in the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS) program, successfully conducted the first live fire of the GMARS launcher, demonstrating its capability to launch GMLRS rockets. These are the same munitions used by the U.S. and allied nations across the globe, reinforcing interoperability and supporting joint operations.
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The live fire demonstration, held at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, marked a significant milestone in the GMARS development program, which aims to provide military customers with a highly mobile, survivable and versatile long-range precision fires capability tailored to and interoperable with existing allied platforms. The launcher can be armed with an enhanced loadout of two ATACMS, 4 PrSM, 12 GMLRS Standard Range or 12 Extended Range GMLRS missiles.
Paula Hartley, vice president and general manager of Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin, said, "Lockheed Martin is committed to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The GMARS program is a prime example of this commitment, and we are pleased to have successfully demonstrated its capability in this live fire exercise. With this milestone accomplished, we are poised to rapidly qualify and bring this capability to market.”
The GMARS launcher, based on the Rheinmetall HX vehicle series, offers a high degree of interoperability and interchangeability with fielded M270A2 and HIMARS launchers, making it an ideal solution for military forces operating in Europe. The system's ability to launch current and future state-of-the-art long-range and extended-long-range rocket fire missions provides a significant advantage on the modern battlefield.
Dr. Björn Bernhard, CEO Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe, said, "We are thrilled to have achieved this major milestone in the GMARS program. The successful live fire showcases the system's precision and reliability, and we are confident that GMARS will meet the evolving needs of our customers."
The GMARS program is a result of the partnership between Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin, which combines their individual strengths to provide a launcher built for NATO allies that maximizes combat-proven HIMARS and M270 components. GMARS provides the same munition capacity as M270 on a wheeled platform with opportunity to integrate allied nations’ platforms and munitions.
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