Lockheed Martin announced a $364 million production contract for Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles for the U.S. Army and a Foreign Military Sales customer.
According to the company’s statement, the program will allow the military services to upgrade their existing Block 1 missiles with new technology and double the range, while extending the missiles’ shelf life by more than 10 years and providing warfighters the latest surface-to-surface missile capability.
Both the SLEP and new ATACMS rounds will be produced at Lockheed Martin’s Precision Fires Production Center of Excellence in Camden, Arkansas. All missiles under this contract are scheduled to be delivered by January 2021.
The Missile Threat noted that the Block 1 is the standard service version of the ATACMS. It is a tactical system designed to attack high-value targets of rear-echelon forces such as airfields, Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) sites, artillery/missile forces, supply areas, and command groups.
The large number of M74 submunitions saturates an enemy-held area and destroys both troops and equipment. The spread on the submunitions allows the ATACMS Block 1 to be used against moving military targets or against open facilities.