Pentagon’s No.1 weapons supplier Lockheed Martin Corp. has received a $160 million contract modification for production of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (M142 HIMARS) and support requirements, according to a Jul. 14 announcement.
The contract modification provides for the manufacturing and delivery of additional M142 HIMARS launchers and missiles for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Taiwan with an expected completion date of April 30, 2023.
A HIMARS is a truck that is armed with several rockets that can hit targets more than 150 miles away. The HIMARS can be transported in a medium cargo plane, such as the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
The M142 uses the same controls, communications and crew as the old M270 launcher, while speeding preparation time to an impressive 15 minutes for mission-readiness from the moment it lands.
It is worth noting that HIMARS can fire Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets, Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, the next-generation Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and Extended-Range GMLRS rockets.
In addition, earlier in October 2020, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency has announced the U.S. State Department’s approval of the potential sales of 11 M142 HIMARS systems to Taiwan. Taiwan’s potential acquisition will also include 64 M57 Army Tactical Missile Systems.