MLRS PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Abstract

Projects 090/DX8. The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a full spectrum, combat proven, all weather, 24/7 lethal and responsive, precision strike weapon system that fully supports more deployable, affordable and lethal, Brigade Combat Teams (BCT), Fires Brigades, Modular Forces, and Joint Expeditionary Forces. The HIMARS launcher is a C-130 transportable, wheeled, indirect fire, rocket/missile launcher capable of firing all rockets and missiles in the current and future Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Family of Munitions (MFOM) and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Family of Munitions (AFOM) engaging targets with precision out to ranges of 300 kilometers. HIMARS satisfies the Army's digitization requirements by interfacing with the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) fire support command and control system. The HIMARS product improvement program provides funding for research, development test, and integration efforts necessary for incorporation of advanced automotive, armor, armament, life cycle enhancements, system hardware and software technologies, including Common Operating Environment (COE) and Network Integrated Evaluation (NIE), obsolescence mitigation, reliability improvements and decreasing the logistics footprint. This effort includes performing technical assessments, concept studies, and risk reduction efforts for incorporation of future requirements. The HIMARS product improvement program maintains compliance with Intra-Army Interoperability and Digital Communications. HIMARS has been deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and is still supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) with great success by both US Army and Marine Corps units. MLRS is a full spectrum, combat proven, all weather, 24/7 lethal and responsive, Precision Strike weapon system that is organic/assigned to Fires Brigades supporting BCT. The MLRS launcher provides critical missile precision strike, operational shaping fires, counterfire, and close support destructive and suppressive fires. The launcher is complimented by the MFOM to include the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), and the AFOM, capable of engaging targets up to a range of 300 kilometers (km). The MLRS product improvement program provides funding for research, development, test and integration efforts necessary for incorporation of advanced automotive, armament and system hardware and software technologies, including COE and NIE, obsolesence mitigation, realiability improvements, and decreasing the logistics footprint. This effort includes performing technical assessments, concept studies, and risk reduction efforts for incorporation of future requirements. The MLRS product improvement program maintains compliance with intra-army interoperability and digital communications via joint variable message format. GMLRS rockets are surface-to-surface artillery rockets fired from the MLRS and HIMARS launchers. GMLRS rockets provide 24/7, all-weather precision fires to engage both area and point targets at short, medium, and long ranges. The GMLRS Program consists of four separate increments: GMLRS Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition (DPICM) cluster munition to engage area or imprecisely located targets; GMLRS Unitary that utilizes a 200 lb high explosive warhead to engage point targets with limited collateral damage; and GMLRS Alternative Warhead (AW) that is being developed as a non-cluster munition to replace GMLRS DPICM. GMLRS DPICM Production was terminated in response to the June 2008 Department of Defense (DoD) Cluster Munitions Policy. GMLRS Unitary is currently in full rate production. GMLRS AW is currently in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) Phase and scheduled to enter full rate production in FY15. The GMLRS AW rocket is 90% common with the Unitary variant. GMLRS Increment IV is being developed to replace expiring Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles and ATACMS cluster munitions that are prohibited from use by the DoD Cluster Munitions Policy after 31 Dec 2018. It is intended to address the same targets with similar capabilities. The program is currently in the pre-Materiel Development Decision (MDD) Phase. The MDD is anticipated to occur in 1Q FY2014 with a tentative Milestone A scheduled for 1Q FY16. The United States (U.S.) Army funds GMLRS Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities from three program codes under the MLRS Product Improvement Program (0603778A) program element; 784-Guided MLRS includes common GMLRS RDT&E activities, 78G-GMLRS Alternative Warhead for GMLRS AW EMD activities, and DZ8-GMLRS Increment 4 for the Technology Demonstration (TD) activities.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2014
Source ID
0603778A_7_2040_PB_2014
Change Summary Explanation
Service Agency Name
Army

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Artillery
  • Artillery Rockets
  • Cluster Munitions
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Fire Control Systems
  • Indirect Fire
  • Insensitive Explosives
  • Iraqi-War
  • Multiple Launch Rocket System
  • Short Range Ballistic Missiles
  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Munitions and Ordnance Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control

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