The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a U.S. light multiple rocket launcher mounted on a truck.
HIMARS carries six rockets or one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile on the U.S. Army's new Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) five-ton truck, and can launch the entire Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) family of munitions. HIMARS is interchangeable with the MLRS M270A1, carrying half the rocket load.
The vehicle is C-130 transportable and produced by BAE Systems Mobility & Protection Systems (formerly Armor Holdings Aerospace and Defense Group Tactical Vehicle Systems Division), the OEM of the FMTV. The rocket system is produced by Lockheed Martin.
In 2002, the United States Marine Corps arranged with the U.S. Army to acquire 40 of the systems. Fielding began in 2005. In July 2007, Marines from Fox Battery 2nd Battalion 14th Marines were deployed to the Al Anbar provence of Iraq. This is the first Marine unit to use the HIMARS in combat.
As of September 2007, Singapore has proposed to acquire HIMARS systems for its Army. The package includes 18 HIMARS launchers, 9 FMTV 5-Ton Trucks and XM31 unitary HE GMLRS pods, plus associated support and communications equipment and services. This proposed package is notable for not involving the M-26 or other unguided MLRS rockets. If realized in its current form, it would likely create the only fully precision-guided MLRS force in existence.
Specifications[]
| Crew: | 3: Gunner, Driver, and Section Chief |
| Weight: | 24,000 lb |
| Length: | 7m |
| Width: | 2.4m |
| Height: | 3.2m |
| Vehicle Range: | 480 km |
| Road Speed: | 85 km/hour |
| Armament: | 6 MLRS series rockets or 1 ATACMS missile |
Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Block II Missile[]
The Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Block II Missile is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The missile has a range of 128 km and is a surface-to-surface missile (SSM). The Block I missile contained 950 M74 submunitions. The Block IA missile contained 275 M74 submunitions, this reduction in payload resulted in a greater range.[1] A new system, currently in development, has revamped the missile, with a 500lb warhead and new guidance systems that allow for a near vertical attack vector, allowing for greater use in mountainous or urban terrain. A recent test of this "Block 2" missile was shown on an episode of Future Weapons. The Block II ATACAMS missile can also carry a payload of 13 BAT (Brilliant Anti-Tank) munitions.
The ATACMS can be fired from MLRS launchers, including the M270, M270 IPDS, M270A1, and HIMARS. An ATACMS launch container has a lid which has 6 circles pattern like an ordinarily MLRS rockets' lid for imitating 6 rockets.