A GMLRS munition launch from a HIMARS while on exercise in Australia. Credit: USMC

The US Army has returned to a long running contract to award a $3.4bn modification to Lockheed Martin for work on the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS), a munition operated by the M270 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) platform.

According to a 30 August 2024 contract statement from the US Department of Defense, the deal, which is yet to determine work locations and exact funding “for each order”, has an estimated completion date of 20 October 2027.

The three-year timeframe and value of the deal indicates that the modification looks likely to be associated with the production of batches of GMLRS munitions, either currently committed to or else expected in the future.

Speaking with Army Technology, a US Army spokesperson declined to comment on specific orders related to the contract modification due to “operational security sensitivities”, stating only the announcement increased the indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity [IDIQ] ceiling by the stated amount “to support future GMLRS awards”.

1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, conducted a battalion Multiple Launch Rocket System Table XV live fire exercise in Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany on November 18, 2021. Credit: US Army

The announcement is the latest related to the IDIQ contract number W31P4Q-23-D-0003, which provides for GMLRS munitions for the US and its allies. In May 2024 the ceiling was raised by $332.1m for the full rate production of GMLRS from FY2023-2024 from more than $5.2bn to $5.6bn.

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Earlier, in April 2023, Lockheed Martin was awarded a near-$4.8bn modification (P00003) to contract W31P4Q-23-D-0003 for Lots 18 and 19 for the GMLRS, with an estimated completion date of October 2026.

The GMLRS munition

Manufactured by US defence giant Lockheed Martin, the GMLRS can be fired by both the tracked MLRS M270 family of launchers and the wheeled HIMARS system, intended to offer long-range precision strike capability to operators.

Up to six rockets can be installed to each launch pod, with two pods carried by the M270 launchers and one pod carried by the HIMARS system.

The company stated that more than 60,000 rockets have been produced to date, and have a reliability rating “exceeding 98%”, conversely indicating 1,200 munitions have been potentially deemed unreliable.

An extended range GMLRS munition enables direct fires out to a range of 150km, more than double the existing distance. Credit: Lockheed Martin

An Extended-Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS) rocket is in development, with current variants including the 70km-range GMLRS Unitary that has an integrated 200lb (90kg) warhead, and the GMLRS Alternative Warhead (AW) which features a 200lg fragmentation warhead.

The ER-GMLRS offers an extended range of up to 150km, due to having larger motors and improved manoeuvrability due to tail-driven control.