Move On HIMARS, It’s GMARS Time! US Showcases Its ‘Additional Weapon’ to Sell to Germany » Today Latest Stories
US defense giant Lockheed Martin will introduce its German version of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) next year.
Tom H. Stanton, Director of International Business Development for Tactical Missiles and Fire Control at Lockheed Martin, explained this in a recent interview with Defense News.
In collaboration with Germany’s Rheinmetall, the US-based company offers this additional option for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) called the GMARS weapon.
The “G” in GMARS stands for Germany, as this advanced system is proposed to replace the German military’s MARS 2 multi-launch missile system.
Berlin has given Ukraine several MARS 2 rocket launchers and related equipment. This has prompted the country to search for a much-needed replacement for its aging MARS 2 multi-launch system.
Stanton revealed that the shows in Germany are expected to take place about 12 months from now, although the details are yet to be revealed.
Although there is no official license for the Bundeswehr program, Lockheed officials are hopeful of securing the contract by showing promise of firepower. This includes doubling the ability to carry different types of weapons at the same time.
Another Lockheed executive, Howard Bromberg, vice president of strategy and business development, explained that GMARS has dual launch capabilities.
This allows the launcher to carry two Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), 12 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS), Extended-Range GMLRS, or four Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) shared between the two pods .
The new popularity of rocket weapons, especially HIMARS, in the war in Ukraine has attracted attention, as its strikes against Russian positions have supported its reputation.
Recognizing the increasing number of weapons, Lockheed has seen that user countries are looking for precision in weapons such as GMLRS and ATACMS, which are involved in some of the economic aspects.
Bromberg emphasized the company’s commitment to developing new weapons, such as the next-generation PrSM, which require advances in vehicle technology, air navigation, and reduced ballistic missiles to achieve greater capabilities.
“With our US government partner, we are also expanding the PrSM Increment 2 with mobility capabilities,” said Bromberg.
GMARS images
Since Germany’s future needs to replace its MARS 2 multiple launch rocket system, Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall are developing the “GMARS” system.
The system will largely integrate Lockheed Martin’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Rheinmetall’s readily available off-the-shelf HX 8×8 chassis.
This system, similar to HIMARS but displays the main chassis from Rheinmetall, allows to launch two rockets instead of one. The chassis design of the new vehicle is based on the HX 8×8, which is already in use, ensuring that it is compatible with the existing HX fleet.
Production of the new car is expected to take place in Vienna, and preliminary estimates suggest a length of 40 feet (12 meters). However, the final measurements are still waiting to be confirmed. However, this height exceeds the approximately 23 feet (7 meters) of the HIMARS vehicle.
Lockheed’s launcher-loader section will be integrated into the rear of the vehicle, with the assembly process taking place in Germany. Lockheed sees this as an opportunity to enter the European market with a brand of European-made rocket weapons.
In terms of weapons compatibility with HIMARS, GMARS is expected to share 80% commonality with multiple US launch rocket systems.
Some parts of the system will be purchased from the United States through a combination of foreign military and direct sales. The Rheinmetall vehicle, on the other hand, will be acquired through direct sales.
According to to reports, Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall are currently in talks with Diehl, a German weapons manufacturer, to explore the possibility of developing additional weapons in the GMARS area.
By signing the agreement, as indicated by the companies, the first group of five GMARS systems can be prepared for testing and approval from 2025.
Meanwhile, a competitor to the Lockheed-Rheinmetall contract in the German program is the European version of the PULS missile system manufactured by Israel’s Elbit Systems.
The system is sold through the German-Franco partnership KNDS, a partnership between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter. In particular, the Netherlands has already placed an order for 20 PULS systems from Elbit Systems in May.
