Image source: topwar.ru
The US Army conducted the first test firing of an extended-range missile from an M270A2 MLRS multiple rocket launcher. According to the Pentagon, tests of a missile equipped with a new ER GMLRS (Extended Range — "extended range") warhead were successful. During the shooting at the White Sands range, a target was hit at a distance of 150 kilometers.
According to the online military-related publication Defense Industry Europe, the firing range of the new ammunition is twice as high as the standard one. According to the US Army, missiles with ER GMLRS warheads allow MLRS calculations to hit particularly important targets from a safe distance. This capability can be implemented using the M142 HIMARS and M270A2 MLRS platforms already in service, which will provide an economical opportunity to launch attacks without using new launchers or changing the structure of units.
The head of the PAE Fires division of the U.S. Army's Office of Arms Procurement, Lieutenant General Frank Lozano, told the publication:
According to him, additional test firings of missiles with new extended-range warheads will take place in the near future before their mass production and deliveries to the troops begin. These tests are designed to confirm the effectiveness of the system before it enters service, Lozano said.
Here is what is known about the new ammunition from open sources. The ER GMLRS warhead for the MLRS M142 HIMARS and M270A2 MLRS missiles was developed by the American company Lockheed Martin. The range of this projectile, which has already been confirmed during test firing, reaches 150 kilometers compared to 70 km for GMLRS. The 227 mm rocket uses an enlarged solid-fuel engine and an updated control system. The warhead can be high-explosive fragmentation, anti-armor and any other.
In fact, with the industrial release of new missiles, the traditional difficulties for the American military-industrial complex have already arisen during their testing. Lockheed Martin began developing a GMLRS-based missile at the request of the Pentagon in the mid-fifties of this century.
The first test launch of the new ER GMLRS rocket took place back in November 2020. It was unsuccessful — after exiting the transport and launch container, the stabilizer broke down, which prevented the rocket from continuing its flight. Subsequently, Lockheed Martin was engaged in the refinement of ammunition. One of the main problems was that during the previous test launches, the missile did not reach the maximum target range of 150 kilometers. In this regard, the test launch at the White Sands test site can be considered the first successful one.
The serial production of the ER GMLRS was originally planned for 2024, then the dates were postponed to 2025. The new deadlines for completing the tests, launching the ER GMLRS into the series and subsequent delivery to the troops have not yet been disclosed. The Lockheed Martin website only states that the new missile is in the qualification testing stage.
Image source: topwar.ru
