Lockheed Martin to provide smart munitions for allied GMLRS artillery

Lockheed Martin Corp. is building thousands of smart munitions for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) field artillery for the militaries of Finland, France, Germany, and Singapore under terms of $471.7 million contract. Lockheed Martin will build 2,868 alternative-warhead GMLRS rockets, and 648 unitary-warhead GMLRS rockets. The GMLRS can fire guided and unguided projectiles at targets as far away as 26 miles. The system also can fire the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) at targets as far away as 190 miles. The rocket-based artillery system also can fire its munitions quickly and the move away to avoid counter-battery fire. The system's alternative-warhead rocket is a large airburst fragmentation warhead that explodes about 30 feet over a target area to disperse solid-metal penetrating projectiles to destroy enemy soldiers, armored vehicles, command posts, and other battlefield targets. Its unitary-warhead rocket is a GPS-guided munition with a 200-pound, high-explosive warhead that can be used on open battlefields and in urban areas. Its guidance system enables the rocket to avoid causing collateral damage, and enables GMLRS crews to fire fewer rockets.