Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin have successfully conducted the first live firing of their jointly developed Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS), marking a significant milestone in the programme’s development.
The test, held at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, demonstrated the launcher’s ability to fire GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) rockets, the same munitions used by Germany and many allied nations. The test validates GMARS’s ability to integrate with existing NATO-standard systems and contribute to joint operations across Europe and beyond.
“The successful live fire showcases the system’s precision and reliability, and we are confident that GMARS will meet the evolving needs of our customers,” said Dr. Björn Bernhard, CEO Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe.
GMARS is designed to offer a European-built, mobile, and survivable long-range precision fires capability. The system can carry and fire two ATACMS, four PrSM, or 12 GMLRS (standard or extended range) missiles, providing the same firepower as the M270 but mounted on Rheinmetall’s HX tactical truck platform.
Lockheed Martin’s Paula Hartley, vice president and general manager of Tactical Missiles, stated: “With this milestone accomplished, we are poised to rapidly qualify and bring this capability to market.”
The programme seeks to combine Rheinmetall’s vehicle production capacity with Lockheed Martin’s combat-proven missile launch systems, offering NATO countries a European-centric launcher that complements HIMARS and M270 fleets. Interoperability with these systems is a core feature.
Rheinmetall describes GMARS as capable of “launching current and future state-of-the-art long-range and extended-long-range rocket fire missions,” with flexibility for integration across allied platforms and ammunition stocks.
The companies now aim to proceed to qualification and operational deployment of the system, positioning GMARS as a viable addition to NATO and allied forces seeking mobile deep fires options built within Europe.
OT but,
80 years ago today, the Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
“It ain’t got any nicer”.
So story is, the delivery system is mounted on a truck chassis?
What have I missed?
Himars is mounted on a truck chassis
The big money is the ammunition, the truck is peanuts in compare, all the rockets are Lockheed Martin made, this is one reason Germany selected EuroPULS that already test fired a Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile
Thanks for clarifying that, the article seems to be a little muzzy and it seems over emphasising thus as an alternative European solution when assuming you are correct, it’s basically (as welcome as that is) just mounting the US system on a German truck chassis. A true European solution mostly independent of the US is certainly preferable in the mix considering how untrustworthy the US is becoming and its hold over European capabilities could well in the future be exploited in discussions with Russia as is Ukraines situation today. Not fun being a pawn in others games while paying the price both literally and strategically to suit their aims.