The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $451 million contract to upgrade additional M270 systems, expanding its domestic fleet of launchers and significantly improving the capabilities of global partners, including the British Army.
This award follows an initial agreement issued in 2019 and subsequent contracts aimed at ensuring mission readiness through 2050.
“The modernisation effort will add additional capability to the combat-proven launcher and ensure the M270-series launcher remains highly effective, reliable, and interoperable with NATO forces for decades to come,” said Jay Price, vice president of Precision Fires for Lockheed Martin.
The recapitalisation will involve a complete overhaul and upgrades to the systems, including new engines, improved armoured cabs, and the new Common Fire Control System (CFCS).
These upgrades will ensure compatibility with both current and future MLRS Family of Munitions (MFOM). Notably, Lockheed Martin’s next-generation Extended-Range GMLRS and Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) can only be fired by the M270A2 and HIMARS launchers.
The MLRS, a heavy-tracked mobile launcher transportable via C-17, is capable of firing Guided MLRS rockets and Army Tactical Missile System missiles. With these upgrades, the MLRS will also be able to fire the Precision Strike Missile and Extended-Range GMLRS rockets, both of which are currently in development.
What chance of the UK buying either of the upgraded munitions?
The UK has already stated it’s buying both the new munitions.
High, MLRS is fast becoming the future of the Artillery.
It’s been the future for over 40 years! 😁
if you have enough ammo for it, which is where it all goes very, very quite. We might buy new types but i bet its in low amounts.
More, more, more.
These are world class assets that are far superior to our hostile competitors, like most kit we presently lack numbers in.
I believe they’re supposed to be doubling the number to 80 odd, which is obviously good news.
Correct, it stinks of new MLRS Regiments . Duty rumour is a return of 39 RA
France will develop with Ariane Group and Thales 100-500km+ range rocket artillery.
Could be mistaken, but wasn’t/isn’t there a separate program to similarly upgrade HIMARS? If so, current status?
Don’t know about that. The article seems to imply that HIMARS can already do what the upgraded M270s will be able to do.
I thought that as well. it seems to being suggested that the UK may purchase PrSM. range seems to be up to 310 miles and maybe more
We need to be able to build our own rockets for this for obvious reasons.
And give it a better name than M270 🙄
Rocky McRocket?
Let’s Rock!
Rock Lobster for the RHA?
Guy Fawkes launcher. Green meanie
Like it 🤗
Guy Fawkes launcher – careful someone might get the wrong idea (or is that the right idea 🤔) 😉😃
Thor’s Hammer.
For the sake of diversity – Broomstick.
Hi-Mars and MLRS have proven their worth in Ukraine.
Longer range and better accuracy seem like a good counterbalance to Russia’s mass fire tactics.
I know we are buying up other launchers from our respective partners but I would love to see a British built system if they had insight but the incumbent or useless government has been shown up for what they are,haven’t a bloody clue none of them ,woeful useless people put in charge of things they no nothing about ,wallace was an OK defence minister but did not have the balls to tell the people in this country about the true state our armed forces are in in no part thanks to the pile of crap that is the so called… Read more »
What are the qualifications of the potential successors?
Military experience? Academic wise? Industry wise? Business wise?
Can any old person become an MP.
If so, the whole systems wrong, is it not.
Weren’t tribes once ruled by Elders or Chieftains. The wisest and strongest.
Now?
People who know what they are doing,ex military running ministry of defence, ex medical people for NHS ,not chocolate hammers look how useful they are!!!,the politicians nowadays are spineless, self serving ,woeful ,weak and bottom line selling our country out to foreign companies, fxxxxxxg crooked banking system, ,immigration doing sod all about it ,go to Kent and ask the poor bloody people having to deal with the migrant rubbish,right enough replacing one load of shit for another load of shit , welcome to the shithole called Britain,
Wallace also chose to cut the army by 10,000 posts.
So that’s the ‘orrible little man responsible, thanks for the info Graham, well he’s another self centred politician ,lined his nest fxxxxxxg tory, ex soldier what a total utter betrayal of the armed forces, well the tories are on the titanic sinking by the day 👍 hopefully they all drown in the quagmire of shit they have created 👍
I have a feeling he was put between a rock and a hard place. Either upgrade weapons and systems by cutting the numbers or keep the numbers but by trying to keep the kit running.
Not apologizing for the cuts. But after the Army spent so much making sure the Ajax program got past the finish line. There was very little for anything else from the existing budget. Hence why he asked the Treasury for more. When told no, he quit.
Cheers davey,damage is done ,thank god sunak and Co will be gone now the general election has been called,,cheers bro 👍
In most other respects Wallace did a good job, screwing extra money out of the Treasury on two occasions, and mostly ‘told it how it was’. Still I will not be voting Tory. They have damaged Defence too much since 2010.
Cheers Graham, end of the day look at the quality of the politicians,all the decent ones have gone what’s left is dross ,all the parties.
M270 fine platform proved it’s self in both Gulf wars,just wish we had more of them.Not so sure of the Boxer artillery platform ? Think we would of been better off sticking to more Archers. Has for tracked artillery not sure this will see the light of day but one can live and hope 🤔 🇬🇧
Odd choice. Thought they’d go for Archer too. Hopefully they procure plenty of them.
👍
Very puzzling, this instant decision to choose Boxer RCH-155 to replace AS-90. Was there a bidding process, a competition, an evaluation of multiple options?
Why choose an equipment that is still under development?..and needs committment of development funding. What if development goes badly and it is a dud? What then? Why abandon tracked SPGs?
Agreed I was puzzled at the decision on Boxer artillery platform. Personally I think it was a Sunak deal to keep the Germans happy ,to make the UK look has if we are not Anti Europe. But like I’ve said on past posts is this what the Army ? For tracked SPG don’t think there would be any money left over for this or be it a mix of wheeled and track would of been a good combination. 👍
I agree that it was a political deal – the usual procurement process went out of the window. We have always had a mix of tracked and wheeled artillery for very good reasons.
As well as the build of the Boxer base module being absolutely glacial.
True. I would not be surprised if it took 10 years or more to fully equip the army with Boxer.
I mean it’s looking inevitable. Scimitar has done, Warrior and Bulldog due to be retired by end of decade.
You’d need 1000-1200 Boxers to plug that gap.
But even over 10 years— at current speed— no where where near that many will be built.
I too was and to some degree still am a firm favourite of Archer. I believed that the Boxer RCH 155 was too big (tall). Where if need to be sent by air transport anywhere, it would need a C17/A400M, as it wouldn’t fit in a Herc (probably too heavy as well!). But my view has changed, since it has been proven that the vehicle can fire on the move, at either one target multiple times or at multiple targets. With the precision that is expected from a Western SPG. This in itself is a game change, even Archer like… Read more »