Lockheed Martin was awarded a $142,750,920 firm-fixed-price, foreign military sales contract for 12 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) with increased crew protection cabs incorporating sapphire transparent armor glass, associated training, spares, software, modernization updates, and planned enhancements and product improvement modifications for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Procurement also includes synergistic spares purchase for Jordon. Work will be performed in Camden, Arkansas (63.80 percent); and Dallas, Texas (36.20 percent), with an estimated completion date of December 30, 2017.
According to Jeremy Binnie, Jane’s Defence Weekly correspondent in London, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in 2006 that the UAE had requested the sale of 20 HIMARSs with 202 ATACMS pods, 260 GMLRS pods, and 104 M26 pods. The U.S. Army confirmed in October 2013 that the HIMARS systems had been delivered when it released photographs of them being operated by the UAE’s 97th Heavy Artillery Regiment during a training exercise. The DSCA announced in September 2014 that the UAE had requested a second batch of 12 HIMARSs with 100 ATACMS pods and 65 GMLRS pods. The Department of Defense (DoD) announced in May 2015 that Lockheed Martin had been awarded a $174 million contract to produce an unspecified number of ATACMS missiles for the UAE.
HIMARS
The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System is a wheeled launcher that delivers a lethal mix of precision munitions on the U.S. Army’s FMTV 5-ton truck. HIMARS carries a single six-pack of MLRS rockets or one ATACMS missile. HIMARS is designed to launch the entire MLRS family of munitions, including the transformational GMLRS and all ATACMS variants. HIMARS became a joint system when the U.S. Marine Corps joined the program in 2000. Approval to enter production was received in March 2003. HIMARS is currently in full-rate production.
Under contract to the U.S. Army, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 400 HIMARS launchers to the Army, Marine Corps and international customers. In May 2005, the 3rd Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, XVIII Airborne Corps Artillery became the first unit equipped with HIMARS. Since then the U.S. Army has fielded eleven additional battalions, in both active and National Guard units. The U.S. Army plans to field an additional six battalions. Additionally, the Marines have fielded more than 38 launchers. HIMARS has expanded its global presence and has begun to serve the international market, including such countries as Jordan, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
HIMARS rolls off a C-130 combat loaded and delivers GMLRS and ATACMS munitions with pinpoint accuracy. The combat-proven HIMARS provides increased responsiveness, increased crew protection and increased effectiveness against time-critical targets, and supports conventional and Special Forces operations around the globe.
