Lockheed Martin CEO, Jim Taiclet, announced that the company is planning to increase the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) production from 60 to 96 units per year. Indeed, Lockheed has already taken steps to expedite production of the new launchers in expectation of higher demand due to Ukrainian military’s success in using the HIMARS to strike Russian forces over the past months. HIMARS is a lightweight mobile launcher, transportable via C-130 and larger aircraft for rapid deployment, that fires Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles. HIMARS consists of a launcher loader module and fire control system mounted on a five-ton truck chassis. A specialized armored cab provides additional protection to the 3 crew members that operate the system. Without receiving a specific contract or any other official memo by US Government, the company, invested $65 million in order to speed up its logistic chain and provided spare parts and systems in advance, in accordance with the urgent demand. The requirement to increase HIMARS production to 96 launchers per year came by the US Army through a Request for Information and Lockheed has already informed that it could sustain this maximum annual production rate of 96 units through fiscal year 2028. In accordance with Taiclet report, the war in Ukraine has ramped up demand for precision fire capability across the globe, with Lockheed’s HIMARS and GMLRS — as well as the JAVELIN anti-tank missile system it co-produces with Raytheon — all seeing “significant” interest from foreign customers as well as the US military. The company systems have already improved the production since the start of the year, with HIMARS moving from an annual rate of about 48 to 60 launchers since the conflict started, and the new requirement will pose a significant challenge on the production lines requiring the best manufacturing technology for facing it. With this purpose Lockheed is quickly modernizing its Camden, Ark.-based facility, where these systems are produced, conducting cross-training on its employees to work across multiple production lines. The US-origin 38 HIMARS committed to Ukraine since Russia’s invaded the country in February, have been representing a real game-changer in the Ukranian defence, and counter-offence, allowing to strike more distant Russian military targets than its previous artillery allowed.

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