M142 HIMARS

M142 HIMARS
M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in 2018
Type
  • Multiple rocket launcher
  • Tactical ballistic missile
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service2010–present
Wars
Production history
ManufacturerLockheed Martin's Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control
Unit cost$3.5 million per one launcher+carrier, $110,000 per one M31 GMLRS (2014);[3]
No. builtMore than 540[4]
Specifications
Mass16,250 kg (35,800 lb)[5]
Length7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Width2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)
Height3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Crew3
Traverse360°
Effective firing rangedepends on armament
  • starting from 9 km (5.6 mi) armed with MLRS
  • up to 499 km (310 mi) (planned) armed with PrSM
ArmorLight
Main
armament
  • 6 × MLRS or
  • 1 × ATACMS
or 2 x PrSM
EngineCaterpillar 3116 ATAAC 6.6-liter diesel
290 hp[6]
Operational
range
480 km (300 mi)
Maximum speed 85 km/h (53 mph)

The M142 HIMARS (M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a light rocket launcher that can launch many rockets.The system was developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army. It is mounted on a truck frame. The vehicle is what that army calls a Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV).

Rockets

  • GMLRS rockets, or Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System; The rockets in Ukraine have a range of at least 84 km (52 mi),[7][8][9][10]
  • ATACMS rocket, or MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), has a range of up to 300 km (190 mi). Ukraine does not have this kind (as of the middle of September 2023).

Used by

  • Ukraine: The United States gave 20 HIMARS (as of 2023's first quarter) to Ukraine's military.[10] These HIMARS have been changed so that they cannot fire ATACMS (with a range of almost 200 miles) or other long-range missiles.[10]
  • Romania

References

  1. ↑ "Exclusive: US deploys long-range artillery system to southern Syria for first time". CNN. June 13, 2017.
  2. ↑ "HIMARS Strike At Night In Iraq • 2016 Mosul Advance". Gung Ho Vids. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  3. ↑ Oestergaard, Joakim. "About the HIMARS". Aeroweb. Archived from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "HIMARS". Lockheed Martin. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  5. ↑ "High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) — M142". USAASC.
  6. ↑ "Himars", Military today.
  7. ↑ "Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System/Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Alternative Warhead (GMLRS/GMLRS AW)" (PDF). Defense Acquisition Management Information Retrieval. p. 15. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "Ukrainian Army Showcases New 90KM Range M31A1 GMLRS Projectile For HIMARS". Global Defense Corp. 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  9. ↑ "Lockheed Tests Improved GMLRS Rocket". Army technology. 8 November 2009.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Lubold, Michael R. Gordon and Gordon. "WSJ News Exclusive | U.S. Altered Himars Rocket Launchers to Keep Ukraine From Firing Missiles Into Russia". WSJ. Retrieved 2023-01-02.