Lockheed Martin has clinched a substantial contract to supply the US Army with additional Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS).
Valued at $3.4 billion, the agreement covers an undisclosed number of GMLRS systems to be delivered by October 2027.
The GMLRS is a precision-strike rocket system with a reported reliability rating of over 98 percent.
It comes in three variants: the GMLRS Unitary and GMLRS Alternative Warhead, each with a range of 70 kilometers (43.5 miles), and the GMLRS Extended-Range, which has a strike range of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles).
In April 2023, the US Army also awarded a $4.79-billion contract to Lockheed Martin for the delivery of GMLRS rockets by 2026.
Replenishing Stockpiles
The recent contract is expected to help the US Army replenish stockpiles significantly depleted by supply to war-torn Ukraine.
Although the Pentagon has not disclosed the exact number of GMLRS shipped to Kyiv, reports indicate that Washington has sent them “in large quantities,” along with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
In an effort to quickly restore its inventory, the US announced plans to dramatically increase the production of GMLRS from 6,000 rockets per year to 14,000 by 2025.
It has also considered producing them outside the US, with Australia signing a $37.4-million contract to manufacture the weapons locally.