Article Posted on : - Nov 06, 2009

The first GMLRS rocket being test-fired at the White Sand Missile Range in New Mexico earlier this year. Image credit: Lockheed Martin

DALLAS (BNS): American defence major Lockheed Martin has successfully test-fired an improved version of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) for the US Army at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

GMLRS, the long-range rocket artillery round designed to destroy high-priority targets, has a range of 70 km.

The recent test has enhanced its range to 92 km, the company said in a statement here.

The combat-proven evolutionary family of rockets has been successfully used by the US Army and Marine Corp, and also by the British Army artillery in Afghanistan and Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

The system is capable of operating in all-weather and light conditions while remaining beyond the range of most conventional weapons. Each GMLRS is packaged in a MLRS launch pod and fired from the MLRS family of launchers.

The MLRS family includes three rockets and four missiles with an additional six variants in development.

The latest test of the GMLRS rocket was conducted from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher, the newest member of the MLRS launcher family.

HIMARS can accommodate the entire family of MLRS munitions, including all variants of Guided MLRS rocket and Army Tactical Missile System missiles, the statement said.