Lockheed Martin to modernise US Army's ATACMS

Lockheed Martin will carry out upgrade work on the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) for the US Army under a $78 million contract announced on 7 January.

The upgrade programme will see early-production ATACMS Block 1 missiles developed into a solution to meet the army’s long-range precision strike requirement. The enhanced weapon system will be capable of eliminating targets without the risk of unexploded ordnance, with a first phase including flight tests to be followed by production beginning in 2016.

Ken Musculus, vice president of tactical missiles, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said: ‘ATACMS is extremely reliable and effective, and has proven itself over and over again in combat. These upgrades ensure ATACMS is ready to meet our customers' needs now and in the future.’

ATACMS is a tactical long-range precision strike surface-to-surface weapon that provides the US Army with extremely high rates of accuracy and reliability, with more than 560 ATACMS missiles fired in combat. Each ATACMS missile is packaged in a Guided Missile Launch Assembly pod and is fired from the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) family of launchers. 

Work will be performed at Lockheed Martin facilities in Camden, Arkansas, and Dallas.