First Live Fire of the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS)
Lockheed Martin’s Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS) conducted its first live fire test at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico last week. GMARS is a new vehicle developed in collaboration with Germany’s Rheinmetall and designed for NATO interoperability and long-range precision strike missions. The GMARS launcher successfully fired standard U.S. Army GMLRS guided rockets during the test.
GMARS originated from a 2023 partnership between Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall to address allied needs for long-range rocket artillery. The launcher is mounted on a Rheinmetall HX 8×8 wheeled truck chassis, providing it with high road speed and simpler logistics compared to a tracked vehicle like the M270.
The GMARS vehicle can carry a heavy payload. It has two side pods that together can hold two Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, four Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), or up to twelve GMLRS rockets. By comparison, a HIMARS or M270 launcher has only one six-rocket pod. GMARS can launch twice as many munitions in one volley as HIMARS. This “double payload” gives NATO forces more firepower for a single precision strike. Rheinmetall reports that the system can support fire missions beyond 400km, truly extending long-range precision strike capability. Its wheeled configuration also “provides a tactical advantage through rapid deployment and reduced logistical footprint”, making it easier to move and maintain in allied theaters.
Lockheed Martin stated that the new launcher fired two guided GMLRS rockets at mid-range targets, demonstrating that the launch and guidance systems function effectively under realistic conditions. Company officials called the event a major milestone. Paula Hartley of Lockheed said, “the successful exercise showed the company is pleased to have successfully demonstrated [GMARS’s] capability in this live fire exercise”. Dr. Björn Bernhard of Rheinmetall added that the test “showcases the system’s precision and reliability”. Both noted that with this achievement, they are on track to qualify the system for service and field its advanced long-range fires capability.
By combining U.S. and German technology in a wheeled launcher with twice the rocket load, GMARS promises to boost coalition firepower and readiness. This first successful live-fire demonstration showed how allied industries can collaborate on long-range precision strike solutions that enhance joint defense capabilities.