The United States government has authorized the sale of new GMLRS-AW guided rockets for the Australian Army’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). This was revealed in a recent notification sent by the U.S. Department of State to Congress for approval of the transaction through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
Aiming to strengthen its long-range artillery combat capabilities, Australia expressed its intention to acquire new HIMARS systems from the United States. In May 2022, the Department of State authorized the sale of an initial package consisting of 20 M142 HIMARS launchers, along with ammunition and support packages.
Subsequently, in 2023, the Australian government confirmed its decision to move forward with the purchase of the new artillery systems, indicating that delivery to the Australian Army would take place between 2026 and 2027. That same year, the acquisition was expanded with another authorization from the Department of State, increasing the order by an additional 22 HIMARS units.
In this context, and in preparation for the upcoming delivery of its first HIMARS, the Australian government requested the purchase of an additional package of guided munitions from the United States. According to information released by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on March 10, the sale of a total of fifty-four (54) Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System-Alternate Warhead (GMLRS-AW) rockets was authorized.
The transaction, with Lockheed Martin as the principal contractor, amounts to $91.2 million and also includes the provision of “…telemetry kits, engineering services, technical assistance, and other logistical and programmatic support services.”
The Department of State noted: “The proposed sale will enhance Australia’s capability to meet current and future threats by strengthening its deterrence capacity. It will also support its goal of improving national and territorial defense, increasing interoperability with U.S. forces, and fostering the development of the domestic industry as a new source of supply. Australia will have no difficulty integrating this equipment and associated services into its armed forces.”
The GMLRS-AW guided rockets are part of the family of long-range precision munitions used by HIMARS and M270 artillery systems. Regarding this specific version of the munition, Lockheed Martin states: “…it was the first munition developed to engage area targets without leaving behind unexploded ordnance, complying with the U.S. Department of Defense’s policy on cluster munitions as well as international regulations. The AW variant has a range of over 70 kilometers and is equipped with a fragmentation warhead weighing approximately 200 pounds.”
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