M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System

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For more information, see: M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System.

A lightweight, wheeled version of the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) provides long-range heavy artillery fire in areas where traditional heavy cannon could not go. It is based on a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) chassis.

On the rear is a M269 launcher, which is loaded with onrsealed munitions pods, containing either six M30 or M31 guided missiles, 227mm in diameter and 13 feet long, or one MGM-140 ATACMS tactical ballistic missile. It can fire:[1]

  • Six rockets in less than 60 seconds at up to six aimpoints.
  • One missiles in less than 20 seconds at one or two aimpoints.

Beside the ATACMS, it fires the GPS-guided M30, with 402 M85 bomblets, and M31, with a large unitary high explosive warhead, missiles, with 60 mile range. Use of the M30 is minimal due to the problem of unexploded cluster munitions.

References

  1. , Chapter 1, System Description, Field Manual 6-60 - Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Operations, U.S. Army