Lockheed Martin trials Alternative Warhead Extended-Range GMLRS

Lockheed Martin has conducted a successful 112km flight test of the Alternative Warhead (AW) variant of its Extended‑Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (ER GMLRS) at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The rocket was launched from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launch vehicle, validating the system’s range, accuracy and lethality.

The AW variant uses 160,000 tungsten steel pellets to deliver an area effect on dismounted troops and soft-skinned vehicles, as opposed to the standard Unitary warhead which delivers a highly concentrated point effect. This test moves the AW variant toward operational use by the US Army and its international partners, including Australia, says Lockheed Martin. Regardless of which warhead it is fitted with, the ER GMLRS will be fired from the same 6-round launcher mounted on the HiMARS vehicle as the standard GMLRSs.

The ER GMLRS, which is manufactured at the company’s east Camden, Arkansas, plant  has a Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) with a one inch diameter increase over the standard weapon, and much of its guidance electronics are mounted at the rear of the missile, leaving only the proximity fuze at the nose. It has a range of up to 140km, twice the nominal 70km range of the standard GMLRS which Australia will build at a new Lockheed Martin Facility at Port Wakefield, SA. On current plans Australia will also manufacture the ER GMLRS as well as all four Increments of Lockheed Martin’s Precision Guided Missile (PrSM). Defence is due to announce soon where SRMs for GMLRS, PrSM  and other weapons to be acquired by the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise (GWEO) will be built, and who will manufacture them.

Lockheed Martin is due to test-fire the first Australian-assembled GMLRS before the end of this calendar year. This and the first few subsequent missiles will be made from largely imported components until the supply chain and manufacturing line are fully operational.

“ER GMLRS delivers the extended range our partners need, on a platform they already trust,” said Dave Griser, vice president, Lockheed Martin Precision Fires Rockets. “This successful demonstration of our Alternative Warhead variant confirms ER GMLRS can reliably deliver precision effects against both point and area targets at double the range.”

The extended reach of ER GMLRS allows engagement of high value, time-sensitive targets with greater battlespace coverage, says the company. This reach supports counter air defence suppression and enables effects on demand across both point and area targets. Because ER GMLRS is compatible with both existing HIMARS wheeled vehicles and M270A2 tracked launchers, Lockheed Martin says it is providing new capability without requiring additional launch platforms or changes to existing unit organization.

The company adds that US soldiers will demonstrate ER GMLRS AW capability through additional tests in the first half of 2026.