2/14 touts advanced artillery system

Marines prepare two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems before a test-fire at Camp Barber, Afghanistan.


2/14 touts advanced artillery system
Staff report
Posted : Saturday Mar 7, 2009 9:33:44 EST

The reservists with Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines, had been at Camp Barber only three weeks in February when they conducted a successful field test of their High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, a first for any Marine unit operating in Afghanistan and a sign of what’s in store for the insurgency there, officials said in a news release.

HiMARS is more advanced than a traditional howitzer, Maj. Frankie P. Delgado, battery commander, said in the release. With its three-man crew, the system cradles six 200-pound rockets. Its range can exceed 40 miles, and the rockets, guided by a Global Positioning System, are accurate to within 26 feet.

“It’s like a scalpel versus a butcher knife,” Delgado said.

One of HiMARS’ six rocket tubes can inflict the same damage as one artillery cannon, and it’s a more subtle alternative to airstrikes, he said. The enemy won’t ever see the rocket until it’s too late.

The battery, whose members are based in El Paso, Texas, deployed to Helmand province in support of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force — Afghanistan. The unit is tasked with targeting “higher value” targets, Delgado said.


Article about this FCS system at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/03/marine_himars_030709w/%2e



uhc comment: Meet the HiMARS:



An MFOR rocket is launched from a HIMARS.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIMARS

High Mobility Artillery Rocket System

The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a U.S. light multiple rocket launcher mounted on a truck.

HIMARS carries six rockets or one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile on the U.S. Army's new Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) five-ton truck, and can launch the entire Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) family of munitions. HIMARS is interchangeable with the MLRS M270A1, carrying half the rocket load.

The vehicle is C-130 transportable and produced by BAE Systems Mobility & Protection Systems (formerly Armor Holdings Aerospace and Defense Group Tactical Vehicle Systems Division), the OEM of the FMTV. The rocket system is produced by Lockheed Martin.

In 2002, the United States Marine Corps arranged with the U.S. Army to acquire 40 of the systems. Fielding began in 2005. In July 2007, Marines from Fox Battery 2nd Battalion 14th Marines were deployed to the Al Anbar provence of Iraq. This is the first Marine unit to use the HIMARS in combat.

As of September 2007, Singapore has proposed to acquire HIMARS systems for its Army. The package includes 18 HIMARS launchers, 9 FMTV 5-Ton Trucks and XM31 unitary HE GMLRS pods, plus associated support and communications equipment and services. This proposed package is notable for not involving the M-26 or other unguided MLRS rockets. If realised in its current form, it would likely create the only fully precision-guided MLRS force in existence.


Of course, there are no dollars associated with HiMARS. Maybe they're free? :eyes: