Scott Nicholas
Lockheed Martin has conducted two flight tests of an updated model of the U.S. Army‘s near all-weather guided missile technology at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Lockheed said Monday the third and fourth trials of the modernized Tactical Missile System during the months of December and February utilized the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launcher platform.
“With our third and fourth consecutive successful modernized TACMS flights, I believe we have demonstrated that our production quality and new technology are ready to move forward,” said Scott Greene, vice president of precision fires and combat maneuver systems at Lockheed’s missiles and fire control unit.
TACMS units engaged and destroyed targets from a distance of between 44 and 124 miles during the field tests.
Lockheed conducted the flight demonstrations as part of a $74 million contract under the Army’s TACMS Service Life Extension Program.
The company noted the TACMS modernization effort seeks to extend the shelf life of the missile system as well as replace Block 1 and 1A subminition warheads with new unitary warhead units to address the Defense Department‘s cluster munitions policy.
