Europe getting next-gen artillery system based on HIMARS

The United States-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System — better known as HIMARS — is earning a fanbase among Ukrainian troops. It’s also turning heads in Europe and Africa alike for its mobility, precision and versatility.

It’s so popular, the Ukrainians even wrote a folk song about it. For the past couple of years, though, the HIMARS system has been getting a glow-up.

The new system is called the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System, or GMARS. A joint effort between U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin and German tactical vehicle manufacturer Rheinmetall, GMARS successfully fired its first rockets at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on Monday, Aug. 4.

“Lockheed Martin is committed to delivering innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Paula Hartley, vice president and general manager of Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin, said. “The GMARS program is a prime example of this commitment, and we are pleased to have successfully demonstrated its capability in this live fire exercise.”

Lockheed made a bigger, badder launcher

GMARS is essentially a supersized version of the HIMARS system. Like HIMARS, it uses a pod-based launcher system, but with double the firepower. It can launch two Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, four of the Army’s new Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), or 12 guided 227mm rockets in a single salvo.

But the system isn’t limited to U.S. munitions. As Lockheed Martin noted, “GMARS provides the same munition capacity as M270 on a wheeled platform with opportunity to integrate allied nations’ platforms and munitions.” That includes compatibility with 122mm European-standard rockets, and the potential to incorporate even more advanced capabilities.

One intriguing possibility is the integration of the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), a stealthy, swarming, sea-skimming weapon. Originally designed to be launched from planes, Lockheed is developing a ground-launched version of the LRASM and indicated that the company wants to incorporate the new weapon into the HIMARS family of munitions. While neither company has officially stated GMARS will fire the LRASM, the fact that HIMARS might — combined with GMARS’ larger capacity — makes it a logical assumption.

According to Rheinmetall, GMARS also offers a “future-proof electronic architecture” designed to accommodate autonomous operations and multi-domain warfare environments.

Rheinmetall’s role: Powering the platform

While Lockheed brings the rocket science, Rheinmetall delivers the wheels. The GMARS launcher rides on the company’s HX 8×8 military truck platform — already a backbone of European logistics fleets. This vehicle brings several battlefield-ready features: an armored cabin, an automated loading system with a boom and hoist for rapid reloads and no need for outriggers during setup.

“We are thrilled to have achieved this major milestone in the GMARS program,” said Dr. Björn Bernhard, CEO of Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe. “The successful live fire showcases the system’s precision and reliability.”

Despite its size, the truck is designed for rapid “shoot and scoot” tactics, which make the system harder to detect and target. With a minimal crew of two and capacity for three in the cabin, Rheinmetall’s platform is both efficient and survivable.

Built for the NATO battlefield

GMARS is being marketed as a NATO-ready system, combining the munition compatibility of HIMARS and M270 with the mobility of Rheinmetall’s HX truck family, currently in service across European armed forces. It’s built for joint operations, preplanned, time-sensitive targeting and long-range engagements.

Lockheed Martin said the system is interoperable with current NATO launchers and munitions, enhancing its appeal to European countries’ increasing defense spending in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since its announcement in 2023, the GMARS program has moved quickly — a reflection of both urgent battlefield needs and an expanding appetite for long-range precision firepower among U.S. allies.

The scalable platform will likely serve multiple roles across domains. Considering the interest in Europe for long-range fires, the GMARS appears poised to become a major player in NATO arsenals.

As Rheinmetall’s press release puts it, GMARS is a “solution for the growing demand for long-range rocket artillery.” That demand is only expected to rise in an increasingly contested world.