Why was HIMARS so successful in Ukraine but still replaced by the US?

Despite the successful performance of the HIMARS rocket artillery systems on the battlefield in Ukraine, the US Army is still looking for ways to eliminate this weapon.

Earlier this week, two defense giants, Lockheed Martin (USA) and Rheinmetall (Germany), announced the first successful live-fire test of a wheeled launcher system. This is a completely new Global Mobility Artillery Rocket System (GMARS), opening a new era for modern artillery, as Europe thirsts for long-range precision weapons.

The Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS) is designed to deliver superior firepower, capable of launching twice as many shells as the renowned US HIMARS system. Notably, the entire GMARS production line will be located in Europe - a strategic move to meet the growing demand for long-range precision missile systems on the continent.

GMARS uses the same ammunition as the wheeled HIMARS and the heavier tracked M270 MLRS. Both systems have been deployed effectively on the battlefield by Ukraine, causing severe damage to Russian troop and equipment concentrations, including fortified positions, bridges, radar stations, and many other strategic targets.

Furthermore, this important milestone is set against the backdrop of a rapidly growing global demand for mobile systems capable of launching guided artillery rockets, short-range ballistic missiles and ready to integrate more modern weapons in the future.

GMARS is designed with two bays, allowing for a variety of weapons to be carried. This configuration allows GMARS to be flexibly deployed with: 2 ATACMS missiles, 4 PrSM long-range precision strike missiles and 12 standard GMLRS or long-range variants. Meanwhile, the HIMARS system is only equipped with a single bay, which is more limited in firepower.

In terms of range, the ATACMS missile is capable of reaching targets at a maximum distance of 300 km. Meanwhile, the PrSM missile line planned to replace the ATACMS has an impressive range of up to 500 km. The GMLRS guided missile has a more limited range of about 70 km, but the upgraded long-range version has extended the attack range to up to 150 km.

In addition, according to Rheinmetall, the GMARS system will have expanded combat capabilities in the future, including the ability to launch ground-based cruise missiles and 122mm rockets. This promises to significantly increase flexibility and compatibility with a wide range of ammunition in modern combat environments.

In addition, Lockheed Martin also announced that the first field test of the GMARS system was conducted at the White Sands test site in New Mexico (USA). During this test, two GMLRS guided missiles were successfully launched, achieving high accuracy and fully meeting the technical requirements, marking an important step forward in the system's development.

Lockheed Martin added that GMARS is developed on Rheinmetall's HX tactical military vehicle chassis, with an 8x8 configuration, a maximum speed of about 100 km/h, higher than the usual level of heavy artillery systems. This system supports high interoperability with launchers and ammunition of the US and its allies.

According to defense experts, GMARS was not only developed to meet the US's equipment needs, but also serves as an attractive offer to NATO allies. Germany - a direct partner in the project, is expected to become the first European customer of this system, to replace the outdated MARS II.

Although HIMARS is still a very popular rocket artillery system and is being mass produced to meet global demand, the fact that GMARS is co-developed and produced by a European defense corporation not only makes the system easily accessible to the NATO market, but also creates a special attraction for alliance member countries.

On the other hand, the HIMARS losses and the decline in effectiveness in the Ukraine battlefield show that this weapon system has been neutralized by Russia. This poses a risk to other HIMARS units of the US and its allies in Europe if a conflict occurs with Russia.

It is still unclear whether GMARS will be officially deployed. However, in the context of increasing threats from Russia in Europe, along with other security challenges around the world, observers say that a wheeled, highly flexible system with twice the firepower of HIMARS would be very significant in the near future.

The War Zone See source link

Original article link Copy link

https://www.twz.com/land/wheeled-launcher-with-double-the-weapons-of-himars-completes-first-successful-test-firing

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/vi-sao-himars-thanh-cong-vang-doi-o-ukraine-nhung-van-bi-my-thay-the-post2149044002.html