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United States Lockheed Martin
M142 HIMARS
Wheeled, truck-mounted rocket artillery system that fires the same GMLRS rockets and ATACMS missiles as the tracked MLRS but with a lighter, air-transportable chassis. Gained international prominence in the war in Ukraine.
In service since 2005 · 12 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
85
km/h
480
km range
16,257
kg
💲 ≈ $5,100,000, Approximate launcher unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 12 operators
In service since 2005. Status: active · ~540 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$13M – $18M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 85 km/h Stronger than 73% of artillery systems
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 480 km Stronger than 36% of artillery systems
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 6x GMLRS rocket pod or 1x ATACMS/PrSM missile
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 6 Stronger than 16% of artillery systems
- Max firing range
Maximum range of the main gun or rocket artillery (with assisted/extended-range munitions where noted). Higher extends reach.
- 300 km Top 6% of artillery systems
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 7 m
- Width
Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.
- 2.4 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 3.2 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 16,257 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Caterpillar C7 diesel
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Diesel, 6x6 wheeled truck chassis
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $5,100,000
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 540 Stronger than 55% of artillery systems
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 12 Stronger than 85% of artillery systems
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS has a maximum speed of 85 km/h.
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS has a maximum range of 480 km.
How much does the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS weigh? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS has a combat weight of 16,257 kg.
How many crew does the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS require? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS's primary weapon is the 6x GMLRS rocket pod or 1x ATACMS/PrSM missile.
What engine does the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS use? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS is powered by the Caterpillar C7 diesel.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS is operated by 12 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS cost? +
The Lockheed Martin M142 HIMARS has an approximate unit cost of 5,100,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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