Australian Army boosts long-range strike capabilities as first US-made M142 HIMARS rocket launchers enter service.

On 24 March 2025, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) received the first two M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the United States. The delivery was completed via a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster III to Avalon Airport and coincided with the start of the Australian International Airshow 2025. The two launchers represent the initial delivery under a broader acquisition plan for 42 HIMARS units, part of an AU$1.6 billion (approx. US$1 billion) investment announced by the Albanese Government in response to the 2023 Defence Strategic Review (DSR). The HIMARS units will be assigned to the newly created 10th Fires Brigade, based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in Adelaide.
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The first M142 HIMARS systems were initially expected to begin arriving in 2026, but the timeline has been accelerated, with all 42 launchers now scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027. (Picture source: Australian MoD)

During a press event at Avalon Airport, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles, stated that the HIMARS acquisition marks the Army’s entry into long-range precision strike operations. He noted that the launchers delivered are configured for Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) but are also capable of firing Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) once available. Marles explained that the systems will be mobile and deployable across Australia despite being based in Adelaide. Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy highlighted that the delivery schedule is now four years ahead of the timeline set by the previous government and that the number of launchers acquired has more than doubled.

Conroy also stated that producing munitions domestically is intended to enhance supply chain resilience and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. He noted that Australia is a co-developer of the PrSM system and is in the process of negotiating a memorandum of understanding with the United States covering future co-production, sustainment, and development. PrSM Increment 2 may potentially fulfill Australia's land-based maritime strike requirements under Project LAND 8113 Phase 2.

The initial procurement of the first land-based long-range missile system to enter Australian Army service included 20 M142 HIMARS, approved by the U.S. State Department in May 2022, with the Letter of Offer and Acceptance signed in January 2023. A further 22 launchers were approved in August 2023, bringing the total to 42. The acquisition also includes associated munitions and support equipment. According to official documentation, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the potential sale in August 2023, with the total estimated cost for 22 HIMARS systems and related items reaching US$975 million (approx. AU$1.55 billion).

The equipment listed includes 60 M30A1 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead pods with Insensitive Munitions Propulsion Systems (IMPS), 40 M31A1 GMLRS Unitary High Explosive pods with IMPS, 66 M30A2 Extended Range GMLRS AW pods, and 24 M31A2 ER GMLRS Unitary pods. Additional components comprise Reduced Range Practice Rocket pods, HIMARS Re-Supply Vehicles (M1084A2), trailers, forklifts, ruggedized laptops, communications mounts, spare parts, publications, training materials, and other logistical support elements.

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) can fire six 227 mm rockets from a single pod or two Precision Strike Missiles (PrSMs). The Australian HIMARS units will employ both the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and the in-development PrSM, offering the ability to strike targets at ranges exceeding 500 kilometers, as well as countering enemy ballistic missiles. The GMLRS family includes several variants with ranges up to 92 kilometers, while the upcoming PrSM is expected to offer ranges beyond 499 kilometers—significantly extending the strike capability of the Australian Army, which previously operated artillery systems with effective ranges of approximately 40 kilometers. The system is also capable of launching ATACMS missiles, and Australia is acquiring munitions across this spectrum, including Extended Range GMLRS and, potentially in the future, GLSDB (Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bombs).

The Australian HIMARS units will employ both the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and the in-development PrSM, offering the ability to strike targets at ranges exceeding 500 kilometers, as well as countering enemy ballistic missiles. (Picture source: Australian MoD)

The acquisition aligns with Australia’s broader objective to modernize its defence capabilities amid regional developments. As part of this initiative, the Albanese Government has prioritized early delivery. HIMARS systems were initially expected to begin arriving in 2026, but the timeline has been accelerated, with all 42 launchers now scheduled for delivery by the end of 2027. This expedited timeline was facilitated by the prioritization of Australian requirements within the U.S. production schedule.

The government has also committed to establishing a domestic missile manufacturing facility to produce HIMARS-compatible GMLRS munitions. Domestic production of GMLRS rockets is expected to begin in 2025, with an annual output target of 4,000 units. This manufacturing effort is part of the Guided Weapons and Explosives Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise. Lockheed Martin Australia signed an agreement with Thales Australia in September 2024 to explore the production of solid rocket motors for GMLRS in Australia. Lockheed Martin has confirmed that production and sustainment of HIMARS and its munitions will remain part of a U.S. program of record through at least the mid-2050s.

Lockheed Martin has played a central role in facilitating this rapid delivery. According to Wayne Harrison, International Business Development Principal at Lockheed Martin, Australia’s HIMARS rollout closely mirrors the transition previously undertaken by the U.S. Marine Corps. Harrison noted that Lockheed Martin is advocating for a regional HIMARS sustainment and training center based in Australia, potentially serving other regional users like Singapore. The HIMARS program is expected to remain active in the U.S. inventory until at least the mid-2050s, ensuring a long support lifecycle. Lockheed Martin’s Vice President Paula Hartley confirmed that HIMARS is a globally proven system, with over 700 units fielded worldwide and more than two million operational hours.

The M142 HIMARS has demonstrated its combat effectiveness in multiple operational theaters, most notably in Ukraine, where its precision-guided munitions have been used to strike Russian command centers, ammunition depots, and troop concentrations. Executing targeted strikes with high accuracy at ranges up to 92 kilometers, the system’s documented results include the destruction of several Russian S-300 and S-400 air defense components in the Belgorod region in June 2024, and a HIMARS strike on a convoy in Kursk Oblast on 9 August 2024, which Russian sources described as one of the deadliest incidents of the war.

Additional reported outcomes include a strike in Makiivka that killed 89 Russian soldiers, according to the Russian Ministry of Defence, though independent estimates placed the number at 139. Ukrainian use of HIMARS has contributed to a measurable disruption of Russian operations, with GMLRS rockets being employed in large quantities—approximately 9,500 rounds expended by February 2023, according to media reports. By May 2023, Russia was reported to have started to employ GPS jamming to reduce the accuracy of GMLRS strikes, though the rockets’ inertial navigation systems continued to function.

With over 700 units fielded worldwide and more than two million operational hours, the M142 HIMARS has demonstrated its combat effectiveness in multiple operational theaters, most notably in Ukraine, where its precision-guided munitions have been used to strike Russian command centers, ammunition depots, and troop concentrations. (Picture source: Australian MoD)