Oshkosh Defense equips ROGUE-Fires autonomous vehicle with HIMARS rockets for long-range strike capability.

On March 24, 2025, the US company Oshkosh Defense announced that they will present the Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires) at the Association of the United States Army’s Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, from March 25 to 27, 2025. The system, based on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), will be shown for the first time with the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Family of Munitions (MFOM). The integration with MFOM highlights ROGUE-Fires’ payload-agnostic configuration, intended to support various applications including long-range precision fires, autonomous resupply, and logistics operations.
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The ROGUE-Fires system was originally developed to support Ground-Based Anti-Ship Missile (GBASM) operations, but has been adapted to operate with the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Family of Munitions, or MFOM. (Picture source: Oshkosh Defense)

The ROGUE-Fires was originally developed to support Ground-Based Anti-Ship Missile (GBASM) operations. The platform has been adapted to operate in multiple control modes, including teleoperation and leader-follower, and is designed to remove personnel from high-risk environments. The JLTV-based chassis allows for a hybrid-electric powertrain option, which supports silent mobility, silent watch, increased fuel economy, and the generation of exportable power for sustained missions. The system is designed for integration into existing JLTV production lines, as confirmed by Oshkosh Defense representatives.

The MFOM consists of various precision-strike munitions developed for surface-to-surface engagements. These munitions include the Guided MLRS (GMLRS) Unitary, which features a 200-pound warhead and a range exceeding 70 kilometers; the GMLRS Alternative Warhead (AW), which meets U.S. Department of Defense and international cluster munition policies; and the Extended-Range GMLRS (ER GMLRS), which extends operational range to 150 kilometers through the use of a larger motor and tail-driven control. All MFOM variants are compatible with both HIMARS and M270 launchers, with M270 launchers carrying two six-rocket pods and HIMARS carrying one. Over 60,000 GMLRS rockets have been produced with a reported reliability rate exceeding 98 percent.

Since receiving the JLTV production contract in 2015, Oshkosh Defense has conducted multiple payload integration efforts, including the pairing of ROGUE-Fires with the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) as part of the Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS). This system was used in a live-fire test during Large Scale Exercise 2021 in Hawaii, where a Naval Strike Missile was launched from a ROGUE-Fires platform and struck a maritime target. The U.S. Marine Corps has since expanded the program, awarding Oshkosh Defense a $39.6 million contract in September 2023 to begin low-rate initial production.

Oshkosh Defense has also received a $29.9 million contract modification from the Marine Corps Systems Command to integrate autonomous navigation capabilities into the ROGUE-Fires using Forterra’s AutoDrive system. Deliveries under this award are expected to begin in 2025 and conclude in 2026. The integration aims to transition the platform beyond remote and leader-follower modes to include full waypoint-based self-driving capabilities with off-road obstacle avoidance. According to Forterra, this marks the first Pentagon production contract specifically targeting ground vehicle autonomy. The Marine Corps intends to employ these upgrades as part of its Force Design 2030 initiative and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept, with a focus on sea denial and distributed operations in the Indo-Pacific.

There is currently no plan to automate the ROGUE-Fires’ reloading process; vehicles will return to centralized locations to be reloaded manually before redeployment. (Picture source: US DoD)

The Marine Corps plans to field 48 ROGUE-Fires vehicles beginning in June 2025. There is currently no plan to automate the vehicle’s reloading process; vehicles will return to centralized locations to be reloaded manually before redeployment. The ROGUE-Fires system will continue to operate in a "shoot-and-scoot" role, launching its payload and relocating to reduce detectability.

At the AUSA 2024 conference, Oshkosh Defense representatives indicated that ROGUE-Fires variants have been proposed for different payloads, including 120mm and 155mm howitzers, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), and a logistics configuration. The GMLRS pod configuration currently shown represents a HIMARS-compatible variant. According to Oshkosh, these interchangeable payload modules are designed to allow flexibility depending on mission requirements. A single operator will be able to direct multiple vehicles either manually or through autonomous navigation.

For the U.S. Army, ROGUE-Fires is being evaluated for both logistics support and as a platform for lethal payloads in contested environments. The Army is simultaneously pursuing its own autonomous launcher development, including a fifth increment of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) program aimed at exceeding current range limits of more than 1,000 kilometers. According to Brig. Gen. Rory Crooks, this concept may involve larger munitions incompatible with existing manned launch platforms, but deployable from autonomous systems lacking a cab.

ROGUE-Fires and similar platforms have been described as providing last-mile delivery and resupply capabilities in high-risk zones, while also potentially supporting direct and indirect fire roles. The Marine Corps continues to evaluate long-term applications of the ROGUE-Fires system as part of its modernization goals and ongoing joint force development initiatives.