The C-130J can move HIMARS into forward locations and support rapid deployment in austere conditions. Lockheed Martin said this combination is changing how Australia approaches deep fires and battlefield mobility.
Australia first procured 12 C-130J aircraft in 1995 and has operated the type since 1999. Under the 2026 National Defence Strategy, Australia will replace those aircraft and expand the fleet to 20 platforms.
New Zealand ordered five C-130J-30 aircraft in 2020 to replace its aging C-130H fleet. Lockheed Martin said the common aircraft type is strengthening trans-Tasman airlift capability and improving regional mobility.
The company said the common fleet already provides operational benefits. In 2026, the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force combined across multiple exercises in the South West Pacific, Southeast Asia and New Zealand.
Lockheed Martin said those activities used a shared airframe to streamline logistics, maintenance and crew proficiency. The company said they also underlined interoperability gains between Australia and New Zealand.
The Australian Government has committed to HIMARS through the acquisition of 42 launchers for the 14th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, part of the Australian Army’s 10th Brigade. The Australian Army has fielded HIMARS since 2025.
HIMARS can fire Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, Extended-Range GMLRS and Precision Strike Missile. Lockheed Martin said the launcher supports Multi-Domain Operations by improving response times and meeting mission-critical needs with advanced technology.
HIMARS and PrSM were recently announced as the preferred option for requirements under Project LAND 8113 Phase 2, known as Second Long-Range Fires Regiment. Under that program, Lockheed Martin will deliver an additional regiment of HIMARS launchers with PrSM.
Lockheed Martin said the HIMARS-PrSM combination, used with the C-130J Hercules, will provide the Australian Army with an anti-access and sea denial capability. The company said HIMARS can transition between surface-to-surface fires and land-based maritime strike missions in minutes.
The C-130J can land on austere and short runways and rapidly load or unload cargo. Lockheed Martin said this makes it suited to Australia’s rugged northern approaches.
HIMARS is a precision-guided rocket artillery system that can strike targets up to 500 kilometers away. Lockheed Martin said speed, surprise and survivability are the main factors that make the two systems effective when used together.
Because HIMARS is light enough to fit inside the cargo bay of a C-130J, the aircraft can insert the launcher into forward locations. The company said this can happen even in denied or contested airspace, with rapid offload and redeployment within minutes.
HIMARS can then “shoot and scoot” against targets such as command nodes, supply hubs or air defenses. Lockheed Martin said this allows the system to fire before an enemy can respond.
In some cases, the C-130J can conduct the operation without shutting down on the ground. The aircraft can perform a combat offload, rapidly unloading HIMARS as it rolls to a stop before departing.
Lockheed Martin said this maneuver is informally known as HIMARS Rapid Infiltration. The company said it gives ground forces long-range strike options without relying on a fixed and vulnerable base.
The C-130J and HIMARS combination has been tested in multinational exercises. These included Talisman Sabre 2023 and 2025, Exercise Highball 2023 and Exercise Kenney Strikes Back in 2026.
Lockheed Martin said the exercises demonstrated the ability to rapidly deploy and provide long-range artillery capability in strategic locations. The company said the activities showed the value of the systems in securing Australia’s northern approaches and highlighted the importance of interoperability and flexible capabilities.
In the Indo-Pacific, Lockheed Martin said limited infrastructure and strategic chokepoints make the combination especially relevant. The company said the pairing offers a low-profile, high-lethality presence in Australia’s near region.
The company said the region’s vast geography and dispersed potential conflict zones require mobile, self-contained strike packages. It described the C-130J and HIMARS pairing as suited to that operational environment.
Lockheed Martin said the partnership could become more capable as new long-range precision fires are integrated into HIMARS, including hypersonic capabilities. It also said C-130J upgrades to range and survivability could further strengthen the pairing.
The company described the combination as a template for distributed and expeditionary warfare. Lockheed Martin said it gives the Australian Defence Force and allied forces an advantage in contested environments.
