Army Contracting Command published the market survey on SAM.gov on Aug. 7 to gauge industrial capacity for the MLRS Family of Munitions. The notice is not a solicitation, and funding has not been secured for a future production award.
The potential requirement spans GMLRS production, associated equipment, technical support and possible design modifications. It covers Unitary and Alternative Warhead variants as well as the extended-range GMLRS-ER, which has a stated range of up to 150 kilometers compared with about 84 kilometers for the baseline weapon.
At the annual production level being examined, industry would need to manufacture 3,167 six-round launch containers each year. Across fiscal years 2028 to 2034, that would equate to 22,169 six-round containers holding a total of 133,014 rockets.
The production window identified by the Army begins in fiscal 2028, while actual deliveries under any future agreement are expected to start in February 2030. Interested companies have until Sept. 1 to provide information on manufacturing capabilities, production startup schedules and experience managing subcontractor networks.
The scale under consideration would represent another increase in U.S. GMLRS manufacturing capacity. Lockheed Martin said last year that it was working toward capacity of 14,000 rockets annually, while cumulative GMLRS production through 2024 had remained below 75,000 rounds.
Reaching an annual rate of 19,002 rockets would require capacity about 36% above Lockheed Martin’s previously stated 14,000-round target if production remained concentrated with the company. Another route would be additional manufacturing capacity from another supplier, subject to any future Army procurement decision.
The industrial challenge extends beyond potential Army demand because the U.S. Marine Corps and international customers also require GMLRS ammunition. That means additional production capacity would have to support several customer groups while sustaining deliveries for the Army’s HIMARS and M270 fleets.
The market survey therefore points to the scale of production capacity the Army may seek later this decade rather than a firm order for 133,014 rockets. It also highlights the pressure on the U.S. munitions industrial base to move from previous GMLRS output levels toward substantially higher sustained production rates.
