MGM-140 ATACMS

The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATacMS) is a surface-to-surface missile (SSM) manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It has a range of over 100 mi, with solid propellant, and is 13 ft high and 24 in in diameter.

The ATACMS can be fired from MLRS launchers, including the M270, M270 IPDS, M270A1, and HIMARS. An ATACMS launch container has a lid patterned with six circles like a standard MLRS rocket lid.

The first use of the ATACMS in a combat capability was during Operation Desert Storm, where a total of 32 were fired from the M270 MLRS.

During the Operation Iraqi Freedom more than 450 missiles were fired.

MGM-140A - Block I
Previously M39, unguided missile contains 950 M74 anti-personnel/anti-materiel (APAM) submunitions with a range of 128 km.

MGM-140B - Block IA
Previously M39A1, missile uses GPS/INS guidance, carries 275 M74 submunitions and has a 165 km range.

MGM-164 ATacMS - Block II
A Block II variant (initially designated MGM-140C or, previously, M39A3 ) was designed to carry a payload of 13 Brilliant Anti-Tank (BAT) munitions manufactured by Northrop Grumman. However, in late 2003 the U.S. Army terminated the funding for the BAT-equipped ATACMS and therefore the MGM-164A never became fully operational.

MGM-168 ATacMS - Block IVA
Originally designated Block IA Unitary (MGM-140E), the new Block IVA variant was designed to carry a 500 lb unitary HE warhead instead of the M74 bomblets. It uses the same GPS/INS guidance as the MGM-140B. The development contract was placed in December 2000, and flight-testing began in April 2001. The first production contract was awarded in March 2002. The range has been increased to some 300 km, limited more by the legal provisions of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) than technical considerations.

Operators

 * 🇧🇭: Royal Bahraini Army
 * 🇫🇮: Finnish Army
 * 🇬🇷: Hellenic Army is also a known user of the ATACMS.
 * Republic of China Army. On 20 December 2010, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract for $916 million for 226 'tactical missiles' and 24 launcher modification kits for the UAE and Taiwan.
 * 🇰🇷: In 2002, the South Korean Army purchased 111 ATACMS Block I and 110 ATACMS Block IA missiles, which were deployed in 2004. An affiliated company of the Hanwha Group of Korea produces munitions for the missile systems under license from Lockheed Martin.
 * 🇹🇷: Turkish Army is also a known user of the ATACMS.
 * United Arab Emirates Army. On 20 December 2010, Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract for $916 million for 226 'tactical missiles' and 24 launcher modification kits for the UAE and Taiwan.
 * 🇺🇸: United States Army

Comparable missiles

 * Prahaar (missile)