MGM-140 ATACMS
The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS; pronounced /əˈtækəms/) is a tactical ballistic missile designed and manufactured by the US defense company Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), and later Lockheed Martin through acquisitions. It uses solid propellant, is 13 feet (4.0 m) high and 24 inches (610 mm) in diameter, and the longest range variants can fly up to 190 miles (300 km). The missiles can be fired from the tracked M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and the wheeled M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
| MGM-140 ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) | |
|---|---|
An ATACMS being launched by a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System in 2012 | |
| Type | Rocket artillery Tactical ballistic missile |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1991–present |
| Used by |
|
| Wars | |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Ling-Temco-Vought |
| Designed | 1986 |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Unit cost | M39: $820,000 (FY1998) (or ~$1,476,000 FY2022) M57: ~$1,700,000 (FY2021) |
| No. built | 3,700 |
| Specifications () | |
| Mass | 3,690 pounds (1,670 kg) |
| Length | 13 feet (4.0 m) |
| Diameter | 24 inches (610 mm) |
| Wingspan | 55 inches (1.4 m) |
| Maximum firing range | 190 mi (300 km) |
| Flight ceiling | 160,000 ft (50 km) |
| Maximum speed | In excess of Mach 3 (0.6 mi/s; 1.0 km/s) |
Guidance system | GPS-aided inertial navigation guidance |
Launch platform | M270, HIMARS |
An ATACMS launch container has a lid patterned with six circles like a standard MLRS rocket lid, but contains only one missile; the identical pattern makes it more challenging for enemy intelligence to single it out as a high-value target.