$51 million for Lockheed Martin

has received a $51.6 million contract modification to provide 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to the US Marine Corps. The contract modification was an option in the US Army’s HIMARS full-rate production contract award to Lockheed Martin in December 2005.

Work on the contract will be performed at the company’s facilities in Arizona and Texas, and is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of 2008.

“These awards exemplify the maturity of these technologies and the immediate need for these systems in the Global War on Terrorism,” said Rick Edwards, vice president of Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “HIMARS and precision munitions such as GMLRS are much needed systems for the future combat forces.”

HIMARS works with Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) munitions. It is designed to enable troops to engage artillery, air defence concentrations, trucks, light armour and personnel carriers, as well as support troop and supply concentrations. HIMARS carries a single six-pack of MLRS rockets, or one Army Tactical Missile System