DALLAS, April 18 (UPI) -- U.S. company Lockheed Martin said Wednesday it has successfully test fired an ATACMS Unitary tactical missile.
The company said in a statement the missile was launched from a HIMARS launcher using a Universal Fire Control System in a March 20 exercise at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The missile followed its anticipated flight path and destroyed its target 45 miles away.
The exercise was the second Follow-on Production Test of the new ATACMS Unitary arrangement that allows the missile to descend vertically on its target, thereby limiting damage and casualties to surrounding buildings and people.
The test also marked the first time that any ATACMS munition had been fired out of a HIMARS launcher operating with a UFCS.
Lockheed Martin described the UFCS as "an evolutionary block upgrade and technology refresh" of the MLRS Fire Control System. The company said the UFCS had passed its Development and Qualification Program, and units of the equipment were being sent to the U.S. Army as part of the HIMARS full-rate production program.
"ATACMS is the weapon of choice against time-sensitive and pre-planned targets for U.S. Forces in the Global War on Terror," said Jim Gribschaw, director of Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
"The successful flight test of this ATACMS Unitary configuration further validates that the system will continue to be an asset to our war fighters in the future. The incredible precision engagement capability of ATACMS allows commanders engage a target with little or no collateral damage," Gribschaw said.
Lockheed Martin said the test firing significantly advanced the ATACMS improved Unitary configuration production program and proved the effectiveness of the missile-to-launcher interface of the new UFCS.
The test also further confirmed the missile's performance and operational precision, the company said.
Lockheed Martin described the ATACMS as a long-range guided missile that could be used in tactical situations. Individual ATACMS missiles are carried in multiple launch rocket systems and can be launched from regular MLRS equipment.
