Editing M142 HIMARS (section)

== Development ==
The requirement for HIMARS came about in 1982, when the [[9th Infantry Division (United States)|9th Infantry Division (Motorized)]] saw the need to acquire a light multiple rocket launcher as a counterfire asset. The requirement failed to gather support from the [[United States Army Field Artillery School|Field Artillery School]] and languished for a number of years.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dastrup |first=Boyd L. |title=Modernizing the King of Battle: 1973-1991 |publisher=Office of the Command Historian, United States Field Artillery Center and School |year=2003 |location=Washington, D.C. |page=48}}</ref> The institutional bias at the time was oriented towards heavy forces.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Dastrup |first=Boyd L. |title=Operation Desert Storm and Beyond: Modernizing the Field Artillery in the 1990s |publisher=Command Historian's Office, United States Field Artillery Center and School |year=2005 |location=Fort Sill, Oklahoma |page=48}}</ref> With the waning of the [[Cold War]] and the growing interest in low-intensity operations, both the Field Artillery School and [[United States Army Aviation and Missile Command|Missile Command]] realized that the M270 MLRS was too heavy for rapid deployment and pushed for the funding of HIMARS.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Gulf War]] gave new impetus towards fielding a lightweight MLRS, when the M270 proved too costly in airlift assets to deploy in theater and the launchers did not arrive with the initial wave of U.S. troops.<ref name=":0" /> In April 1991, the HIMARS concept was tested at [[White Sands Missile Range]], using a modified [[MGR-1 Honest John|Honest John]] launcher.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Anderson |first=E. G. |date=June 1991 |title=Reshaping the Field Artillery |journal=Field Artillery |page=14}}</ref>

[[File:HIMARS Prototype.jpg|left|thumb|A proof-of-concept prototype of HIMARS at [[White Sands Missile Range]], April 1991]]
HIMARS was then developed as a private venture by [[Loral Vought Systems]], later [[Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control]], to meet this requirement. The system first appeared publicly in 1993. In 1996, the [[United States Army Aviation and Missile Command|U.S. Army Missile Command]] awarded Lockheed Martin a $23.2 million contract to build four prototypes. In April 1998, the vehicles were delivered to the [[XVIII Airborne Corps]] for a two-year evaluation with 3rd Battalion, [[27th Field Artillery Regiment]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gentry |first1=Donald E. |last2=Barbato |first2=Cullen G. |date=January–February 1999 |title=HIMARS: Firepower for Early Entry Forces |url=https://tradocfcoeccafcoepfwprod.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/fires-bulletin-archive/1999/99%20Jan%20-%20Feb/JAN_FEB_1999_FULL_EDITION.pdf |journal=Field Artillery |page=17}}</ref>

In July 1998, the Army conducted a test firing of the [[MGM-140 ATACMS|ATACMS]]. In December 1999, the Aviation and Missile Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $65 million contract for engineering and manufacturing development. Under this contract, Lockheed Martin delivered six HIMARS in late 2001 for Army evaluation. In April 2003, the Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $96 million contract to begin [[low rate initial production]]. Around this time, the Marine Corps placed an order for two units for evaluation purposes.<ref name="Janes 2011">{{cite book |editor1-last=Foss |editor1-first=Christopher F. |editor1-link=Christopher F. Foss |title=Jane's Armour and Artillery 2011–2012 |publisher= Janes Information Group |location=London |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7106-2960-9 |pages=1128–1130 |edition=32nd |chapter=Multiple Rocket Launchers}}</ref>

The launcher system and chassis are produced by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control in [[Camden, Arkansas]] as of 2019.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 July 2019 |title=Half-billion-dollar HIMARS contract goes to Camden, other Lockheed Martin facilities |url=http://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/local_business/article_dce1ade6-a79c-11e9-985f-277a8fc0c608.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240605122838/https://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/local_business/article_dce1ade6-a79c-11e9-985f-277a8fc0c608.html |archive-date=5 June 2024 |access-date=5 June 2024 |work=Magnolia Reporter}}</ref>