Canada seeks to buy Long Range Precision Rockets (probably US MLRS or HIMARS)

[MilEME09]

Contract to build ours has been signed

https://twitter.com/x/status/2049597537301012539

 

[Kirkhill]

Contract to build ours has been signed

https://twitter.com/x/status/2049597537301012539

The next 26 will be cheaper.

Aussie ordered 20 in 2022
That was expanded to 42 for a total cost of 2.3 BAUD
A second batch of 48 was authorized for FMS in Sept 25 for a cost of 1.07 BAUD.

The first batch started delivery in Mar 2025 and is to be completed during 2027

MInd, the Aussies are making their own rockets.

 

[Kirkhill]

Aussie rocket program ramps up.

Australia ramps up sovereign missile capability with local rocket motor production push

The Australian government has announced a major step towards defence self-reliance, committing an initial $126.9 million to establish domestic solid rocket motor manufacturing, a critical component underpinning modern guided weapons.

www.defenceconnect.com.au

 

[Kirkhill]

And the big guys are back to fighting over access to the rocketry market

Lockheed opposes Northrop bid to remove firewall on solid rocket motor business - Breaking Defense

Northrop argues that a 2018 consent order is hampering its ability to ramp up solid rocket motor production needed for critical munitions.

breakingdefense.com

Back to being a growth industry.

 

[Kirkhill]

Novel, affordable, rocketry.

"Draper is a throttleable and restartable liquid engine."

USAF-funded liquid rocket engine goes supersonic twice in 45 days

The 4,000-lbf Draper engine powered the US Air Force's Affordable Rapid Missile Demonstrator to supersonic speeds on its second flight.

interestingengineering.com

 

[Kirkhill]

US Army experimenting with the USMC stand-in strategy in the Philippines

LST unloads HIMARS on beach
HIMARs unloads missile on target
HIMARs evacuated from beach by LST

U.S. Army Island Hops Missile Launcher Near SCS at Balikatan - Naval News

U.S. Army watercraft and multi-domain forces island hopped a missile launcher to an island near the SCS during Balikatan 2026.

www.navalnews.com

 

[Kirkhill]

https://www.ft.com/content/bfbc7310-0696-4248-b424-10ca6e7b5256?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Rheinmetall to start producing (deep strike) cruise missiles as early as this year
Joint venture with Dutch start-up Destinus will manufacture ‘deep strike’ weapons in race to fill European defence gaps


.

 

[Kirkhill]

And LockMart upping HIMARS production

Lockheed Martin increases HIMARS production capacity to meet growing U.S. and international demand

Lockheed Martin is increasing production of the M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket system following a $1.1 billion contract award announced by the United States Army in April.

defence-industry.eu

 

[Furniture]

US Army experimenting with the USMC stand-in strategy in the Philippines

LST unloads HIMARS on beach
HIMARs unloads missile on target
HIMARs evacuated from beach by LST

U.S. Army Island Hops Missile Launcher Near SCS at Balikatan - Naval News

U.S. Army watercraft and multi-domain forces island hopped a missile launcher to an island near the SCS during Balikatan 2026.

www.navalnews.com

I'm no expert on targeting, but I'm not sure a fat and slow LST is the best way to move trucks around for a shoot and scoot.

 

[Kirkhill]

I'm no expert on targeting, but I'm not sure a fat and slow LST is the best way to move trucks around for a shoot and scoot.

I can only suppose the idea is to cruise a circuit before hostilities and drop off launchers and hope to confuse the enemy as to on which particular islands the launchers have been deposited.

 

[FJAG]

I can only suppose the idea is to cruise a circuit before hostilities and drop off launchers and hope to confuse the enemy as to on which particular islands the launchers have been deposited.

That presupposes an enemy with zero air and space surveillance capabilities remaining. I'm kind of with @Underway on much of the USMC theory here.

Yes. I do see anti-ship missile units ashore at critical strategic choke points - preferably in hardened bunkers - and supported by a host of small missile equipped boats that can run those circuits and fire while afloat without landing anything. But then the Navy hasn't been in the business of small boats since retiring the last PT boat. I guess that's what the subs are for.

The USMC is between a rock and a hard place on the staying relevant front. I think they are doing as well as they can, but not every brain fart is a winner.

 

[Kirkhill]

That presupposes an enemy with zero air and space surveillance capabilities remaining. I'm kind of with @Underway on much of the USMC theory here.

Yes. I do see anti-ship missile units ashore at critical strategic choke points - preferably in hardened bunkers - and supported by a host of small missile equipped boats that can run those circuits and fire while afloat without landing anything. But then the Navy hasn't been in the business of small boats since retiring the last PT boat. I guess that's what the subs are for.

The USMC is between a rock and a hard place on the staying relevant front. I think they are doing as well as they can, but not every brain fart is a winner.

This exercise was a US Army one - LST and HIMARS - the kit the USMC is asking for. Your points are still valid though.

 

[Brad Sallows]

If you're providing fire support over long ranges where there aren't a lot of roads, rivers and lakes and oceans will do to get stuff into position.

 

[Kirkhill]

Are more efforts to drive the cost of rocketry down and production rates up.

3D-printed rocket fuel successfully tested, could enable lighter missiles and faster production rates — new additive manufacturing process tested at 1,800 PSI

Solid 3D printed rocket fuel is now a reality

www.tomshardware.com

 

[Furniture]

If you're providing fire support over long ranges where there aren't a lot of roads, rivers and lakes and oceans will do to get stuff into position.

As the Russians have demonstrated, if you're using long range precision missiles, a big plane is an effective way to deliver those missiles from outside the enemy's AD range.

Faster than boats, and not restricted to roads or waterways.

I think the USMC concept of using a C-130 to deliver a HIMARS to an island makes sense. I think the idea of a landing, shooting, and then taking off is adding two extra steps... Why land and take-off when you can just shoot from the air?

 

[Brad Sallows]

As the Russians have demonstrated, if you're using long range precision missiles, a big plane is an effective way to deliver those missiles from outside the enemie's AD range.

Faster than boats, and not restricted to roads or waterways.

I think the USMC concept of using a C-130 to deliver a HIMARS to an island makes sense. I think the idea of a landing, shooting, and then taking off is adding two extra steps... Why land and take-off when you can just shoot from the air?

I suppose, if everything a HIMARS can launch can also be launched by an aircraft likely to be available.

 

[Furniture]

I suppose, if everything a HIMARS can launch can also be launched by an aircraft likely to be available.

If it can, then that's a more logical solution that dedicating a crew for a C-130, plus the HIMARS crew, to a task that puts them at massive risk while landing, on the ground, and then taking-off again.

I'm not suggesting that an C-130 transportable long range strike platform is a bad idea, just commenting on the notion that landing a plane, unloading a launcher, shooting from the launcher, and then reloading, and taking-off again is a bit silly once you think about it for more than a few seconds. Particularly in a world where there are plenty of missiles that can be launched from the air with none of the other nonsense.