The Army Tactical Missile System (Army TACMS) Block I and Block IA provide long-range, surface-to-surface fire support. Both configurations are ground-launched missile systems consisting of a surface-to-surface guided missile with an Anti-Personnel/Anti-Materiel (APAM) warhead. Fired from the MLRS modified M270 launcher, Army TACMS is designed for deep attack of enemy second-echelon forces at ranges beyond that of current cannons and rockets. Army TACMS uses an inertial system to guide it accurately over the target area where submunitions, consisting of dual purpose M74 bomblets, are dispensed from the warhead section. It operates in near all-weather conditions, day or night, and is air transportable. The missile is used to attack tactical surface-to-surface missile sites; air defense systems; logistics elements; and command, control, and communications complexes.
Army TACMS Block IA, with enhanced Global Positioning System (GPS) accuracy, will have approximately twice the range of the Army TACMS. A variant of the Army TACMS missile (Block II) will carry the Brilliant Antitank (BAT) submunition due to termination of the Army participation in the Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile (TSSAM) program. The mission of the BAT, when integrated and operationally employed with the Army TACMS Block II/IIA, is to delay, disrupt, neutralize, or destroy high payoff second echelon targets. The BAT submunition fills a void that currently exists in Army Fire Support to attack moving targets at ranges in excess of 100 kilometers.
The genesis of Army TACMS can be traced to the "Assault Breaker" technology demonstra- tion program begun in 1978 by the Defense Research Projects Agency. Formally started in 1983 as the Joint Tactical Missile System, the project combined two earlier studies-the Army's Corps Support Weapon System and the Air Force Conventional Standoff Weapon-into a joint program. Following the end of Air Force on-site participation in 1984, the Army continued the program and changed the name. Army TACMS is the first weapon system to be fielded in the modernization program for a "system of systems" deep fires suite. It saw combat action in Southwest Asia (SWA) during Operation Desert Storm (ODS).
System Chronology
March 80 With the termination of the LANCE Project Office, the Corps Support Weapon System (CSWS) was established as a provisional organization. The CSWS in its nuclear role was designed to perform the same missions as the LANCE with less manpower and simplified support equipment.
5 July 81 In part because of DOD's concern that the Army and Air Force were developing very similar weapon systems, the CSWS Project Office (Provisional) was redesignated the System Development Office and transferred to MICOM's Army Missile Laboratory. At the same time, the new office acquired the Assault Breaker effort thus bringing the management of the Assault Breaker and CSWS efforts together.
30 June 82 The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering directed that the Army and Air Force pool the separate technologies developed under the Army's CSWS program and the Air Force's Conventional Standoff Weapon (CSW) program to form the Joint Tactical Missile System (JTACMS).
10 March 83 The JTACMS Project Office was established to serve as the directing agency for a joint Army-Air Force program to develop a common missile system. The Army acted as the executive service, while the Air Force was the participating service.
1 July 83 Firm-fixed-price contracts were awarded to Boeing Aerospace Company, Martin Marietta Aerospace, and the Vought Corporation to perform a capabilities and requirements evaluation of their proposed JTACMS concepts. These pre-full-scale development contracts were funded on a 50/50 basis by the Army and Air Force.
January 84 Boeing, Martin, and Vought completed their FSD studies; however, by then the Army's requirements had begun to specify that the system be an extended range MLRS, while the Air Force had independently issued a request for information (RFI) to industry.
22 May 84 The Chiefs of Staff of the Army and the Air Force agreed that both services would develop a joint statement of need for the JTACMS; that the restructured program would include the joint development of procedures to ensure that respective service components of JTACMS were fully complementary; that the Army would refocus its development efforts on a shorter range ground launched system; and that the Air Force would develop an air-launched system.
September 84 The Air Force terminated its on-site participation in the JTACMS program at MICOM except in a liaison capacity.
November 84 The Deputy Secretary of Defense approved the Army's request to develop an interim version of the JTACMS to counter Warsaw Pact second echelon forces.
November 84 The Army and Air Force issued a joint statement on the need for conventional missile systems to engage targets in the deep battle area.
14 January 85 AMC approved the required operational capability (ROC) document for the Army JTACMS.
17 May 85 DA approved the Army JTACMS ROC.
23 July 85 The MLRS and JTACMS Project Managers (PMs) signed a letter of understanding which established and defined the basic responsibilities and relationships in developing, producing, and fielding the composite battalion.
25 July 85 The Vice Chiefs of Staff of the Army and Air Force issue an authoritative system description of the JTACMS to be developed, renamed the Army system Army TACMS, and clarified the relationship of the program.
20 December 85 The Army System Acquisition Review Council (ASARC) principals approved the Army TACMS program to enter full-scale development (FSD), which was subsequently approved by the Defense System Acquisition Review Council (DSARC) in February 86.
18 March 86 The Deputy Secretary of Defense signed a Secretary of Defense Decision Memorandum (SDDM) which approved the Army TACMS FSD effort.
18 March 86 The Secretary of the Army signed the first PM's charter for the Army TACMS Project Office.
26 March 86 MICOM competitively awarded the FSD contract for the Army TACMS missile/launch pod assembly (M/LPA) to the LTV Aerospace and Defense (LTVAD) Company.
27 March 86 Since the Army TACMS would be fired from a modified M270 launcher, MICOM awarded LTVAD, the MLRS prime contractor, a sole source contract for the launch/ ground support equipment and system integration.
April 86 AMC, DA, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) approved the Army TACMS International Armaments Cooperative Opportunities Plan. Earlier, in August 85, AMC and DA had approved the Army TACMS Rationalization, Standardization, and Interoperability Plan. These documents served as the basis for the participation of NATO and allied countries in the Army TACMS program.
8 September 86 The Army TACMS heavy wall rocket motor test series began.
5 March 87 The heavy wall rocket motor test series were successfully concluded.
May 87 Initial critical design activities for the Army TACMS were completed.
26 April 88 The first Army TACMS engineering development flight test was successfully fired at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR).
June 88 DA directed that work begin on an infrared terminally guided submunition (IRTGSM) proof of principle (POP) program designed to further technology and keep the IRTGSM as a viable candidate submunition for the Army TACMS Block II program.
FY 89 Low rate initial production (LRIP) of the Army TACMS M39 Guided Missile and Launching Assembly began and proved to be a very effective testbed for full-scale production (FSP) plans and tooling as well as for hardware design improvements.
30 January 89 The Army Acquisition Executive (AAE) authorized Army TACMS to proceed with a 1-year LRIP of 66 Block I APAM missiles.
31 March 89 Government development testing (DT) of the Army TACMS began.
4 August 89 Two cost-plus-incentive-fee contracts were awarded to General Dynamics Corporation and Raytheon Company for a 24-month IRTGSM POP program. LTV Missiles and Electronics Group (LTVMEG) was noncompetitively awarded an Integration contract to support the POP contractors.
5 February 90 The LRIP II contract for 104 M39s was awarded. It was finalized on 12 September 90.
10 March 90 Government DT of Army TACMS was completed. The testing had been conducted at WSMR and Redstone Arsenal.
June 90 Two additional integration contracts were awarded to LTVMEG to study the integration of the millimeter-wave terminally guided submunition (MMW-TGSM) and the Type I submunition into Army TACMS.
8 June 90 Full-scale development (FSD) testing of Army TACMS was completed.
August 90 Because of Desert Storm, initial fielding of Army TACMS was shifted from Germany to Saudi Arabia. Deployment was also accomplished on this date, 1 month ahead of schedule, using the IOTE unit, the 6/27th Field Artillery (FA) Battalion from Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
15 September 90 To support Operation Desert Storm, the LRIP II delivery schedule was revised to accelerate delivery of the first 20 M39s. The remaining deliveries for January-September 91 were stretched out to prevent a break in production which would otherwise result from the early delivery.
November 90 The Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) approved Army TACMS to proceed to Milestone IIIB, full rate production (FRP).
5 November 90 After receiving DAB approval, the FRP I production option was exercised.
FY 91 During the fourth quarter, initial fielding of Army TACMS to U.S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) and the Eighth U.S. Army (EUSA), Korea, was successfully completed.
January 91 A Battery, 6/27 FA fired the first two Army TACMS missiles launched during ODS. Initially deployed with XVIII Airborne Corps, the unit was later placed under operational control of VII Corps. These rounds were the first fired in anger by VII Corps since World War II.
18 January - 28 February 91 Army Central Command (ARCENT) reported that 32 Army TACMS missiles were fired during this period. Targets included surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites, logistics sites, artillery and rocket battery positions, and tactical bridges.
28 January 91 LRIP II was accelerated for the second time.
March 91 A "neckdown" decision accelerated, fully funded, then finally ended the POP test program for the IRTGSM.
March 91 As a result of the "neckdown" decision, Army TACMS was selected as an alternate carrier for BAT, which would provide a long-range antiarmor fire support capability.
13 March 91 FRP I was accelerated to preclude a production break between it and LRIP II, which had been accelerated to support ODS.
May 91 Another 55 M39s were added to FRP I to replace assets expended during ODS and to preclude a production break due to acceleration of LRIP II deliveries.
September 91 The Off-the-Side (OTS) firing capability was removed as a condition for materiel release of Army TACMS. During Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOTE), conducted March-June 90, it had been determined that an untested capability existed to conduct fire missions off the side of the M270 launcher. This discovery resulted in a condition being placed on full materiel release of the system. To remove this condition and to comply with the user's desire to retain this capability, tests were conducted from December 90 through June 91. The success of these tests indicated that no degradation in performance or safety resulted from OTS firing operations.
4 September 91 In response to a user's desire for a lightweight launcher capable of firing the M270 family of munitions (FOM), technical feasibility tests were conducted, including the successful launch on this date of an Army TACMS missile from a 5-ton truck with a modified HONEST JOHN launcher mounted on the truck bed.
18 September 91 The first "explicit guidance" missile flight test was successfully conducted at WSMR. The November 90 DAB required that this improved guidance scheme be developed to enhance in-flight survivability. It was based on on-board, in-flight trajectory calculations to maintain the most energy efficient flight path. This approach resulted in higher velocities which led to improved survivability and enhanced range capabilities.
October 91 The "explicit guidance" software upgrade was fielded.
December 91 The second FRP contract was awarded to LTVMEG.
FY 92 The Block II research, development, and testing program was structured and funded to satisfy the requirement that Army TACMS be the alternative BAT delivery vehicle.
FY 92 An anti-radiation variant of Army TACMS-the Tactical Anti-Radiation Missile (TACARM)-was studied during the year. As a baseline for the study, the Navy's low cost seeker for the HARM missile was considered for integration into the TACARM. Trajectories and operational concepts were formulated, and the concept was considered to be feasible.
FY 92 Integration of the Damocles submunition into Army TACMS was studied during the year. The submunition excelled at finding cold targets in clutter.
FY 92 Effort on the Army TACMS Block I extended range program (Block IA) was ongoing throughout the year. Integration of a global positioning system (GPS) would greatly improve accuracy and flexibility.
September 92 Delivery of all FRP I M39s were completed on schedule. The contractor stayed three M39s a month ahead of the contract schedule accelerated for ODS.
September 92 FRP II deliveries began 1 month ahead of schedule.
FY 93 The U.S. Army and U.S. Navy (USN) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on a 2-year cooperative effort for the Naval TACMS (NATACMS). The program's goal was to demonstrate the capability to launch a modified Army TACMS from an M270 launcher on a sea-going platform and successfully engage a land target.
1 February 93 The preliminary design support for the Improved Army TACMS participation in the Joint Precision Strike Demonstration (JPSD) was conducted under a contract awarded to LVS on this date. The objective was preliminary design associated with GPS integration for extended range semiballistic missile navigation.
May 93 The Army TACMS Block II Product Manager was rechartered as the Improved Army TACMS Product Manager. .
18 October 93 The Phase I contract for the BAT P3I program was awarded to Northrup Corporation.
November 93 The Vice Chief of Staff (VCSA) Decision Memorandum terminated the Army's participation in the Tri-Service Standoff Attack Missile (TSSAM) Program and designated Army TACMS as the BAT primary carrier. It also approved modifications to Army TACMS to accomplish loading 13 BATs on-board, P3I BAT program implementation, and modification of Army TACMS Block IIA to allow loading and delivery of BAT P3I submunitions to greater ranges against cold, stationary targets.
23 December 93 The Army TACMS Block I program was restructured to add Preplanned Product Improvement (P3I) programs for the P3I APAM and P3I BAT.
FY 94 The Improved Army TACMS Product Office began managing four separate and distinct development programs during the year: JPSD, the NATACMS Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD), Block IA (extended range Army TACMS), and Block IIA (BAT).
9 February 94 ASARC granted Milestone IV approval and authorized award of an engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract, which LVS received on 31 March.
12 April 94 The BAT and Army TACMS Project Offices were deactivated and combined to form the Army TACMS-BAT Project Office.
28 April 94 The Army TACMS-BAT Project Office awarded a contract to LVS for the Block II's Phase III Design Support effort.
14 October 94 The first of three prototype Army TACMS Block IA missiles was successfully flight tested. The other two missiles were flown on 21 November and 7 December. A part of the JPSD, these tests demonstrated the improved accuracy the Block IA would achieve with integration of GPS-aided navigation.
11 January 95 The first successful over-land test of a Block IA prototype missile under the NATACMS ATD occurred at WSMR.
February 95 A two-part BOAR program was started. The first half was to dispense a BAT from the aft of a MLRS rocket, while the second part involved Northrup Grumman dispensing two simulants out of a dispenser dropped from an F-14 aircraft. The latter drop test would demonstrate BAT multi-dispenser capability.
12 February 95 The final NATACMS Block IA prototype missile test was an "at sea" firing from an M270 launcher on the deck of the USS Mount Vernon positioned off the coast of San Diego, California. The shot flew 75 nautical miles for a direct hit on the target.
5 May 95 The Army Acquisition Executive (AAE) and VCSA approved the entry of the Block II Program into Continued Development.
12 June 95 The Block II Continued Development contract was awarded.
7 September 95 P3I BAT acoustic data were collected by Chicken Little from special targets during this week. This was the first acoustic collection successfully accomplished by the government.
TACMS Photos
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