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MGM-140 ATACMS series
A series of U.S.-designed short-range ballistic missiles referred to as the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). ATACMS are surface-to-surface missiles, fired from vehicles such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) or M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS). The missile has a number of variants: The MGM-140A missile has a 165km effective range, inertial guidance, and a warhead carrying 950 M74 submunitions, whereas the MGM-140B missile has a 300km effective range, with inertial and GPS guidance, but carries only 300 M74 submunitions. A unitary high explosive (blast) warhead is employed by the MGM-164 and MGM-168 variants . These munitions have seen use in a number of conflicts, including the 1990-1 Gulf War, 2003 Iraq War, and Ukraine War.
Analyst Note:
This image shows part of the warhead section of an MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) series tactical ballistic missile. This is the base of the warhead section, which is connected to the rocket motor until the warhead separates. Once the warhead separates from the rocket motor, variants that contain submunitions see the outer shell of the warhead section explosively ruptured after imparting a spin to disperse the payload. A data plate is visible, giving information about the manufacturer (“Lockheed Martin Vought Systems”) and identifying this specific part (“WARHEAD, GUIDED MISSILE. HIGH EXPLOSIVE”. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This U.S. Department of Defense file photo shows an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launching an MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) series tactical ballistic missile. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This MGM-140 cluster munition has failed to function as intended, and its payload of M74 submunitions is seen here spilling out of the warhead. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This image shows a rocket motor section from an MGM-140 ATACMS series surface-to-surface ballistic missile. The warhead section of the MGM-140 series missiles separate from the rocket motor before functioning, resulting in the rocket motor often being found relatively intact near the target. The MGM-140 series missiles use the same rocket motor, preventing a positive identification of the variant based off the rocket motor alone, unless the variant markings are visible. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
This remnant of an MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) surface-to-surface ballistic missile is marked to indicate it is the MGM-140A variant, a cluster munition which carries 950 M74 multi-purpose submunitions. Submunitions of this type are sometimes referred to by the acronym ‘anti-personnel and anti‑materiel (APAM)’. Additional markings indicate a manufacturing date (“10/96”; October 1996), a serial number (“411240”), and other information. (ARES)
Analyst Note:
The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) series includes variants with a variety of different payloads, including submunitions and unitary high explosive (HE) warheads. The number of submunitions carried and effective ranges also vary.
Ukraine has reportedly received the MGM-140A and MGM-140B variants, which are externally visually identical and must usually be distinguished by markings. The MGM-140A carries 950 M74 submunitions, with an effective range of 165 km, while the MGM-140B carries only 300 M74 submunitions but has a longer effective range of 300 km. (ARES)