Missile M-39 ATACMS

The development of the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) originated from a late Cold War doctrinal shift toward conventional deep interdiction, specifically the AirLand Battle and Follow-on Forces Attack concepts. These doctrines required a conventional surface-to-surface missile to strike enemy reserves and second-echelon forces. The program began in 1980 as the Corps Support Weapon System to replace the MGM-52 Lance. After merging with several technology demonstration programs and the withdrawal of air force participation in 1984, the system was designated ATACMS. While early requirements considered nuclear, chemical, or biological payloads, the United States Congress prohibited the development of a nuclear warhead for the system in fiscal year 1984.

The missile is a supersonic tactical ballistic system utilizing solid propellant. It is launched from the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. Launch containers are designed with lids patterned after standard rocket pods to obscure the missile type. Guidance is provided by an inertial navigation system, with later variants incorporating GPS-aided navigation. The system is designed to maintain functionality during GPS loss caused by electronic warfare. Warhead options include the M39 Block I, which carries 950 M74 anti-personnel and anti-materiel bomblets; the M39A1 Block IA, which carries 300 bomblets; and the M39A2, designed to dispense 13 Brilliant Anti-armour Technology submunitions. Unitary variants, such as the M48 and M57, utilize the WDU-18/B high-explosive blast fragmentation warhead. Modernized versions include a proximity sensor for airburst detonation.

The system is widely deployed and operated by countries including the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Ukraine. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, and Taiwan have also been identified as operators or future recipients. Combat use began in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, where 32 missiles were launched. During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, more than 450 missiles were fired. The system was also utilized in Operation Enduring Freedom. Starting in October 2023, the missile was employed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, initially targeting military helicopters and airfields. Subsequent use in 2024 involved strikes against S-300 and S-400 air defense systems and military infrastructure in Crimea. In November 2024, the missile was first used to strike targets within internationally recognized Russian borders, including an ammunition storage facility in the Bryansk region and an airbase in the Kursk region.