US army in possession of first M270A2 MLRS: Lockheed Martin

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Lockheed Martin handed over its first operational Multiple Rocket Launch System (MLRS) to the US Army, the company announced Tuesday in a press release.

"Lockheed Martin delivered the first Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270A2 launcher to the US Army in a ceremony today at the Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Camden, Arkansas," the release said. 

Lockheed Martin is working jointly with the Red River Army Depot to upgrade the launcher with an enhanced 600 horsepower engine, an improved armored cab, and Common Fire Control System, the release read.

According to the arms manufacturer, the upgrade would provide compatibility with any munitions made in the future, such as the Extended-Range GMLRS and the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM).

The partners said the complete restoration would ensure that the M270-series launcher would maintain its status as a highly effective and reliable system in serving the US military and other allies through 2050.

According to the release, the MLRS can be carried on heavy military airlift carriers, and they are designed to destroy artillery, air defense concentrations, trucks, light armor, and personnel carrier at distances further than previously possible while having the ability to relocate at high speed.

M270 MLRSs are among the weapons handed out to Kiev as part of the influx of western arms to the country in light of the Ukraine war. However, Ukraine has been found to be selling weapons it acquired from the West on the black market due to the Kiev forces' limited ability to use them because of their lack of training, logistical challenges, and the diminishing size of the Ukrainian armed forces, as per former Pentagon adviser Karen Kwiatkowski.

"Given that these items are 'free,' a great deal of profit can be made by] selling what is not needed or cannot be easily used," Kwiatkowski said. "Ukraine's ability to utilize these 'gifts' is limited by lack of training, logistical challenges, and the ever-shrinking size of the Ukrainian army," the retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel added.

"Even more effective US-supplied weapons like anti-tank Javelin missiles, M142 HIMARS high mobility artillery rocket systems, and M270 MLRS multiple-launch rocket systems would probably start appearing on the black market once the Ukrainians decide to negotiate a cease-fire and a settlement with Moscow," Kwiatkowski explained.

Just two weeks ago, the White House announced that the United States was sending a new batch of military supplies to Ukraine. The new batch of arms supply is worth $450 million in shipments.

Earlier that day, Ukraine received a batch of HIMARS, weapons set on top of the Ukrainian wishlist, and the Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov thanked, via his Twitter account, his "colleague and friend Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III for these powerful tools!"

Though the United States has been taking care of providing training for the Ukrainian soldiers when it comes to arms they are not accustomed to, Kiev is still selling its arms to the black market due to "inexperience".

Even the HIMARS are likely to be sold, according to the former defense official, Pentagon policy chief Colin Kahl said Kiev's forces recently completed training on HIMARS delivered to Ukraine by Washington and London.