Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, Segmented By Launch Vehicle (Tracked, Wheeled), By Caliber Type (70-180 mm, 180-300 mm), By Range (10-100 km, 100-300 km), By Region, & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 892.17 MIllion
CAGR (2026-2031)	5.81%
Fastest Growing Segment	70-180 mm Calibers
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 1252.01 MIllion

Market Overview

The Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market will grow from USD 892.17 MIllion in 2025 to USD 1252.01 MIllion by 2031 at a 5.81% CAGR. A Multiple Launch Rocket System is a mobile artillery platform containing multiple launchers designed to discharge rockets in rapid succession against broad targets. The market growth is primarily supported by the intense prioritization of military modernization programs and the urgent need for long-range precision fire capabilities arising from heightened geopolitical tensions. These drivers represent a fundamental structural shift in national defense strategies to ensure superiority in conventional warfare scenarios.

The industry faces a substantial challenge regarding supply chain constraints that restrict the rapid manufacturing of solid rocket motors and guidance components. According to the European Defence Agency, in 2024, European Union defense expenditures reached an estimated 326 billion euros, a figure that underscores the massive capital injection aimed at replenishing critically depleted artillery and rocket inventories. Failure to resolve these industrial production bottlenecks could significantly impede the ability of manufacturers to fulfill this rising global demand.

Key Market Drivers

Global increases in defense budgets and strategic procurement allocations serve as a primary catalyst for market expansion, as nations prioritize the acquisition of high-mobility artillery to counter near-peer adversaries. This financial influx allows defense ministries to transition from legacy static systems to advanced mobile platforms, ensuring force readiness and interoperability among allied nations. According to Lockheed Martin, May 2024, in the 'U.S. Army Awards Lockheed Martin Contract to Increase HIMARS Production Capacity' press release, the company received a contract valued at $861 million to ramp up the manufacturing of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and associated support hardware. Such investments highlight the direct correlation between fiscal policy adjustments and industrial production aimed at meeting the operational requirements of modern ground forces.

The rising demand for precision-guided and long-range munitions further compels market growth, as military doctrines increasingly emphasize surgical strike capabilities over saturation fire. Armed forces are actively stockpiling guided multiple launch rocket system munitions and next-generation tactical missiles to engage high-value targets at extended ranges with minimal collateral damage. According to Lockheed Martin, March 2024, in the 'Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Deliver PrSM Inc 1 Early Operational Capability' announcement, the U.S. Army awarded a $219 million contract for the production of Precision Strike Missiles to replace aging Army Tactical Missile Systems. Additionally, broad international export activity underscores the scale of this rearmament. According to Hanwha Aerospace, in 2024, the company finalized a contract worth approximately $1.6 billion to supply 72 Homar-K multiple rocket launchers to the Polish Armed Forces.

Download Free Sample Report

Key Market Challenges

The Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market faces a critical impediment in the form of deep-rooted supply chain constraints that severely restrict the manufacturing capacity for solid rocket motors and precision guidance units. While geopolitical instability has triggered a surge in procurement orders, the industrial base is struggling to scale production to match this immediate demand. The specialized nature of the necessary components, such as chemical propellants for propulsion and microelectronics for targeting, means that manufacturers cannot easily bypass these bottlenecks. Consequently, the market is experiencing a significant gap between contracted orders and actual deliveries, which delays revenue recognition and stalls the deployment of these strategic assets.

This structural inability to ramp up output creates a distinct ceiling on market growth, regardless of the availability of funding. The reliance on a limited network of sub-tier suppliers for essential high-tech components has rendered the industry vulnerable to disruptions, extending lead times for years. According to the Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe, in 2024, defense sector turnover reached 183.4 billion euros, yet the industry reported that persistent shortages of critical raw materials and electronic components significantly physically restricted further production expansion. These tangible industrial limitations directly hamper the market's ability to capitalize on the current global rearmament cycle.

Key Market Trends

The establishment of sovereign munition production hubs marks a decisive industrial shift as nations seek to immunize their supply chains against geopolitical disruptions. Defense ministries are increasingly mandating localization agreements and joint ventures to ensure domestic availability of critical rocket motors and warheads, moving away from pure off-the-shelf import models. This trend is characterized by major investments in regional manufacturing infrastructures capable of sustaining high-intensity conflict consumption rates. According to Rheinmetall, August 2025, in the 'Rheinmetall expands defence footprint with Europe's biggest ammunition factory' announcement, the company inaugurated a new production facility in Unterlüß following an investment of approximately 500 million euros, designed to secure independent European capacity for artillery and rocket systems.

Simultaneously, the market is experiencing the rapid advancement of autonomous and unmanned launchers intended to enhance survivability and force multiplication. Military doctrines are integrating unmanned high-mobility artillery rocket systems that can execute "shoot-and-scoot" missions without exposing crews to counter-battery fire, effectively decoupling firepower from personnel risk. These systems utilize robotic leader-follower technologies to allow a single manned vehicle to command a convoy of autonomous launchers. According to DefenseScoop, December 2025, in the 'Army issues RFIs for Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher program' article, the U.S. Army solicited industry solutions for autonomous mobility platforms capable of transporting palletized missile payloads weighing between 40,000 and 60,000 pounds.

Segmental Insights

Market analysis identifies the 70-180 mm caliber segment as the fastest-growing category within the Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) market. This accelerated demand stems from the segment's superior adaptability, offering a strategic balance between mobility, payload capacity, and operational range. Military forces increasingly favor these systems for their cost-efficiency and ease of rapid deployment in diverse tactical scenarios, including counter-insurgency operations. Furthermore, ongoing modernization efforts are equipping these platforms with advanced precision-guided munitions, allowing defense agencies to enhance targeting accuracy while minimizing the logistical challenges typically associated with larger artillery categories.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a dominant position in the global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems market, largely driven by substantial defense budget allocations within the United States. This leadership is supported by the U.S. Department of Defense, which prioritizes fleet modernization and the acquisition of long-range precision fire capabilities. The presence of major defense contractors facilitates the consistent delivery of artillery units to meet these strategic requirements. Consequently, the region benefits from a strong domestic industrial base and recurring government procurement programs that sustain its market superiority over other geographical areas.

Recent Developments

• In August 2024, Elbit Systems secured a contract worth approximately $270 million to supply its advanced rocket artillery to an undisclosed international customer. The agreement, which is set to be performed over a period of four years, highlighted the continued global demand for the company’s precise and universal launching systems. Although the specific client was not named, the deal reinforced the company's position in the high-precision artillery market. The contracted solution is expected to provide the customer with enhanced operational firing capabilities, leveraging the system's ability to launch various rocket types to different ranges from a single, versatile platform.
• In August 2024, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems and Lockheed Martin announced a strategic teaming agreement to produce solid rocket motors for the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS). The collaboration focused on expanding the production capacity of these critical propulsion components at the General Dynamics facility in Camden, Arkansas. By leveraging advanced manufacturing techniques, the companies aimed to strengthen the domestic supply chain and ensure a reliable flow of affordable propulsion systems. This partnership was established to meet the rising global demand for GMLRS munitions and to support the resilience of the defense industrial base against emerging threats.
• In June 2024, Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin unveiled the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS) at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris. The two companies developed this new system to address the increasing demand for long-range rocket artillery in Europe and beyond. The GMARS features a two-pod launcher mounted on a high-mobility Rheinmetall HX 8x8 truck and is capable of firing the entire family of MLRS munitions, including the GMLRS and ATACMS. This collaboration combined the German company's logistical vehicle expertise with the American firm's proven launcher technology, offering a highly mobile solution with "shoot and scoot" capabilities for modern battlefields.
• In April 2024, Hanwha Aerospace signed a second executive contract with the Polish Armaments Agency to supply 72 additional units of the Homar-K multiple launch rocket system to the Polish Armed Forces. This agreement followed an initial order for 218 launchers and aimed to further strengthen Poland's artillery modernization efforts while facilitating the localization of defense production. The Homar-K is a Polish adaptation of the K239 Chunmoo system, integrated onto a domestic Jelcz 8x8 truck chassis. The deal underscored the growing industrial cooperation between the South Korean company and European nations, with the new launchers scheduled for delivery by 2029 to enhance the country's long-range strike capabilities.

Key Market Players

• Avibrás Indústria Aeroespacial
• BAE Systems Plc
• Denel Land Systems
• Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG
• Hanwha Corporation
• IMI Systems Ltd.
• Larsen & Toubro Limited
• Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Roketsan Roket Sanayii ve Ticaret A.S.
• Tata Advanced Systems Limited

By Launch Vehicle	By Caliber Type	By Range	By Region
Tracked Wheeled	70-180 mm 180-300 mm	10-100 km 100-300 km	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market, By Launch Vehicle:

• Tracked
• Wheeled

• Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market, By Caliber Type:

• 70-180 mm
• 180-300 mm

• Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market, By Range:

• 10-100 km
• 100-300 km

• Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE