Oshkosh Defense received $23.7 million to supply unmanned launchers to the U.S. Marine Corps in support of HIMARS

The U.S. Marine Corps has signed a $23.7 million contract with Oshkosh Defense to provide ground-based unmanned launchers for Naval Strike Missile launchers.

Here's What We Know

As part of the agreement, the U.S. company is committed to supply remotely piloted Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) land-based launchers. The contract must be fulfilled by October 2023. The number of launchers is not specified.

NMESIS is a land-based missile platform that provides battalions and Marine Corps task forces with the ability to counter enemy ships. The system is capable of launching two Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missiles. The unmanned system is mounted on the chassis of Oshkosh Defense's JLTV tactical vehicle.

The first tests of NMESIS took place in late fall 2019. In the summer of 2021, the Marine Corps conducted another test of the system as part of Exercise Large Scale Exercise 21, destroying the decommissioned USS Ingraham off the coast of Hawaii.

The U.S. Marine Corps plans to use NMESIS unmanned platforms in divisions along with HIMARS. The UAVs will hit naval targets, while the multiple rocket launchers will hit ground targets.

Source: Defense Brief

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