Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2021-2031

The Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market is projected to expand from USD 892.17 Million in 2025 to USD 1.25 billion by 2031, achieving a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.81%. A Multiple Launch Rocket System is defined as a mobile artillery unit containing multiple launchers designed to discharge rockets rapidly against extensive targets. This market growth is fundamentally supported by a rigorous focus on military modernization programs and the critical necessity for long-range precision firepower due to escalating geopolitical tensions. These driving forces represent a major structural transformation in national defense strategies aimed at maintaining superiority in conventional warfare environments.

However, the industry encounters significant hurdles regarding supply chain limitations that hinder the swift manufacturing of solid rocket motors and guidance components. As reported by the European Defence Agency, defense spending in the European Union reached an estimated 326 billion euros in 2024, a figure that emphasizes the substantial capital injection directed toward restocking critically depleted reserves of artillery and rockets. If these industrial production bottlenecks remain unresolved, manufacturers could face considerable difficulties in meeting the rising global demand for these systems.

Market Drivers

A primary catalyst for market expansion is the global increase in defense budgets and strategic procurement, as nations prioritize acquiring high-mobility artillery to counter near-peer adversaries. This influx of funding allows defense ministries to replace legacy static systems with advanced mobile platforms, thereby enhancing force readiness and ensuring interoperability among allied nations. For instance, Lockheed Martin announced in a May 2024 press release titled 'U.S. Army Awards Lockheed Martin Contract to Increase HIMARS Production Capacity' that it secured a contract valued at $861 million to boost the manufacturing of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and associated hardware. Such investments underscore the direct correlation between fiscal policy adjustments and the industrial output needed to meet modern military operational requirements.

Furthermore, the growing demand for long-range and precision-guided munitions propels market growth, as military doctrines increasingly favor surgical strike capabilities over saturation fire. Armed forces are actively building stockpiles of next-generation tactical missiles and guided multiple launch rocket system munitions to engage high-value targets at extended ranges with minimal collateral damage. In March 2024, Lockheed Martin announced in 'Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Deliver PrSM Inc 1 Early Operational Capability' that the U.S. Army granted a $219 million contract to produce Precision Strike Missiles as replacements for aging Army Tactical Missile Systems. The scale of this rearmament is further evidenced by international exports; for example, Hanwha Aerospace finalized a contract in 2024 worth approximately $1.6 billion to supply 72 Homar-K multiple rocket launchers to the Polish Armed Forces.

Market Challenges

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

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

Market Trends

A significant industrial shift is observed in the establishment of sovereign munition production hubs, as nations seek to immunize their supply chains against geopolitical disruptions. Defense ministries are increasingly mandating localization agreements and joint ventures to ensure the domestic availability of critical rocket motors and warheads, shifting away from reliance on pure off-the-shelf imports. This trend involves major investments in regional manufacturing infrastructures designed to sustain consumption rates during high-intensity conflicts. For instance, Rheinmetall announced in August 2025 under 'Rheinmetall expands defence footprint with Europe's biggest ammunition factory' that it inaugurated a new facility in Unterlüß following an investment of approximately 500 million euros, aimed at securing independent European capacity for artillery and rocket systems.

Simultaneously, the market is witnessing the rapid advancement of autonomous and unmanned launchers intended to enhance force multiplication and survivability. Military doctrines are integrating unmanned high-mobility artillery rocket systems capable of executing "shoot-and-scoot" missions without exposing crews to counter-battery fire, effectively decoupling firepower from personnel risk. These systems utilize robotic leader-follower technologies, allowing a single manned vehicle to command a convoy of autonomous launchers. In December 2025, DefenseScoop reported in an article titled 'Army issues RFIs for Common Autonomous Multi-Domain Launcher program' that 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.

Key Players Profiled in the Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market

• AvibrAs Industria 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

Report Scope

In this report, the Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market has been segmented into the following categories:

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
• Europe
• Asia-Pacific
• South America
• Middle East & Africa

Competitive Landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies present in the Global Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) Market.

Available Customization

The analyst offers customization according to your specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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