HIMARS makes its mark Published May 12, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Chip Slack 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- In an effort to hone their skills, a highly-trained group of U.S. Army soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, braved high-speed winds to deploy their M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System April 30 at Melrose Air Force Range, N.M. The HIMARS is part of the Army's arsenal of medium tactical vehicles. An all-wheel drive, five-ton truck that carries the explosive six-pack rockets is manned by trained soldiers who have become so accustomed to the awe-inspiring explosions, it's like second nature. The versatility of HIMARS allows crew members to launch weapons and quickly retreat from the area at high speeds before enemy forces are able to locate the launch site. "Overall, the HIMARS exercise was a great success," said Maj. James Martin, 27th Special Operations Aerospace Operations Squadron range operations officer. "This event presented additional challenges over last year's shoot with the addition of the fire direction center vehicle, multiple reloads and extensive ground maneuvers." For an event of this magnitude to effectively take place, every single aspect involved needs to line up flawlessly. Even the smallest of details can derail an entire day's worth of planning. "Communication, logistical and equipment issues prevented any rockets being fired the first day," said Martin. "However," he continued, "the crew did a great job overcoming those obstacles and fired all 24 rockets the second day." As an event that was strategically designed to test unit cohesion, troubleshooting skills and precision, the HIMARS exercise provided Airmen of Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., an opportunity to train in a high intensity environment and test their skills. "The involvement of Opposing Forces and joint terminal attack controllers with multiple 27th Special Operations Group aircraft provided a unique training opportunity at Melrose Range," Martin said. "I applaud Team Cannon for their level of professionalism and outstanding support, which made this exercise such a success."