M261 lightweight launcher
19-round 70 mm rocket launcherArnold Defense identifies M261 as a 19-shot lightweight Hydra-70 launcher predominantly associated with the U.S. Army Apache program.
Sources: M261 Lightweight Launcher | Arnold DefenseManufacturer catalog
Arnold Defense
Arnold Defense is a U.S. manufacturer of 2.75-inch / 70 mm rocket launchers and related electronic components based in Arnold, Missouri, south of St. Louis. The company traces its industrial lineage to Chromcraft furniture production in 1945, began producing rocket launchers for the U.S. government in 1961, and now focuses on launcher families for aircraft, ground vehicles, sea craft, and precision-guided surface-fire applications.
2 weaponsArnold Defense's public history describes a manufacturing business that moved from furniture and commercial goods into defense electronics and rocket-launcher production. Its Arnold, Missouri facility became the center of the launcher business after earlier St. Louis operations closed, and the company says it now works with the U.S. Department of Defense, NATO customers, and foreign military partners.
The company's catalog includes legacy aviation launchers such as M260, M261, LAU-61, LAU-68, and LAU-131 series pods, plus newer surface systems such as LAND-LGR4 / FLETCHER and MLHS. Official product pages emphasize 2.75-inch / 70 mm launcher design, tube manufacture, electronics assembly, and through-life support rather than rocket-motor or warhead production.
Notable Systems
LAND-LGR4 / FLETCHER
Four-round 70 mm laser-guided rocket launcherLAND-LGR4 is Arnold Defense's four-round FLETCHER laser-guided 70 mm rocket launcher for ground vehicles, sea craft, and static positions.
Sources: LAND-LGR4 - Arnold DefenseMLHS / LAND-LGR23
Four-round 70 mm laser-guided rocket launcherMLHS is Arnold Defense's 23-round surface-based 2.75-inch / 70 mm precision-guided rocket launcher concept derived from the FLETCHER development path.
Sources: MLHS - Arnold Defense, Arnold Defense announces next generation FLETCHER development programManufacturer History
Manufacturing lineage begins
Arnold Defense traces its predecessor business to Chromcraft, a division of American Fixture Corporation, which began manufacturing furniture and commercial goods in St. Louis in 1945.
Sources: About Arnold Defense
Rocket-launcher production starts
Arnold's company history says Chromcraft began producing rocket launchers for the U.S. government at the St. Louis facility in 1961.
Sources: About Arnold Defense
Gateway Defense Holdings ownership
Arnold Defense says Durable Metal Enterprises bought the company in 2002, renamed it Arnold Defense & Electronics, and that Gateway Defense Holdings became the owner in 2005.
Sources: About Arnold Defense
FLETCHER unveiled
Arnold Defense says the FLETCHER precision-guided 2.75-inch / 70 mm weapon system was first unveiled at DSEi in London in 2017.
Sources: LAND-LGR4 - Arnold Defense, Arnold Defense announces two major orders for FLETCHER
Five-year IDIQ rocket-launcher contract announced
Arnold Defense announced a $56.5 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for 2.75-inch rocket launchers, subcomponents, and support for U.S. and Foreign Military Sales requirements, with work in Arnold, Missouri expected through May 2028.
Sources: Contract Award - 5 year IDIQ Contract for Rocket Launchers to the USG
Predecessors
Arnold Defense publishes detailed company-history and product pages. Procurement values and customer descriptions are stated only where company releases or established defense reporting identify them; this profile does not infer combat use from product or contract announcements.
Manufacturer Sources
- Arnold Defense official websitePublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports the company's current focus on 2.75-inch / 70 mm rocket launchers, product portfolio, services, and official image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- About Arnold DefensePublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports company history, Arnold, Missouri location, ownership history, production focus, ISO certification history, and production-volume background. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- M261 Lightweight Launcher | Arnold DefensePublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports the M261 notable-system description and Arnold Defense's 19-round Hydra-70 launcher context. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- LAND-LGR4 - Arnold DefensePublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports LAND-LGR4 / FLETCHER naming, first unveiling, platform fit, APKWS compatibility, and four-round launcher specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- MLHS - Arnold DefensePublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports the MLHS / LAND-LGR23 notable-system description and 23-round surface-launcher specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- Arnold Defense announces next generation FLETCHER development programPublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports FLETCHER development history, DSEi 2017 first unveiling, MLHS development context, and future surface-launcher directions. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- Arnold Defense announces two major orders for FLETCHERPublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports FLETCHER order history, four-round and eight-round configurations, and general system background. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- Contract Award - 5 year IDIQ Contract for Rocket Launchers to the USGPublisher: Arnold Defense | Note: Supports the June 2023 IDIQ contract value, scope, contracting activity, work location, and expected completion timing. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
- Arnold Defense awarded U.S. Department of Defense Contract worth up to $74.3 millionPublisher: Armada International | Note: Supports independent defense-reporting context for the 2019 contract, M260 and M261 product families, and the company's stated scale in 2.75-inch launcher production. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
Produced weapons
Category
Support Equipment
Transport, logistics, recovery, command, engineering, and other enabling equipment.