December 12, 1975: Military Procurement Command releases a Request for Proposal for the defense industry to help determine the best technical approach for a General Support Rocket System.

March 1976: Contracts to study and produce a concept for the GSRS are awarded to the Vought Corporation, Martin Marietta, Boeing Aerospace and Northrop.

February 14, 1977: The Secretary of Defense issues an order authorizing the development of the GSRS using Dual Purpose Improved Cluster Munitions (DPICM) as the standard warhead. Also authorized, the development of a family of alternate warheads: Including warheads for deploying anti-tank and anti-personnel mines, binary chemical weapons and even a small tactical nuclear warhead.

September 16, 1977: Initial contracts awarded to both the Vought and Boeing Aerospace Corporations for each to design and build prototype GSRS for competitive testing and evaluations.

December 5, 1977: A fixed position, test firing of the very first GSRS rocket conducted by the Vought Corporation.

April 14, 1978: The Vought Corporation begins further testing, firing of GSRS rockets from a rocket launch pod configured into a six-pack formation.

March 30, 1979: The first rocket fired from within the proposed GSRS weapons platform, the Self-Propelled Launcher Loader (SPLL).

July 1979: The US, England, France and Germany agree to begin joint development and production of GSRS. Variations of GSRS would be produced in Europe with end product destinations being Western European NATO Allies.

November 16, 1979: The GSRS is renamed the Multiple Launch Rocket System or MLRS. The name is more compatible, and closely related, with the already well established European name for such weapon systems.

April 29, 1980: The Department of Defense and the US Army announce the full contract for further development and production of the MLRS Field Artillery System would go to the Vought Corporation.

May 1980: A Department of Defense Procurement Review approved the MLRS program to move forward with further development and an initial, low-rate production of the MLRS.

July 23, 1980: The US and governments of the European MLRS production nations announced the defense industries of all five nations would work together in concept and design of the Terminal Guidance Warhead (TGW). The TGW capabilities would need to have the following characteristics: Rapid fire, conventional armament able to destroy both static and mobile targets ranging from medium armor to hard armored targets, such as tanks.

November 1, 1980: Flight testing of MLRS rockets was undertaken at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), in New Mexico. By the end of the year, the validation testing program for MLRS was complete.

March 26, 1981: Department of the Army issued a statement addressing the need for an MLRS warheads capable of delivering binary chemical weapons (BCW). Use of a BCW would force enemy troops to employ personal protective gear, gas masks and force the enemy to remain inside protective structures, limiting their ability to maneuver and fight.

December 1981: Defense Agencies from the MLRS partner nations agree on a preliminary TGW design and subsequently award developmental contracts to Raytheon, General Dynamics and Martin Marietta.

February 10, 1982: The first MLRS 12 rocket 'ripple' fired at White Sands Missile Range. The fire mission inflicted very heavy damage on a series of targets located approximately 10 miles from the MLRS firing point.

March 31, 1982: A contract for a BCW conceptual design awarded to the Vought Corporation.

May 19, 1982: The first six rockets (one pod of live rounds), received from Vought's facility in Camden, Arkansas.

May 22, 1982: Qualification testing for full production of the Multiple Launch Rocket System started.

1982: The first 7 MLRS SPLLs delivered by the Vought Corporation at different intervals throughout the year. As well, 1982 saw the successful completion of phase III flight testing.

February 4, 1983: MLRS qualification testing for full production completed at White Sands Missile Range.

March 31, 1983: The first MLRS operational, tactical battery fielded at Fort Riley, Kansas.

April 14, 1983: The Secretary of the Army approves full-scale production of the MLRS.

September 1, 1983: The Army's 8th Inf. Division in Germany receives the first MLRS battery fielded outside the US.

August 1984: 3rd Armored Division Artillery, based in Hanau, Germany receives it's battery of MLRS launchers and are subsequently assigned as 'C' Battery 1/40th Field Artillery: The third firing battery of a Self-Propelled 8" Howitzer, artillery unit.

February 7, 1984: The MLRS Project Office establishes a program to monitor worldwide SPLL status on a daily basis. This program will ensure the global supportability of the fielded MLRS.

June 1984: MLRS fielded to the Army's 2nd Inf. Division (2nd ID) in South Korea.