The U.S. Army’s Roland self-propelled, surface-to-air missile air defense program began in 1974, when the Army issued a request for proposals for a new all-weather short-range air-defense system. The Roland was eventually selected, and in January 1975, Hughes was awarded a development contract for an American version of the system, sometimes called US Roland. The missile was to be license-built by Boeing and Hughes and was designated XMIM-115A. The Army originally mounted the US Roland system on an M109 tracked chassis, but later adopted a modified M812A1 5-ton truck as the Roland vehicle. The first launch of a U.S.-built XMIM-115A occurred in February 1978.
In 1981 it was decided to terminate the US Roland program and limit procurement to a single Army National Guard battalion only. The US Roland was never declared fully operational and the only battalion eventually deactivated. American production ended in 1985 after about 600 missiles had been built.
