Sweden to acquire slightly more than ten HIMARS for $732 million

Sweden has signed a contract worth 7 billion Swedish kronor, or $732 million, to purchase American-made M142 HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems produced by Lockheed Martin. The deal was announced at Ärna Air Base near Uppsala with the participation of representatives of Finland, which will help Sweden introduce this capability. As Breaking Defense reports, the procurement includes slightly more than ten launchers and a significant volume of ammunition. Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson did not name the exact number of launchers. The first deliveries of launchers and ammunition are scheduled for 2027. This is the first contract under an agreement approved by the US government in March. Potential use of PrSM According to Jonson, HIMARS will in the future allow Sweden to use Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) missiles with a range of up to 500 km, intended to strike important targets deep within enemy defenses. Swedish Army Commander Major General Johan Pekkari said that the army currently lacks long-range precision capabilities of this type, although the air force has such capabilities. More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram. Pekkari noted that HIMARS will become a means of conducting deep strikes and will complement Taurus missiles, which Swedish Air Force Gripen fighters can now carry. Cooperation with Finland and Saab The defence ministers of Sweden and Finland signed a defence agreement covering maintenance, spare parts and cooperation on ammunition. Finland will assist Sweden with maintenance and training, as the country does not yet operate HIMARS. Lockheed Martin is also establishing Europe's first HIMARS maintenance center in Tampere, Finland, which is intended to support users of the system across Europe. Finland already operates Lockheed Martin's tracked MLRS variant, compatible with the same family of ammunition. Lockheed Martin and Saab signed a letter of intent to explore the integration of a ground-launched version of the GLSDB small diameter bomb, as well as the possibility of producing ammunition for HIMARS, other systems and the Patriot PAC-3 system. Saab is currently establishing a production site in Grayling, Michigan; the company also allows for the possibility of production in Europe later. Read us on Telegram and Sends Download our app