The US military is looking for companies that can build up to 100 HIMARS multiple rocket launchers a year. The Army’s request for information (RFI) comes as Ukraine uses its new US-supplied M142 High Mobility Artillery Missile Systems, or HIMARS, to launch devastating strikes against Russian forces. What’s interesting is that the Army is setting a five-year timeline that calls for nearly 500 new HIMARS, which are currently manufactured by Lockheed Martin. Between fiscal years 2024 and 2028, the Army is considering a minimum of 24 new launchers per year and a maximum of 96, for a total of between 120 and 480 over five years. “The total quantities for HIMARS include all possible variants,” the Army said. “Additional support efforts include, but are not limited to: repetitive manufacturing, obsolescence, engineering changes, systems engineering and program management (SEPM), integrated logistics support (ILS), spare parts, New Equipment Training and other support equipment.” Whether these new HIMARS are actually built depends on funding, congressional policy, and changes in the international situation and military technology. “The information provided may be used by the Army to develop its acquisition strategy,” noted Redstone Arsenal, which issued the RFI. A Wisconsin Army National Guard HIMARS on the island of Gotland, Sweden in October 2021. US Army/Sh. Patrick Orcutt Adding 480 new launchers would nearly double the global HIMARS supply. The US Army has 363 and the Marine Corps another 47. The Army said in 2021 — before Russia attacked Ukraine — that it would seek to increase its strength to 547 HIMARS. Romania has 18 HIMARS and US approval to buy up to 54. Singapore has 18 launchers and Jordan 12. Next to Ukraine, perhaps the most notable buyer would be Taiwan, which now plans to order 29 HIMARS. Taiwan originally planned to order just 11 HIMARS along with 40 M109A6 Paladin 155mm self-propelled howitzers, but now wants to cancel the Paladin order in favor of more HIMARS, which have a longer firing range. Taiwan’s military believes that HIMARS would be more effective in dealing with an amphibious landing. Indeed, given the publicity HIMARS has had in the Ukraine war — where it has been called a “game changer” — its holster alone will likely boost sales. HIMARS is designed to be a lightweight, truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher alongside the heavier, armored M270 multiple rocket launcher system. While HIMARS can launch a long-range Military Tactical Missile System, Ukraine’s vehicles are armed with a guided multiple launch missile system, which can launch six GPS-guided missiles at a range of 50 miles. Ukraine has used HIMARS for precision strikes to destroy Russian targets such as ammunition dumps, command posts and even bridges. A Ukrainian unit commander shows the missiles on a HIMARS vehicle in eastern Ukraine on July 1. Anastasia Vlasova for The Washington Post via Getty Images The long range of HIMARS is highly valued by the Ukrainian forces. When Russia launched its offensive in February, the Soviet-era artillery used by Ukraine’s military was outgunned by newer Russian weapons, such as the BM-30 Smerch multiple rocket launcher, which has a range of 45 miles. This allowed Russian artillery to destroy Ukrainian weapons while remaining safely out of anti-aircraft range. Because HIMARS is truck-mounted, it can also use scoot-and-shoot tactics for rapid relocation after firing. However, ramping up HIMARS production will not be easy. Covid-19 and other supply chain issues have created procurement delays across the civilian and military world. At the best of times, ramping up production capacity for weapons is difficult — even expanding production lines for old-fashioned, unguided 155mm howitzers can take more than a year. Manufacturers may be reluctant to invest for fear that changes in Pentagon priorities and congressional funding will leave them with unused capacity. Exports of HIMARS and other weapons to other nations are also hostage to an ever-fluctuating global politics and the byzantine process of US foreign military sales. However, HIMARS seems likely to become the weapon of choice. Given sufficient demand, the US defense industry will build more. Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds a master’s degree in political science. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
