The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible emergency Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and related elements of logistics and program support for an estimated cost of $30 million. The Government of Ukraine has requested to buy three (3) High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a light multiple rocket launcher developed in the late 1990s for the United States Army and mounted on a standard U.S. Army Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) M1140 truck frame. The HIMARS carries one pod with either six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets or one Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile.
The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Ukraine of the above defense articles and services in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by enhancing Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and respond to continued Russian aggression. This will be a sale from U.S. Army inventory. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. The estimated total cost is $30 million, which will be funded by the Government of Germany on behalf of Ukraine.
On 1 June 2022, the US announced that it would be supplying four HIMARS to Ukraine with M31 GMLRS unitary rockets. A further 18 HIMARS were announced on 28 September 2022, as part of an aid package aimed at meeting Ukraine’s mid- and long-term needs, so deliveries are to begin in six months at the earliest. Ukraine had previously been provided with only M31 Unitary Warhead missiles, which are “not ideal against targets spread over large areas, as the deadly chunks are not designed to fly far.” As of early October they have been granted the M30A1 which uses the Alternative Warhead that can cover up to “half a square mile of land in a single salvo” with 180,000 tungsten steel BB sized balls. The US announced on 4 October that four more HIMARS launchers would be provided from US military stockpiles, to increase the total to 20 HIMARS in Ukrainian service.
HIMARS attacks by Ukraine have been credited with destroying Russian command nodes, tens of thousands of howitzer artillery rounds and a staggering 20 million small-arms rounds. As of February 2023, CNN reported that Ukraine had expended approximately 9,500 HIMARS rockets. In response to the effects of HIMARS, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu declared the HIMARS system as a high priority target for Russian troops. Ukrainian officials identified Russia’s kamikaze drones as the biggest threat to the HIMARS system. On 10 February 2024, two Ukrainian HIMARS systems were seen arriving onboard an Antonov Airlines An-124-100M at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania, United States. Both systems appeared damaged, with one having cracked windows in the crew compartment, and the other missing its front right wheel.
