The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Bahrain of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $500 million. The Government of Bahrain has requested to buy four (4) M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems; and three (3) International Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems. The following non-MDE items will also be included: M28A2 Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket Pods; High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle Fire Direction Centers; M1084A3 HIMARS resupply vehicles; HIMARS Driver Vision Enhancer systems; AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced GPS Receiver; test equipment; simulators; generators; integration and test support; spares/repair parts; communications equipment; software support; facilities/construction support; publication/technical documentation; personnel training/training equipment and other related elements of logistics and program support.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East. The proposed sale will improve Bahrain’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its ability to provide critical support for the security of U.S. installations and personnel in Bahrain, integrate into U.S.‐led coalitions, and to operate independently in support of U.S. interests and the security of U.S. forces in-theater. Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin, located in Grand Prairie, TX. At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor.
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 rockets or one ATACMS missile. It is based on the U.S. Army’s FMTV five-ton truck, and is capable of launching all rockets in the Multiple Launch Rocket System Family of Munitions. HIMARS ammunition pods are interchangeable with the M270 MLRS. The HIMARS is similar in design to the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), with the main exception being that it is a wheeled vehicle as opposed to a tracked vehicle. The HIMARS can carry the same type of pods as the M270, but carries one pod while the M270 carries two pods. The HIMARS windows are made of sheets of sapphire laminated with glass and polycarbonate. The HIMARS was also tested as a unified launch system for both artillery rockets and the SLAMRAAM surface-launched variant of the AMRAAM anti-aircraft missile.
The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) has a single pod, as opposed to the standard two for the M270 and its variants. The launcher system and chassis are produced by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control in Camden, Arkansas as of 2019. The launcher can be transported by C-17 Globemaster, C-5 Galaxy, and Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. The FMTV truck that transports the HIMARS was initially produced by Armor Holdings Aerospace and Defense Group Tactical Vehicle Systems Division, the original equipment manufacturer of the FMTV. It was produced by the Oshkosh Corporation from 2010 to 2017, with all units since then being manufactured by Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division. It was unveiled during the Eurosatrory 2024 and mounted on Rheinmetall’s HX 8×8 chassis. Both Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin are actively engaging with European customers for potential sales.
