Estonia bolsters defence with HIMARS rocket systems acquisition
Six M142 HIMARS rocket systems were ceremonially handed over to Estonia at the headquarters of the American defence company Lockheed Martin. Many countries worldwide highly regard this weapon, which has proven effective in Ukraine in recent months.
According to a statement issued by the Estonian Defence Investment Centre, the newly acquired equipment will strengthen the local army this summer.
The delivery fulfils a contract signed at the end of 2022. In addition to the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) systems, the Estonian authorities have also secured ammunition, communication, training, logistics solutions, and technical support.
Estonia acquires new HIMARS launchers
"Starting this summer, HIMARS will provide us with long-range precision strike capability, significantly enhancing our options for defending Estonia," said Major Tanel Tatsi, commander of the artillery troops of the Estonian Defence Forces.
HIMARS system capabilities appreciated around the Baltic
The HIMARS system can use different kinds of ammunition to target objectives. The designers envisaged compatibility with standard MLRS 227 mm rockets and GMLRS guided ammunition, including cluster submunition missiles. Przemysław Juraszek, a journalist from Wirtualna Polska, explained the functioning of these in detail in his article.
In each case, the launcher can hold six missiles, but alternatively, it can be replaced with a single MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missile. This long-range weapon can attack at a distance of up to 186 miles. A combination of inertial and satellite navigation ensures a very high precision of impact, reaching only a few metres. Thanks to this and its high destructive power, HIMARS is called the "god of war." It proved its effectiveness in Ukraine as well, particularly in destroying Russian equipment.
Other Baltic states, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, are also equipping themselves with HIMARS systems. In November 2024, the last launchers ordered under a 2019 contract arrived in Poland. However, deliveries related to the 2023 contract, involving an additional 486 HIMARS launchers for Poland, are still awaited.
