Estonia boosts defense with acquisition of HIMARS rocket systems
At the headquarters of the American defence company Lockheed Martin, a ceremonial handover of six M142 HIMARS rocket systems to Estonia took place. This weapon has an excellent reputation in many countries around the world and has recently proven its effectiveness in Ukraine.
According to a statement from the Estonian Defence Investment Centre (RKIK), the newly acquired equipment will strengthen the local army this summer.
The delivery will fulfil an agreement signed at the end of 2022. In addition to the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) systems themselves, the Estonian authorities have also secured ammunition, communication, training, and logistical solutions, as well as technical support.
Estonia acquires new HIMARS launchers
"Starting this summer, HIMARS will provide us with the capability for precise long-range strikes, significantly enhancing Estonia's defence capabilities," said Major Tanel Tatsi, commander of the artillery forces of the Estonian Defence Forces.
The capabilities of the HIMARS system appreciated in the Baltic region
The HIMARS system can use various types of ammunition to strike targets. The designers ensured compatibility with standard MLRS rockets, calibre 229 mm, and GMLRS-guided ammunition, including cluster munitions. Przemysław Juraszek, a journalist at Wirtualna Polska, detailed the operating principles.
In each of these cases, the launcher holds six missiles, but alternatively, they can be replaced with one MGM-140 ATACMS ballistic missile (Army Tactical Missile System), which is a long-range weapon, allowing strikes at distances of up to 300 km. The combination of inertial and satellite navigation provides very high accuracy, reaching just a few metres. Thanks to this accuracy and its strong impact, HIMARS is called the "god of war," which has proven its effectiveness in Ukraine when destroying Russian equipment.
Other Baltic states, such as Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, are also arming themselves with HIMARS systems. In November 2024, the last of the launchers ordered under the 2019 contract arrived in Poland. However, they are still awaiting deliveries related to a contract signed in 2023 for another 486 HIMARS launchers for Poland.
